Comments on: I Knew He Wasn’t A Real Doctor

By: M.P.

M.P. — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 18:37:55 +0000

I used to be a huge fan of Lucasarts adventures when I was a kid, my favourite by far being MI2. Unfortunately, I was on a 12MHz propeller biplane of a PC, so when the switch to CD and full voiceovers came I was left behind, and didn’t get to experience Sam&Max or Day of the Tentacle.

Then, three years ago or so, I saw the trailer for the (now cancelled) Lucasarts sequel to S&M, and this reminded me that there was a whole gamut of childhood delights that had passed me by! So found a copy, downloaded SCUMMvm, and fired it up.

Three hours later, I was in tears from laughing so hard that I had stomach cramps and my facial muscles hurt from constantly smiling.

Even though I had been disappointed by replaying other stuff I loved as a kid like Space Quest or Leisure Suit Larry 2, this one was pretty damn funny, and the litmus test of experiencing it for the first time as a cynical grown-up pushing 30 proves that good writing knows no generation gaps.

By: LionsPhil

LionsPhil — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 16:43:53 +0000

Whenever I smell asphalt, I think of Maureen. That’s the last sensation I had, before I blacked out. That thick smell of asphalt. And the first thing I saw when I woke up was her face. She said she’d fix my bike. Free. No strings attached. I should have known then that things are never that simple.

Yeah. When I think of Maureen, I think of two things. Asphalt, and trouble.

Sam & Max’s intro is brilliant. But it’s got tough competition from the cinematics in Full Throttle, thick with foreshadowing.

Damnit, Schafer. Stop wasting your talents on shoddy platformers.

By: Jochen Scheisse

Jochen Scheisse — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 12:02:30 +0000

From the game mechanics, the Indy 3 adventure was about the most nonlinear game Lucasarts ever put out. I think there were 4-5 solutions to the Zeppelin part, including skipping it and just stealing a plane on the airport.

By: Mike

Mike — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 11:53:54 +0000

The great thing about Beneath a Steel Sky was the haphazard capitalisation of the subtitles:

“Kidney, lung or TESTICLES?”

That and Joey grumbling about his new chassis…

By: Martin

Martin — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 20:29:35 +0000

Sorry, not feeling it.

*shrug*

By: Bobsy

Bobsy — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 14:05:19 +0000

Oh man. Funny as DOTT and Sam & Max were, and brilliant as Monkey Island was…. It’s Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis that I remember the most fondly. It’s a shame that it’s the most commonly overlooked of the triumvirate, because it shared the wit and the brains (apart from the rather poor “fists” path) of the other two with a genuinely engaging adventure story that managed to nail the Indy atmosphere perfectly.

“I’m selling these fine leather jackets” was never delivered so well.

By: The Sombrero Kid

The Sombrero Kid — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 13:07:23 +0000

wtf something funny has happened with my posts :S

By: Ian

Ian — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 13:07:09 +0000

I’d neither seen this before or played a Sam and Max game.

I rate it ‘A’ for Amusing.

No game has ever made me laugh as much as when Guybrush first talks to Murray, though… and possibly a few other moments.

Murray: You may call me ‘Murray’! I am a powerful demonic force! I am the harbinger of your doom! And the forces of darkness will applaud me as I stride through the Gates of Hell – carrying your head on a pike!
Guybrush: “Stride”?
Murray: All right then, roll! Roll through the Gates of Hell! Must you take the fun out of everything?

By: Floppylobster

Floppylobster — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 12:57:13 +0000

It’s hit and miss to me. I find Max’s voice and lines slightly forced, but his animation and the delayed editing help make it funnier (his big smile over a long pause creates anticipation of a laugh).

The scientist is just great, stroking his death lever while Sam slowly walks in (using in-game animation). I find it funnier if I picture the guy who wrote it (and programmed it) having had a dating situation just like that at one time (and still being able to make fun of himself). Reminiscent of the Adam West Batman series as he gives the full title of ‘free lance police’ as he addresses them.

I loved Day of the Tentacle but I only ever played the first few scenes of the Sam and Max. Just a little too clever for its own good for my liking. The humour reminds me of MST3k (which I’m not a fan of).

“Friends?!” (that line is gold)

@Gulag
I also found the disaffected attitude in the voice acting of Tommy(?) refreshing. It was the thing that made me play it through. I was about to switch it off, anticipating another generic piece of crap, especially when the Grandfather started talking about spirituality. I started thinking “not again”, but as I did the main character butted in and said, “Save it Grandfather, you know I do go for that shit”. It really drew me at that moment. But then three or four levels later I grew sick of it and Tommy’s disaffected tone didn’t quite seem to suit anymore… The radio programmes were quite good though.

By: The Sombrero Kid

The Sombrero Kid — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 11:22:52 +0000

@gulag
i thought the voice acting in prey was the second worst thing about it, after the death mini game of course, i did like prey quite a bit though

By: gulag

gulag — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 09:18:49 +0000

Dispite not liking anything else about it, I thought the voice-acting in ‘Prey’ was pretty good. The main character initial attitude wasn’t one of Generic Rage, but rather panic, terror and denial, which developed over time as he found more reasons to kick in alien heads. Which was refreshing.

By: The Sombrero Kid

The Sombrero Kid — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 08:27:41 +0000

i have scummvm permanantly installed along with

Monkey Island 1 & 2
Sam & Max Hit the Road
Day of The Tentacle
Indiana Jones and the fate of Atlantis
Full Throttle
The Dig

and although it doesn’t use Scumm
Grim Fandango – very important!

there’s probably other good scumm games but these are the one’s i bought when they came out and played them and i’m really nostalgic about, i couldn’t play maniac mansion for example it’s ugly and i have not emotionally connection to it, so i’ve got no tinted glasses that fit that game