Video Game Review: Sam and Max: Beyond Time and Space for the Nintendo Wii

When Sam and Max made its way to the Nintendo Wii, it was a pleasant surprise to say the least.  It was the first season, ported from PC to the Wii, in retail form (all 6 downloaded episodes compiled on one disc) and sold for a very affordable price, since it was a dated title.  The result: TellTale games takes over the company publishing the game, and plans to release not just more games for download, but the second season to the game, along with a follow-up season and a few more games based on actual franchises in film and movies (see Jurassic Park, Back to the Future, and The Walking Dead).  This review covers the second season called “Beyond Time and Space” released shortly after season 1, and yes, it’s in retail form.  So, does it improve where the first one falters?

Graphics

This game definitely has received a graphical upgrade, with brighter visuals and much better definition and presentation.  Sadly, another thing that carried over from the original is the graphical slow down and synching issues that plagued the first game.  Another set of porting issues to be sure.  However, once again, it’s not a deal breaker, especially if you do the necessary things to minimize this problem (remove subtitles and pop-up text and hints).  This shouldn’t be the case, though.  One would be inclined to believe it’s the Wii’s limitations, but in all honesty, this has happened on TellTale games for other, more advanced systems.  Perhaps then, it is an issue with compressing and placing all 5 episodes (yup, 5 this time) on one disc in retail form for the PC and then porting it to other systems.  But, as stated, it’s not a deal breaker.    The graphics definitely stand out with greater polish.

Sound

The music is still just as catchy and memorable, keeping the “noir” feel of Sam and Max’s cases.  The voice acting is also on point in this game.  I feel a lot less jokes were being made, but I could attribute that to the fact that the story was more expansive, with jokes spacing out for pacing purposes.  But, I digress.  The sound effects are also crisp and well-placed.  And, sadly, just like with graphics, there are problems with the sound and synching due to graphical slow down and frame rate issues.  In fact, and I hate to say this, but, as I was playing the final sequence, achieved the final task, and was waiting for the final cut-scene, the game skipped and looped on the same song endlessly.  I believe it was trying to process a bunch of things at once, coercing me to reset the game, try again with no subtitles or pop-up text, and the game ran smoothly.  The sound continued to the next cue as expected.  I get the impression that it might run smoother on a Wii U, but who knows?

Control

The controls are remotely the same as the first.  You use the Wiimote to go from spot to spot when you point at something and press the A button.  You can still walk and run the same was as before.  The only nuance I can think of is for certain mini games when you have to utilize the motion controls of the Wiimote to do things like box robots like Punch Out or stay on a surfboard.  Other than that, the controls are still up to snuff as they won’t leave you begging for a controller.

Etc.

The game’s story picks up a bit after the first season left off as various things Sam and Max have collected from the first season are in their office as evidence.  As the first story had all their cases tying back to one big culprit and instance, the same occurs here.  Not to spoil anything, but our heroes are now dealing with something much worse than what is out there beyond our world.  The extras of this game once again are not plentiful, and all 5 episodes are unlocked so you aren’t working to unlock anything new.   This time, as stated earlier, there are 5 episodes instead of 6, tightening up the game’s story and flow ever so slightly.  Perhaps it was done to fit in as much as possible into each episode without bleeding over into another episode.  Regardless, whether it is for 5 or 6 episodes, you get your fill of Sam and Max’s irreverence.  The lasting appeal is in how the story plays out, the humor that goes into it, and the unique nature of the game.  Once again, it is a fun romp with some technical issues, but you will find yourself going back to play through the story again just to see it unfold.  There are a plethora of funny moments to go around and the story is engaging enough for you to stick around for the climax. 

Final Verdict

Beyond Time and Space is one of those rare gems you have to have for your system.  This isn’t to say that the first game isn’t in that category, even though you can definitely play the second game without the first.  I wouldn’t recommend that, though, because you’ll be cheating yourself out of two great games.  There are technical issues with the game, notwithstanding, but again, they aren’t complete deal breakers.  If you want a great follow-up to a solid adventure game of the “point-and-click” variety, this is definitely one to go with.  Unfortunately, the third game will not be reviewed by me, as it is not for the Wii.  But, that shouldn’t stop you from acquiring said game. 

Next time, I finish off the adventure reviews with another Wii title that tackles the Templars, but not with a creed for assassins.