Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Point-and-Click Adventure Review: Sam & Max Beyond Time and Space: Chariots of the Dogs


Chariots of the Dogs is Telltale's strongest episode yet, providing the right mix of plot and humor, with some of the best puzzles they've ever designed.

The duo goes into Bosco's store to find out that he is missing.  When they finally do find him, they accidentally change the timestream.  Now they have to travel back and forth through time and space in order to try to set things right.  I'm not going to spoil more, but the plot is much more fantastical than its premise.  From the beginning, it is rife with humor, and the way that the plot is handled is excellent, although, in true Sam & Max fashion, wonderfully twisted from start to finish.

The plot also allows for some clever puzzles, which really allows Telltale to shine.  They are some of the most fun and brilliantly designed puzzles that Telltale has ever produced.  The best part of this game is the locations.  From the fantastic new location where Bosco is held, to the past and future versions of locations that have already been visited, each area is bustling with personality.  The returning characters are used to great effect here.  Bosco has never been put to better use than he has here, and he has never been funnier.  His voice actor does a fantastic job with the character.  The new characters are also excellent, each having an eccentric personality that fits right in with the rest of the eclectic cast.

The musical style really shines as well.  Jared Emerson-Johnson and Bay Area Sound have done some of their best work with the music in this episode.  There is a great mix of styles in use here, from a futuristic style to Mexican mariachi.  Each song fits the location where it is used and fits the world of Sam & Max excellently.

The penultimate episode of Sam & Max Season Two is not only the strongest episode of the season, but it is the strongest episode Telltale has ever produced.  Everything is excellent, from the fantastic plot and humor to the wonderfully fun puzzles, excellent use of characters, imaginative use of new and returning locations, and fantastic voice acting and music.  This episode is a must-play for fans of humourous point-and-click adventure games.

Update March 16, 2023: There is now another way to play the game. Sam & Max Beyond Time and Space Remastered by Skunkape games does update the game to the latest version of the Telltale Tool. It also has improved lighting, high-definition graphics, and a remade title song. Because of changing views on various culture-related issues, Bosco has a new voice actor. Because the new Bosco fits the game well, and the script changes are minor, this is now my favorite way to play the game.

Final Verdict:

5 out of 5

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