Review

Back to The Future Episode 5: OutATime

I can’t get enough of this game. This is by far one of the coolest point and click games I’ve ever played. Of course, that has mostly to do with the fact that it adds to the Back to the Future universe. Seeing as how we are never going to get another movie, this episodic game is the next best thing. So far it’s been a crazy ride for Marty and the gang. Things can’t possibly get any worse…can they? With Marty’s track record, I wouldn’t hold my breath!

Again, for those of you who haven’t had the chance to play the previous episodes, let me get you up to speed (slight spoiler warning). This new, 5-part adventure takes places after the 3rd Back to the Future film (6 months after to be exact). It started with Marty going back in time to rescue a stranded Doc Brown from being murdered by Kid Tannen, the leader of the Tannen Gang. Of course, staying in line with the rest of the Back to the Future series, Marty accidentally changes the past for the worst after rescuing Doc. A few episodes later and we have all sorts of timeline issues. The last episode let us know that the future Doc couldn’t be trusted. He was concerned that the reason his future self was so miserable was due to his love for science. So much so that he plotted to stop his younger self from participating in the Hill Valley Expo, the place where he was inspired to continue perusing science. It’s up to Marty to set things right once and for all.

I had a problem with the last episode breaking some of the BTTF’s rules. Due to the fact that Doc never invented the time machine, the DeLorean in that episode should have disappeared. Like in the movies, once time starts to correct itself, you have a limited amount of time before you vanished. The characters never let on that this was a threat even though it should have been. This final episode fixes that issue, although without explaining why there was an issue in the first place. By going back in time (from the alternate future) we are assuming that whatever events that led to Doc’s transformation can be stopped. This means that the old DeLorean is allowed to exist. This also means that the future Doc’s actions (being untrustworthy and all) won’t necessarily change the current timeline. Still with me?

What I am trying to say is that the writers set up a paradox where the characters actions are allowed to take place without effecting the future right away, giving the story some time to conclude. This works well as the story takes some interesting turns over the course of this last episode. We get to see the first Tannen to move to Hill Valley, run into Marty’s grandmother, and learn who the real arsonist was that burnt down the speakeasys. There is even a cool car chase scene featuring two time traveling DeLoreans!

Being that there was so much story left to be told, gamers are in for a longer play session this time around. The finale features more puzzles involving more characters, resulting in more fun for the player. I had a great time trying to figure out what to do in these wacky situations. Not only that, but the way the game hung the proverbial carrot of story details made me want to figure out each puzzle quickly. All of these things made the last episode stand out among the others (as it should). I had a lot to do (which kept things from being boring) and the fact that I got quick answers to lingering questions set up a nice pace for the story.

All and all, I had a great time. Not just with this episode but the series as a whole. It was awesome to see and hear Marty Mcfly again. What’s even cooler is Michael J. Fox making a “voiced” cameo in the finale. Telltale and everyone involved have done a great job recreating the world of BTTF, adding this series to the short list of good movie-licensed games. If you’re a BTTF fan, then you owe it to yourself to pick this series up. If you’re not a BTTF fan, all I can say is “Great Scott”!