We're going to need a bigger…brain!
What do stolen brains, evil child Pharaohs, giant security cockroaches and corn dogs have in common? Well, for most people, nothing at all – for those in the know, these are part of the formula for Telltale’s newest episodic release, They Stole Max’s Brain!, starring our favorite anthropomorphic crime stopping duo, Sam and Max.
Sam and Max: The Devil’s Playhouse—Episode 3: They Stole Max’s Brain! (yeesh!) begins where the second episode leaves off, with Sam congratulating Max on yet another job well done. However, when he looks down, he discovers that Max’s brain has been taken and he’s currently a lifeless tagalong. Shock! Gasp! The tragedy that befalls his best buddy creates a new type of characterization for Sam – anger. Snarling, slapping and threatening his way through the first act, this six-foot dog is on a serious mission to find the brain stealers and make them pay (and, obviously, get Max’s brain back).
The graphics are pretty great in this episode – the image of floppy no-brained Max is quite creepy. After some noir-styled cutscenes that became quite tedious, Sam travels – with his little buddy’s body, of course – to the museum, where he finds that a newly released General Skunkape and Professor Paperwaite have formed a shaky alliance in order to keep the Devil’s Toybox to themselves in order to rule the world. Max’s brain sits in a jar off to the side, taunting the evildoers as only Max can, as Sam attempts to find a temporary brain for the crazy bunny’s body before it can be dumped.
Seriously, don't piss Sam off.
He finds a brain in an Egyptian urn, turning Max into Sammun-Mak, the spoiled, vengeful Egyptian boy Pharaoh. This is where the puzzles get harder to solve – it took me quite a while to figure out what I was supposed to do at this point. It gets easier after this act, after Sam is able to grab and escape with Max’s brain. The rest of the game seems to be less storyline, more puzzle solving as you try to get Max’s body reunited with his nutty little brain. Most players will be okay with that – as I was unable to move the storyline along any faster, it was a welcome relief to me!
This feels just as creative and amusing as the previous two episodes – all three have been unique in storyline. However, after three episodes, we’re still only using three powers: Rhinoplasty, Future Vision and Teleportation. Surely there are more to be gained at some point? Rhinoplasty is used almost exclusively in this episode, and while it’s a nifty device, the repetition easily bores.
Possibly the most annoying thing of all was the inability to manually save. I either had to keep going until the game did it or I was forced to start the scene all over again – highly frustrating. I’m also not a fan of games where I can’t move a storyline along if I need to. Granted, the first time through, I want to hear everything and I imagine most gamers are the same way. However, combined with the aforementioned problem of continually playing scenes until the game saves, it would be nice to have the option to “Skip”.
Sam and Max’s trademark humor runs rampant in this episode, providing some seriously entertaining lines. I prefer that snarky, dry sarcasm and it nicely complements the cartoon-style of the game.
All in all, props to Telltale for releasing another solid Sam and Max story. They Stole Max’s Brain! is a crowd pleaser, and while some of the mechanisms are starting to stale, the humor and new storyline keep you propelled until the end.
For our review of the first episode, The Penal Zone, click here.
ComicsOnline gives Sam and Max: The Devil’s Playground – Episode 3: They Stole Max’s Brain! 3 out of 5 toasters (the greatest things in the world!!)
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