Sam & Max Episode 203: Night of the Raving Dead (PC) Review
Posted by Ty Huston on 03.11.2008
Oh ya, dis one has scary stuff like zombies and a metrosexual vampire.
Game: Sam & Max Episode 203: Night of the Raving Dead
System: PC
Developer: Telltale Games
These are your heroes. Scary, I know.
The Sam & Max series has received a fair bit of acclaim for its originality and humor along with some good, fun stories. Personally, I haven’t had the opportunity to check any of them out and when this one came along, I figured I’d give it a shot and try it.
This episode starts you out in the boys’ office, and from there they go on a spree that leads them into serious zombie territory. Zombies are literally everywhere, and this episode throws a few nods to other zombie related media such as a picture of George A. Romero (Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead) and a useless typewriter ribbon (an obvious nod to the Resident Evil series). It’s zombie time and the only thing zombiesque that is missing is a Rob Zombie cameo.
Anyway, you lead these two boobs around town at first trying to find clues as to why the zombies are here and end up with the answer of “The Zombie Factory.” The guys ask around about the factory, with little success, heckling Sybil – who is on the rebound from her recent breakup with Abraham Lincoln’s statue, and she’s busy trying to find a new suitor. She’s pretty much having ass for success, though. So the guys move on to Stinky’s Diner, where Stinky gives them a fair bit of flack and Abe who is in the middle of post-relationship meltdown.
Here’s Sybil and man is she desperate.
The guys then hit up the PimpLeCar outfit and talk to the machines there, where they discover that their latest invention – Stuttgart Online – is now the latest craze and that they should go there.
Well, needless to say you have some seriously funny things happen after this point. I don’t want to spoil the game for you, but here’s a few highlights:
Zombies love them some brain.
Here is your antagonist. He’s so “flaming” hot, he could burst into ashes at any moment.
Rapping with banjo. THAT is street cred, kids.
Anyway, for my first outing with the game it was fairly good. Not as great as it had been hyped, but the rumors going around is that this episode is a bust in the series. If you’re into Sam & Max, then get it because it has a lot of info relating to the continuity of the series. If you’re new to the series, pass on this as one to enter on for the same reasons. If I didn’t do my research, I’d have been totally lost.
Needless to say, the guys find out about the zombies, become zombies themselves but somehow find a way to save the day. After all, that’s what Freelance Police do, right?
Graphics
7.0
While the graphics are not as top notch as today's standards typically accept, it works for what the game is - a live action cartoon. You don't need anything more than what you get.
Gameplay
8.0
The game is simple and easy to pick up and play, although a lot of times I had trouble getting Sam to go where I needed him to or get him to start running.
Sound
9.0
Good voice acting and excellent commentary in the game. The lines are funny and crisp, making it one of the true highlights of the game.
Lasting Appeal
5.0
Eek. This one is a pick it up, play it once and shelve it game. Just not a whole lot to it besides adding filler for other series storylines. It has its own thing with the zombies, but its very played out by the end.
Fun Factor
7.0
Fun for what it is, but I probably won't play anymore of the series unless I start from the beginning. It helps to know everything that is going on.
