Review | Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse – Episode 2
20th Century dog (and rabbit)…
Format: PC/PS3/iPad | Genre: Adventure | Publisher: Telltale | Developer: Telltale | Release Date: 18/05/2010 | Price: $35 for full season
Jennifer Allen turns back time with the second episode of SAM & MAX: THE DEVIL’S PLAYHOUSE.
VAMPIRE ELVES and love-struck moles? Yes, it’s back to business as usual for Sam & Max. Or should I say Sameth and Maximus, or something, as this time around the pair make way for their early 20th Century ancestors in their quest to steal the Devil’s Toybox. Set in 1901, this second episode is a remarkably enjoyable change of pace, made all the better by its non-linear structure.
The Tomb of Sammun-Mak takes a leaf out of Quentin Tarantino’s book and offers four parts of a story set in an unconventional order. It’s your job to switch from reel to reel depending on what the situation requires.
It works well once you get your brain around it, with modern-day Sam and Max controlling an old film projector to switch between the four segments of the tale. The really clever part is Maximus’ Astral Projection, one of Max’s new psychic powers, which enables the duo to switch from reel to reel whenever they want. This quickly becomes crucial to solving the many puzzles scattered throughout the game, with solutions only becoming obvious as you leap from reel to reel, as Sam and Max try to piece together what exactly happened to their 
ancestors.
Turning back time
I’m not ashamed to admit that, to begin with, I didn’t quite appreciate the importance of the Astral Projection. But it really is an inspired touch. It takes a little adjustment to remember that you can go back and forth between reels, but it means you never feel stumped for clues as to the next step.
It’s a pretty ingenious idea to ensure that The Tomb of Sammun-Mak feels a cut above previous Sam & Max episodes. Throughout the four reels you’ll come across familiar characters from the series, but in their early 20th Century guise, such as Jurgen the German, the Molemen, and Santa Claus and his elves. It’s a lovely thing to see past characters in an ‘earlier’ form.
As was the case in the previous episode, the focus is very much on Max’s psychic powers. Besides the Astral Projection there’s also the Can o’ Nuts, a magical can in which the duo can hide when an appropriate situation arises. There’s also the addition of the Molemen’s curses, which can be used at a few select points in the game. My personal favourite, though, is that of Charlie Ho-Tep, a ventriloquist’s dummy. The Charlie Ho-Tep provides some particularly memorable lines of dialogue through Max’s unique form of borderline insanity.
Telltale is clearly on fine form here. Everything is improved from Episode One, from the wittier dialogue to the more memorable storytelling. The puzzles are satisfying, and the psychic abilities have evolved enough to be a worthy addition to Sam & Max’s repertoire. If this is a sign of what’s to come in the remaining three episodes, it’s going to be a very good third season indeed.
Hmmmm quite tempted to get this series now. Always like to wait for a few episodes to be reviewed first though, just in case it takes a nosedive later on.