Sam & Max Episode 102: Situation: Comedy Review

If you’re new to Sam & Max, then I suggest that you start off with Episode 1: Culture Shock. Episode 2: Situation Comedy is entirely playable on its own and its story is basically self-contained, but if you start with Episode 2 you’ll miss out on a few of the references to the first episode and on the full Sam & Max experience. And now on with the show…

Situation Comedy opens with a crisis. Talk show host Myra has taken her studio audience captive during a marathon of show and is continually forcing them to accept prizes and promotional gifts. It is up to Sam & Max to work their way into Myra’s soundstage and put an end to her show.

When you start the game you’ll be in the friendly confines of Sam’s and Max’s office. You’ll recognize many of the interactive objects in the office and in their neighborhood from the first game, and many of the comments made by Sam and Max when one of these objects is selected have been recycled from the previous game. This takes a little of the fun out of the game as listening to the banter between Sam and Max is a big part of what makes the game enjoyable. Luckily most of the game takes place in the numerous sound stages at the TV studio, so there are plenty of new places to explore and objects to click.

Once again television is the focus of the satire in the game, with talk shows, sitcoms, and game shows all getting the Sam and Max treatment. The humor is consistent with that in the first game, meaning that it’s generally pretty good, but going after American Idol comes across as a fish in a barrel sort of copout. Situation Comedy felt like it was shorter than Culture Shock, due in part to the recycling of some of the humor and also to the fact the puzzles are a bit more straightforward this time out.

Suffice it to say that if you enjoyed Culture Shock you’ll enjoy Situation Comedy. You may be disappointed in the recycled objects and associated jokes, but time spent with Sam and Max is never wasted.

In The End, This Game Hath Been Rated: 84%. It plays a little shorter than Culture Shock and the puzzles are easier, but Situation Comedy is still chockfull of Sam and Max nutty goodness.