He’s baaaack! Strong Bad is making his second adventure game appearance and this time he’s taking over!

The business model adopted by TellTaleGames.com (adventure games released in individual monthly episodes) is very clever for them, but a real pain for tech journalists.

The games are all built along the same, classic, point-and-click adventure game lines. Using the mouse, you control a designated character, solve puzzles, play the odd mini-game, overcome obstacles and ultimately achieve your objective. What distinguishes one episode from the next is the plot. So, we suddenly move from the realm of tech reporting to that TV criticism.

The game mechanics in Strong Bad’s Cool Game for Attractive People: Episode 2 Strong Badia The Free are identical to the first installment. (You can read the full review for that game here.) The graphics are the same, the voice acting still hits the mark, and the familiar locations, characters, and in-jokes abound.

This episode starts with Strong Bad answering an e-mail from an adoring fan who suggests that Strong Bad might be a better leader than the King of Town. Strong Bad admits that he has the chops for the job, but says he’s not interested. Little does he know that fate has different plans ... or something like that.

The King of Town chooses that moment to burst in and explain that Strong Bad is behind on paying the new e-mail tax. For every e-mail sent or received (including the one announcing the tax) one crème-filled snack cake must be tendered to the King of Town.

(Aside: One of the more entertaining aspects of the game is the skewed way it relates to our world. Vicious rumors about e-mail taxes have been circulating since the early eighties and it’s fun to see those rumors mocked in the game. Similarly, in a later sequence of the game, Marzipan and Homestar have an amusing back-and-forth about the draft ... which in this case is accomplished via an enormous wheel-of-fortune.)

As punishment for his tax debt, Strong Bad is fitted with a radio collar set to explode if he crosses the threshold of his porch. The King of Town is nothing if not thorough. A peaceful protest assembles outside of Strong Bad’s house and, with a clever bit of problem-solving, our hero finds a way to disable the collar and escape. He declares his lands sovereign and himself the leader. The protesters, knowing a good thing when they see it, follow suit and declare their own individual independent nations.

Using the game board from Strong Sad’s Maps and Minions game, Strong Bad cobbles together a strategic map of the new countries and plots his march toward his ultimate objective ... the Castle. Along the way he’ll have to win alliances by defeating (or recruiting) the leaders of such countries as Pompomerania, Concessionstan (and its capitol Concessionstantinople), Country (founded by Strong Mad), Tirerea, and Marizstar (or was that Homezipan?).

With the hint setting on high, the game is pretty good about telegraphing what you’ll need to solve each puzzle. The frustration level is just about right with irritation and relief coming in the appropriate quantities. Ultimately the few hours you’ll spend will be rewarded with a clever story, a few sly jokes, and at least as much entertainment as you’d get from any of this season’s TV pilots.

The Teen Girl Squad is back and there’s a new Videlectrix game called Math Kickers (Featuring the Alge-Bros). These add minor, amusing diversions to the main plot.

It’s worth remembering that the game is set in the Homestar universe so there are going to be jokes and some mild language which would be inappropriate for younger players. Parents are encouraged to use the appropriate caution.

The game can be had for $8.95 via download (or the Wii shop channel) and the price is about right for what you get. If you’re a fan, though, you may as well go ahead and spring for the season pass at $34.95 so you’ll get all five episodes as they’re released.