Sam & Max: Beyond Time and Space carries a moniker I really hate. It's an interesting change of pace from the litany of shooters and retro releases hitting XBLA. At the same time, it is really something only fans of the series will really enjoy.

As with Sam & Max Save the World, Beyond Time and Space places comedy above all else. Though it retains the same sense of humor as the first game, some jokes won't strike a chord with everyone. Some are funny, but at times they do feel a bit forced. Some jokes are way too referential, cutting out swaths of the audience, while others are out-and-out misfires. Don't mistake my comments as saying the game isn't funny, but if anything, Beyond Time and Space proves why comedy is one of the hardest things to write, especially when it comes to videogames.

The forced feeling carries over into delivery. Some punchlines are spot-on while others sound too mechanical. The banter between Sam and Max is great, but still wears thin. At least there's a fun, jazzy soundtrack to groove to.

Visuals are still a highpoint. Everything is styled perfectly and there's a great sense of internal continuity within the game. If something is altered in one episode, you'll see the changes in later episodes. Choppy framerates and some screen tearing are the only noticeable concerns.

If anything, Telltale Games' approach with Sam & Max: Beyond Time and Space is novel and pretty interesting. Then again, the approach is probably lost on XBLA players. The XBLA release features all five episodes from the second "season" of Sam & Max. Following last season's events, Max is still the President of the United States, but still manages to find time to work as Sam's sidekick in the Freelance Police business.

As with Save the World (the first season), each of the five episodes tells a different, offbeat story based around the duo's current case. This season, the dog and "psycho rabbit-like thingy" will save Santa Claus from demons, Travel to Easter Island, fight vampires, and square off against Satan. A common plot thread runs through each of episodes, eventually leading off to a big, climactic payoff in the final episode. Compared to last season, episodes are slightly longer and will provide about 5 - 6 hours of playtime.

Writing and jokes are half the experience - there is a bit of gameplay along for the ride as well. Very little has changed from the first game. Beyond Time and Space is a point-and-click adventure game where you guide Sam around static rooms finding clues and solving puzzles. Clicking on certain objects will add them to your inventory of later use, cause something to happen or elicit a comment from one of the two detectives. Puzzles are buffered by short mini-games offering a slight change of pace.

Once again, controls pose an issue. The Left Analog Stick controls the cursor, while (A) activates whatever action you can take on a chosen object. Actually, the control scheme isn't the issue; it's how the camera interacts with the scheme. Sam always moves towards the area you click, sometimes obscuring the object you're trying to interact with. Additionally, the camera likes to choose really awkward times to zoom in on things. You'll spend at least a quarter of your playtime trying to find the right viewing angle. Though not a game-crippling problem, it adds difficulty to what would otherwise be a simple action.

Sam & Max: Beyond Time and Space will challenge even the most hardcore of adventure gamers. Solutions tend to drift towards the "easy" side, but only if you can train your brain into understanding the game's twisted logic. Otherwise, you might need to make use of the new hint system. If you take a little too long to solve a puzzle, subtle hints will show up to guide you in the right direction. Of course, if you'd rather not get the help, you can turn it off.

Sam & Max: Beyond Time and Space's sticking to the formula is both good and bad. It's a proven method and the puzzles are really, really creative. At the same time, Beyond Time and Space doesn't lend itself well to longer play sessions. Returning to my original point, with the PC releases, there's a healthy wait time between episodes, which helps keep things fresh. With a full five games in one package, the formula gets tiring. Yeah, you can impose your own wait between games, but there isn't enough here to really pull you back once you give it a break - at least not unless you're a fan in the first place.

Sam & Max: Beyond Time and Space is something that will appeal more to fans than the general gaming populace. Saying that feels like a cop-out on my part, but sometimes it fits. Sam & Max: Beyond Time and Space is an enjoyable experience, but one that won't be enjoyed by everyone.