Sam & Max Episode 101: Culture Shock

 PC
  • Publisher: GameTap
  • Release Date: Oct 18, 2006
Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 47 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 41 out of 47
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 47
  3. Negative: 0 out of 47
  1. PC Format
    73
    Inevitably anticlimactic. But there are a few smiles within. [Dec 2006, p.115]
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  2. 1UP
    70
    Each little cartoon snippet you unlock is fun, but eventually you find yourself asking why you have to do so much work for them -- it's like watching a cartoon on a DVD player powered by a hand crank.
  3. Thunderbolt
    70
    If you like adventure games, you’ll like Culture Shock. The storyline does feature some truly funny moments that I won’t spoil for you (this is a short game and I want you to enjoy as much of it as you can before you have to pay for the next episode), but being that I’m not a huge fan of puzzles, I didn’t really get a lot out of this game.
  5. PC Gameworld
    65
    It’s good to see Sam & Max back in action, but the fun is over all too quickly. Let’s hope the plot improves in the next episode.
  6. PC Gamer UK
    61
    Sam and Max's twisted world is captured near-perfectly in the art, which makes the disappointments in the dialogue and puzzles all the more acute. [Dec 2006, p.92]
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  7. Edge Magazine
    60
    The comic hit rate is lower here than you might have hoped for, but Telltale shows a commendable knowledge of when to simply emulate the Sam & Max of old and when to move forward. [Dec 2006, p.89]
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Awards & Rankings

35
#35 Best PC Game of 2006

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 41 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 41
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 41
  3. Negative: 5 out of 41
  1. GolovA
    Jun 19, 2018
    8
    A Great game, but unfortunately fell under the radar.

    To those who has never played the original (Classic), this might seem a bit strange.    A Great game, but unfortunately fell under the radar.

    To those who has never played the original (Classic), this might seem a bit strange. The writing is dense, and the wordplay of jokes might be overwhelming and complex – some of the humor truly is designed for a written medium, not a video game. However, with each episode, the linguistic complexity of dialogues subsides, bringing it closer to the level of the target audience – video gamers. And even though I love and appreciate the advance depth, intelligence, and wit behind satiric constructs of the series, dumbing it down as the Season progresses helps to bring in the audience (alas, perhaps, too late).

    Nonetheless.

    Solid Adventure – puzzles range from easy to medium, voice acting is exemplary, plot of the First Season is fun and fit the mood of the protagonist duo Sam and Max (and the lore, of course), characters are lovable and well developed. Some of the music gets pretty annoying and repetitive – staying, in fact, unchanged, from episode to episode – but that’s a minor price to pay for a great Adventure.

    Absolutely and Highly Recommend.

    You might also enjoy and/or appreciate the inspiration behind Edna and Harvey.    … Full Review »
  2. JacobP.
    Nov 12, 2007
    10
    Excellent game, it lives up to the expectations fans have had since the original game in '93. A must have.
  3. NickG.
    Dec 10, 2006
    9
    This is a great puzzle-type adventure game. The puzzles are amusing and can be logically worked out, the humor is entertaining, and the This is a great puzzle-type adventure game. The puzzles are amusing and can be logically worked out, the humor is entertaining, and the graphics are pretty decent. My only complaint is short the game is even for just being a single episode in the series. It can easily be beat in a day.… Full Review »
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