As a gamer who’s been around the block more times than I care to admit, I can confidently say that Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse Remastered is a nostalgic journey through time. This remastering of an old classic feels like a defiant middle finger to the industry’s ever-changing tides.
There’s a definite air of conclusion surrounding Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse Remastered. When it first debuted over a decade ago, Telltale Games was about to shift towards a new type of game, abandoning point-and-click adventures. Unfortunately, Telltale’s move towards IP-driven, dialogue-based narratives didn’t go as planned. Many studios have shut down, and the games industry has lost thousands of jobs since then. Smaller games have grown in importance but finding their footing has become more challenging than ever. However, Skunkape Games reviving the Sam & Max series and remastering it feels like a bold stand against this trend.
End of an era
However, that route consistently concluded, and The Devil’s Playhouse serves as the final re-release in the series. Sam & Max was an unconventional intellectual property that managed to thrive despite its doubtful marketability. It consists of a single LucasArts golden age cult classic, a canceled sequel, a brief TV series lasting only one season, a comic strip series that remained out of print, and the Telltale series, which was an unexpected revival at the time. Now, we find ourselves bidding farewell to these beloved, yet violently sociopathic characters once more, and this farewell seems even more poignant upon second reflection.
Initially, the first two seasons, titled “Save the World” and “Beyond Time and Space,” followed quite similar gameplay structures. They were essentially short point-and-click adventures with standalone stories that didn’t heavily tie into the larger world. Despite their independence, they left a lasting impression on me, filled as they were with humor that still resonates today, although they may not be as offbeat as the classic LucasArts game “Hit the Road.”
You crack me up, little buddy
Absolutely! The five episodes that make up The Devil’s Playhouse are packed with witty humor, mind-bending cartoon chaos, and a blatant disregard for the ordinary. But what sets this Sam & Max game apart is its ability to pose questions I never thought it would, even for a series as smart as I know it is. How does a Sam & Max story come to an end? What if we delve into the depths of their relationship, something they’ve taken for granted for decades? How do you make these cartoon characters grapple with the idea of losing each other without altering who they are or the essence of this series up until now? It’s a challenge to tackle such profound themes with these cynical, yet lovable characters – but that’s what makes it exciting!
In other words, responding to these questions would defeat the very essence of playing these games. Instead, I’ll express it this way: The questions themselves aren’t solely what makes them impressive; rather, it’s the efforts taken by Telltale back in 2010 that truly stand out. They didn’t just ask questions, they delved deep to find fulfilling answers. Their dedication and humor, ranging from cosmic horrors to American diners and everything in between, is nothing short of remarkable. It’s an exceptional blend, even more so considering these characters were inherited. Steve Purcell’s art and influence on Telltale’s games are as evident as they were in the LucasArts originals. The emotional depth of the ending was almost tear-jerking, which is surprising given that just moments before, the game was making light-hearted jokes about mole men and snot. This level of achievement deserves to be acknowledged.
Under the hood
As a long-time fan of Telltale’s Sam & Max series, I can confidently say that Skunkape Games has truly outdone themselves with this remastered version. Having played the originals back in the day, I must admit that I was skeptical at first about whether a re-release would live up to my fond memories of the game. However, after diving into this updated edition, I am beyond impressed.
As a devoted admirer, I’m thrilled to share my thoughts on the enhancements made to the Sam & Max trilogy by Telltale, bringing it to contemporary “standards” that truly justify the effort. The revamped hint system, for instance, is a delightful addition, allowing me to customize its frequency or turn it off entirely. Unlike some hint systems, this one subtly guides rather than blatantly telling you what to do, which is particularly useful for games like these with their unique, sometimes illogical puzzle solutions that hark back to old-school adventure gaming.
In essence, you won’t find games like these any longer, with very few exceptions. Monkey Island has made a comeback, and there was an endeavor to create a new Sam & Max game in VR format, but such adventure games reminiscent of the pre-Telltale Walking Dead era, which combined LucasArts’ classic SCUMM system with contemporary PC gaming conventions, are rare. The remasters by Skunkape Games of all three Sam & Max seasons provide an excellent opportunity to revisit a period in gaming history that often feels surreal. While this review is specifically for The Devil’s Playhouse, I strongly urge you to play through all three games and appreciate them not just as a complete work, but as a unique moment in time that will be hard to replicate. Don’t miss out on Hit the Road either; it’s available for around six dollars on Steam. Here’s to the Freelance Police living on!
On August 14, 2024, you can get your hands on the remastered version of Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse for PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. I was given a Nintendo Switch code by the publisher for a review.
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2024-08-14 07:27