Back to the Future: The Game

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.

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

I played this game religiously when I was younger and have loved it since and I love how the game starts with the first mission, to me it was an excellent first level

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.

As he returns from defeating Kid Tannen in 1931, Marty discovers that Hill Valley has been transformed into a sterile, emotionless utopia/dystopia and that the brain behind this new world/town order is Doc, only he's no longer Doc, he's Citizen Brown and he ain't so friendly no more.

Marty then has to wander across town meeting people and putting together the clues as to where the timeline went askew this time. It feels much shorter than the first two games, with most of the action once again limited to the town square and the alley behind the soup kitchen (which was actually an aerobics gym in the first movie I my memory serves me correctly).

The graphics are still horrible and the controls are pathetic (on the PS3 at least), but I guess you just can't hate a game like this. Though I am now at the halfway point with this series and I have yet to encounter any real epic feel.

Graphics C Sound B Gameplay B- Lasting Appeal C-