The Walking Dead – Telltale Games – Video Game Review

The Story: The Walking Dead story that the TV show is jealous of.

Review (no SPOILERS): Back in April, Telltale Games released a video game called The Walking Dead.  It was made available as episodic downloads on the PS3 and XBox and eventually came to other platforms like PC and iOS.  It got a minor amount of hype due to the popularity of the TV program and I wanted to check it out because I expose myself to just about everything TWD-related.  Flash-back to this time with me…..  The TV program had just ended a Season 2 that was mostly mired on Hershel’s farm, the comics were spinning their wheels a little bit as the current Negan-story hadn’t quite started yet and Kirkman had co-authored a crappy novel of how a simple redneck named Philip became The Governor.  Based on that, it looked like the TWD brand was being spread pretty thin and I didn’t have huge hopes for this video game.  But I tried it anyway–and was rewarded with a great gaming experience.

Sam & Max: Surfin’ the Highway (TPB) – Review

By Steve Purcell (written & illustrated)

Since the release of the first game on the PC, I’ve always wanted more Sam & Max. I didn’t even know that there was a comic book or a cartoon TV series. Eventually, I found out about all this stuff, and the collected edition of the comics that was released around 1995. I really wanted to get my hands on this sucker but the book was just too hard to find, not to mention ridiculously expensive. Then came Telltale with “Sam & Max Season One” – an episodic series of adventure games. After the successful and acclaimed return, they compiled and re-released the previously sold out TPB, adding a few more new pages and some extra color.

The book is about a cop dog and a rabbit who fight crime in an unorthodox way. The humor is hit and miss; if you played the game and didn’t like it, don’t even bother with the comic – it’s not on par with it. I’m not saying that it’s bad – it’s still wacky, sarcastic and funny, but it’s just not on the same level as the game. Also included are some cartoons that where made to promote LucasArts games: Indiana Jones, Star Wars, Full Throttle. The pinup gallery is a great extra, too.

I know there is more material to add to this book (especially new stuff), but for some reason it wasn’t added. I’d love to have some kind of bimonthly Sam & Max comic, but who knows if that’ll ever happen. Like Sam says: You crack me up, little buddy. (Grade: B)

-Daniel Yanez