Whooeee! Sam & Max have hit their stride in this fourth installment and are nearly as perfect as possible. The zaniness they evinced in Hit the Road is here in full force, and there are some truly hilarious moments. The story plot this time around is much stronger and connected, the puzzles are more challenging and lengthy, and the sight gags are a hoot. The conversational jokes are hysterical at times, with takes on politics and the White House predominating. Our old friends Bosco, Chuckles and Sybil are back, along with new characters like Abe Lincoln and a Secret Service agent named Superball, and the combination is seamless and funny. Kudos to having Chuck Jordan of Monkey Island fame included in the writing team!

These episodes are meant to be standalone games, and as such, each one has its own story. There is also an underlying theme, as evidenced by the reappearance of characters like Chuckles, who was a mafia guy in the third episode and now is directing Abe Lincoln’s campaign for President. Yes, that is correct, Abe Lincoln has been brought in to run for President. His opponents include Max, who makes some memorable campaign promises.

Sight gags abound, as in the “Room for Rent” sign in the window of the White House, and the general décor of the interior.  The rug in front of the President’s desk has an eagle grasping a gas can in its foot. I really liked the bright red and white stripes that various items feature inside and outside, too.

The plot centers on the Presidential campaign, and the jokes are fast and furious.  No one is safe. The third candidate’s name listed in the polls is too funny! Max strikes some inspired poses while stating his campaign pledges, and the animation of the secret service people is really great. There is also a new song, a spoof of “War, What is it Good For?”

The puzzles are much more detailed and elaborate, with less isolated ones. More thinking is required, and also more traveling back and forth between locations. While these puzzles are more challenging, they are wholly logical in the context of the game and aren’t just random things to do. For instance, some thought has to be applied to getting Abe Lincoln’s poll numbers to slide during a debate between him and Max. It appears much more effort has gone into the puzzles for this episode. The episode is also longer than the previous ones. However, basically anything that can be picked up is used in the game, so that takes away from some of the possible challenge.

Sybil and Bosco are back, and of course, Sybil has changed her job title yet again, this time to Match Maker in a dating service. Bosco is yet another ethnicity. Interestingly, his prices keep rising for his inventions each episode. I have enjoyed interacting with them in the different episodes, and can’t wait to see how they will be described next!

On a technical note, there is some serious lag time sometimes when switching between locations. The provided literature on the game said saving and reloading the game could alleviate this problem, but this action never worked for me. I have more than the system requirements. However, the lag times are livable.

The episodic nature of these games has certain pros and cons, depending on the perspective.  The pros would be for the design company to be able to listen to the players, and change some things accordingly in future installments. The cons would be the time elapsed between episodes, and the lack of cohesiveness to tie in each episode.  I guess it boils down to if you like short stories, or novels.  I, myself, eschew short stories and much prefer novels. I would rather play these episodes all together in one package.  Luckily, once all the episodes have been released, a complete package will be available for $35, which is a great price for the amount of fun!

Abe Lincoln Must Die! Is the best episode yet in the series, and fans of Sam & Max will love it. People with a sense of humor and who like adventure games, but have never experienced Sam & Max, will also love it.
 

Gameplay: 8.5
This game is so much fun! I love Sam & Max, so there is some nostalgia involved.  The problem with nostalgia is that one can’t go back and have the same experience twice. But, these episodes have managed to capture the essence of Sam & Max and incorporate new elements for a memorable game. Also, the game is just as enjoyable for players who’ve never heard of Sam & Max.

Graphics: 8
The graphics are inspired. The presidential décor is great!

Sound: 8
The sound effects and music are exactly right as always, and feature “presidential” themes.

Difficulty: Medium
The puzzles are a little tougher this time around, but still aren’t extremely difficult.

Concept: 8
Having Abe Lincoln as a main character is a wonderful idea, and provides a lot of opportunity for comedy.

Overall: 8.5
The best episode so far. There are two more episodes to come, I hope they are just as good, especially the final one!