Sam & Max Hit the Road

"'LoL'"

Point-and-click adventure games used to be the rage before the advent of 3D. Now we are in the HD-era with super-ultra-realistic graphics feeding the masses, and this genre doesn't seem to have a home no longer, but there has recently been a revival...

The portable DS system has brought in an influx of new gamers that appreciate the fine qualities of such titles. We have still had the odd PC release, but Myst, Monkey Island, Broken Sword, etc. no longer carry as much weight. And then came the return of Sam & Max. Currently the games are being released online as downloadable episodes, each comprising a single, complete story on its own; the perfect recipe for this classic genre. It has been a long time since I've booted up a traditional adventure game, but I thought that this would be a great time to check out one of the most fondly-remembered titles which I unforgivably missed over a decade ago.

Visuals - 8
Sound & Music - 9 & 7
Gameplay - 7
Controls - A (easy interface; may strain your clicking finger over extended periods)
Longevity - B (~3-5 hours; ideal for a game like this)
Replayability - C
Difficulty - Hard (Cerebrally difficult)

LOL! - 9
VERDICT - 7.5

Funny Bunny
Sam & Max Hit the Road is a light-hearted, comedic romp with you in full control of the titular detective dog and his mouthy sidekick bunny rabbit. Your case involves a missing Sasquatch and his lover freak, and you will point-and-guide the dynamic duo throughout the faux USA in search of clues as you slowly unravel the mystery.

The story doesn't go anywhere special, and after a promising start it slowly drags along as you progress further in. The dialogue on the other hand is golden. I don't recall the last time I've cracked up as much in a videogame (games these days are WAY too serious), and if laughter is the best medicine, Sam & Max is the ultimate panacea. Always witty, always smart, always without a sense of logic; this unlikely pair belt out the funniest quips and perform the craziest stunts, all in the name of crude justice.

The dog, the rabbit and the mouse
The mouse is used entirely to interact with Sam & Max. Simply click on the lower left icon to access your belongings (all of which are represented as pictures), and click anywhere on the main screen to move Sam places or manipulate with interactive background items. Right-click allows you to scroll quickly through key actions. After a couple of minutes you should be right at home, assuming you're not computer-challenged (who is these days?)

With a easily grasped control scheme, the only challenge this game presents is with the 'puzzles' you will have to solve. No there's no block-shifting or switch-hitting here. Instead you will have to use certain items in your inventory to work with elements found amongst all the pretty scenery; the essence of point-and-click. If there's something of interest around you, or within your possession, you can examine it for more info.

Mind-bending
Sam & Max is quite simple in the beginning, but towards the end a lot of combination work is needed, and this requires you to backtrack to areas and pick up some easily missed items which you won't really know until you accidentally pick them up. It's nice that the system highlights when you can perform certain actions, but with so much possible at one time, it is still a daunting task when trying to figure out what you need to create or do to move the story along. Bungy-jumping off into a tar pit to collect some of that gooey substance with your make-shift extendo-grabber is one such hair-brained example. After finally figuring out that you need some tar to use as glue, you will still have to work your mind around how you obtain it (and where). Of course, success is very sweet, but I do wish it were more streamlined at times.

Some may say that this gives you more freedom and that this mental patience is what makes the game fun to play. Being lost, with a little too much trial & error required compared to other popular adventure titles, isn't something I like to endure - especially when I just want to see and hear more insanity from the lovable pair. The game can be beaten in a single sitting, but you probably won't unless you get some help or are replaying after a long abstinence. But that's okay; save at key junctions so you don't have to remember where to go again, and write lots of notes (yeah this always helps!) Brief spurts of mad-cap Max & Sam are just as enjoyable (at least until the final moments).

It's an old episode, but a mighty fine one
Back in 1993 when this game was released, it was a hit. These days the gaming market is absolutely gargantuan, with too many quality titles for any single person to play through, and a game like Sam & Max just can't wow as much. Visually the 2D graphics, powered by LucasArts' famous SCUMM scripting engine, still looks good today. It looks like those old cartoons I fondly remember (I loved stuff like TMNT, Widget, Samurai Pizza Cats and Transformer back in my tweens) and has more lol moments than any fancy 3D game I've ever played.

There is a reason why Sam & Max have been revived in 2006 onwards; the original was and still is a distinguished example of the fallen, but slowly rising genre. If you enjoy the current new episodes, you owe it to yourself to examine the roots, and you won't be disappointed. If you are reading this review because you like reading my reviews, thanks! This is an enjoyable, relaxing comedy and if you value humour high by your standards, this reaches the stars and beyond.

7.5/10 - The intrepid dog and his rabbit 'tool' produce a solid hit

My Score System – a score of 7 from me denotes a good, solid game. Excellence earns a higher grade, whilst 4-6 reflects a below average product; glitchy, unplayable games deserve less.

04/03/07

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 03/05/07