I’ve been a lifelong fan of Sam & Max for fifteen years now, so I was extremely happy when I learned that their Save the World adventure series was getting a fresh remaster. This 6-episode series has received the royal treatment when it comes to graphics, audio, and even gameplay. The most obvious update is transforming the original 4:3 screen to a 16:9 while updating the 1024×768 resolution to include 4K with all-new dynamic lighting and improved animations and lip-sync. Character models have been updated to more closely reflect the look of Steve Purcell’s comics, and there is a new interface and opening credits sequence that help blend all six episodes into a singular experience. This truly looks like a game created for this generation.
The audio has also received a huge update. Back in 2006 episodic games were harder to download so the audio was greatly compressed to keep files small, but now the developers have gone back to the original source recordings and remastered all the amazing dialogue and Sam & Max have never sounded this great. You’ll also get to enjoy five new jazz tracks written by composer Jared Emerson-Johnson and performed by some of the original musicians.
So I’ve basically just told you everything that’s new about Sam & Max Save the World Remastered but perhaps you are unfamiliar with this crime-fighting duo. Sam is a six-foot, fedora-wearing adorable dog ripped right from the pages of Dragnet with more crazy expletives than a Batman sidekick…I’m looking at you, Robin. His partner, Max, is a hyperactive, potentially psychotic, wisecracking rabbit whose major contribution to the team is comedic relief. Together, these two detectives solve crimes and today they are going to save the world.
Sam & Max is a classic point-n-click adventure and this remaster doesn’t stray from that formula, which can date the gameplay at times. A lot has happened with adventure game design over the past fifteen years, both in UI and interaction. I have to admit I was surprised when I found there was only one action per click. In a world where you can now look/take/use items with a modified click of a mouse it seems so basic, yet charmingly refreshing and simple to only have to click on something for a singular result. While a gamepad is supported I found it only muddled the experience since you are replacing the mouse with an analog stick, and sensitivity and precise cursor placement is an issue. A keyboard is unnecessary until you are ready to exit, and the game is easily and comfortably played with only a mouse.
Being a traditional adventure game you can expect plenty of dialogue trees, and you will want to explore every last branch so you don’t miss a word of this hilarious script. It’s also one of those situations that when you find out new information you need to revisit characters for newly sprouted branches with entertaining results. Buried in all the conversations are useful clues that will help you solve the numerous puzzles scattered about the game, most of which involve inventory that you keep in a box for future use. Puzzles are fairly localized so you won’t need to go far to find clues and items to solve them. There is even a button you can press to reveal all the interactive hotspots in any given scene, so it is impossible to miss anything unless you feel that this is cheating. I dislike pixel-hunts so this was a lifesaver for me.
Sam & Max Save the World Remastered contains all six episodes, each taking 2-3 hours to beat, but having the entire series available from the onset reveals some issues that may have gone overlooked in 2006. While each episode has unique story elements and a few original locations much of the cast and scenery is recycled giving the game a slightly repetitive feel to it. Originally, you had to wait between episodes so it probably wasn’t an issue, but if you sit down and binge the game in one or two sittings expect some déjà vu. It also doesn’t help that some of the episodes fall flatter than others, and the game can get tedious in parts that require excessive backtracking.
Still, the remaster is an impressive effort with everything that could be improved doing so. I found the audio portion of the remaster especially effective considering how much dialogue and humor factor into the overall experience. Actual gameplay and puzzle design continuously evolve over the years, so Sam & Max Save the World Remastered might not be as sophisticated as other recently developed titles, but their charm and wit is timeless. For only $20 you can enjoy this blast from the past while current owners of Season One can upgrade for only $10. Check out the first 90-minutes of gameplay from our launch-day show and visit the Steam store to get your copy today. The game is also out on the Nintendo Switch and perfectly suited for mobile gaming.
