Common Sense Note
Parents need to know this collection of computer games that were previously released as individual downloadable games. They are now available at retail in a boxed set. We set the age category at 12 because the puzzles can be challenging and some of the content contains sexual innuendo. Also, gamers younger than 12 will probably grow impatient since it's a slower-paced, dialogue-heavy adventure game. While Sam carries a gun, he doesn't really use it as a weapon.
Families can talk about why it's fun to play a story-driven game that focuses on dialogue and puzzles. Is it more fun, less fun, or a different kind of fun than the action-oriented games that rely on violence and gore? Or, because these games aren't very popular in North America these days, perhaps parents can discuss with their kids why this might be the case.
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Marc Saltzman
There's a new "Season 1" DVD causing quite a buzz among entertainment fans – and it's not Heroes, Supernatural, or any other television show. Actually, it's for a collection of six SAM & MAX computer games on one disc, previously available as downloadable "episodes" through websites such as TelltaleGames.com, Steampowered.com, or as part of the GameTap game rental service.
Sam & Max began as a comic book by Steve Purcell in the late 1980s but went on to spawn a celebrated computer game in 1993 (LucasArts' Sam & Max Hit the Road), a Fox TV show, and online comics. Sam and Max returned to the computer game world in October with the first downloadable episode, "Culture Shock."
These private detectives call themselves "freelance police," who travel to many exotic – and usually dangerous – locations to chase leads, collect evidence, interrogate suspects, and apprehend criminals. Sounds like serious stuff, but it's far from it – Sam is an oversized dog who walks on two legs and Max is a smaller, talkative "rabitty-thing," and these games feature thousands of lines of humorous dialogue, bizarre characters, and hilarious situations.
Take, for example, the third game in this series, "The Mole, The Mob and the Meatball", where the wacky duo investigates a suspicious disappearance at the Ted E. Bear Mafia-Free Playland and Casino. In order to solve the case, these crime fighters must become members of the "Toy Mafia" themselves. The casino has games such as "Whack a Mole" (use your own gun to "whack" the singing moles) and "One Armed Bandits," slot machines that look like one-armed bandits, complete with black-and-white-striped shirt and mask.
These Sam & Max stories are deeply rooted in the adventure genre. Therefore, rather than relying on the hand-eye coordination required in action games, these slower-paced point-and-click adventures are all about puzzle-solving and character interaction. For instance, in "Situation: Comedy," you need to win a recording contract in a kind of American Idol spoof. So you first buy a voice modulator and then use it on Sam to woo the judges and win votes, and then take this contract to a deranged talk show host who's holding her audience hostage.
All six games feature attractive 3-D graphics, a jazzy soundtrack, and professional voice talent to help bring these zany characters to life. And don't worry about a major time commitment as each episode only takes a couple of hours to complete.
Published by The Adventure Company, the Sam & Max: Season 1 disc houses all the critically heralded episodic games from the 2006-07 "season," which includes (in chronological order): "Culture Shock," "Situation: Comedy," "The Mole, The Mob and the Meatball," "Abe Lincoln Must Die!," "Reality 2.0," and "Bright Side of the Moon." While each serves as a standalone adventure, an overarching story ties these tales together.
Also included in this $30 collection is a bonus CD containing a "Making Sam & Max" behind-the-scenes video; trailer videos for all six episodes; concept artwork and character bios; desktop wallpapers; a music soundtrack sampler; and access to an online comic generator to make your own free comic strips. A full-size printed color poster is also in the box.
Sam & Max: Season 1 is a great buy for adventure gamers, Sam & Max comic fans, and those with a good sense of humor.
For more tongue-in-cheek detective silliness, check out Fin Fur Feather Bureau of Investigation (FFFBI.com). For another point-and-click adventure, try Nancy Drew: The White Wolf of Icicle Creek.
Reviewed: 08/15/2007
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Sexual ContentIn episode 3, the "code phrase" you have to ask people to try to find the mole is "Does the carpet match the drapes?", to which all of the characters have funny (non-sexual) responses. |
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ViolenceSam carries a gun, but he doesn't fire it. This is about comedy not violence. |
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