Possible scenarios for Sam and Max's 2010 outing
Written February 4, 2010
The teaser from Monkey Island's credits
After finishing up with Tales of Monkey Island, our favourite adventure resurgence cell Telltale Games have been indicating a return to the Sam and Max series as their next project. Not many details are known about Series 3, known only as Sam and Max 2010 so far, but if questions in a Telltale comissioned survey are anything to go by, then things are about to take on a more paranormal twist for the crime fighting duo.
The survey, which if you complete in full rewards you with a free episode of any of Telltale’s games (the survey says to wait two weeks or so for the coupon, but mine cleared fairly quickly), asks participants to rate their interest in a series of PR pitches. Considering all three pitches run along the same theme, we can probably deduce what Sam and Max are in for this year.
Here are the pitches, lovingly cut/pasted:
Wield psychic powers to battle an onslaught of the most unusual and fearsome villains across the galaxy and ages.
A terrible power that has thrived since the beginning of time, for controlling matter and space, calls to fearsome villains — the strongest and strangest who might wield it — intergalactic warlords and eldritch gods, under-dwellers and scholars of the arcane.
Gaming’s greatest dog and rabbit sleuths Sam & Max must unravel the mystery, with manic Max gaining psychic abilities to shape shift, teleport, read minds and see the future to battle these foes.
This all comes together in a 5 month-long symphony of mayhem that gets deeper and more twisted with each episode.
—-
There’s a terrible power that has thrived since the beginning of time, for controlling matter and space. Should this power fall into the wrong hands — perhaps granting psychic powers to a sociopathic freelance rabbit detective — it could threaten the entire universe!
From the outer reaches of the galaxy to the most secret recesses of the mind, the power calls to intergalactic warlords and eldritch gods, under-dwellers and scholars of the arcane — the strongest and strangest who might wield it.
Do not turn off your gaming device! This time, you are in control! You must help freelance police Sam & Max overpower these threatening forces, master psychic powers and save the universe over the course of 5 monthly episodes. Should you fail to take up this challenge or meet defeat, the galaxy may never recover!
—–
Working unusual cases for decades in their own inimitable way, 6-foot dog and hyperkinetic rabbit Sam & Max are the only freelance crime solvers of their kind for the unusual, bizarre and just plain outrageous. Sam & Max face their biggest most peculiar challenge yet, spanning the ages, paranormal phenomena and powerful … toys over the course of the epic 5-part comedy adventure that gets more mysterious and surreal with each new monthly episode.
So to recap the running themes: Psychic powers, five episodes series, ancient god, magic … toybox. Sounds interesting, although anything “outrageous” and “bizarre” should really just be par for the course with Sam and Max by now.
Aye?
The survey also shows Telltale’s interest in finding out what their customers would like to see them working on in the future. One of the sections toward the end of the survey asks participants to choose from Myst, Day of the Tentacle, Sierra’s Quest series, Loom, Gabriel Knight and several other adventure staples for potential new incarnations.
Given that design director Dave Grossman has previously waxed philosophical on the possibility of rebooting Loom, that one is certainly a possibility … and, personal wariness aside, it would give me a new reason to wear my “Ask me about Loom!” badge.
I’m just joking. As if I need any reason.
If you want to help Telltale tailor their upcoming titles, and score a free game in the meantime, be sure to head over and complete the survey. You won’t get your coupon immediately (presumably so they can make sure you didn’t just write “yo mama” is every box), but it doesn’t take too long and freebies are always welcome!