Finally, the finale is here! Sam and Max are back for their sixth and last episode, Bright Side of the Moon, which wraps up the episodic series. It’s been a hoot all the way, and the end is just as good as the entirety. Tons of sight gags, hilarious one-liners, and plenty of puzzles abound, and the writing is sometimes inspired. A fitting end to a great game.

Sam and Max have at long last solved the case and discovered who is really behind all the shenanigans that have been taking place. The only problem is that the suspect is on the moon. So, it’s off to the moon for our intrepid duo!

Once there, they discover that in order to make contact with their man, they have to first get past Superball, who has left his job with the Secret Service and taken a post with the suspect. This will entail some creative purloining at the souvenir shop, run by Mole, formerly of the Toy Mafia. Of course, they will also have to travel back and forth between Earth and the moon, so players will once again get to interact with many of their old friends from the former episodes. Many of these characters are also inside the Blister of Tranquility with the suspect, as they’ve come under his hypnotic powers of persuasion. Alas, Bosco isn’t as funny in this last episode.

Just as in the previous episodes, the humor is really out there. Much of it is truly inspired, but some jokes fall flat. Still, the overall hilarity is priceless. I especially enjoyed the remark about the waving flag on the moon, the picture of Celine Dion on the Canadian money and Abe Lincoln’s remark about Cosmo. The scene where Max’s vices separate and come alive is too funny.

The puzzles are of the same quality and type as in previous episodes; that is to say, they’re interesting but not overly difficult. They do seem to be a bit more logical this time around, though.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this series, but episodic gaming isn’t my favorite method of playing a game. As the entire series can be purchased for $35, I highly recommend that anyone who hasn’t played this game yet go ahead and buy the whole package, they won’t regret it. If any family has teen-agers, I doubly recommend this game, as the twisted humor is just what they will enjoy.

Long live Sam & Max!

Gameplay: 8.5
This is adventure gaming at its purest. TellTale has done a superb job bringing back a popular set of adventure gamers from the past and incorporating them into a new format of episodic gaming. All the welcomed features are present, namely great jokes and fun puzzles. While the puzzles could be more thought-provoking, they are still worthy of the genre.

Graphics: 8.0
While the graphics have of course improved from 15 years ago, the game manages to look remarkably like the old one, just much clearer. The designers also used colors and some insane drawings to get their humor across.

Sound: 7.0
The sound effects and music are fine, but not on a level with the rest of the game. There were some funny song parodies, but on the whole, more could have been done with the sound.

Difficulty: Medium
The difficulty level is of a medium difficulty. The puzzles take some thought, but aren’t overly hard.

Concept: 7.0
The game doesn’t offer anything dramatically new, but the presentation is flawless.

Overall: 8.5
This is the funniest adventure I’ve played in a long time. It definitely harkens back to the old days of Lucas and Sierra. Many adventure fans seem desperate to praise any adventure game that comes along these days, in the hope that the genre doesn’t die, but I haven’t been one of them. I love good adventure games, but I don’t waste my time with inferior ones. I’m very glad to be able to say that this is a great adventure, and one that everyone should play.