Sam & Max: Rabbity Thing + Anthropomorphic dog = Win!

TxdoHawk

I just recently picked up the season 1 pass to Sam and Max. (Also, the Desoto T-shirt, woo!) Shocked to see nobody recreated the thread, since from what I understand, Episode 4 hit Gametap today.

No long involved OP because I'm lazy and we're far enough into the series now that I think most people know the deal. I just want discussion.

Really, really enjoyed Culture Shock weeks ago, so I eagerly started Situation: Comedy last night. Didn't get very far, but meandered into Bosco's Inconvenience and had a good laugh at the

Skinbodies bit.

As far as Bosco and his

British accent, it's funny, but he's way too willing to break from it in certain parts, from what I've seen so far. Takes away from the gag a bit IMO.

Really looking forward to going home and continuing. As far as the complaints regarding recycled jokes/scenes, it's a little disappointing, but I think Telltale is mainly trying to craft a single game spread into tiny episodic pieces, so I can forgive them somewhat. What I'd really like to see as a result of this, is the full season weaved into one big game at the end, with smooth transitions between episodes.

Cherrn

I thought Episode 1 was really good, but Episode 2 was just awesome as hell. Everything involving the TV shows was complete gold.

I haven't played that much of Episode 3 yet, but these new episodes do more than justice to the original; the writing is really good, and the production values are much better than I had expected. The only problem is the new voice acting, which I'm sure won't please everyone. I got used to it, though.

Steel Angel

They're definitely worth the low price. There can be a lot of subtle things too, with some dialogue changing a bit depending on what order you do some things in.

However, episode 3 seems to have some technical issues. I've gotten some nasty slowdown during it during certain areas, especially towards the end. It's not something that's happened with the previous episodes, though admittedly they upped the complexity of what they're rendering in the third one.

TetraNitroCubane

From what I've played (up through episode 3), these games are really quite good. They're inexpensive, true to their adventure game roots, and good for a chuckle to be sure. The episode releases are also on a tight schedule, which is awesome (and necessary... I'm looking at you, Valve). I bought the entire season for just under $50. In addition to getting a direct download to each episode the day of release, for the cost of shipping they'll send a physical disk with every episode on it after they've done the entire season.

There are a few things that feel 'off' though. The voices aren't the classic Sam and Max, and I still can't quite feel the manic humor of the duo. They've become more sanitized, it seems, though I admit to still enjoying the games. Also, each episode is terribly short. I finished the second episode in just under two hours. Episode three took less than that. The puzzles can be pretty easy.

But honestly, with the rate at which they're coming out, these negatives seem pretty paltry.

Steel Angel wrote: »

However, episode 3 seems to have some technical issues. I've gotten some nasty slowdown during it during certain areas, especially towards the end. It's not something that's happened with the previous episodes, though admittedly they upped the complexity of what they're rendering in the third one.

Yeah, I noticed this happening quite a bit. At first it was only in the casino, but after that it started happening on the street outside the office. Rather odd, considering that exact area ran flawlessly in two other episodes.

TxdoHawk

I was trying to wake up in the shower this morning, my mind randomly jumped to Episode 2, and all of a sudden it became clear how to

Win the game show

It all clicked in that twisted cartoony Sam and Max way, and I walked out of the bathroom with a huge grin on my face. A lot of people seem to complain about how the puzzles are too easy, but I am really enjoying the difficulty level. Just enough head-scratching to be enjoyable, but not frustrating.

Suds

It took me until the third episode to finally realize that the final puzzle requires you to remember the little ways you solved all of the previous puzzles leading up to it.

I thought the third one was the best so far and I'm eagerly looking forward to the fourth.

Ginsane

Fourth is pretty good so far.

TxdoHawk

Suds wrote: »

It took me until the third episode to finally realize that the final puzzle requires you to remember the little ways you solved all of the previous puzzles leading up to it.

I didn't keep this in mind for some reason, and because of it the final puzzle in Episode 2 was extremely difficult. I had to get a hint for it. =(

I also needed one hint on Embarrassing Idol, specifically...

...how to get rid of the Soda Jerk that is allergic to ketchup. I actually thought of the ketchup dispenser, and made the cake, but never thought of putting the two together.

Felt really, really dumb after that one.

Edit: I really love how they really nail the puzzles with just the right themes. Often the answer involves "think like a demented cartoon character" and I'm loving it.

TxdoHawk

Just beat Episode 3. Maybe it's just me, but I thought this one was the weakest so far, between the ho-hum puzzles, the frame rate problems, and the length.

Puzzle comments:

Winning at indian poker was way too hard to guess, I'd be surprised if many people figured that one out on their own without trying random things. Good idea, but needed a little more refinement as far as how you solved it.

The puzzle involving faking Sybil's death was clever, but they needed to record dialogue for her post-"shooting". She should have been shocked but grateful, and yet her responses didn't change. Surprisingly sloppy for a game that has gotten this kind of thing right so often.

My favorite puzzle, however, was probably beating Bosco's new security system. Another classic "what would a demented cartoon character do?" kind of puzzle.

The final puzzle was better than Episode 2's, this one I actually managed to figure out on my own. Still not as good as Episode 1's showdown with Brady Culture though.

Axen

I thought Episode 2 was the easiest so far. This coming from a guy who has a very hard time with these kind of games.


Also concerning Indian Poker in Episode 3

I had a freakishly hard time figuring that one out myself. I found the Ace card easy enough, but I didn't know what to do with it after that. I tried using it on Leonard and the Card Dealer with no luck. Finally got it when I was randomly clicking on stuff. Now that I figured it out I think when Leonard was looking at your card was "the hint" though a very weak one if ya ask me

I must add that when your stuck on a hard puzzle and then you finally figure it out. Yeah thats the best feeling in the whole God damn world.

Suds

I was able to figure out all of Episode 3's puzzles on my own but I just had a hard time implementing them. For instance.

I was trying to stick the magnet on the clown's nose so that Leonard's view of his own card would be blocked. It would have had a similar end result since he couldn't cheat anymore. Once I remembered about the Ace card at the beginning again everything fell into place.

I think I had an easier time with the third episode because I'd just played the 2nd about a week before (it had sat on my hard drive for nearly a month). So the Sam & Max way of thinking was still fresh on my mind.

Christ Puncher

Are there any plans to bring this to consoles? I thought I remembered reading they were thinking about porting it to the Wii or something a while back.

Rabid_Llama

Is this through gametap or somthing? I still need to play Sam & Max Hit the Road.

Glal

Anthropomorphic.

Anyway, I liked 3rd a lot. 2nd was the easiest one for myself, since it didn't have a single "stump me for an hour" puzzle [whereas the other two had one each].
Plus, Sam's expressions when you're given your jobs, or when talking to people you're about to commit them on, were priceless.

Raggie

ChristPuncher wrote: »

Are there any plans to bring this to consoles? I thought I remembered reading they were thinking about porting it to the Wii or something a while back.

I don´t think there´s been an official announcement yet, but the company did have some negotiations with Nintendo about it, and now they are hiring Wii programmers...

TxdoHawk

Glal wrote: »

Anthropomorphic.

Fixed.

Mean old furries and their big words...

Ten

Episode 4 is available now for customers who bought Season 1! Yes!

Suds

bslinger wrote: »

Episode 4 is available now for customers who bought Season 1! Yes!

I just got the email too!

More Sam & Max was exactly what I needed today.

FinalGamer

Played three episodes so far, gonna get the fourth one next week. I LOVE it. It feels just like the old LucasArts games was, even not feeling so short either, and the gags are still funny. I loved the whole bit in episode 1 of Sybil Pandemik's ink blot tests.

TychoCelchuuu

I'm really on the fence with this one. On the one hand, well, it's Sam and Max. On the other hand, all the videos, trailers, and just about everything else on their website is very mildly funny at best. I think I laughed once on the entire site. Now, Sam and Max has a lot to live up to. The original, for example. That thing was hilarious. I would love to just trust the episodes to be that good, but all I have to go on is what they've posted on their website, and it seems to me that if they consider that stuff funny enough to be representative of the game, well, maybe I'd better hold off.

Then again, there's a demo, right? I think I need to go download it.

cooljammer00

didnt the voice actor for Max from Culture Shock get injured/sick, so they had to get a third Max for the rest of the game?

How do the voices compare? TV/first Max/Second Max/Hit the road max (I know there was some voices on the diskette version (woo 7 discs) but i think there was a cd version with sounds and voices)

TetraNitroCubane

bslinger wrote: »

Episode 4 is available now for customers who bought Season 1! Yes!

I got this message today too, and holy crap is episode 4 awesome!

Seriously, I liked episodes one through three, but the latest one is better than all the rest by far from what I've played. I only had about an hour and a half to get into the game by now, but the humor is much better than previous outtings. Honestly, it feels like genuine Sam and Max dialogue again. Maybe it's just me, but the jokes are consistantly making me laugh. It even feels a little less sanitized this time around.

I especially like how

Nader shows up in the poll results.

Here's to hoping the rest of this episode is just as good. To everyone on the fence, I'd say episode four is the best one to date.

Suds

I've never laughed at Sam & Max. Even with the original game. I do appreciate it though. I'll have the odd chuckle.

For some odd reason I don't hate

Hugh Bliss

I would have thought a voice like that would drive me crazy. And it does, but I just can't hate the character.

Suds

Well I just finished the 4th one and I had a harder time of it than the previous ones. I felt like there was more pixel hunting than in the third one, and I just couldn't really figure out what I was supposed to do next. And I don't mean in a small sense, I just had no idea how to do any of it.

Probably because I've been fighting a stomach flu this week and I've been severely dehydrated.

The shining moment of this one was easily

The big musical number. I did not see that coming. I laughed.

www.maxforpresident.org

TxdoHawk

Episode 4 comments:

I thought this one was the one of the best written, but the puzzles were pretty meh, with a few exceptions. I can't imagine how many people spent forever looking for signs and then finally found the army sign.

Episode 5 comments:

I thought this one was slightly above average all around. The puzzles were good and reasonable, I really liked how a lot of it involves clever ways of abusing how Reality 2.0 works (how items change when you go into Reality 2.0, the fact that you enter and exit in the same place you come from when going back and forth, manipulating the control computers...) . The final puzzle was awesome, tied in my mind with the first episode's final puzzle. The only thing that absolutely stumped me was the firewall bit.

The writing wasn't bad, there were some great lines but given the subject matter there could have been a lot more. I was kind of disappointed here, there was just so much potential and a lot of it goes unrealized.

And as far as the last episode and what has been hinted by the end of episode 5 + the trailer (major spoilers!)...

Obviously Hugh Bliss is Roy G. Biv (colors of the rainbow) and that's his laugh in the trailer...so holy shit, he's the main bad guy? Unexpected!

TxdoHawk

So Episode 6 is out for Gametap people. I hate you so much WANT TO PLAY AGHfgjkdfsgfhjdgfkjhdsdfjh.

Also, not quite games or technology, but Sam and Max related (also HOLY SHIT AWESOME related): The reprint of the Surfin' the Highway comic collection with new material added is confirmed! No more paying exorbitant amounts for the old out of print version!

Nocren

Yeah, I'd have to say, so far Episode 5 is my favorite bit. Everything from Reality 2.0
"Look Max, 'It'sa me, Sam!' "
"Sellout"

And the ending. Oh dear god, I haven't laughed that hard at a game in ages.

gneGne

Does it work on Vista?

Rook

The others work fine, so I don't see why this one wouldn't

Pseudonym

TxdoHawk wrote: »

So Episode 6 is out for Gametap people. I hate you so much WANT TO PLAY AGHfgjkdfsgfhjdgfkjhdsdfjh.

Also, not quite games or technology, but Sam and Max related (also HOLY SHIT AWESOME related): The reprint of the Surfin' the Highway comic collection with new material added is confirmed! No more paying exorbitant amounts for the old out of print version!

Oooh! Reprint! My Ex was looking for that book for years and eventually bought it for an arm and a leg on ebay. The seller turned out to be Steve Purcell himself, and he drew a sweet color picture of Sam and Max insulting my Ex inside the cover. A very desireable item that. And I bet the Ex isn't cherishing it as he should. But now I can buy my own new and improved copy, minus the custom drawing. Yay!

TxdoHawk

Rook wrote: »

The others work fine, so I don't see why this one wouldn't

I had crashes at one point that were finally solved by disabling Data Execution Prevention on the game executables.

PatboyX

"Abe Lincoln Must Die!" made me weep with joy.

PMAvers

TxdoHawk wrote: »

Also, not quite games or technology, but Sam and Max related (also HOLY SHIT AWESOME related): The reprint of the Surfin' the Highway comic collection with new material added is confirmed! No more paying exorbitant amounts for the old out of print version!

AWESOME. I've got a ancient, well-read version from when it was still on the shelves. I know that once I was offered like $70-80 for it, but declined since it was made of win.

Y'know, I've been surprised that they havn't done a Fizzball mini-game yet.