Sam & Max Save the World – Remastered: XBox One Review
Presenting season one, Sam and Max Save the World!
Including six remastered episodes from the original series release.
The Story
It’s just another day at the office for the self-proclaimed Freelance Police when the Commissioner calls in with a disturbing report: former child stars are running amok in the street! What starts as an open-and-shut case of idiotic vandalism grows into an all-out conspiracy as Sam and Max encounter one miscreant after another who have been mysteriously hypnotized. (You can tell from the “spinny thing” they do with their eyes.)
Who’s the source of this malfeasance, and what is their dastardly plan? Cracking this case will require Sam’s nose for detective work, Max’s lack of conscience, an assortment of inventory items, and a little help from neighbors Sybil Pandemik, Bosco, and Jimmy Two-Teeth. From Sam & Max’s street to the White House lawn, inside the internet, and all the way to the moon, this baffling mystery gets weirder and funnier as it unfolds.
Gameplay
The play style on the Xbox One is quite relaxed, and very straight forward. The left joystick moves the character, left trigger increases the movement speed and the right joystick cycles through the scene objects for interaction, which is controlled by the A button or the right trigger.
The player must think laterally and use the environment and items in the inventory to solve problems to progress the story further. The obstacles and problems to solve typically increase in difficulty or complexity throughout the episode, and each episode increases in difficulty, with the last two episodes being more challenging in comparison.
Graphics
The graphics are quite sharp, smooth and silky. All textures are lovingly detailed and aesthetically pleasing. It really does feel like you have been dropped in a cartoon world, where the suspense of disbelief is ever-present and anything is possible.
In the interest of being thorough, a quick search for a comparison video was unearthed, showing the difference between the original and remastered graphics. It would seem that more smoothing of the textures was applied, sharpening the lines and creating better cut scene animations for the intro & credits.
In either case, regardless of which version, the animation is still of a high quality, and perfectly brings to life these wonderful and zany characters.
Sam playing the Banjo and singing a crazy song on a TV show!
It is well worth taking a look at the Skunkape games website to see the comparison images side by side to appreciate the difference in the texture details and improved lighting, especially with respect to the characters.
Audio & Dialogue
The audio is fantastic, all of the character voice acting is top-notch and insanely comical.
The dynamic range of the scene audio and the voice recordings, presence and tone is all perfect and faultless. In short, it feels like an interactive cartoon movie, which is exactly what you would expect.
Of course, the dialogue itself is hilarious, zany and at times laughably so over the top that it can have you in stitches. One-liner after one-liner delivered from Sam, especially when answering the phone or pointing out the obvious, or bantering with other NPC’s, takes the game to another level.
Jimmy Two-Teeth.. don’t let him push Sam and Max around!
Final thoughts
With enhanced graphics, new widescreen and gamepad support, five new musical tracks, and the same brain-tickling puzzles and offbeat humor that won it Adventure Game of the Year awards from IGN, GameSpy, and PC Gamer, Sam & Max Save the World is a modern classic that you’ll love to play—or play again. –Skunkape games
That statement truly sums it up. Skunkapegames have made this game and its story more accessible to a new generation of players.
Despite the vastly improved graphics, sound and additional tweaks, which do not require knowledge of the original release to be appreciated, It is simply an absolute pleasure playing Sam and Max.
Sam and Max Save the World is the kind of title that can be enjoyed by yourself or with family and friends. Rated for T for teens, it does have a few moments of ‘adult suggestion’, which is perhaps more concentrated in episode 6, but it is the kind of slapstick humour that if a child understood it, they are likely old enough to hear it anyway.
This is a great game for a lazy rainy weekend, and if spread out, could offer a couple weeks worth of casual game play.
Skunkape games should take a bow for a job well done.
Max declares, skunkape games have done well.
Sam and Max is now available from Microsoft.
Summary: Sam and Max Save the World (Remastered) is an incredible triumph. Hands down a fantastic release and an insanely comical and enjoyable title to play.
5
Justice served!
About the Author
Scott De Lacy Scott has a professional IT background spanning over 18 years, is an hobbyist electronics designer, talented musician, holds qualifications as a trainer and experience in emergency and community services sectors. He reviews Movies, PC and XBOX One games, and hardware.
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