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I dutifully downloaded the first episode of Strong Bad’s Cool Game for Attractive People – subtitled Homestar Runner – when it was released on WiiWare. For free, of course, using the Wii Points I’d exchanged for the Stars I’ve collected over the years. I intended to review it properly, but now that the second episode is out, it seems a bit of a stupid thing to do. So I won’t.

I’d completely avoided Game Rankings, but checking it now it’s probably what I expected: some very good reviews, and some less so. Edge in particular gave it just 4 out of 10.

My general opinion of the game is that it’s all fine and dandy, but not as cohesive or, frankly, funny as the first Sam & Max episode – also from Telltale Games, of course. Game Rankings just about agrees, as does Edge, which gave Sam & Max’s debut 6 out of 10.

Just about the only genuinely funny thing on the Internet – though inconsistently so – I am a fan of Strong Bad. Indeed, I think he is awesome. I even bought the Strong Bad Email DVD boxset for Christ’s sake – and I was tempted by a plush The Cheat. Sam & Max’s humour just works better in a game; but by the same token, Sam & Max checking their emails probably wouldn’t be as funny as Strong Bad doing so.

It’s not bad though. The puzzles are of the same collect-an-item, use-an-item variety as Sam & Max; some of them are tremendously satisfying, though none are terrifyingly taxing. There are loads of incidental bits to collect and do, all drawn from the Strong Bad universe.

It’s perhaps a bit too walky – probably due to the constraints of being set in Strong Bad’s world – though there is a lot to be said for wandering through Strongbadia (Pop: Tire). It’s certainly funny enough of the time to keep a fan interested, but if you don’t know Strong Bad, it’s probably a good idea to start by checking some emails. Or just play Sam & Max. It’s better.