Sam and Max: The Devil’s Playhouse, from Skunkape Games, is given a fresh lick of paint to allow fans of the series to relive the Telltale’s final chapter one last time. Since the early 90s, the duo have been delighting gamers with their charming, and downright absurd antics.
Individually they are a six-foot dog in a suit (Sam) and a hyperkinetic rabbity-thing (Max), and their own unique way of fighting crime. Sam acts as the straight man and Max would be the loose cannon. Think Murtagh and Riggs in Lethal Weapon.
What’s the point (and click)?
In the 90’s, point-and-click adventures were booming. You had Day of the Tentacle, Manic Mansion, The Curse of Monkey Island, Full Throttle and if you were old enough, Leisure Suit Larry (ask your parents) to name but a few. Sam and Max fit in alongside them perfectly with its mix of great storytelling, humour and puzzles.
You will either love or hate the episodic nature of the series. Episode 1, The Penal Zone, kicks things off with a well-needed introduction explaining why Max has psychic powers. It also has Sam and Max facing off against an intergalactic space-hopping Gorilla. This sets the tone nicely.
Episode 2, The Tomb of Sammun-Mak, takes a creative approach with its nonlinear narrative, set against an Egyptian backdrop. The idea of piecing together the story in a non-sequential way is interesting, but it does result in an issue with pacing. With a game dialogue and exploration driven, it can be key.
In Episode 3, They Stole Max’s Brain!, the game changes back into a frantic, noir-inspired setting. The dialogue and interrogation scenes are some of the highlights of the whole series but it is too shortlived.
Live life to the Max
Beyond the Alley of the Dolls, the fourth episode tries to blend humour with horror. The puzzles here start to feel repetitive, and for me, this was the weakest of all the episodes. Something just didn’t feel right.
The final episode, The City That Dares Not Sleep is a little rushed and lacks cohesiveness. The pacing issues again rear their ugly head. It doesn’t feel as satisfying as it should. But as with everything that relies on episodic content, it is hard to stick a perfect landing.
As you would expect the PS5 version does bring some notable improvements. The load times are nice and quick and the graphics have been given a little upgrade. However, like plastic surgery, you can’t fully stop the signs of ageing. The point-and-click genre seems to have tied and episodic games aren’t for everyone.
Overall, Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse on PS5 is a fun and entertaining journey for fans of the series. The humour and creativity synonymous with the franchise are still there. The dialogue is witty and well written with some genuine laugh-out-loud moments. But the uneven pacing, repetitive puzzles, and sometimes clunky mechanics are also still there.
If you’re a long-time fan or new to Sam and Max, there’s still plenty to enjoy. There’s life in that old dog (and old rabbit) yet.
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