Next Gen Game

The Sam & Max franchise gets a film noir twist in the next episode of The Devil's Playhouse.

Contrary to the reports we've been hearing for the last decade, the classic adventure genre isn't dying. In fact, adventure games had a particularly strong showing at E3 2010, thanks in part to the continued efforts of Telltale Games. We stopped by the developer's booth to get a glimpse of the next installment in the current season of Sam & Max.

Who's Making It: The witty minds at Telltale Games, of course! This is the team behind the other Sam & Max episodes, as well as Tales of Monkey Island, Wallace & Gromit, and upcoming games based on the Jurassic Park and Back to the Future licenses.

What It Looks Like, and What It's About: They Stole Max's Brain! looks to film noir as its inspiration, from both a visual and gameplay perspective. The fan-favorite narrator returns to guide us through the charming story, which starts with Sam returning from a bathroom break to discover that Max's head has been sawed open and his brain is nowhere to be found. The visuals and dialogue have a fantastic crime-fiction attitude, but are twisted with tongue-in-cheek wit. As he investigates this terrible crime, Sam may launch into melancholy monologues--a habit that inspired a character in the demo we saw to say, "Are you trying to get me depressed?" During another conversation, a rat proclaimed that he "saw something brain-related." Clearly, series fans will love the hysterical dialogue and charming characterizations.

What You Do:

The episode goes in a different direction about halfway through, but unfortunately, Telltale Games did not respond to any of our intense interrogation techniques by dropping any tantalizing tidbits about that shift in gameplay.

What They Say: They Stole Max's Brain! will be available to download in a matter of days, on June 22, 2010. Two more episodes will round out the current season.

What We Say:At some point during the demonstration, the character referred to the itchy sensation in his underpants. If you like adventure games, Sam and Max, or simply to evaluate the game, which put a smile on his face, they stole Max 's brain! may cause a similar reaction in your underwear.

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