I’m guessing that if you’re reading this review then you’ve either played the
previous three Sam & Max episodes or are waiting on the sidelines to see if the
whole series looks like it will be worth a play through. After all, who starts a
story with Episode 4? Anyone? Anyone? Lucas? Lucas? Anyway, on to the latest
adventure of our favorite gumshoe hound dog and psychotic rabbity-like creature…
Episode 4: Abe Lincoln Must Die! is probably one of the more oddly titled
games to come along in a while, The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for
Middle-earth II, The Rise of the Witch-King excepted of course. Its title
suggests that it’s a free game given out by Church’s Fried Chicken restaurants
across the South, but it does not involve time travel or various geographical
regions attempting to pull a Lazarus and rising up again. Instead this Sam and
Max case involves a diabolical plot by a mysterious group to get a giant robotic
statue of Abe Lincoln elected president. Sam and Max react in the only way that
makes sense – by throwing Max’s hat, er, oversized head, into the ring to run
against the robot, thus saving the American people from a robotic president by
giving them one who pledges to nuke Antarctica. Those uppity penguins have it
coming…
Episode 4 is the best in the series in terms of plot and satire. Sure,
American politics is as easy a target as its TV-obsessed culture, but this time
out the humor is a bit more biting and there are far more subtle touches added
for the amusement of those who pay close attention to things. Episode 4 also
takes the series a step back in the right direction as far as the puzzles are
concerned. Episode 3’s puzzles were surprisingly easy and straight-forward, but
this time out you’ll need to do a little more thinking as you make your way
through the game. Episode 4 does suffer a bit from the fact that it recycles
most of its locations from the previous episodes, which takes some of the fun
out of exploring and seeing what Sam and Max have to say about each object that
you click on.
If you’ve played the first three episodes, then by all means play Episode 4.
It’s one of the better episodes in the series and will hopefully build some
momentum for the series as it enters its final two episodes. If you’re still
wondering whether to take the plunge, Episode 4 should definitely nudge you
closer to the edge of the pool.
In The End, This Game Hath Been Rated:
84%. American politics will never be the same
after Sam and Max get through with it. Whether or not that’s good for the
country is debatable, but it makes for some enjoyable gaming.
