Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse

About

"Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse" is a single-player action game that follows the hilarious and wholesome story of the Freelance Police duo, Sam and the newly psychic Max. As they navigate an ancient power and the Toys of Power, players will encounter eccentric characters, solve brain-tickling puzzles, and even explore Max's own mind in this bizarre paranormal adventure. With Max's abilities growing out of control and frightening adversaries closing in, it's up to the Freelance Police to save the day in this humorous and engaging game.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse screenshot

99%

Audience ScoreBased on 436 reviews

story34 positive mentions

stability8 negative mentions

The remaster enhances the already fantastic graphics and audio, making it visually stunning and enjoyable to play.
The addition of Max's psychic powers introduces new and creative puzzle-solving mechanics, adding depth to the gameplay.
The writing is sharp and humorous, maintaining the series' signature style while also delivering emotional moments that resonate with players.

Some players experienced minor bugs and performance issues, including occasional freezing and audio glitches.
The humor may not resonate with everyone, with some jokes feeling outdated or less funny compared to previous installments.
Certain episodes, particularly the second, were criticized for being less engaging and having convoluted puzzles that detracted from the overall experience.

story
68 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
46%
4%
The story of "The Devil's Playhouse" is widely praised for its engaging narrative, clever puzzles, and emotional depth, marking a significant evolution from previous seasons. Each episode contributes to a cohesive overarching plot, featuring well-developed characters and a mix of humor and pathos that resonates with players. The game successfully combines innovative storytelling techniques with a rich, immersive experience, making it a standout entry in the Sam & Max series.
- “The whole trilogy has incredible screenplay, direction, story, and soundtrack, and this third game is a great finale.”
- “Goofy spins on American pulp fiction and cosmic horror, excellent pacing, and an unexpected amount of pathos give Sam & Max their best story yet — meanwhile, a streamlined interaction system gets a fresh spin with Max’s psychic powers that gives you the best of both worlds: new types of puzzles to solve, and plenty of chances to hear solid jokes that are silly, bizarre, yet earnest.”
- “Every small detail has some sort of purpose in the story; everything is wrapped up perfectly by the end.”
- “Things turn on their head almost immediately after, however, as the second episode, 'The Tomb of Sammun-Mak', tells its story out of order, letting the player jump forward and backwards in time, gathering clues to piece the series of events together.”
- “Not to knock the other seasons of course, but I'd say this one feels like an evolution of what the previous seasons presented in both story writing and gameplay.”
- “The humor is still as sharp as ever, focusing on some of the most entertaining characters to date, and through its story this season grabs and keeps your attention in a way the previous two sometimes struggled to.”
humor
54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
96%
4%
The humor in the game is consistently praised for its wit and emotional depth, with many players highlighting the funny antics of the dog and rabbit duo that can evoke both laughter and tears. While some reviews note that the humor remains sharp and entertaining, a few express that certain jokes may not resonate as strongly as in previous installments. Overall, the blend of humor and heartfelt moments contributes to a satisfying experience that fans of the series appreciate.
- “Great game, great story, great humor; this game includes everything that a good game should, the only thing it's missing is a Steam release of the soundtrack.”
- “The comedy and jokes are all incredibly funny.”
- “The humor is still as sharp as ever, focusing on some of the most entertaining characters to date, and through its story this season grabs and keeps your attention in a way the previous two sometimes struggled to.”
- “They're really not funny.”
- “They're really not funny.”
music
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
55%
8%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many praising the soundtrack as "fantastic" and "insanely good," highlighting its jazzy and electronic elements that enhance the game's atmosphere. While some reviewers noted a lack of new pieces in the remaster, they expressed hope for an official soundtrack release, emphasizing the quality of the original compositions and audio upgrades. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, complementing the game's narrative and visual enhancements beautifully.
- “The soundtrack alone is just... *chef's kiss*”
- “What remains intact is another spectacular OST from Jared Emerson-Johnson, this time around molding his jazzy approach with electronic instrumentation to complement the game's otherworldly atmosphere.”
- “But like, how do you top an OST that has gorgeous moments (Twilight Eternal Reprise), peak noir (3-4 Boscotech & the Pier), and the jazz-fusion suite that defines the setting you enter in 3-5?”
- “I haven't noticed many new music pieces in this remaster either, although the original was already highly varied with its soundtrack to begin with, and with this remaster, I'm certain an official soundtrack release will finally happen.”
- “There's a few audio issues, like the other entries in the trilogy have (missing music, sound effects, etc), but the voice work and soundtrack is, as always, fantastic.”
- “Great game, great story, great humor; this game includes everything that a good game should, the only thing it's missing is a Steam release of the soundtrack.”
gameplay
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
66%
8%
The gameplay in "The Devil's Playhouse" primarily revolves around point-and-click mechanics, enhanced by a robust system of psychic powers that facilitate engaging puzzle-solving and contribute to the overarching narrative. While some players noted a decline in variety after the initial introduction of these powers, the overall experience is enriched by improved hint systems, a faster-paced story, and a mix of genres across episodes. The game maintains a fun atmosphere with humorous characters and clever dialogue, making it a compelling experience despite some repetitive elements.
- “Even if the gameplay isn't all that pulse-pounding, the gripping story and clever puzzles will motivate you to keep going.”
- “Max's powers this season are a delight of a gameplay feature, a toolkit of magical puzzle-solving abilities at your disposal, while also being a delightful source of surplus bonus dialogue and gags through experimentation.”
- “The episodes offer a ton of variety both in genre and gameplay mechanics while still serving an engaging and (as always) crazy overarching story.”
- “Gameplay-wise, it's mostly pointing and clicking.”
- “However, the mechanic quickly makes its exit, never to be seen again, with everything past that refreshing introduction being made up of a copy-pasted puzzle in slightly different contexts, where using the same psychic powers is the solution.”
- “That being said, making the toys so prevalent in gameplay causes some issues.”
graphics
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
47%
9%
The graphics have received a significant overhaul, showcasing a beautiful remaster that balances the original's grunge with a more modern art style, featuring a muted color palette, improved lighting, and sharper character designs. Many reviewers praised the stunning visuals and fluid animations, noting that this installment is the best-looking in the trilogy. Overall, the graphical enhancements contribute to a more immersive experience, making it a worthy play for both newcomers and returning fans.
- “The graphics have gotten a makeover to be more in line with the art style established in the previous remasters, and while some of the grunge of the original is lost, in many areas, it can still be felt while still conforming to the new art style; in other words, a nice balance has been struck here between old and new.”
- “As with the previous games, the lighting and graphical updates are incredible, but excellent work has been done to touch up some aspects where the original was lacking.”
- “Between the beautifully remastered graphics and the incredible, fluent storytelling, this has to be my favorite chapter of the three.”
- “In regards to disappointment, it's exclusively graphical enhancement.”
- “Whilst not much outside of graphics and overall stability have been changed, it is still a version of the game worthy for a first playthrough.”
- “The graphics have gotten a makeover to be more in line with the art style established in the previous remasters, and while some of the grunge of the original is lost, in many areas, it can still be felt whilst still conforming to the new art style; in other words, a nice balance has been struck here between old and new.”
emotional
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its ability to evoke genuine tears and heartfelt moments, marking a significant evolution in storytelling for the series. Reviewers note a surprising depth and maturity in the narrative, which balances humor with poignant themes, culminating in a powerful and memorable finale that resonates long after completion. Overall, the game is praised for its emotional richness, making it both funny and deeply affecting.
- “The first time I finished this game, I cried for an hour and then had to go outside and look at birds until I felt better.”
- “Yet, 'The Devil's Playhouse' gets emotional, it gets dramatic, it plays up the fact that this is a finale and delivers an ending that feels like a sendoff; both to these characters and to what was Telltale at the time.”
- “This season has a larger focus on the emotional core of these characters, without ever forgetting to stay funny all the way through.”
stability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability has been noted as inconsistent, with users experiencing occasional freezes every 5-10 seconds, infrequent audio glitches, and some visual issues. While these problems can be distracting, they are generally not game-breaking, and performance improves after the initial stages. Overall, players report that the game stabilizes after the first 20 minutes, leading to a more enjoyable experience.
- “Every 5-10 seconds, the game freezes for a second.”
- “The only downsides to this remaster are the (although infrequent) glitches, mainly of the audio kind, but nothing game-breaking. On my older machine, the game had frequent FPS drops.”
- “The game started a bit buggy, but all is well past the first 20 minutes.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its otherworldly quality, enhanced by a spectacular original soundtrack that blends jazzy elements with electronic instrumentation. Reviewers note that the atmosphere and intensity are effectively captured, with each installment building upon the previous one to create a progressively immersive experience.
- “What remains intact is another spectacular OST from Jared Emerson-Johnson, this time around molding his jazzy approach with electronic instrumentation to complement the game's otherworldly atmosphere.”
- “3-4 nails the atmosphere and intensity, and 3-5 just advances that progressive jawdrop.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious, often requiring significant time investment and repetitive backtracking, which can detract from the overall enjoyment.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “All that tedious backtracking back-and-forth using the Desoto in previous seasons?”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The character development in the game is enhanced by a significant shift in tone, reflected through a more muted color palette, moody lighting, and sharper character designs. This evolution is complemented by improved cinematic camera work and a new control scheme that allows for more dynamic movement, contributing to a deeper engagement with the characters.