Overwritten.net
Games => General Gaming => Topic started by: MysterD on Thursday, November 30, 2006, 02:58:05 PM
-
Reviews (added 12/22/2006)
8 from GameDaily (out of 10) (http://www.gamedaily.com/sam-and-max-episode-2-situation-comedy/pc/game-reviews/5672?articleID=40588)
8.0 from Strategy Informer (http://www.strategyinformer.com/pc/sammaxepisode2situationcomedy/review.html)
7.1 from Game World Network (http://pcgames.gwn.com/reviews/gamereview.php/id/1142/title/Sam_and_Max_-_Season_1_Episode_2_Situation_Comedy.html)
3.5 stars from AdventureGamers (out of 5 stars) (http://www.adventuregamers.com/article/id,711/)
--------------------------------------------------------
Original Post in this Thread
I think this is the way to put forth episodes, since "Sam & Max: Season 1, Episode One" came out back in October on GameTap; Valve needs to take notes on releasing how quick on how to release "episodes" to the public.... (http://bluesnews.com/cgi-bin/board.pl?action=viewthread&threadid=73278)
Sam & Max: Episode Two Plans [November 30, 2006, 10:14 am ET] - Viewing Comments
GameTap and Telltale Spread More Sam & Max Mayhem with Original Machinima Shorts and Episode 2 (thanks Frans) unveils plans for "Situation: Comedy" the next episode in the Sam & Max series, to debut on GameTap on December 21, to follow on January 5, 2007 on the Telltale Games website. They are also kicking off a series of machinima movie releases to build towards the launch:
ATLANTA, Nov. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- GameTap, the first-of-its-kind broadband entertainment network from Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (TBS, Inc.), and interactive entertainment pioneer Telltale today unveiled exciting news about their critically-acclaimed Sam & Max franchise. In addition to revealing details about "Situation: Comedy," the second installment in the hilarious "Sam & Max: Season 1" episodic video game series, today marks the premiere of the first original Sam & Max machinima short on GameTap TV.
The new animated shorts were created using machinima, an innovative filmmaking technique that utilizes the real-time 3D virtual environment of a video game. Sam & Max use their newfound time in the spotlight to tackle whatever outrageous issue they've happened upon. From reality TV to Aristotle, and from day-trip destinations to turkey franks, everything and anything is fair game for the dynamic detective duo. Beginning with today's debut, a new short will air on GameTap TV every Thursday leading up to the launch of each new, full-length episode of the "Sam & Max: Season 1" video game series. These shorts will be released on the Sam & Max sites at both Telltale (www.telltalegames.com/samandmax) and GameTap (www.gametap.com/samandmax) four days after they are released to GameTap subscribers.
-
Again, I still fail to see the point, as everyone I know is just waiting for a "season" to come out in a box. Downloading games is not the future. Episodic games are not the future. The future is the fucking past, people, get a clue.
Well, that's not true. That's just how I look at it. I'm sure there are other people who love all that crap, but count me out. Still... the episodic thing doesn't seem to be taking off all that well, really. People do love to download games (even I do that now and again), but the episodic thing just doesn't seem to be up anybody's alley.
-
I guess for the people that like the concept of episodic gaming, Sam & Max is a beacon of hope. They have a well planned out schedule that they seem to be hitting with releases coming every other month or so. This is a lot better than Valves yearly episode releases, which makes them feel more like a bunch of expansion packs than anything "episodic".
Part of that is its an Adventure game. What the player can see is strictly controlled, and the gameplay is well defined. You whip up some new areas, slap a quick and funny story on it, and ship the bugger out.
I wrote on the PCGamer podcast comments about episodic gaming something about this. That you arent going to have these huge epic games in episodic format. Instead, simpler games would work extremely well. You just need a gameplay hook...and make more levels. S&M (and adventure games in general) are ideal for this. FPS...not so much. FPS levels take a really long time to design, build, playtest, tweak, etc. And then you toss in new weapons, monsters, and gameplay hooks on top? No wonder it takes a year per episode.
If we're lucky, this might bring back the good old adventure genre. Then we can dump episodic releases and go back to doing the full thing.
-
Sounds good to me. Sign me up.
-
I just downloaded and tried the demo of the first episode. Its was pretty enjoyable, and now I'm really looking forward to the season pack.
-
Any idea when Season One's coming to retail stores on PC-DVD (or PC-CD)?
There's gonna be SIX Episodes in this season, right?
-
Sam And Max: Episode 2 Demo has been released (http://www.3dgamers.com/games/samnmax2/downloads/)
-
They should just release the episodes for free, then make everyone pay for the last episode as they ended the previous episode on the biggest cliffhanger possible.
-
Anyone here tried an episode?
-
I played the demo of the first. Its pretty good, and I plan on buying the full season when its released.
-
TellTale names Episodes 3,4, and 5. (http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3156262)
Telltale Names Sam & Max Episodes 3, 4, 5
Just in time for the release of Situation: Comedy.
By Patrick Klepek, 01/08/2007
The sporadic nature of Valve's Half-Life releases makes them hard to count as truly episodic, especially in light of the air-tight schedule Telltale Games has maintained with their Sam & Max series. The second episode, Situation: Comedy, is now available on both GameTap and via Telltale's website, and they've also released the names of the next three episodes.
# Episode 3: "The Mole, the Mob and the Meatball" (January 25th)
# Episode 4: "Abe Lincoln Must Die!" (February 8th)
# Episode 5 :"Reality 2.0" (TBA)
Episode 6, the "season finale" of sorts, is supposed to have some grand reveal, as Telltale is remaining mum about this year's end to the current Sam & Max story arc. Telltale says the two will face "an insidious foe that will challenge the crimefighting duo as never before in a truly out-of-this world season finale."
-
Wow, Episode 3 and 4 only have a 2 week break between them. Gotta hand it to Telltale, they are doing episodic better than anyone else at this point.
-
This is true. If you're going to actually do it (though I still think it's a dumb idea), that's the way to do it.
-
Wow, Episode 3 and 4 only have a 2 week break between them. Gotta hand it to Telltale, they are doing episodic better than anyone else at this point.
They're doing that part right...
...but I'm curious how short each of those episodes are.
-
So I downloaded Seasons 1 and 2 with the recent Steam deal. Both seasons for $15. I've only played the first three so far and they are definitely worth the sale price, but I don't know if I would pay $8 for each. The episodes themselves don't take too long - they are probably 2-3 hours long so far. But they are highly entertaining - definitely recommended if you haven't played them yet.