REVIEW / Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse (PC)

Isn’t it nice to be pleasantly surprised? I went into today’s review expecting one thing and got something completely different! The completely different something I got comes with a few wrinkles, but overall, I’m very happy. The biggest reason for this is that in Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse, we’re combining a few of my favorite things. Here, we have nostalgia, Saturday morning kid’s TV, and the point-and-click genre all squished into one big, beautiful bundle. Let’s see whether two very lovable characters that a few of you will be too young to remember are going to be a hit for a brand-new audience.

I realized when I booted Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse up for the first time that I remembered this pair of fury private eyes really well. They were all over the place at one stage so it would be like saying you’d never heard of Ratchet and Clank or Jak and Daxter. I had in my head, though, that I would be in for a platform romp because they came from a period where not only that was the thing, but if you got any kind of cartoon duo they’d be indulging in these sorts of shenanigans. When I got a point-and-click adventure and had gotten over a brief spell of the mandala effect I realized I’d never actually played one of their games. I love a bit of moon logic so I was really happy to be doing something other than platform running. I also quickly realized that this game was going to come with its own set of pitfalls, not for me because I’m a giant masochist, but for those of you who have never encountered something from this genre.

Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse has come from the folk at Telltale games and you can tell this straightway from the beautifully written story. This is also where the Saturday morning kids TV comes in. This is like playing through five episodes of your favorite animated show. The content is more adult than that, but you catch my drift. You’ll find out for yourselves but Max is a delight. He’s a sociopathic bunny, (not that he likes people using the “b” word,) who also happens to be the president. Sam, on the other hand, is a detective dog that has quite a lot more decorum and the dubious honor of keeping Max in check. You’ll need to learn how best to use the two of them if you’re going to get anywhere in this brain-bending game.

I really don’t want to go into the story of Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse because it will completely ruin the game for you. This is a narrative, puzzle-solving, experience so there will be spoilers aplenty. Let’s just say that Max has gained mental powers, there’s a psychopathic alien ape and the two of you will have to save the universe. The whole thing also feels like an episode of the Twilight Zone. Confused? Good! That’s literally all you’re getting until you play the game.

In true point-and-click fashion, you’ll find yourself taking the daring duo from scene to scene talking to the many NPCs and looking for items. Also very much in keeping with this style of game, you might have a good idea of how to solve a puzzle but knowing the solution and getting to it are two very different things. This is where that lovely thing we call moon logic comes in. The solution to something relatively simple is often the last thing you’re going to think about. This makes this sort of game fiendish fun for those of us who like thinking laterally but it will be a big bag of frustration for those of you who like to just get on with things.

The mental gymnastics required to solve your way through the story in Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse is going to do a lot for the lifespan of the game. Five chapters might not look like much, but depending on how long it takes you to solve the many puzzles you’ll be faced with could take up a good chunk of your time. I’m still on episode one, not because I haven’t been playing the game but because I’m currently stuck. As someone who loves this genre, I know this feeling well. I shall come back after a bit of a break and no doubt figure out what I’m missing. I will not be using a guide. Seriously guys and gals, don’t go looking for playthroughs you’ll ruin the game for yourselves.

You’ll be using Sam to do most of the exploring in this game. He’s also the one who initiates conversation with other characters. You’ll need Max and his mental prowess to solve some of the many complex puzzles. He’ll find magical toys as he goes that will confer special abilities on him. It’s all about how you use these abilities to further the story and ultimately succeed. The toy you start out with allows Max to see bursts of the future. This is not a hint button but I strongly recommend using it on everything you can. Sometimes it’s invaluable.

Graphically Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse is absolutely gorgeous. This game is colorful and beautifully animated. It genuinely feels like you’re playing through a 2000s cartoon and I can’t praise this enough. The sound is also perfectly fitting for the sort of game this is. Even the voice acting, something that seems to be lacking in many titles, is on par. This feels very much like what a triple A experience felt like twenty or so years ago. The controls make perfect sense too. I have absolutely no complaints when it comes down to the nuts and bolts.

To sum things up in a nutshell; if you like the point-and-click genre go and play this game. You’ll get everything you’re looking for from this type of title along with a great story. If you are someone who likes your puzzling straightforward or have never played a game like this I’d go easy. This is a brilliant title and we love adding new players to the point-and-click fold, but this is another hard game in an overtly difficult genre. The experience is rewarding when you master it but can be very frustrating if you like to progress quickly. It seems obvious to say, but if you don’t like narrative-heavy games you won’t like this one as it’s largely story-based. Outside of these little caveats Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse is up on the list of my favorite games for 2024. Very impressed indeed.

This review is based on a retail copy of the game provided by the publisher.