14 years after its original release, Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse is once again serving as a trilogy capper. Originally the end of Telltale Games’ episodic revival of the Sam & Max series, Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse Remastered serves as the final enhanced port of the adventure games. Wonderfully updated by Skunkape Games, this does the final Sam & Max game justice and remains the strongest of the trilogy.
If you’re unfamiliar with the Sam & Max series, it follows two private investigators (Sam, an anthropomorphic dog, and Max, a maniacal rabbit). Originally a comic book, it received a 1993 game by LucasArts called Sam & Max Hit the Road, which is one of the greatest adventure games ever made, and it even spawned a television series, The Adventures of Sam & Max: Freelance Police. Then, starting in the mid-2000s, Telltale Games did a trilogy of episodic adventures, thus leading to The Devil’s Playhouse.
One thing that was apparent in Telltale’s trilogy was that they were improving as they went along. That all shows in The Devil’s Playhouse, which features a better inventory system, helpful hints from the characters so that you’re never stuck, and the ability to swap between the characters. This leads to more fulfilling puzzles to solve and a well-rounded story that is enthralling from start to finish.
As for what’s new in Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse Remastered, you’ll first notice that it features dynamic lighting and improved lip-sync. The game looks substantially better than the original, and it sounds better, too, thanks to re-encoded and remastered audio. Some animation has also been tweaked, leading to better cinematography from the expressive characters.
Like the ports of Save the World and Beyond Time and Space, all five episodes have been melded together to make for one cohesive gaming experience. The Devil’s Playhouse is especially fun, thanks to its storyline revolving around “Toys of Power,” which gives Max some wild psychic abilities and leads to some great scenarios. It’s just as entertaining as in 2010 when it was originally released and had me chuckling the entire time and never frustrated, thanks to the hint system.
Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse Remastered Review: Final Verdict
Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse was the best of Telltale Games’ three seasons, so it’s only natural that the remaster is Skunkape’s best enhanced port so far as well. Featuring new lighting and lip-syncing, the game has never looked better, and the story holds up well. Fans of the adventure genre will have a blast with The Devil’s Playhouse.
SCORE: 8/10
As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 8 equates to “Great.” While there are a few minor issues, this score means that the art succeeds at its goal and leaves a memorable impact.
Disclosure: The publisher provided a digital PS4 copy for our Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse review. Reviewed on version 1.00.
