I’m pretty sure I’m not alone when I say the idea of playing a Back to the Future game sounded about as interesting to me as a movie about oh‚ any video game character ever? It just doesn’t SOUND like a good idea. So of course news rolls around that there will be one, and that Telltale games is going to make one of their adventure game seasons out of it. Coming fresh off a great experience with Sam & Max’s The Devil’s Toybox, this, contrary to how I thought I’d react, actually intrigued me a bit. A simple adventure game formula seems like a good match to the story of two guys traveling through time causing and solving problems. The characters are funny, the situations are just tense enough‚ maybe this could work. But it has a couple obstacles to clear: Mainly story and gameplay.
The story hurdle is pretty big. You’re dealing with a franchise beloved by just about every Generation X and most of us Generation Y Americans. It’s a series that made Michael J. Fox not just famous, but a household name. It has a theme song that we all hum just at the thought of it, and made it almost cool to say “Great Scott.” Telltale is good, but they had to nail not just a good pace of plot points, but a feel. They had to earn that theme song, “Great Scott,” and especially that DeLorean. So the question is are they THAT good? They even chose to make the story follow the events of the third movie, effectively making a sequel to the story. Ballsy.
Fortunately, it feels pretty damned close to a Back to the Future movie. Telltale wisely played it safe and played to familiar impulses. Marty McFly gets word that Doc’s in trouble and without hesitation hops in the DeLorean to the 1930′s to save him. Naturally, the game takes place in Hill Valley, CA, so some forefathers of the McFly and Henderson families show up, and a few others as well. It all works, and it’s an amusing little romp that ends with enough intrigue to leave one wanting when the credits roll.
The second is gameplay. Strictly speaking, Telltale didn’t go for any gameplay innovations here. Their MO with these adventure seasons seems more about racking your brain for a bit and entertaining you with a solid story. To that end, they deliver. Again, Telltale played it safe and remained consistent. I found the overall feel of play to be identical to their other adventure games, and being as simple as it is, that can only mean more fans of the movies can get going without spending too much time learning the ropes.
Where the gameplay could really muck things up, though, is in the fact that you’re controlling Marty McFly. The game could well walk you through some silly adventure game tropes that don’t make sense in the world of Back to the Future, or worse, make more sense in some other franchise Telltale has handled. Thankfully, this pitfall was avoided as well. From the dialog choices to the very actions done to solve problems, it feels like things Marty McFly would do. Of COURSE he’d lie to the younger version of Doc Brown to coax him along on his quest. Yeah‚ he would make up a crappy name just like Doc Brown called himself Carl Sagan. But best of all is that the character totally comes through as the well-meaning trouble maker that Marty McFly is. It’s no small help that Doc Brown is played once again by Christopher Lloyd with the mad scientist verve we know and love, while AJ LoCascio voices the main hero instead of Michael J Fox, don’t let the name disappoint. He comes damn close with everything from “This is heavy” to that scratchy and panicked “Whoa!”
The rest of the game is all pretty consistent Telltale fare. The visuals are solid, capturing the characters’ likenesses in a great cartoon style, and the music is the awesome music of the films. In all this consistency lies the game’s only real weakness, which is that it’s not a really fresh experience as a game. Take away the Back to the Future aspects, and really you’ve played this game before. The setting and characters really are meant as the main draw here.
The thing is, while I call it a criticism, it can go either way. When it comes right down to it, people interested in this game aren’t going in for innovative interactions. They just want to enjoy what they love about the movies, and really, a simply and consistently solid point and click (or move-with-analog-stick and click if you choose gamepad) adventure game is the perfect genre to offer that. There is just the right amount of challenge (give it half a day to clear out‚ no hints!), and the perfect reward in seeing those classic characters face a new conundrum to overcome. Whether or not I recommend the game rests almost completely on whether or not you like the Back to the Future movies. If you do (as you should!), then hop in.
Back to the Future The Game: Episode 1: It’s About Time is available for download now for the PC and Mac for $24.95 as a full five-episode pack with new episodes releasing monthly. You get both the PC and Mac versions. You can purchase and download the game on Telltale Games’ website. The first episode is expected on the PS3 and iPad in early 2011.
A review copy was provided and did not affect the outcome of this review. This review is based on the PC build.
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