Sam and Max's changing personalities
I think Sam and Max's personalities have altered quite a bit over the course of the series. They're both far less stoic, which in Sam's case especially is a big change, and prone to moments of melodrama that really don't suit them. They've become less a parody of the typical crime-fighting duo and turned into a couple of slightly generic cartoon characters.
What I found funny about Hit The Road and the earlier episodes was the way that amidst the ridiculousness of their surroundings, Sam was always very deadpan. His use of language in commenting on all these things was a big element of the humour. Max was just a deranged menace with a one-track mind - now he's far less inclined towards violence, instead being prone to moments of unexplained craziness or overblown emotional displays, as well as having become rather naive and childish. I feel the jokes have shifted so that Max's new-found madness constitutes nearly all the punchlines, and it's a pity to see less of such comments as 'this rampant weenie cannibalism turns my stomach', 'the biggest smokes for the biggest tumours' and 'I bet [Jesse James's hand] is extra-valuable because it's autographed!', which do crop up occasionally and which I've loved. Those kinds of jokes feel far less forced than the
Sam: Random but innocuous comment
Max: Irrevant reply that hints at mental instability
Sam: You crack me up little buddy
format. (I did find that moment very funny, but it's a pity it's quite such an apt observation!)
I've been trying for a long time now to pinpoint a vague sense of dissatisfaction I've felt all the way though the series, and I guess this is it, because apart from gripes about the easiness of the game and quantity of locations that many seem to share, I've really enjoyed everything else. I hope others will agree with me so we can look forward to a more believable Sam and Max, should there be a Season Two.
What I found funny about Hit The Road and the earlier episodes was the way that amidst the ridiculousness of their surroundings, Sam was always very deadpan. His use of language in commenting on all these things was a big element of the humour. Max was just a deranged menace with a one-track mind - now he's far less inclined towards violence, instead being prone to moments of unexplained craziness or overblown emotional displays, as well as having become rather naive and childish. I feel the jokes have shifted so that Max's new-found madness constitutes nearly all the punchlines, and it's a pity to see less of such comments as 'this rampant weenie cannibalism turns my stomach', 'the biggest smokes for the biggest tumours' and 'I bet [Jesse James's hand] is extra-valuable because it's autographed!', which do crop up occasionally and which I've loved. Those kinds of jokes feel far less forced than the
Sam: Random but innocuous comment
Max: Irrevant reply that hints at mental instability
Sam: You crack me up little buddy
format. (I did find that moment very funny, but it's a pity it's quite such an apt observation!)
I've been trying for a long time now to pinpoint a vague sense of dissatisfaction I've felt all the way though the series, and I guess this is it, because apart from gripes about the easiness of the game and quantity of locations that many seem to share, I've really enjoyed everything else. I hope others will agree with me so we can look forward to a more believable Sam and Max, should there be a Season Two.
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Like they said in Episode 6, I want their next season to have more shooting things.
Also would be nice if that 3d engine were capable of creating some funny fights and stuff. Instead of being so static. :P
Guess i just miss the good old 2d days.
I guess it'll be months of this now.
"Both Sam and Max spoke as if a computer program had been told their character attributes, and then randomly generated phrases that it calculated should be appropriate. At points, especially in Episode 1, these nonsensical statements had nothing to do with what was going on, nor indeed what the other had said. "I like pizza." "You crack me up little buddy."
The rest of the article is at http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=163599 but it's not a glowing report of Sam and Max so far. Should be avoided by people with a nervous disposition.
(There's also a bit in the current issues 'Devil's Advocate', they really aren't happy with Sam and Max)
totally agree with you i was very annoyed by what they said. They seriously need to get there heads out of there asses but i guess since they're so big headed they're probably going to have some trouble... better get the serious toothpaste!
guess we gotta have at least one unfair review
I'm pretty sure they were either playing a different game than everyone else or they just have completely the wrong sense of humour for the games.
But when you get into the territory of saying that your opinion is right and everybody else is lowering his standards, that's just arrogance. Mature people are supposed to acknowledge that others have opinions they disagree with, without having to invalidate other people's opinions. It would be as if I, just for example, said that the guy who wrote that was just bitter because his publication used to be relevant but is now just an obscure internet blog that nobody pays any attention to. Which of course, I'd never say.
Hmm, I still do that. Am I not to be trusted?
About the review: I guess it was statistically expected to see at least one review like this at some point. Obviously the main issue is a near-total disconnect between the sense of humor of this reviewer and that of the game (and pretty much every other reviewer thus far). Without using the word "sad", I'll just say that luckily this is mostly not our problem..:)
Back to the main topic. I have no problem with either Sam or Max but I wouldn't mind Max getting more violent. By more I mean a lot. I loved season 1, but I just think this would further optimize the next season.
(*) The funniest one being a Swedish one of episode 1, the reviewer kept trashing the game, and telling how bad and unfunny it was, but still gave it an 8 /10, didn't mention one good thing about the game, I love that scoring system
I believe there are some training in writing reviews since I dont believe reviews are written in nothing but personal opinions and bashing the competitors.
Some of the pcgamer reviews are bias from what I have read. Rather than reviewing it in a non bias perpective (which is hard to do,) they usually review it under the perpective that all RPG games are compareable or whatever.
I remember they gave the PC port of Grandia 2 a three out of 10 for not being able to create your own characters, race, etc; basically all the stuff you can do in a non console western RPG. He even compared it to some PC Rpgs. LOL I guess it never occured to the guy that console RPGs and Pc RPGs are different and can't really be compared to one another. Different as in other than items, and leve ups, everything else is different.
Grandia 2 on other magazines, btw, received a rating with an 8 or 9.
I agree, but I don't like how some critics (some as in all the bias amature ones) use their power in telling others not to buy the game because of their bias opinions. It saddens me that some ppl write reviews to push their agenda onto people in what they should buy rather than giving a thought out scoop in it. Whenever there is a product of a property that two different companies made, someone will make a review to tell others to buy one and bash the others to gain support or show loyality to one company. This is what I call C*c* sucking the other company. Rather than comparing them non biasly, they point out all the flaws on company and ignore the flaws of the other becayse "they have their lips around the other company's C**k." Case in point, the street fighter figures that came out over several years ago. Several reviewers (whom most never touch the other companies' toys) would bash the competitor and praise the other simply because the president of the company would go onto online forums and talks "loudly." The president would make crazy claims like his toys are the ferrari of action figures and that no one is better. The company's sells was bad despite all their c*ck suckers supporting them and the president sold the company, claiming that he was too busy, but sells show that he left just before the company is in deep dodo.
I am honestly glad none of the telltale employees who post here have that larege of an ego to go around and bash Lucas arts or whatever. I also like how you guys don't think out loudly, as in promising something, and not deliver it, the next.
I got a few laughs.. felt a slight bit of annoyance.. just shook my head at some parts.. ..couldn't really ask for more.
Oop.. reviewing a review.. silly me. Back to lurking.
btw, sorry for the graphic image lol
I don't buy comments ("reviews"), regardless of whom the reviewer is or where he works, if the comment is inconsistent and/or tries to bash other opinions in the process and/or tries to establish itself as the only one that delivers the truth.
The bottom line: This guy didn't like the game, I disagree with most of his comments, I don't like his review style and I chose to ignore his review.
There are people who don't like the 3 Stooges, or Seinfeld. Comedy is hard. I personally found the script for Season 1, while not ridunkulously funny, in-line with previous incarnations of Sam & Max. HTR wasn't a continuous lollercoaster either (I played through it right before Episode 1 to pump myself up about it). Even in the comics there are some jokes that worked for me and some that didn't. But maintaining a feeling continuity-wise is incredibly hard to do, and I think TellTale did admirably. They still feel like Sam & Max. (Complaining about "Please, Sam, Don't say ___" is like complaining about the very core of Sam&Max)
While some of his criticisms are valid (Eps 1-3 did reuse a lot of incidental comments), some are really off base (there were several items that carried over between episodes, like the Bug and the tear gas gun).
But an important thing I think many people are missing, it's the journalist's blog. It's not a formal review, so it shouldn't be unfairly held to those standards. It's his opinion, not copy that he had to hand to an editor. Few people would care if one of us bashed, say, Phoenix Wright on our blog. His blog just has shiny corporate hosting.
I'm pretty sure that "being true to Hit the Road" is approximately nowhere on Telltale's list of goals for this series. It isn't based on Hit the Road, it isn't a sequel to Hit the Road. It contains a few references which is fun, but they're just gags. Now, I liked Hit the Road, but honestly, I liked Season 1 better once it really got going (episodes 4 - 6). I think the two are neck and neck in terms of humor, but for me, Telltale's incarnation works better as a game. Some of the puzzles in HTR were simply incomprehensible, and geez did it take forever to walk to the places you had to walk to. I don't mean to pit the two games against each other, I'm just saying that I don't think Telltale's Sam and Max would benefit from "going back to Hit the Road."
I also have to say that I like this version of Max a lot. They've made him unstable and somewhat naive, yes - an interesting combination - but they haven't made him stupid, which is something that happens too often and really gets on my nerves in games and fiction in general. Max is still able to loquaciously crack wise, and to do so with teeth. Sam isn't on entirely safe ground with his partner either. This exchange from episode 5 was one of my favorites:
Sam: The way you react to the threat of violence amuses me, little buddy.
Max (angrily): You know where you can stick your amusement?
I may not have the words exactly right, but you get the idea.
Ooh... do I risk turning this into yet another 'the puzzles are too easy' thread?
I take it you're trying to say that complaining about one inconsistency intrinsically means I must dislike all change. That's clearly not the case, and if you read my justification you'd see why.
Guess each time they scan Sam, Max is resurrected, but with a slightly different personality.
Max:Hey look,sam!I'm a figment of your imagination!
Sam:Heh,you crack me up little buddy.
it is in the purpose of comedy.