Sam and Max Episode: Chariots of the Dogs (PC) Review
Posted by Chris Evans on 03.19.2008
Do the dynamic duo bring the funny once again or will the team fall flat?
Sam and Max Episode 204 – Chariots of the Dogs
TellTale games revived this fallen series two years ago now and had the unenviable task of following up on the critically acclaimed Sam and Max: Hit the Road from LucasArts back in 1993. Season One and the current episodes of Season Two have all received favourable reviews.
Chariots of the Dogs though doesn’t do it for me, it is not a bad game…but it just falls flat for me. Chariots places you in control of the ever lovable crime fighting duo of Sam and Max, and this time your goal is to rescue Bosco. I have been asked to avoid giving away too much, but lets just say that the story will take you across time and space.
The gameplay is classic adventure gaming, point and click where you want to go, talk to multiple characters with the multiple different options at hand and the ever wonderful inventory. Everything works fine and dandy, though I have a few issues with the puzzles. You may know exactly what you want to do, and you will try to do it but if the execution is in the slightest bit wrong you will be left wondering what else you have to do to complete it.
Though some of the puzzles may seem a bit straight forward, I think we should be given more option for how to complete them. With that being said, the puzzles do fit in with the way the game has been crafted and written, so I have no problems there.
The story is nice and engaging, you really do want to find out more and get to the heart of what has been going on, and I must say there is a nice twist at one point and that was really well written. The humour though was a bit hit and miss, but that’s just my personal opinion.
There definitely are a lot of ‘in-jokes’ and references to other games in the Season. For those who have played the other Sam and Max games from TellTale you will get a much more enjoyable experience from it.
The graphics are good enough and are what you would expect from an episodic game that actually sticks to the deadlines that episodic games should stick to. There are clear signs of assets being reused from other games in Season 2, but you can forgive that at the end of the day for what is fundamentally a good game.
The music is top notch, especially after you get to the twist. Right now I am sitting and listening to the music while I have the game paused and find myself doing a little jig along with it. The voice acting is great, a couple of times it gets a bit annoying after you hear the same phrases a few too many times, but overall it works well.
In closing Chariots of the Dogs is a good little game, it may not be as laugh-out loud as some of the previous entries this season but for those who have been following Season 2 it's still a good recommendation. If not, then you'd be better off starting with the first episode first.
Graphics
6.5
Pretty, but nothing exceptional.
Gameplay
6.5
Does all the basics well, very solid gameplay.
Sound
6.0
Good in places, but not the best.
Lasting Appeal
5.0
Play it once and you are done really.
Fun Factor
6.0
Depends on your take on fun really. Good in places.
