Graphics: Sam and Max have successfully been brought to the medium of 3D graphics; they lose nothing and gain everything from graphics technology unavailable when Sam and Max Hit the Road was created. Rather than use new graphics to significantly modify or improve the appearance of the duo, Telltale Games chose only to flesh out their appearance in the third dimension. Max still wears a suit with his traditional fedora, while Max retains his disturbingly large head and pseudo-sinister teeth. This will please longtime fans and newcomers alike, as their appearance is part of what makes them work.

However, as well drawn as Sam, Max, and all the other characters are, the real treat is the level of detail. Every location in all the episodes is littered with humorous or satiric details. For example, Bosco’s Inconvenience Store has a restroom. The sign has three symbols on it: male, female and rabbit. Also, Sybil’s office becomes more and more littered with random items as the game progresses, all of which attest to her rapidly changing professions. And perhaps most tellingly, there are several changes to the great seal of the United States after Max is elected president. In most cases, these bits of detail are unimportant to the furthering of the plot, but their presence throughout the game means that the few locations available in each episode have enough detail to make them all worth visiting and examining.

Interface: Moving Sam around or having him talk is a simple matter of pointing and clicking. While the game uses a third-person viewpoint, the player can’t control the camera; however, you won’t miss the ability to move the camera around, as it’s pre-set to always end up in the correct location. Saving and loading is a breeze, too.

Gameplay: Several readily available clichés could be used to describe Sam and Max Season One; however, I will forebear the use of any of them. Instead, I will plainly state that this game is outrageously fun. From the moment I started the first episode, I found myself genuinely interested in seeing and doing everything possible. Part of this was due to my normal drive to complete any good title, but it was also due to the game’s exceptional writing. More than once during each episode, I found myself laughing hysterically. The humor in Sam and Max is not simply sight gags, bad puns and one-liners, although those are there to be found; rather, the comedy is structured into the entire game’s design. For example, episode two, with its TV station setting, doesn’t just parody television, it also satirizes some of its specific foibles, including talk show hosts who thrive on celebrity scandals while passing judgment on said celebrities. Then there’s episode four, with its inclusion of American politics that lampoons the institutions and voters themselves rather than one political party or the other. This is an unlikely recipe for a successful game, but Telltale Games pulls it off.

Sound FX: The sound for Sam and Max Season One is competently put together. Everything that should make a sound gets the appropriate one; however, due to the low number of objects that can be moved and added to your inventory, this aspect of the audio is a bit sparse. On the other hand, the voice acting is excellent. Both Sam and Max get excellent treatment in their copious dialog, but Bosco, Sybil, the Soda Poppers and especially Hugh Bliss all come alive when they speak. While the voice actors for Sam and Max are not the same as in either Sam and Max Hit the Road or the Sam and Max cartoon series, longtime fans will find that not only has the dialog been well written, but it has been voiced adequately as well.

Music: My hat is off to Jared Emerson-Johnson for the music of Sam and Max Season One. Rather than just compose music to accompany Sam and Max and to keep the player’s ears occupied when they aren’t otherwise busy, Emerson-Johnson instead created a soundtrack that helps unify the fun and humor of the Sam and Max experience. All of the major characters have their own theme music when you interact with them, and each track is uniquely appropriate. Bosco has the never-ending numbness of faux Muzak, while the Sam and Max get a jazzy, saxophone-based theme. Combine this with the different motifs for certain areas, and the result is a solid soundtrack that keeps in step with the wild and zany universe in which Sam and Max operate. The quality of the soundtrack also makes the bonus disk that accompanies Sam and Max Season One worth having, as it has the soundtrack in easily played music files for those who just can’t get enough.

Intelligence: Technically, there is no AI in the traditional sense that we grade here at Adrenaline Vault. Since this is an adventure game, you aren’t fighting against an enemy that has an artificial intelligence like you’d encounter in Age of Empires III or Oblivion; however, some of the non-competitive aspects of this title have their own mini-AIs which are top notch. For example, you spend the entire game controlling Sam’s movement and actions, but Max is always around. Rather than standing around doing nothing, Max keeps himself occupied in a variety of ways, including wandering around with proper pathfinding, examining objects and performing armpit farts. His behavior, while strange, is spot on for his character, indicating well-written AI.

Difficulty: Each episode has a number of puzzles to solve, most of which are not exceedingly difficult. Because of the excellent interface, players will not be frustrated by wondering whether an object is to be placed in their inventory, examined or acted upon by some other object. Most of the difficulty to be had in solving the various puzzles will come from the player forgetting they’re in the Sam and Max universe. Both times I was stumped, upon looking up the solution, I realized I wasn’t thinking along the same lines as Sam and Max would. Hardcore puzzle lovers won’t find much of a challenge in Sam and Max Season One, though.

Overall: Priced at $29.99, Sam and Max Season One provides an extremely enjoyable game experience. All of its various parts, from its episodic format to its graphics and music, form a satisfying whole that provides entertaining gameplay even as it sparks hilarity. Any gamer looking to take a break from their usual fare should pick up a copy of Sam and Max Season One. Just don’t blame me if your roommates complain about your fits of uncontrolled laughter.