They Stole Max's Brain Review - Alternative Magazine Online

[martymcfly]

Hey guys!

I have just posted my latest Sam & Max review on AMO if anyone fancies a look:

They Stole Max's Brain! Review - Alternative Magazine Online

As always, feedback much appreciated. Please note, although this is my lowest rated Telltale game so far, I still thought it rocked overall. Will be interesting to see if people agree or disagree with my writeup.

[doodinthemood]

Wait, did you have time to play it, finish, and review it today? Someone sped through! Unless you're the sort to complete once and then go through again enjoying all the little tidbits.

Edit: That was reeeally stupid wasn't it. You got a review edition... Does the review have many spoilers? I don't want to read it before finishing if so.

[martymcfly]

Originally Posted by doodinthemood

Wait, did you have time to play it, finish, and review it today? Someone sped through! Unless you're the sort to complete once and then go through again enjoying all the little tidbits.

Edit: That was reeeally stupid wasn't it. You got a review edition... Does the review have many spoilers? I don't want to read it before finishing if so.

Haha I've had the game for just over two weeks: I'd never rush playing just to review it!

And no, I purposely wrote it vaguely so nothing major is revealed. Spoilers are kept to a minimum mate, so enjoy!

[doodinthemood]

Ah cool, yeah good review. Seems balanced enough - you picked up on the game's negatives while emphasising how it still rocks. I think probably the most important criticism you made was that the episode is "safe" in the second half. I don't really want a 'safe' game when the experimental value of the first two episodes is what made them so especially awesome.

[Kroms]

It's safe in the same way the first two episodes were safe. It's not inherently a bad thing, but you kind of wish they'd do away with it.

[martymcfly]

Originally Posted by Kroms

It's safe in the same way the first two episodes were safe. It's not inherently a bad thing, but you kind of wish they'd do away with it.

I somewhat disagree: the second half felt safe to me personally because it clashes with the strong opening noir aesthetic.

You are reviewing the game too right?

I thought last month was excellent throughout in comparison: totally bizzare but it paid off in the end.

Let's be honest though, most Telltale games are worth playing and this is no exception: it just suffers from a little middle-of-the-season-itis!

[Kroms]

Yeah, I wrote an unbelievably long review here. There's just so much to say about the game, and I tried to say it. It ended up being long.

[martymcfly]

Originally Posted by Kroms

Yeah, I wrote an unbelievably long review here. There's just so much to say about the game, and I tried to say it. It ended up being long.

Great review mate!

[Kroms]

Thanks! I liked your review as well. We don't agree 100% on everything, but appreciate the game despite its flaws. (I kind of like it more than you do, though. Hee.)

[jmm]

Nice review Marty.
I disagree on some points (The middle section was a breeze to me andI found it better than last episode - don't torch me ), but still a great review.

I have to report that some of the "shadow" bugs you talked about are still present (I found it rather irritating while talking to Girl Stinky), but I found it quite less buggy than the last episode.

Hey, did anyone catch the Universal deal references? I would have liked better a comment or funny non-sequitur about it, but still.

BTW:
"The flipside of this is that we get to see Sam as a variety of objects"
should be
"The flipside of this is that we get to see Max as a variety of objects"

[martymcfly]

Originally Posted by jmm

Nice review Marty.
I disagree on some points (The middle section was a breeze to me andI found it better than last episode - don't torch me ), but still a great review.

I have to report that some of the "shadow" bugs you talked about are still present (I found it rather irritating while talking to Girl Stinky), but I found it quite less buggy than the last episode.

Hey, did anyone catch the Universal deal references? I would have liked better a comment or funny non-sequitur about it, but still.

BTW:
"The flipside of this is that we get to see Sam as a variety of objects"
should be
"The flipside of this is that we get to see Max as a variety of objects"

Thanks! I guess I just wished they had done the episode 100% noir: once it got sunny again it lost some steam in my eyes. Telltale are also still reusing locations (even if they disguise it pretty well.)

Shadow bugs were on Girl Stinky when she sits on the crate for me, did this happen for you too? I also had Summun-Mak disappear when I was using future vision during the end sequences where Sam is fighting.

I missed the universal deal reference? Do you remember it?

And thanks for the heads up on that! Should be correct now. You would be amazed how many times I've written Sam instead of Max and vice versa! Although Sam using the toys would be funny now I think about it, even though it wouldn't make sense plot wise.

[martymcfly]

Any update on whether the shadow glitches on Girl Stinky were in the final build? I also had Sammun-Mak disappear whenever I used Future Vision near the end...

[SillyStell]

Originally Posted by martymcfly

Any update on whether the shadow glitches on Girl Stinky were in the final build? I also had Sammun-Mak disappear whenever I used Future Vision near the end...

Huh so I wasn't the only one who saw that Sammun-Mak had simply vanished when I tried to use future vision on him...

No idea about a shadow glitch though, I havn't seen any but maybe thats to do with the fact I play it at graphics level 4.

[jaden551]

sammun-mak just didn't appear at all in max mode even when I didn't use a toy.

[martymcfly]

Originally Posted by jaden551

sammun-mak just didn't appear at all in max mode even when I didn't use a toy.

Hmm that is strange! At first I thought it might be a clue but then I realised that I had only selected Future Vision, not actually used it. I wonder what would cause only that character model to disappear? (I guess it wasn't just me then afterall?)

Girl Stinky's shadow flickering annoyed me too, but I guess it was caused due to her sitting down on a crate. All the other shadows in the game seemed to work 100% fine!

[Hassat Hunter]

Fully agree with your review.

As for the bugs; yup; both made the final version.
I think the missing pharaoh issue might be the game forcing to remove Max when turning into Max mode (because it would look odd to see Max running around during those), and since the Pharaoh IS Max' model it's probably internally flagged as such, and thus removed when switching to Max mode.

(On that account, did anyone EVER see Maximus in 301 in Max modus? We got hints where to find him, but so far no one has been able to see him IIRC. It might be the same issue preventing Maximus to appear there even with TTG intending to do so?)

[martymcfly]

Originally Posted by Hassat Hunter

Fully agree with your review.

As for the bugs; yup; both made the final version.
I think the missing pharaoh issue might be the game forcing to remove Max when turning into Max mode (because it would look odd to see Max running around during those), and since the Pharaoh IS Max' model it's probably internally flagged as such, and thus removed when switching to Max mode.

(On that account, did anyone EVER see Maximus in 301 in Max modus? We got hints where to find him, but so far no one has been able to see him IIRC. It might be the same issue preventing Maximus to appear there even with TTG intending to do so?)

What you just said makes a lot of sense: the Max model disappears because would be odd to see him from a first person view when you ARE Max. Kudos, still an oversight though! Glad you agreed with my review, cheers!