Coming to PC, Mac and PS3 in April!
Details taken from Telltale’s website found below:
What’s the lowdown on Sam & Max?
Sam’s a six-foot tall canine shamus with a hunger for justice. Max is a hyperkinetic rabbity-thing with an oversized Luger and a taste for violence. Together they’re Sam & Max, Freelance Police, ridding the streets of bottom-feeding sludge, one dastardly miscreant at a time.
After two award-winning seasons of Sam & Max games, Telltale brings you… a third! Always tackling epic disasters arguably over their heads, the canine detective and his buck naked pal are in for more than they bargained for. Bermuda Triangle? Been there. Giant robots? Done that. In The Devil’s Playhouse, Sam and Max face a mysterious otherworldly power for controlling matter and space that calls to the strongest and strangest who might wield it – intergalactic warlords and eldritch gods, under-dwellers and scholars of the arcane. It’s Sam’s and Max’s biggest case yet.
What kinds of games are these?
Sam & Max games make you a part of the story as you guide the characters from situation to situation, solving puzzles along the way. With high-caliber movie stylings, previously unfathomed characters and settings, and the finest game writing this side of the table, Sam & Max is funny, challenging and accessible even for non-gamers. The games include integrated, in-context hints that let you adjust the settings based on your skill level. Don’t feel like pulling your hair out over a puzzle? Consider using scissors or just turn on the hints!
Is The Devil’s Playhouse different than Telltale’s earlier Sam & Max games?
Yes. It’s an entirely new story that pits the crime-fighting duo against mysterious and dangerous forces. Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse plays as an epic comedy saga over five months, one giant story full of twists, turns and cliff hangers. Think Lost, but without the six years of convoluted back story or polar bears.
The Devil’s Playhouse is the biggest, strangest and best looking of the Sam & Max games yet: new foes, characters, settings and game scenarios, along with some series faves returning (Flint, the COPS, Stinky, some surprising return cameos, and more). Max’s newfound psychic abilities give you a whole new way to interact with the world around you, and see the world through the eyes of a psychotic, empowered rabbit.
What is episodic gaming?
At Telltale, our games play out over a series of interconnected episodes, each one building on the next. Expect to see all of the intrigue and twists that you have come to expect from your favorite TV shows and comic books. New installments are available regularly, as new parts of the saga come to light. Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse will be available in five monthly episodes; after the final episode is released, you’ll have the full game (or the full season as we like to call it). We encourage folks to pre-order the entire season so as to ensure a steady flow of great gaming.
How will The Devil’s Playhouse be available? What platforms?
For the first time, Telltale’s games will come to PlayStation 3 gamers! In addition to being downloadable through PlayStation Network, the PC and Mac versions will be available here at the Telltale website. The PC and Mac versions are available for a single price when purchased at telltalegames.com. You can download versions for either PC or Mac (or both for one price!)
Where and when will I be able to find the new Sam & Max games?
The first episode of Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse debuts April 15. The PC and Mac games will be released episodically every month for download right here at the Telltale website. The PlayStation Network will have all the PS3 episodes as they become available.
You can pre-order the series for PC/Mac now, and get a FREE game episode from another Telltale series, along with membership in the Freelance Police Elite Forces, complete with a forum where you can talk to Steve Purcell and the Sam and Max dev team. The series pre-order is expected to be available at the PlayStation Store by March 18th.
What if I want a disc version of the game?
We’ll have a great collector’s DVD for PC and Mac customers after the end of the downloadable season. Like all of our episodic games, Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse will be available on DVD after all five episodes have been released. Any season purchaser gets the DVD for only the cost of shipping, so you can get the instant gratification of playing the game downloads as they release, then experience the tactile satisfaction of owning the disc after the season concludes. Note that we will not be able to provide disks for PSN users.
How do I get the Collector’s DVD?
Shortly after the season concludes, you’ll get an email notification letting you know the DVD is ready for you to order. Then you just input your address, pay for shipping and you’ll have a DVD full of extra awesomeness for your shelf!
Will the games be different on PlayStation, PC or Mac?
The games are virtually identical across platforms, with the exception of appropriate tuning for the platform (the game interface and controls, for example.)
Will the games be available on other platforms and channels?
Our goals are to release the games in as many places as possible, as soon as possible. Be sure to keep informed by signing up for the newsletter.
How much will all this cost?
Five mystery-packed games for $34.95 – that’s less than $7.00 per game!
Do I need to play the other Sam & Max games before playing The Devil’s Playhouse?
Nope, and this is a great place to start! Of course, to get the full experience, you may want to brush up on the first two seasons, but it’s totally not required. We do however recommend that when playing The Devil’s Playhouse, you begin at with the first episode (The Penal Zone); after all, you wouldn’t start a book by skipping the first few chapters!
Where can I go to share my excitement?
Whaddya know, we have a community forum! You can commisserate with like minds, discuss Skun’kape’s fashion sense, even patronize the hint forum in case you get stuck in an episode. Keep up with the news by checking out our blog and subscribe to our newsletter to impress your friends with a wealth of gaming knowledge.
I wonder why there isn’t an XBLA version considering Save the World/Beyond Time and Space ended up on there and not the PS3. Does this mean that PS3 owners will eventually get the older Sam and Max games? Once I know the answer…I’ll let you know!