Smiley's Life

Note: This review was written right after playing episode 5, late at night, so it’s not particularly lengthy or descriptive. I may revise it or write an entirely new, longer one soon. (With the same score and opinion, obviously.)

Ever since I played episode 104 of Sam & Max, I liked this Freelance Police duo and wanted more. After playing The Devil’s Playhouse, Sam & Max has become a game series I love.

Season 3 brings action, top-notch comedy and difficult-yet-fun puzzles together to create a cinematic experience. It also introduces a five-chapter story, rather than five separate crimes like Telltale did in the previous two seasons. This makes The Devil’s Playhouse a complete, continued experience with a bright, big story arc.

The season starts off with a bang in The Penal Zone, in which a specific “space gorilla” named General Skun-ka’pe has escaped a dimensional prison called The Penal Zone and you have to imprison him once more. The game plays out well, with the new (optional) gamepad controls proving themselves to be very comfortable and intuitive.

The plot is very well-written, and each chapter’s own story is very interesting and blends in with the rest. This season had several twists, some major, some minor, some comical and all fit in with the rest of the story very nicely, in my opinion.

This season is very funny. While some parts made me laugh out loud, some also made me laugh my ass off. The various references to pop culture, jokes and sheer comic relief are great and fit in perfectly.

Finally, The Devil’s Playhouse deserves a score of 9/10 in my book.