Sam & Max: Hit the Road

The Good
You know all those 3d still-life picture slide shows that call themselves adventure games? Those don't got nothing on this game. This game is hilarious. The best thing about Lucasarts adventure games is that you never ever forget the characters. Even the characters that play a minor role in the game have their own personality that you'll remember. Remember the pirates in the bar in "Secret of Monkey Island?" They were HILARIOUS. Evidence exists in too many forms to name in Sam & Max, but it adds another element to the unfogettableness and to the overall enjoyment to the game. You remember the locations. I have to say, the locations in this game are some of the funniest and the most random locations I've ever seen. The Mystery Vortex has to be the weirdest and funniest places ever, and Gator Golf is also way up there. I loved this game from beginning to end; you'll be really fortunate if you're lucky enough to find this game. You'l feel the same

The Bad
Kinda short. You never want this kind of game to end. Oh, and too bad the only version I had was the disk one. I wish I could have listened to all the voices.

The Bottom Line
Witness a true milestone in the history of adventure gaming by playing this game.

The Good
Undoubtedly one of the funniest, best adventure games I’ve ever played (and I’ve played a LOT!)

Released in 1993 (wow, is it that long ago already??), Sam And Max is a classic comedy adventure game from LucasArts, ranking right up there with Day Of The Tentacle and the God-like legend that is Monkey Island.

As much as I love just about all the classic Sierra adventure game series (the Space Quests, the Kings Quests, the Leisure Suit Larrys, etc.), this game has more "laugh out loud" material than many of those titles, particularly late ones where Sierra just seemed to run out of steam.
Even by LucasArts' often bizarre standards, Sam And Max is REALLY weird – when a game stars a big overgrown canine and a hyperactive, occasionally psychopathic little bunny, you just KNOW your in for something not exactly run of the mill!
There’s some truly bizarre humour that has to be seen to be believed, and as with most bizarre humour, much of it has an underlying dark side to it. But I loved it. Its strange sideways humour, laced with many various pop-culture references, is great is what makes it so memorable.

Many of the gags are of the so-bad-they’re-good variety, but they’re done so knowingly, so tongue-in-cheek and rather self-mockingly that they work.
The often laugh-out-loud material continues throughout the game and barely lets up the pace at all. Even if you hit a spot in the game-play where you're not quite sure what to do next or how, the comical dialogue, supported by top-notch voices, ensure that the game never gets boring.

Asides from the main game, there's also a number of great sub-games tucked around in various areas of the game, such as Wak-A-Rat, Highway Surfing (Max stands on top of the patrol car and has to jump on-coming signs), a very crazy game crazy golf game involving crocodiles, and a wonderful Battleships-type game, Car-bomb (that should be developed into it's own game!). Some have to be completed in order for a certain outcome to somehow advance the game; Others are there for the pure fun of it.

As with most LucasArts games, there’s several nods to other LucasArts characters – IS that Bernard from Day Of The Tentacle working in one of the Snucky’s stores??

The voices on the CD-ROM version bring the characters to life superbly, and are particularly spot on for the two leads.
The graphics look great (especially taking into account the age) and hold up well age-wise.

One of the notable things about the whole game and it's packaging was the instruction manual. Far too often companies dish out a few-paged handbook just with installing instructions (that are usually apply to multiple games anyway), but with this game, the whole book was a little comedy publication of it's own. Complete with little gems like "Make your own Max out of an old paper bag", and a hilarious Sam And Max board game, the instruction manual was a joy in itself. If only more games were as creative with their packaging and extras.

I completed this game a couple of weeks after I got it (it’s one of those games I just had to keep on playing until I completed it). I was actually really sad when the end finally came - I had such a great time playing it, I wanted it to go on forever!!
Even though pretty much linear as to the puzzle solving, the game has re-playability value, as it’s great just to hear the unlikely duo’s comments and responses to everything – especially when you deliberately try something wrong.

All-in-all, a classic, VERY bizarre, VERY funny adventure game; one that ranks right up alongside with the mighty Monkey Island in terms of greatness, and one that will stick in your mind. I'm a HUGE Monkey Island fan, but, dare I say it (shock horror) I think I may like Sam & Max even better - and that's really going some!!

**The Bad**
I think I can honestly say that there isn't a single thing I didn't like about this game, it was just such fun to play.

The only bad thing is that it has to be that it eventually had to come to the end. I wanted it to go on forever! The one big problem I did have was not game-wise, but on the technical side. I found this one particularly hard to get up and running happily, particularly with regards to the sound. On my old 486 system (with a SoundBlaster 16 card), it took a boot-disk with LOT of poking and tweaking of Autoexec.bat and Config.sys files to A) run without coughing and spluttering, and B) to get it to run with any sound at all!

Some players might find the humour in this game a little too dark and too far out – even by Day Of The Tentacle and Monkey Island standards (but personally, I loved it!)

But the worst thing about this game - there's never been a sequel! Criminal! Come on LucasArts, it's never too late (and the adventure games market isn’t exactly crowded these days)!!

**The Bottom Line**
Classic, bizarre LucasArts adventure. Some really warped puzzles; some really funny dialogue. What else can I say? One of my all-time classic adventure games. If you've ever played Day Of The Tentacle, or one of the Monkey Island games, and have remotely enjoyed it, then I suggest... no, I demand that you find a copy and play Sam & Max. It should be made law!!

The Good
Released in 1993, “Sam and Max: Hit The Road”, is a pinnacle of the adventure game genre. Based on Steve Purcell’s irreverent cult comic book, about two wacky private dicks. It is with great trepidation, that I review this game. I mean how can I judge this game, that is beyond reproach? Can the unwashed touch the golden?

Then I think, get over it asshole! It’s just a review. So without more puzzlement, here is my review for Sam and Max: Hit The Road.

The freelance police’s current case is a complex one. Then again you don’t call of these two knuckle heads unless it’s a tough case, or no one else is crazy enough to take it. It would seem that the Bigfoot attraction of the local carnival has gone missing. And now Sam (a shamus canine) and Max (a hyperactive rabbity-thing) must take to the open roads of the USA, and solve the case. And rack up as much collateral damage as they can.

Along the way they will visit tourist traps untold. Encounter strange people, and stranger situations. See the worlds largest ball of twine! Thrill to the heights of Mt. Rushmore, as you bungee-jump out of Teddy Roosevelt’s nose! Stop in at one of the millions of identical Stuckey’s restaurants.

You will also have to solve many puzzles along the way. Some quite difficult. The Mystery Vortex comes to mind. If you are a purest or nut like me and refuse to use any guides you will have quite a hard time of it.

The graphics in Sam and Max, are pretty good. And still hold up quite well today. Running on a modified SCUMM engine. It must work well as many indie adventure games still use it today.

The animation is easily Saturday morning cartoon quality. Probably better as I seem to recall some cartoon shows from my youth that look like crap compared to this. The animated cut scenes in particular.

The voice overs are great. As a matter of fact, now when I go back and read Sam ad Max comics, I hear them speaking in the voices from this game. Of course that maybe because I am insane. But I have looked into that, and it does not seem likely. The supporting cast is good as well. I particularly enjoyed the Bigfoot that sounded like Jimmy Stewart.

The music and sound effects sound great as well. And are always fit the situations. I don’t know how else to describe it so I will stop there, I think.

The controls are so simple and easy, anyone should be able to do it. The game uses the mouse and a simple two click control scheme, it’s very simple, and effective. There are a few keyboard commands for saving your game and what not.

There are also a ton of mini-games to play. And unlike most games, that feature mini-games, the ones in Sam And Max, are actually fun to play! Imagine that! There is Wak-A-Rat, and Sam and Max’s version of the old board game, Battleship, Car bomb to name just a few.

The Bad
I am tempted to leave this area blank but that would not be entirely true.

Well some bits seem unbalanced in terms of difficulty. As many of the earlier bits are very easy, but the latter stages of the game the puzzles get more obtuse.

The game is very short. Of course this is not uncommon, to the adventure game genre. I guess very few people want to play a 50 hr. Adventure game. Go figure. At least there is high replay value.

The Bottom Line
Sam and Max: Hit The Road, is the pinnacle of adventure games. If you are a fan of the genre you have to play it. Is it any wonder that the genre began to disappear after Sam and Max was released? No one else could top it. And the only other games that come close are other Lucasarts games, such as Grim Fandango. If you like adventure games, funny ones in particular, you owe it to yourself and humanity to play this game.