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Sam & Max Episode 202: Moai Better Blues

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8.5 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 30 critic reviews
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Based on 2 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: Telltale Games / GameTap

Developer: Telltale Games

Genre(s): Adventure

Players: 1

ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Release Date: January 10, 2008

Summary

A surprise trip to the tropics turns into a working vacation when Sam & Max sign up to stop a massive volcano eruption. Will their special blend of bewildering wit and renegade justice be enough to win over the gods, not to mention the locals? [GameTap]

Cheat Codes & Hints: Cheat Code Central

Also On The Web: Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

Just Adventure

The production quality is good, the sounds of music, effects and voice talent are professionally done. The animation and graphic art are up to the Sam & Max standards of three dimensional excellence.

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100

AceGamez

But given the extreme budget pricing, the laugh-per-dollar ratio is astounding.

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Armchair Empire

While there’s only two or three hours, tops, of gameplay in Moai Better Blues, it turns out to be a less is more situation: it’s always fun, always funny, always teasing the brain for solutions to puzzles in a short, single-sitting burst.

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Games Radar (in-house)

Of all the episodes so far, Moai Better Blues comes closest to hitting the bizarre, pulp-fiction-y tones of the original Sam & Max comics, with a bigger emphasis on random spurts of cartoon silliness and fewer desperate stabs at hit-or-miss wackiness.

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Cheat Code Central

Each subsequent episode in this new season obliterates expectations with even more unfathomably ridiculous plot twists and endearing characters. The gameplay stays pretty much the same throughout every episode, but the content continues to improve.

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Game Chronicles

The puzzles are not terribly hard but a few of require a little thought, though help is available if you desire it.

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Pelit (Finland)

Moai Better Blues is, as we’ve learnt to expect, a funny and witty Sam&Max adventure. The total change of environment makes the gameplay refreshing. The game’s not flawless, though. Some of the sidecharacters are a little bit boring and some of the jokes don’t hit the spot at all. But fear not, the game is still really enjoyable. [Feb 2008]

My Gamer

Sam and Max may have dated graphics, wonky lip-syncs, and a play style that hasn’t been seen in almost a decade but the game consistently becomes more than the sum of its parts.

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Strategy Informer

The writing is getting tighter with each pass and the folks at TellTale really seem to know what they want from the series and where they’re going with it, and I’m happy to be along for the ride!

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Gamers' Temple

With the experience of Season One under their belts, the developers have been able to launch Season Two in full stride and that momentum has carried through to the second episode.

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IGN

If anything, the smaller scale means that there's no filler here. Everything you come across is pure comedic content. Moai Better Blues never loses its focus so you'll get as much enjoyment out of its two-hour length than the three or four hours you spent playing some of the previous episodes.

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Jolt Online Gaming UK

In terms of overall quality though, which is the aspect which really counts, Moai Better Blues is easily in the same league as Ice Station Santa.

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Quandary

Don't miss it, Sam & Max turn on the charm once again and dish out plenty of wisecracks in this crazy adventure in the sun. It's short and sweet and a lot of fun.

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GamerNode

A snappy sophomore effort makes Moai Better Blues a good continuation of the excellent Sam & Max Season Two. Faults like short gameplay time stunt the episode a little bit, but the witty plot and dialog make up the problems.

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GameDaily

The episode also features trickier puzzles than some of the past games, which makes the new hint system all the more worthwhile. Although there were moments of confusion, we were still entertained by the newest adventure.

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Adventure Gamers

Moai Better Blues is a gorgeous game to look at and listen to and a unique, enjoyable experience as a whole.

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GameSpy

They've packed Sam and Max's world with so many great characters, locations, running gags and plot points that they seem to feel like they have to cram them all into every episode.

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GotNext

Compared to other Sam and Max adventures, this is a short one. There are fewer locales to check out than usual, but that lets it tell a nicely condensed story that amuses well before it frustrates (and free hints are better than no hints, anyway).

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Eurogamer

The increased writing quality, cunning puzzles and Telltale's self-referential ability to know when the game is slipping into self-parody makes Moai Better Blues a marked improvement on the last one.

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GameTap

This episode is lean and character-packed, continuing the themes of portal transportation, more wacky situations, and riotous and outlandish humor.

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PC Zone UK

Moai does manage to disguise the triple-puzzle rut of the series better than the other episodes. [May 2008, p.89]

GameStar

It's more of the same but still better than the last episode, because Moai Better Blues offers more demanding riddles than its predecessor "Ice Station Santa" and the weirdest story since "Abe Lincoln must die". But it would be better still if it were at least as long as the other episodes. It's over far too soon.

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PC Gamer

The imaginative setup is deliciously inspired, yet Moai Better Blues stands as one of the weaker entries in the Sam & Max series. [Apr 2008, p.62]

GameZone

I believe this episode to be a little superior to Ice Station Santa in the smoothness of the story and the good integration of puzzles.

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Gaming Nexus

If you can overlook some disappointing plotting and a lame story then you'll find this to be a solid adventure game with enough laughs to hold you over until the next episode.

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Gamervision

Some of the dialogue had me laughing hysterically and some of the puzzles had great payoffs. I may sound negative, but it is just because of my expectations.

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PC Gamer UK

Better, but eight episodes in, it needs to be even better still. [Mar 2008, p.87]

PC Format

The main problem though is that this one features too much aimless wandering, and nothing like enough danger or excitement. [Mar 2008, p.109]

PC PowerPlay

The rest of us might like future instalments to try something else, or at the very least tweak the formula rather than copy its shortcomings. [Mar 2008, p.61]

Destructoid

A fun, entertaining, but unfortunately disappointing entry in the Sam and Max series. It retains the great writing of the other episodes, but its considerable lack of difficulty and completely lackluster ending make this episode the worst in the series thus far.

What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 8.5 (out of 10) based on 2 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Jimbo H. gave it a7:
This episode's strongest trait is the puzzle difficulty and creativity. This is the first S&M game to make heavy use of items (some of them completely useless) and other tactics to mislead you. The best part is that the puzzle solutions are still logical, but are difficult enough I authentically got stuck twice (with hints off), which never happened to me in any of the previous episodes. Took me 5+ hours. Would be an 8, but I tacked off one point for Moai voice acing (they don't sound like stone statues...) and for the beginning, which did not feel very well put together (a triangle chasing Sybil? Please...).

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Sam & Max Episode 202: Moai Better Blues

Game Info

Summary

What The Critics Said

What Our Users Said

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