It just gets better and better. Someone said this was the best writing since Hit The Road. I think between the past three episodes (and given that these are merely ~60% of a total game), Telltale has far surpassed Hit the Road no matter what you're measuring by. The telling of the story is incredible and just keeps adding layers upon layers--I feel actively interested in the resolution but I'm still enjoying it on the superficially hilarious level of "well, everything's pretty messed up to begin with, do we really need an answer to how a guy can live for a century without aging?" I'll still take that answer if it's up for grabs though.
The gameplay is so refreshing (there have to be a single-digit number of purely item-based puzzles in this season so far) and I like how there are so very many locations.
So my one suggestion: When you open up the program and it brings you to the screen with the option to 'Launch Game'...can Telltale, just once, make it 'Launch Octopus' ?
Absolutely loved the first act (I think it's now my favourite sequence from any of Telltale's games), and while I was hoping the whole episode would play out like that, I now think that they pretty much covered everything they had to. Ending the act on
a lengthy noir monologue
was just the natural point for the episode to shift into other genres.
Anyway, I liked the second act. Sure, it wasn't very long, but I actually thought the episode would end there, rather than branching out into a third act (which took me completely by surprise). The puzzles were solid, and Sal is just so damn likable.
The final act overstayed its welcome slightly, but I still really enjoyed it. And the easy finale was made up for by the great cliffhanger.
So overall, it's one of my favourite episodes. Actually, it might even be my all-round favourite, but I'll have to play it again to be sure.
Oh, and how could I forget the music - the noir map theme was brilliant!
I didn't like this episode. Better than others but, meh.
I loved the beginning and, as others have said, I wished the noir lasted much longer than it did. The atmosphere and gameplay really surprised me. I also loved the ending puzzle/fight. The museum and the other-reality wasn't appealing to me at all and were rather boring.
The noir gameplay was unique and a little fun. It had that semi-realtime type conversation with characters which was interesting. I can definitely see how they can hide some dialog if you time Sam's interruptions right. That's what I look for in adventure games, hidden things/dialog or options off the beaten path.
The end puzzle/fight gave me the feeling I got when I was playing W&G's Last Resort's last puzzle: a sense of urgency without any actions (to my knowledge) being lethal. Awesome.
The middle of the game was just the same old, same old: solve some easy puzzles and collect items. I didn't really mind the museum as much as the other-reality. The other-reality was annoying mainly because of Sam's brainwashing. I also just don't like Egyptian themed levels/games (I think Sonic & Knuckles' Sandopolis Zones scared me for life).
I encountered many Max glitches. Sometimes Max would be invisible when he transforms and wanders. On a similar note, I had two Max's on screen a few times (I could talk to an invisible Max outside the jar while his brain is in the jar). Another one had Max's 1st-person view inside the jar while he is transformed and wandering around (and vice-a-versa). The final one I found was sometimes Pharaoh Max would disappear if I make Max's brain transform in the museum. Nothing game-breaking or anything, it's just weird or odd.
This was easily my favorite episode of the season. Possibly my favorite episode so far of Sam and Max period. I was very impressed with the scope of the game, and the writing was generally very solid. The puzzles also seemed more clever and engaging than most episodes so far. I got stumped more than I did in the last couple episodes, but it wasn't because the solutions felt esoteric on nonsensical either. Really my only disappointment was the reuse of the "corndog" puzzle in the final part of the game.
Making the noir part a little longer might have been nice, but I don't think I would have enjoyed a whole game of it. (At least not a whole game of Sam and Max.) It was cool while it lasted, but a whole game of Sam acting gruff with no Max in sight just isn't very "Sam and Max."
Overall a very good episode, and a very good season so far. Can't wait until the next episode.
made it for me. I'm humble enough to admit that it gave me a bit of a geekgasm there.
And it's not that the game was short, I think. It took me about as much time as the other episodes. It just seemed short because of all of the action involved. Seriously, there was a lot going on, it's not surprising that we all lost track of time.
Finally... Did Sal's face look to anyone else like a prawn from District 9?
I thought this episode was awesome! True, the first act could've been longer. I knew Skun-ka'pe was in it,
but Papierwaite was a surprise! I also knew Sammun-Mak was going to be the villian, but I thought it was all in the museum, not a new reality.
A bit easy (I only got stuck on the Skun-ka'pe minion attacking Sal, Get Sammun-Mak the perfect gift.). Anyway, the ending was weird, and I can't wait for the next episode!
Just wondering, did anyone see this as well as me?
In the Skun-ka'pe battle just before the Sammun-Mak battle, when I was using Max, I couldn't see Sammun-Mak, but could see him fine as Sam.
Just pointing out.
Oh, and I finished it in about 4 hours. I think. It was an awesome 4 hours!
Sal is terrible in that, on the one hand, his voice is ... wonderful ... but on the other hand he is a Giant. Cockroach. It's like, look up cognitive dissonance on the internet, and you'll get a video of Sal.
Not for me, since I have a pet roach. Cute and hardy little bugs.
Sal is terrible in that, on the one hand, his voice is ... wonderful ... but on the other hand he is a Giant. Cockroach. It's like, look up cognitive dissonance on the internet, and you'll get a video of Sal.
I think I hard a stronger sense of dissonance with the parity between Sammun-Mak and Max. I found Sal to be somewhat on the adorable side; the big damn eyes do that sometimes.
Would you still consider him "cute" if he were 7 feet tall? And didn't wear pants?
Cute? Nah, but with that voice I'd call him 'someone I could hang around with'. Insects big or small just don't bother me much since I live next to a rainforest and got used to 'em.
On another note, I thought shooting Sammun-Mak in zeppelin form would kill him and I hesitated for quite some time, thinking "Wait, what's gonna happen to Max's body if I shoot and he explodes?" and stupidly thought I could tell the pharaoh to knock something over up on the ceiling.
On another note, I thought shooting Sammun-Mak in zeppelin form would kill him and I hesitated for quite some time, thinking "Wait, what's gonna happen to Max's body if I shoot and he explodes?" and stupidly thought I could tell the pharaoh to knock something over up on the ceiling.
Just remember 301 - turning into a bazooka and blowing up Skunkape didn't seem to damage him, right?
The first act was my least favorite, despite the brilliant writing in Sam's noir monologues. The interrogation mechanic was an interesting idea, but in practice the repetitiveness of it kind of annoyed me. I think if it had gone on for any longer than it did, I would have gotten really sick of it.
The level was really cool, but the two sections were kinda disjointed from each other, so the noir section ended up feeling too short and the Egyptian section out of place.
For some reason the one line that totally got me was:
"That wasn't Sam!? Oh well, thanks for trying to help, Tyrone."
It was finisher moves and I thought it was a wrestling refrence XD
No, that was at the end. There was an earlier "fatality" reference but I can't for the life of me remember where it was. Requires a replay methinks...
Of course, "finish him" and "fatality" in Mortal Kombat were probably wrestling references in the first place. See how these things go in circles, much like Max's mind?
No, that was at the end. There was an earlier "fatality" reference but I can't for the life of me remember where it was. Requires a replay methinks...
Of course, "finish him" and "fatality" in Mortal Kombat were probably wrestling references in the first place. See how these things go in circles, much like Max's mind?
The first act was my least favorite, despite the brilliant writing in Sam's noir monologues. The interrogation mechanic was an interesting idea, but in practice the repetitiveness of it kind of annoyed me. I think if it had gone on for any longer than it did, I would have gotten really sick of it.
My thoughts exactly. I've never liked dialog-heavy puzzles. So I was concerned I was going to hate this episode -- even while loving the noir atmosphere -- and was relieved when it turned out it was really just one puzzle to
Pretty good episode, but 301 is still my favorite.
This one was shorter and a bit less funny I think.
Also, I didn't like that it started with the openning credits. It's a small detail but I always LOVE when they find the perfect place to start the openning sequence. It was just perfect in the Penal Zone.
Also, I didn't like that it started with the openning credits. It's a small detail but I always LOVE when they find the perfect place to start the openning sequence. It was just perfect in the Penal Zone.
Funny, i just remember it bugging me as well, but hey, that's a very small complaint.
I don't think the noir segment was too short. It felt a bit awkward to drop this atmosphere so soon, but i think it could have gotten annoying after a while.
Otherwise...
I don't quite know yet. MANY awesome things, too many for me to remember them all. I think i know how i'll spend my day tomorow :eek:
noir was nice but i didn't like that it was only dialogue. Museum was cool. Sammun-Mak world was a step back... it's the gather three things thing again, but you get them all practically the same way.
and it felt like three completely separated parts instead of one cohesive episode, and maybe even short.
but i liked it. loved Sal and side-kick Sammun-Mak
Just finished. I really hate the episodes coming out on Tuesdays. Really, who made that decision? I took an afternoon off work today to play it. Sheesh.
I agree with the person who thought the noir section might have gotten a bit tedious if it had been longer -- the writing was fantastic, but the mechanics of it lost their bloom towards the end.
One thing that stood out for me as particularly excellent this episode was the voice acting of new characters: I could happily have listened to either Sal or Sammun-Mak read the telephone book. Their voices are just very easy on the ears, and even when it became clear that Sammun-Mak was a villain, I just couldn't hate on him at all.
Anyway, the only section where I had a lot of trouble was in figuring out the credit card/toaster stuff. I didn't realize you could go toward the buffet table, I thought it was on the members only side!
One thing that would make this episode just a little bit more awesome would have been if, after Sam takes the "Case of the Missing Brain Screw", there would be an alternate-universe opening sequence with Sam and brain Max, and Egyptian-style job titles for all the developers.
Anyway, the only section where I had a lot of trouble was in figuring out the credit card/toaster stuff. I didn't realize you could go toward the buffet table, I thought it was on the members only side!
One thing that would make this episode just a little bit more awesome would have been if, after Sam takes the "Case of the Missing Brain Screw", there would be an alternate-universe opening sequence with Sam and brain Max, and Egyptian-style job titles for all the developers.
Personally, I think the logic of saying that Norrington is the Narrator because they sound similar and both enunciate to be a bit simplistic. I just don't see it. They don't sound that much alike. I don't believe the Narrator is Norrington or Yog-Soggoth.
But if you want to listen to crazy theories, this one's at least as valid.
'
Norrington sounds like "no ring tone" and Stinky's cell phone mysteriously rings like an old-fashioned telephone without playing a ring tone like 99% of modern cell phones. Perhaps Norrington is Stinky's cell phone?
dun dun DUN!
I'm giving this at least as good odds as it being the narrator
Was anybody not really puzzled as to how all those Sam clones came to be there? If so, plz enlighten us mortals who mouthed "wtf?" at our screens at that moment!
This really feels like a tacked-on cliff-hanger, and does not have the, well, build-up of impending gloom like the ending of 302.
isn't the point of cliffhangers to make you go "WTF just happened??? i NEED to know how this ends!". Sure it seemed pretty random, but i'm looking forward to see how it's explained
I still can't figure out the answer of this one big question: how does Max's brain got stolen?
Obviously both Skunkape and Papierwaite are involved, but:
1) Who let Skunkape out of the Penal Zone? (Skunkape says he "was forcibly ejected", suggesting that the escape is not his own plan.)
2) We know S and P are not on the best of terms. Who convinced them to cooperate, and co-ordinate them so that they can knock out the molemen, core out Max's skull, and grab the toybox within the interval when Sam was taking a leak?
paperwaite got the toybox out of the basement accidently destorying the ne penal zone because the toybox was the power supply holding it open, then skun'kape knew they were in the basement and stole max's brain,he wanted the toybox too but paperwaite was then running off with it.
Yay, nutty conspiracies! Besides, the cliffhangers always have a super-simple explanation. (usually) I'll bet that most of you guys are thinking too hard about this. It's probably something really stupidly simple, like the guys going to another odd reality instead of going back to theirs. (OK, maybe not stupidly simple but still...)
Comments
The gameplay is so refreshing (there have to be a single-digit number of purely item-based puzzles in this season so far) and I like how there are so very many locations.
So my one suggestion: When you open up the program and it brings you to the screen with the option to 'Launch Game'...can Telltale, just once, make it 'Launch Octopus' ?
Anyway, I liked the second act. Sure, it wasn't very long, but I actually thought the episode would end there, rather than branching out into a third act (which took me completely by surprise). The puzzles were solid, and Sal is just so damn likable.
The final act overstayed its welcome slightly, but I still really enjoyed it. And the easy finale was made up for by the great cliffhanger.
So overall, it's one of my favourite episodes. Actually, it might even be my all-round favourite, but I'll have to play it again to be sure.
Oh, and how could I forget the music - the noir map theme was brilliant!
I loved the beginning and, as others have said, I wished the noir lasted much longer than it did. The atmosphere and gameplay really surprised me. I also loved the ending puzzle/fight. The museum and the other-reality wasn't appealing to me at all and were rather boring.
The noir gameplay was unique and a little fun. It had that semi-realtime type conversation with characters which was interesting. I can definitely see how they can hide some dialog if you time Sam's interruptions right. That's what I look for in adventure games, hidden things/dialog or options off the beaten path.
The end puzzle/fight gave me the feeling I got when I was playing W&G's Last Resort's last puzzle: a sense of urgency without any actions (to my knowledge) being lethal. Awesome.
The middle of the game was just the same old, same old: solve some easy puzzles and collect items. I didn't really mind the museum as much as the other-reality. The other-reality was annoying mainly because of Sam's brainwashing. I also just don't like Egyptian themed levels/games (I think Sonic & Knuckles' Sandopolis Zones scared me for life).
I encountered many Max glitches. Sometimes Max would be invisible when he transforms and wanders. On a similar note, I had two Max's on screen a few times (I could talk to an invisible Max outside the jar while his brain is in the jar). Another one had Max's 1st-person view inside the jar while he is transformed and wandering around (and vice-a-versa). The final one I found was sometimes Pharaoh Max would disappear if I make Max's brain transform in the museum. Nothing game-breaking or anything, it's just weird or odd.
Making the noir part a little longer might have been nice, but I don't think I would have enjoyed a whole game of it. (At least not a whole game of Sam and Max.) It was cool while it lasted, but a whole game of Sam acting gruff with no Max in sight just isn't very "Sam and Max."
Overall a very good episode, and a very good season so far. Can't wait until the next episode.
And it's not that the game was short, I think. It took me about as much time as the other episodes. It just seemed short because of all of the action involved. Seriously, there was a lot going on, it's not surprising that we all lost track of time.
Finally... Did Sal's face look to anyone else like a prawn from District 9?
Just wondering, did anyone see this as well as me?
Oh, and I finished it in about 4 hours. I think. It was an awesome 4 hours!
Not for me, since I have a pet roach. Cute and hardy little bugs.
I think I hard a stronger sense of dissonance with the parity between Sammun-Mak and Max. I found Sal to be somewhat on the adorable side; the big damn eyes do that sometimes.
Cute? Nah, but with that voice I'd call him 'someone I could hang around with'. Insects big or small just don't bother me much since I live next to a rainforest and got used to 'em.
On another note, I thought shooting Sammun-Mak in zeppelin form would kill him and I hesitated for quite some time, thinking "Wait, what's gonna happen to Max's body if I shoot and he explodes?" and stupidly thought I could tell the pharaoh to knock something over up on the ceiling.
Just remember 301 - turning into a bazooka and blowing up Skunkape didn't seem to damage him, right?
There was another reference when someone said something about "fatality" and Max said "That's so nineties..." or something along those lines.
Oh gosh yes, this episode is definetly my favourite when it comes to the soundtrack.
Oh yeah, I didn't think much of that. I thought the missile was like his spit and the gun-part was his body.
The missile bit had his face on so it would be his whole head (and brain!)
For some reason the one line that totally got me was:
"That wasn't Sam!? Oh well, thanks for trying to help, Tyrone."
It was finisher moves and I thought it was a wrestling refrence XD
No, that was at the end. There was an earlier "fatality" reference but I can't for the life of me remember where it was. Requires a replay methinks...
Of course, "finish him" and "fatality" in Mortal Kombat were probably wrestling references in the first place. See how these things go in circles, much like Max's mind?
I like the way he thinks
Yes, but I prefer the things he sees
My thoughts exactly. I've never liked dialog-heavy puzzles. So I was concerned I was going to hate this episode -- even while loving the noir atmosphere -- and was relieved when it turned out it was really just one puzzle to
This one was shorter and a bit less funny I think.
Also, I didn't like that it started with the openning credits. It's a small detail but I always LOVE when they find the perfect place to start the openning sequence. It was just perfect in the Penal Zone.
Funny, i just remember it bugging me as well, but hey, that's a very small complaint.
I don't think the noir segment was too short. It felt a bit awkward to drop this atmosphere so soon, but i think it could have gotten annoying after a while.
Otherwise...
I don't quite know yet. MANY awesome things, too many for me to remember them all. I think i know how i'll spend my day tomorow :eek:
and it felt like three completely separated parts instead of one cohesive episode, and maybe even short.
but i liked it. loved Sal and side-kick Sammun-Mak
Loved the episode. The story is just sublime.
I agree with the person who thought the noir section might have gotten a bit tedious if it had been longer -- the writing was fantastic, but the mechanics of it lost their bloom towards the end.
One thing that stood out for me as particularly excellent this episode was the voice acting of new characters: I could happily have listened to either Sal or Sammun-Mak read the telephone book. Their voices are just very easy on the ears, and even when it became clear that Sammun-Mak was a villain, I just couldn't hate on him at all.
Anyway, the only section where I had a lot of trouble was in figuring out the credit card/toaster stuff. I didn't realize you could go toward the buffet table, I thought it was on the members only side!
One thing that would make this episode just a little bit more awesome would have been if, after Sam takes the "Case of the Missing Brain Screw", there would be an alternate-universe opening sequence with Sam and brain Max, and Egyptian-style job titles for all the developers.
That would have been an interesting addition.
But if you want to listen to crazy theories, this one's at least as valid.
'
dun dun DUN!
I'm giving this at least as good odds as it being the narrator
This really feels like a tacked-on cliff-hanger, and does not have the, well, build-up of impending gloom like the ending of 302.
Obviously both Skunkape and Papierwaite are involved, but:
1) Who let Skunkape out of the Penal Zone? (Skunkape says he "was forcibly ejected", suggesting that the escape is not his own plan.)
2) We know S and P are not on the best of terms. Who convinced them to cooperate, and co-ordinate them so that they can knock out the molemen, core out Max's skull, and grab the toybox within the interval when Sam was taking a leak?