Published on: 18/07/2021

Sam and Max are Back on the Case

Sam and Max Back From Hiatus

Sam and Max: This Time It’s Virtual launched on July 10th for the Oculus Quest in their first new adventure in nearly a decade. In the latest adventure from Sam and Max, you take control of an unnamed rookie who’s helping the titular heroes solve a mystery in an amusement park. Follow the duo through a wacky world and perform a litany of zany tasks to help them with their investigation.

Being a Rookie Isn’t So Hard

The gameplay is somewhat haphazard. You’re essentially playing a variety of mini-games that tie into the story. Almost all of them are unique and creative but very much simple. Firing your weapon and throwing items can become pretty repetitive as the game goes on. There’s only so much fun you can have while doing the same basic maneuvers repeatedly, regardless of the context. And with the art style and visuals being simple, it can pull you out of the narrative from time to time. One example would be when you are reloading your weapon. You’re simply putting a magazine near your weapon for it to fade away and instantly reload your gun.

The creativity of the puzzles that connect to the goofy story are pretty memorable. Exorcising demons, playing Simon Says with a severed head and battling microscopic creatures with your ray gun are just a few key examples. With these wild scenarios, you may become a bit frustrated at the lack of direction. Occasionally essential items that you need for puzzles are placed in very out-of-place areas that aren’t hinted at or put in a sensible location.

For more news on classic characters jumping into new VR titles, check out Just Gamers and Just Gamers Esports.

A Good Laugh

The writing in Sam and Max: This Time It’s virtual is top-notch and genuinely hilarious. It’s easily the best part of an otherwise B-level game. The dialogue is classic Sam and Max. Max will be calling you a variety of degrading yet funny nicknames. For a price of $30, you can’t dwell too much on the simplicity of the gameplay. It may be frustrating at times. You might need help on a couple of missions by using the internet, which could make or break the gameplay for you. Not because they’re inherently difficult, but because they don’t follow a logic that most games follow.

Clues or hints from the menu are hit and miss with how helpful they are. Overall, if you’re looking for some laughs and need a new VR title to play, Sam and Max should be a fairly enjoyable experience that you won’t regret playing.

Written by Trevor Forrest.