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A fresh perspective 19 Mar, 2007, 02:25 / 19 comments


The Tingler was complaining that we hadn't reviewed the last two episodes of Sam and Max, so I said: "do it yourself, idiot" - and he did!

You've probably already played the game by this point (unless you're waiting for the whole season before buying, of course) - but go read anyway, and see if you agree with the verdict. Go on go on go on go on.
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19 Comments

  • valkian on 20 Mar, 2007, 05:02…
    "Sorry, Whack Da Rats. Some may see it as a light-hearted reference to Hit The Road, I see it as a rip-off. I might have seen it as a reference if it wasn?t one of only two things to do in this dull den of iniquity, but it is and I don?t."

    Man, I'm loving this review. That's the Mojo I want.
  • The Tingler on 22 Mar, 2007, 01:03…
    Thanks!
  • zebulon on 19 Mar, 2007, 10:58…
    Episode 3 is my favorite episode. I love the Toy Mafia, the song, etc.
    So don't you dare rating it 2.5/5 ! * insert random death threat here *
  • The Tingler on 20 Mar, 2007, 01:05…
    SERIOUSLY? Even over Episode 4?!

    Or 2? or 1? Or even (more than likely) 5 or 6?
  • zebulon on 21 Mar, 2007, 14:57…
    I'd rank them as follow: 3 - 4 - 1 - 2
  • Udvarnoky on 20 Mar, 2007, 01:39…
    I can totally see episode 3 (or any of them, really) being somebody's favorite. It's got a moleman! Yo mamma jokes! Rat-whacking!
  • The Tingler on 20 Mar, 2007, 11:25…
    Two spoilers for the price of one!
  • Udvarnoky on 21 Mar, 2007, 16:35…
    Rosebud is a sled.
  • The Tingler on 22 Mar, 2007, 01:04…
    Noooooooo!!! (guess the popular LucasArts-related film and the spoiler contained therein)
  • numble on 19 Mar, 2007, 06:33…
    Boo, hiss! For an episode that is ALL ABOUT making fun of the mafia (and it's pervasiveness in American pop culture) the review barely mentions any of this. By now one should realize that each episode picks up a piece of American pie and then proceeds to satirize and parody it, but the review barely mentions the story focus at all.

    I would not be interested in a Seinfeld review that barely talked about what they're doing or making fun of this episode, but instead concentrates on how the show once again starts off with a Jerry stand-up routine, has Kramer running into the room, Elaine pushing people, or the reuse of Jerry's apartment and the diner.

    The review clearly aims to give a recommendation vis-a-vis the other episodes, but I'm extremely disappointed that, in the *most* story-focused game genre of them all, the review focuses on quantity of locations, puzzles, and characters in evaluation of game quality.
  • The Tingler on 19 Mar, 2007, 10:40…
    Ah, good, I was expecting some sort of backlash from this!

    I admit I did focus on a lot of technical aspects (notice I didn't mention the graphics though, which would've been REALLY unfair), but frankly I didn't find the story really engrossing at all. The Mafia just ain't all that funny. A casino offered plenty of opportunity though, but apart from Leonard I felt that it was an opportunity missed.

    However, I specifically didn't give much about the story because you can get that from Telltale, you don't need me. If I give any more than that synopsis TT has up, I'll be spoiling a very short story!
  • numble on 19 Mar, 2007, 18:30…
    C'mon, it's an extremely huge part of Americana; there is *always* a mafia show on American network TV (not to mention HBO and that ilk), not to mention the popularity of movies like The Departed, Goodfellas, Scarface, and all the Godfathers. When the whole point of Sam and Max episodes are to poke fun at some obsessive part of American pop culture, you truly do a disservice by not even mentioning this, or how it does so successfully or unsuccessfully.

    Would you review A Vampyre Story by telling us how many locations, puzzles, and characters there are, and then devote 2 sentences to the story? Preposterous.
    ----
    Somebody tells you, "I like games with good stories."

    You say, "Well, you'd like adventure games!"

    The person asks, "Ooh, is this adventure game good?"

    You proceed to tell them about the quantity of locations, characters, and puzzles in the game.
    ----
    See how that doesn't work? Unless you are operating under the premise that the story is not the most important aspect of adventure games...

    Even if you don't like the story, talk about how the story doesn't work. Discuss how bringing Jeff Lester helped or hurt the writing. Talk about the soliloquy or writing quality of the songs (sorry, dismissive analysis of bits as either funny/unfunny in parentheses does not cut it). You spend more time complaining about how you didn't get stuck, or how there are fewer numbers of new rooms to visit, than on any aspects of the story at all.

    Adventure gamers like to go on and on about how they value writing and story in games over everything else, but a review (on a fan site, no less!) that focuses on quantity of locations, characters, and puzzles above all else leads me to believe that this is not true--it's only a trumping point to be made when comparing genres.
  • The Tingler on 20 Mar, 2007, 01:02…
    Fair enough.
  • Sp0tted on 19 Mar, 2007, 06:09…
    This review is harsh, but I can't say I disagree. I was made with the re-used jokes in the second game, as well. Which is probably why TellTale dropped you off at the White House for Episode 4... to avoid the repetition at the very START of the game.
  • Jake on 19 Mar, 2007, 05:10…
    No pros and cons? I don't think this is a valid review without them.
  • The Tingler on 19 Mar, 2007, 10:30…
    Ah yes, I knew I'd forgot something. Sent them off to Gabez this morning.
  • Udvarnoky on 19 Mar, 2007, 02:35…
    Harsh. :( I thought the writing and the greatness of the game's last act made it at least as good as the first two. It's good to see Mojo almost up to date with Sam & Max reviews though!

    By the way, if you'd be interested in explaining how to update the galleries without needing the currently broken Mojo uploader, I'd be happy to get everything reasonably up to date. It would also be great to be able to put up an article without having to bother you guys every time. I've been sitting on a CSI review, for instance.
  • Gabez on 19 Mar, 2007, 02:39…
    Do you go on MSN messenger or AIM? If so, add me: gabez_@hotmail.com

    Unfortunately the only way to update images, at the moment, is to go through the admin page and then take the URLS it creates and make them in the FTP, in the right folders. It's a bit slow, but it works. According to Jake, Remi could fix it in "two seconds," but, well, you know. ;-*

    Creating a feature is similar, but a bit quicker. I will pm you the FTP details, but if all else fails, I really don't mind being bothered with reviews and stuff. I didn't know you had a CSI review!
  • Udvarnoky on 19 Mar, 2007, 03:27…
    Ah, I didn't think of that! Well, I can do some gallery stuff tomorrow then.