A decent start even if this episode plays it just a bit too safe.
The Back to the Future trilogy is one of those classic film series from the eighties known by all and which has taken its place besides the Indiana Jones, Alien and Star Wars films. Who doesnt associate a DeLorean with time travel and Michael J. Fox? Strangely enough, in the twenty-five years since the first instalment was released no one has managed to develop a decent game based on the franchise. Now Telltale Games is giving it a shot with an episodic Back to the Future game. Combining point and click adventure gameplay with time travel has in the past delivered one of the genres best games, if not the best. Lets see if Its About Time can harness some of that magic.
GRAPHICS
The visuals adopt a stylised cartoon look which is mixed with enough realism to enable the characters and environments to look familiar. This works very well and fits the gameplay better than a more realistic style would have.
Animation is generally smooth with the facial animation being a highlight. That is one aspect that, if their track record is anything to go by, Telltale usually gets right. The only blemish is that lip-syncing can occasionally seem a bit off. Its not all that distracting but it would be nice if this was fixed for the next instalment. Detailing, both on the characters and environments, is also very good with Docs house forming a fine example. It is furthermore encouraging to see that character models arent blatantly recycled, something that the studio had already remedied with its previous project, the third season of Sam & Max. All in all, the visuals look good despite the aging engine. Telltale has managed to again squeeze just a bit more out of it.
SOUND
The episode sports a great soundtrack that is very reminiscent of the films score. It is also a pleasure to note that the developer resisted the urge to shove it down the players throat, instead using it in quite a subdued and casual manner. Voice acting is very good with the highlight being Christopher Lloyd returning to voice Doctor Emmett Brown. Michael J. Fox isnt present but his replacement delivers an convincing Marty McFly. Sound effects are also heavily borrowed from the films and add to the mood of the game.
GAMEPLAY
Its About Time takes place a few months after the events of the third film. Emmett Brown has disappeared and his belongings are auctioned of when a new DeLorean time machine arrives with a message from him for Marty McFly. Doc is apparently in trouble and needs to be rescued. This will take McFly to 1931 where Doc is being accused of burning down a local speakeasy, an act that hasnt endeared him to the local gangsters.
The plot and characters are certainly faithful to the films. There is a sense of adventure and urgency, the two main protagonists are likable and the story doesnt takes itself too seriously without becoming a full-blown comedy. Its About Time feels more like a sequel to the films than a simple game adaptation which is certainly a good thing.
Its About Time doesnt stray too far from the traditional point and click adventure game tropes. Marty must solve puzzles by exploring his surroundings, examining everything, picking up every object not bolted down and speaking with everyone he encounters. The puzzles themselves are fun to solve and can be quite involved at times, requiring several steps to come at a solution. Still, they never rise above being decent and adequate to become something truly inspired. An item like the voice recorder is used just a bit too often for example and the solutions tend to be rather straightforward. The gameplay usually boils down to simply using one item with another with one or two cases of pattern recognition thrown in for good measure. It may seem as if Marty has a lot to do in order to fulfil his goals but it soon becomes obvious that his tasks are less complex than they at first glance appear to be.
The action can be controlled either with a gamepad, the mouse or a combination of mouse and keyboard. The last option worked best for me, feeling the most natural. The gamepad works fine even though it can be fiddly at times. Moving around using only the mouse is quite uncomfortable however. This is a bit strange seeing that this control method was actually the best option in the already mentioned third season of Sam & Max.
The above also has consequences for the episodes duration. Its About Time simply wont last terribly long. The first part mostly consists of exposition while the straightforwardness of the puzzles in the remainder of the game ensures that they arent all that hard to solve. Expect to get between two and three hours out of this, what can be considered a bit slim even for an episodic title.
FINAL REMARKS
Back to the Future is of to a fairly good start. The presentation is solid with the highlight being the great voice acting. Together with the plot, Its About Time manages to capture that particular kind of mood that the films have in abundance. Where this episode falters is with its length and the lack of challenge. Furthermore, while the puzzles are fun to solve they also arent particularly inventive.
Perhaps I expect too much but when I think of time travel and point and click adventuring, the first game that comes to my mind is Day of the Tentacle. Of course, it is difficult to follow in that classics footsteps but Telltale could at least make the effort. As it stands, Its About Time features gameplay that, while entertaining, is above all competent. The experience is luckily lifted considerably by its Back to the Future vibe. Lets just hope that the rest of the season lives up to the inherent potential and doesnt play it as save as this episode.
OVERALL: a 7,5.
