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Sam & Max Episode 203: Night of the Raving Dead

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Developer: Telltale Games
Publisher: Telltale Games
Genre: Adventure > General
Released: Feb 11, 2008
Players: 1

- Sam & Max Episode 203: Night of the Raving Dead Review

In this third installment of Sam and Max Season 2, our favorite crime-busting duo trades in the sun and sand of Easter Island for the rain and gloom of a zombie factory in Stuttgart. I mentioned in the review of the previous episode, Moai Better Blues, that the ending was a little underwhelming, so I was really looking forward to Night of the Raving Dead to set things straight.

This episode starts off with Sam and Max about to die a gruesome death in a spooky dungeon, before interjecting with a flashback to the beginning of the story where you start playing. It turns out that zombies have taken to the streets in numbers and Sam and Max eventually traces their origin to Stuttgart. You then rejoin the starting scene about midway through the game, before the game wraps up with the return of the familiar boss battle at the finale (one which was conspicuously missing in Episode 2).

Overall, I enjoyed the story and plotline of Night of the Raving Dead more than I did Moai Better Blues. This is really a matter of personal preference though, but I felt that events and tasks were more engaging this time round, complete with an interesting turn of events at the midway point that kept the story intriguing the whole way through.

Night of the Raving Dead sees the return of some familiar faces from the series, including Harry Moleman and Mr. Featherly who end up being candidates in Sybil�"s matchmaking service… for herself. Agent Superball, the pain in the you-know-where Secret Service agent is also back in a cameo role, guarding the entrance to the main set of the game: the Zombie Factory. It turns out that this factory is not quite of the production kind, but rather a discotheque owned by an emo-goth vampire by the name of Jurgen.

You get to try your hands at a DJ turntable, perform as a rap duo belting out emo laced lyrics and in a nice touch, Sam and Max actually starts dancing when they�"re standing on the dance floor. Apart from the office block and the Zombie Factory, Sam and Max also ventures into a film studio where the TV show �"Midtown Cowboys�" is being filmed. I was a little disappointed at the miniscule playtime you get at the studio, which was a locale where I fully expected would trigger some interesting events. As it transpired, all you did there was interact with one object, watch a pretty lame TV episode play out and back you go to the techno-infused undead hangout from whence you came.

The driving mini-game included in this episode is a throwback to the 1984 arcade game Paperboy. Typical of Sam and Max mini-games, this one is so ridiculously easy to finish that you can probably train a chimp to do it. (I am actually serious, seeing as how chimps are outsmarting humans in laboratory tests.) I will really like to see Telltale incorporate some mini-games that at least requires some practice and effort to play through, rather than the insipid snooze fest that it is now.

Apart from that complaint, Night of the Raving Dead lives up to the LOL quality of the Sam and Max series, this time delivering a satirical take on the emo subculture. Puzzles were also well-structured and nothing too brain-intensive, although I did run circles midway through the game when my simple mind couldn�"t compute one of the conundrums. This episode also seemed to play out just slightly longer than the previous one, with decidedly more traveling back and forth. Looking forward to the next episode, there was a dropped hint in the game that perhaps the disappearance of the paranoid conspiracy theorist Bosco will be resolved. It will certainly be interesting to see how that pans out.

Graphics:
The 3D rendered graphics does not deviate from the high benchmark established by the Sam and Max series. The only thing of note is that the setting and ambience in Stuttgart and the Zombie Factory makes for rather drab and dingy surroundings, which might not particularly endear itself to all players.

Sound:

Voiceovers and background music complement the overall mood of the plot very well. However, the German accented voiceover of the chief villain did get a tad uncomfortable after a while, and I�"ve certainly heard better and funnier adaptations of the German accent.

Gameplay:
The puzzles in this episode have a smooth and logical flow to them, and they are also supported by great storytelling and a well-structured plot.

Concept:
This time round, it�"s zombies and emo-goth under the satirical blade, and to great effect.

Value:

$8.95 for a 2 – 3 hour one-time play through, since there really isn�"t much reason to replay it after unraveling the storyline.

Overall:
Sam and Max Season 2 got off to a roaring start with Ice Station Santa and shows no signs of letting up with this latest episode. Night of the Raving Dead will delight fans and seasoned veterans with its trademark humor and wit, while posing as a great ambassador for gamers new to the Sam and Max series.

By: Freddy Lim
Posted: Saturday March 08, 2008