Telltale Games has announced that "Sam and Max Episode 1: Culture Shock" has been released and is now available to purchase and download via the Telltale site.

"Sam & Max: Culture Shock is the first of six planned episodes. The game premiered exclusively on Turner Broadcasting System's GameTap service on October 17, where it was welcomed with outstanding acclaim from reviewers and fans. Today marks Culture Shock's worldwide debut.

 Sam & Max creator Steve Purcell says, "It's clear from this first episode that the Telltale crew has a great handle on what a Sam & Max game should be. Creating an engaging, funny, and yummy-looking series while indulging my goofy whims every step of the way is a Herculean task. And the episodic approach to Sam & Max is working as well as I had hoped. I'm a happy little spud!" Mike Stemmle, a driving force behind 1993's trailblazing Sam & Max: Hit the Road game, says: "Telltale's Sam & Max makes me as giddy as a hobo in a transcontinental boxcar full of ham hocks!"

Visitors to www.telltalegames.com can purchase Culture Shock for $8.95 or preorder the entire season for $34.95. Those who opt for the full season will get immediate access to Culture Shock and subsequent episodes as they come out on Telltale's site. When the season wraps up next spring, these customers can receive a CD version of Sam & Max: Season 1 for only the price of shipping and handling. Sam & Max episodes can also be played as part of a GameTap subscription for $9.95 / month."