Back to the Future: The Game

Despite being a massive franchise/cash cow, BTTF has had a pretty choppy history when it comes to video games. The first game for the NES was unbelievably awful. BTTF Part II had two completely different incarnations for the Commodore Amiga and Super-Famicom (never available outside of Japan) that were somewhat true to the story but never successful. Only BTTF Part III had a wider release as a video game. I owned it on the Commodore 64 and Mega Drive but it was way too hard.

Now, after 25 years, Telltale Games have finally given the fans of the movie and the video-gaming community an official, real-deal BTTF adventure co-written by Bob Gale himself. How does it measure up?

Opening a few months after the events of BTTF Part III, with the DeLorean destroyed by a train and Doc living out his life with Clara and boys in many different eras, Marty begins to miss his old friend and is sad to see the city auction off his belongings. But when the time vehicle suddenly reappears (since it's a time machine it can never be completely destroyed forever, I guess) Marty must travel back to 1931 and break Doc out of jail for burning down Kid Tannen's speak-easy.

As a graphic adventure game, and as a BTTF adventure, it's very entertaining and well-written without giving the impression it's put together by sycophantic fanboys. It really does feel like an authentic extension of the BTTF universe and even casual fans of the movies will get a kick out of it.

The graphics though, are very dated, and the controls...don't get me started. I've seen mid-90s CD-ROMS look and play better than this. Maneuvering Marty around Hill Valley is a nightmare. It may work fine with a mouse but with a PS3 controller it's like peeling an orange while wearing boxing gloves.

However, it's liberal with the Trophies and (control problems aside) is an easy-going, pleasant game experience.

Graphics C Sound B (good use of Silvestri's tunes) Gameplay B- Lasting Appeal C

After having lost my time with a lot of video-games lately, I was dubious about playing this adaptation. But this franchise means a lot to me (even if I can't really explain) and I tried it. And big surprise, it's a really good game and maybe one of the best that I ever played.

The configuration is ultra simple, it runs on a simple PC, saving can happen anytime, thus as a player, I can enjoy the game. About it, it isn't the usual military challenge or the repetitive jumping. It's about using your intelligence to use the right tool at the right time (no pun intended) and to choose the best way to communicate with people. In a way, it's a good psychological training because you can learn that each word has a precise meaning. The puzzles calls for a good memory and astute but it isn't the brain challenges of other games and it's a lot more interesting than shooting and killing each body you meet on your path! In fact, everything is done for your comfort as the help system is well done and it's ultimately a linear game: in other words, you can't die here (Great Scott! What a great idea) and you don't feel like a chimpanzee in training with fails and success.

At last, the BTTF world is exciting: rejoice with Marty, Doc, Tannen, Jennifer and Einstein is like going back to relatives. Getting all the big names to do the voices is simply amazing! Visiting Hill Valley is like returning to your hometown and the Delorean is the best car to drive! The graphics are superb, as it's a successful balance between animation and reality! I'm even surprised to recognize that the story has all the twists and originality that the movies brought us: alternate presents, historic pasts, funny lines and great character development. Going to the prohibition period is a good pick as we can focus about Doc's early years and Marty's grandparents.

Maybe you want some bad sides as well?

Sure, there are: for example, the starting point to have a new Delorean that can travel alone is a bit silly and the plot is sometimes very difficult to follow. 5 episodes are maybe a bit too long and some tasks could have been easily cut. The French version is awful: it's maybe the only game I know where it's essential to hear the dialogs to play (in episode 1 making the fuel, in episode 2 to enter the bar) and the French translation doesn't match the sense of the original! At last, Edna is an irritating character all the more than she keeps screaming her lines!

As a show, i should pick up my best episode: 1 is good as an introduction to the new 1931 time line, 2 is good as it's a comeback to the 1st episode (like BTF2), 3 is about a 1986 dystopia, 4 is about the romance of the young Doc and 5 is about chasing Edna in a BTF3 background. If 5 has also a amazing conclusion, i pick 3 as it was nice to work with the original Jennifer as Shue had always been a pale backup.

In all cases, the game was so good that i had to bought the DVD movies to watch them again !

I am going to borrow, one of Michael J. Fox's lines from his TV Show Family Ties. You can see all the scene here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZZm4XhzMFU "On a scale of 1 to 10? 35!!!" It's one of these rare cases that the top IMDb rating cannot really measure up to the value of this creation. And I am not talking just about episode 5, I am talking about all of them. Where do I start? Story? Not only it's thrilling, adventurous and unpredictable. It fills all the blanks the movies left. And I mean all of them, in all time periods! Direction? It's a pity this did not came as a full movie or movies. I mean, I know it would be impossible due to the age and condition of Michael, but come on! They could release the whole thing as it is, as a full motion animated movie. Cast performance? It really stands up to the movies, if not better. Comedy, Action, Mystery, Drama? It has it all! I almost cried when I found out who Trixie was. Highly recommended to everyone, not just BTTF fans!

After rescuing Doc and Artie McFly from Kid Tannen, Marty travels back to 1986 to find his dad in a wheelchair and that the Tannens are now a local crime family. Obviously something has gone seriously wrong with the timeline so it's back to 1931 to put things right. Hang on, is this BTTF or Quantum Leap?

Once again the early 1930s Hill Valley setting is pretty much the only location to explore. The graphics are still horrid, and the controls are still terrible (even when walking automatically, Marty will still bump into things), but this episode feels a bit faster. The 1930s setting is getting a bit tired now so I hope that the rest of the BTTF games are a bit more varied. Still, at least it's very generous with the trophies.

With Bad Doc still unsure about betraying Edna Strickland, Marty must help young Emmett complete his real demonstration at the Hill Valley science expo. But after his success the entire town mysteriously vanishes.

The story in this episode is much, much better and really does come together well. There are long character scenes which work perfectly, giving the story some soul, and the climax feels like you're actually taking part in a BTTF adventure.

Michael J. Fox even voices William McFly (who we've seen peeing on Marty) and several older Martys who all appear at once. Overall, it's a satisfying 'conclusion' to a long journey, but I feel there are still plenty more adventures in store for Marty and Doc in the future...or the past...on an alternate present.