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Destructoid review: Sam and Max 204: Chariots of the Dogs
Reverend Anthony
\\ 03.13.2008
36 comments

erere

BUY THIS GAME. Or rather, buy the whole season.

I've previously reviewed more Sam and Max episodes than I care to count, but this most recent one is by far the best, and the most undeniable proof that Telltale's Sam and Max series is one of the best things to happen to adventure gaming -- or gaming period -- in quite a while.

Where the other Sam and Max episodes were content to tell self-contained stories, Episode 204: Chariots of the Dogs ties together the narrative threads from almost every other episode of season two, making for hilarious twists, turns, and revelations a-plenty. The seeds that were sewn in episodes 1-3 finally come to fruition with this most recent installment: in this sense, Chariots of the Dogs proves just how cool episodic gaming can be. Of course, apart from that, it's also got some of the coolest, funniest puzzles in the entire Sam and Max series.

So, yeah. It's really good. Buy the whole season, if only for how this episode ties everything together. 

Hit the jump for more details. 

 

Sam and Max 204: Chariots of the Dogs (PC)
Developed by Telltale Games
Published by Telltale Games/Gametap
Released on March 13th, 2008

Chariots of the Dogs picks up exactly where Night of the Raving Dead left off: Bosco has gone missing, and it's up to Sam and Max to find him. As the first episode which directly connects with a previous one, Chariots has a greater narrative immediacy than the previous Sam and Max entries. 

Older episodes were pretty much self-contained: they told self-contained stories, included self-contained jokes, and generally did everything in their power not to reference other episodes during what was presumed to be an experimental stage in the episodic gaming model. Since Telltale had no idea whether people would watch the episodes in order, they tried to make each individual installment as user-friendly as possible. This ain't the case with Chariots of the Dogs, and the game is much, much better for it.

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Every minute of Chariots is jam-packed with in-jokes and fan service for thsoe who have followed the series since episode one, but not in a stupid reference-stuff-just-for-the-sake-of-referencing-stuff sort of way (I'm looking at you, Bender's Big Score). Every joke feels earned, and every plot twist is not only genuinely surprising, but totally hilarious; the show's big questions have been slowly and subtly built up throughout the course of season two, and they're finally being answered in an utterly satisfying way. For fear of spoiling anything, that's all I'll say about the plot.

Lest you fear that Chariots is nothing but a gameplay-devoid vehicle for a groovy story, worry not -- in addition to having the best story of the series, it's also got the best puzzles and gameplay structure. 

Since the series' inception, people complained that there wasn't enough variety in the locations. Every episode, Sam and Max would visit Bosco, and Sybil, and, starting this season, Stinky. You'll still visit those same areas in Chariots of the Dogs, but you'll do so using a gameplay mechanic which, in two words, should tell you everything you need to know about how purely badass this episode is.

Those two words, of course, are "time travel."

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Like Day of the Tentacle before it, Chariots of the Dogs' entire running time is based off time travel puzzles. Near the beginning of the game, Sam and Max get a time machine. Apart from providing a very quick and easy way to get the player from location to location without having to actually walk there, the whole scenario makes for some awesome logical quandaries. Throughout the game, you'll go back in time and prevent Bosco from ever being born, meet alternate-timeline versions of yourselves (I can honestly say that recent-past Sam and Max are responsible for the single biggest belly laugh I've ever had whilst playing a videogame), and hang out with at least one character players have heard a lot about, but never before seen in person. But again, I don't wanna spoil too much.

The episode's only real flaw is its anticlimactic ending: it sort of works as a cliffhanger for the next episode, but the "boss puzzle" which traditionally caps off every Sam and Max episode was nowhere near as difficult or lengthy as it should have been given the otherwise incredible quality of the rest of the episode. 

Don't let that dissuade you from playing, though; despite that very, very small flaw, Chariots of the Dogs is satisfying, surprising, hilarious and fun. It's the best Sam and Max episode ever, and it climactically delivers on what the episodic format always promised. I already knew the Sam and Max episodic series was one of the best things to ever happen to adventure gaming; until Chariot of the Dogs, I didn't know it was one of the best things to happen to gaming, period.

Buy the whole goddamn series.

Now.

Score: 10

 



36 COMMENTS, LATEST BY kardelen1334
-    view discussion




There are 36 comments about this post:
dtomek's Avatar
I remember talks of these making it to xbla, is that still an idea floating around?
Holyetheline's Avatar
I need to start getting hooked up on gamefly then eh?
Rockvillian's Avatar
Argh!! I always had a hard time enjoying the the humor in Sam and Max, and I REALLY want to complete one of their games.

Am I alone? I get where they're going with their humor, but I don't really wanna follow, if you catch my drift.
Chad Concelmo's Avatar
I feel like a horrible person for not playing these games. I have to get with the program.
Heretic's Avatar
OMG IT AT LEAST DESERVES AN 11!! THIS GAME IS SO INNOVATIVE AND NEW, YOU HAVE TO GIVE IT A GOOD SCORE DESPITE THE GAMEPLAY!! YOU ARE A TERRIBLE REVIEWER AND ITS NO WONDER YOU HATED TWILIGHT PRINCESS!!

DIE IN A FIRE
-Heretic
Magesx's Avatar
I still don't know what kinds of games these are. Are they point and click adventure or what?
Knives's Avatar
Yes, you're alone Rocky ;P

<3 Sam & Max, although I haven't had time to check out Season 2.
Magesx's Avatar
ahahaha man heretic is a clever motherfucker
nukka jdav's Avatar
Do I have to have Gametap to play these? I played the first season and liked it quite a bit, but bought the retail version. I hate having to sit around for such a good game. Its too damn tempting!! ARHG
wardrox's Avatar
only a 10? you guys suck. Worse. Review. Ever.

<3
Reverend Anthony's Avatar
Rockvillain:
I can perhaps understand not liking the humor, but, if so, why would you still want to finish one of their games?

nukkajdav:
They come out on GameTap a day before Telltale sends downloadable versions out to subscribers. Tomorrow, if you're a subscriber, they'll email you a link where you can get the episode.
lumberjackrock's Avatar
worsT. Comment. Ever.
correct wording, son.
Tragic Hero's Avatar
It just sucks that these games don't require too much thinking anymore. Don't get me wrong, the puzzles can be tough from time to time but its not like back in the day with Space Quest or Maniac Mansion where a wrong move can kill you.

In Sam & Max you are free to just go click crazy with every item imaginable. Although its not the quickest way to solve puzzles without thinking it is quite easy when you are stumped.
Rockvillian's Avatar
@Rev

My friend got me Season One for my birthday. Guess I gotta man up and tell him "...you don't understand me at ALL, DO YOU!?!?!?!" *emo crying* *slams *door*
Rockvillian's Avatar
@Tragic Hero

That too. The idea of "no circumstances" doesn't really get me invested in the game as much as the old adventure games of yore did. Couple that with the humor I don't meld with, and it's like dating a loose girl who relies solely on puns to make me happy.

Ah well.
Reverend Anthony's Avatar
Also, for anyone who's interested, I just talked to Telltale PR and evidently there are no plans to bring Sam and Max to XBLA (though it's something they'd like to do).
Andrex's Avatar
Very Nice..i'm gonna get this ASAP
BlackSunEmpire's Avatar
@Rockvillian 'no circumstances'?? Do you mean no consequences?? You should have a go at the first season, theres some good episodes in there. And whats wrong with the humour??
Eschatos's Avatar
Now if only Valve's episodic gaming could be this awesome.
tsunamikitsune's Avatar
Damn, they released another one already? I still need to finish up Moai Better Blues. D:
Sharpless's Avatar
REV'S A STEVE PURCELL FANBOY.
digtastik's Avatar
Play Sam and Max Hit the Road. Just. Play. It.
HarassmentPanda's Avatar
I loved Sam & Max Hit the Road, but I haven't played any of the newer games. I bought Season One, I'm just waiting until I have enough time to sit and play through it. I heard Episode 204 was really great, glad to see this confirmed.
Loki Power's Avatar
Man anyone know what to do to play this game if you have a MAC?
Velt's Avatar
Love the series, going to buy it when i have the time to play it.
@Tragic Heroe: Also Maniac Mansion was really, really hard. Probably one of the hardest adventure games i ever played (the easiest one is Dreamfall The Longest Journey).
dephect's Avatar
Am I the only person that still has no idea what the hell Sam and Max is?
Dexter345's Avatar
Will Sam and Max ever appear on console? I literally cannot play games on my PC.
Cube's Avatar
Get a pc that runs the game.

It's not crysis. a Walmart special junk pc can run t his game.
repsode's Avatar
@ Loki Power: If you've got Leopard on an Intel Mac, just get a copy of Windows and run Boot Camp (already on there) in order to dual boot.

It's how I did it.
Evo's Avatar
@ Rockvillain

I am with you, I just don't get the humour..well at least not in this episode. Though maybe not playing other games in the season ruined any chance of me enjoying it!
Reverend Anthony's Avatar
Evo:
You HAVE to play the other episodes! Half the humor refers to other things!

Aw, man. You sort of ruined it for yourself.
Luigi's Avatar
Oh what the FUCK man ? Spoiler alert :(

I haven't played any of the season 2 episodes. Bosco missing ? What ? Sheesh.
A Sexually Disturbed Jedi's Avatar
Dephect equals EPOCH FAIL
MPHtails's Avatar
I bought season one 9 or so months ago, and I managed through the first part of episode 4. Despite not completing season 1 mostly because I hate playing games on this computer, I'm sexited for season 2.
thisissami's Avatar
@Luigi

it's episodic gaming!!! of course the game is going to tie the stories of the past games together!!! just like a long-running TV show, each show connects to the next one! if you start watching a tv show in the middle of the series, you won't understand all the references they make (unless it's family guy), so why would you expect it from an episodic game?

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