When I first heard about Back to the Future The Computer Game my anticipation suddenly got very heavy and now that I’ve just completed the first episode of the game, my anticipation is up to universe destroying proportions. The game is being released in a series (a bit like Angry Birds) of 7 episodes, with the latter 6 coming out throughout 2011, and if the first episode is anything to go by, the earth’s gravitational pull is going to get even more problematic.
The first episode kicks off with a trip to the past in an attempt to rescue Doc Brown, who went missing shortly after the end of the third film. The game is built on Tell Tale’s unique graphic adventure game format, pioneered on the cult Monkey Island series. You essentially move around the setting in a slick pseudo-comic book 3D world taking up the role of Marty McFly as he attempts to solve the clues to the disappearance of Doc.
It’s a slow paced game for the most part, but for any fans of Back to the Futures or games like Monkey Island and Sam & Max, you’ll fall in love with it instantly. The music and sound effects transport you straight into the magic of the films and the voices are either played by the same actors from the films (including Christopher Lloyd back as Doc Emmet Brow) or done with incredible flair by new actors. Marty McFly is as close a likeness to the legendary Michael J. Fox as you could possibly find.
The puzzles may take new comers to the graphic adventure game genre a little while to get used to, but it’s well worth the effort. If in doubt though, there are hints and tips to help get you through the game. The best tip I can give is to try everything out though before going to the tips section, because there’s nothing like figuring out the puzzle for yourself. The answer is usually somewhere in your inventory.
The game gets a little more frenetic as it moves along the storyline and while there’s a little frustration when you get caught in a puzzle loop, the fun of figuring it out eventually makes up for this.
Back to the Future The Computer Game is a brilliant download for the Mac & PC, and I’ve no doubt the PS3 Network version that is under development will work just as well. The best thing though is that there is so much more of the game to look forward to throughout 2011.
Back to the Future computer game review: 4/5
