Sam & Max, the whacky and sadistic crime fighting duo, go for a change of climate in the second episode of the second season, Moai Better Blues. After returning from their previous adventure at the North Pole, the two immediately find a triangular shaped, semi-sentient, rogue interdimensional portal chasing Sybil down the street. We later learn that it's actually the Bermuda Triangle, taking a break from the Caribbean to terrorize unsuspecting civilians. Since the Freelance Police have a flare for danger and only a hint of common sense, they go leaping in and get transported to Easter Island (nowhere near Bermuda), where they accept a new job to take on a volcano god before an eruption destroys the stone head civilization. If that seems like a lot to keep up with, but somehow made sense, then you're fully inducted into the world of Sam & Max.

It doesn't take long to play a Sam & Max adventure, since the gameplay is pretty simple and the plot is short. The series trades in game length for increased emphasis on story, character development and a string of one-liners and situational jokes. Some of the puzzles in Moai Better Blues are a little trickier and less obvious than in past games, which can get a little frustrating at times, but the new hint system goes a long way toward keeping things from getting too bad. Similarly, the game will let the player win minigames like the balancing surfboard contest for the sake of moving the story along if it seems like the player continues to fail.

Although the story maintains the same quality of writing and dialogue players expect from the series, there are a couple of jokes that went completely over our heads. Most prominently, having appearances of Glenn Miller, a jazz musician from the swing era, and Jimmy Hoffa on Easter Island had us scratching our heads. Both disappeared during their times and showed up in Moai Better Blues for convenience sake. They drank from the Fountain of Youth to stay young, and became babies to impede Sam & Max's progress. It's strange, but we enjoyed seeing the gun toting baby Hoffa guarding the cave entrance, although it never becomes clear why he was so set on guarding his post. Similarly, the character Flint Paper alludes to a bigger conspiracy, probably related to the season's overarching mystery, but adds very little to the episode itself.

Overall, we had a fun time visiting Easter Island for a new Sam & Max adventure. The ending could be a little stronger, but we get the feeling that things are still gaining momentum. Plus, we're juvenile enough to enjoy jokes about stone heads, and we didn't need to drink from the Fountain of Youth to be immature.