This doesn’t make They Stole Max’s Brain! a bad episode, though. The puzzles are as worthwhile as in past episodes (for the most part), though perhaps not quite as head-scratching as in episode two.

The development of the season’s storyline is really the vehicle for They Stole Max’s Brain!, in fact. Like any good middle-parter, the plot thickens, previously established actions and characters’ roles are more firmly cemented and earlier plotlines (expect to see more of Sammun-Mak, Paperwaite and other familiar faces) begin to converge, making sense of what’s been seen thus far.

There are even a couple of new characters are introduced, most notably a Patrick Warburton-esque cockroach named Sal. As has been characteristic of the rest of The Devil’s Playhouse, They Stole Max’s Brain! is also more entertaining that laugh-out-loud funny, though it has its moments.

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Ulimately, They Stole Max’s Brain! is an important episode of The Devil’s Playhouse, but it also suffers somewhat from middle-child syndrome. The noir opening is by far the highlight of the episode, and while there are some strong points in the remainder, it remains a good-but-not-great outing with the freelance police. With any luck, episode four, Beyond the Alley of the Dolls, will re-up Telltale’s game (the closing shot of this episode—a creepy horde of silent, soulless Sams—is certainly one that raises eyebrows). Let’s hope there’s some fresh twists on the game’s tried-and-true design, or at least some new toys of power to play with, when it hits next month.

By Steve Haske
CCC Freelance Writer