Telltale Games has done wonders for both reviving adventure games (they never died, they never will die!) and episodic games. Sam and Max has to be their best series as they are now in their third season, and picking up momentum in every game. Looking at the content of this game makes you wonder how they can trump it with more weird and wacky ideas. At some point they have to run out, right?

Continuing the saga of The Devil’s Playhouse, is the third (and certainly not the last) episode of the third season of the popular Sam and Max adventure games, named ‘They Stole Max’s Brain!’ If you played episode two you would already have known that. As with most other episodes in the Sam and Max series, you don’t have to play the previous episodes for this one to make any sense, but it certainly helps. It’s not like the soapies on day-time TV where you can watch once a month just to stay up to date. It’s not like Lost where you watch in the middle of the season and have no clue what is going on. Wait, you feel like that anyway, so it’s a bad example.

As the title suggests, “They” stole Max’s brain. It is up to Sam to find out whom. With Max’s limp, lifeless body he quickly grows some stubble, loses his hat and jacket, and turns all Sam Spade on us. If you have to ask who Sam Spade is, then look up the “Maltese Falcon.” In a typical old school detective fashion, Sam follows leads to track down the brain thief. He is driven by revenge, and this new side to Sam makes for a refreshing change in the series.

At Sam’s disposal is a new form of conversation – interrogation. During an interrogation Sam has a few options that will interrupt the suspect and maybe force him to change his story. Sam can depress him with “Noir,” where the self-pitying Sam will drive the suspect to utter depression. Sam can accuse him of being a liar, but you better have proof. You can also threaten him with your gun to scare information out of him. Finally you can introduce the suspect to “Little miss persuasion,” aka Sam’s fists.

The interrogation is grossly underused, only really being used in the first 30 minutes of the game. After that you are back to the usual format of walking around, picking up random items and using them at random on other random items. Seeing this method used more would make for a more edgy game, a direction I would love to see this series go to.

However, this is Sam and Max, a wacky comedy series, so nothing can remain too serious for too long. Sam finds the brain (spoiler alert! Ha-ha! Like we thought anything else would happen!), but getting his hands on the brain and then getting the brain into poor Max’s body is not nearly as easy as you’d think. This sees our duo up to their old shenanigans.

Nothing is really new in this game. If you have played the others you will know how to control the characters, what to look for in the puzzle solving department and how to get maximum enjoyment out of them. The fact that the games are becoming a bit tedious signals that maybe the series needs something new. Max’s new powers are not so new anymore, and the interrogation technique is over way too quickly. Like so many movie franchises lately, maybe Sam and Max needs a reboot?

If you love adventures and you love Sam and Max, then you certainly need look no further than this latest episode to get your fix. If you just like adventures, then this will still your hunger for adventure. If you like games, give this a shot, you have nothing to lose. Otherwise stay well clear. In short, They Stole Max’s Brain is a worthy addition to any self-respecting gamer if you have already started the collection. No need in skipping this one, it’s still as good as ever.

The good: Still the same old Sam and Max
The bad: Might need some fresh ideas; interrogation is underused.
The scary: Max talking with the voice of a young megalomaniacal boy! Scary!

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