A fun continuation that doesn't quite reach 88mph.

There was a palpable excitement when Episode 1 of the Telltale's Back to the Future landed back in December. Fans were hopeful yet cautious about the game, but those fears were quickly put to rest once everyone got their hands on it. While some were turned off by how easy Episode 1 was, most enjoyed the referential humor, crazy story, and great voice acting. Now that those initial fears have been quelled, the question becomes whether the rest of the episodes can keep fans satisfied.

Based on my playthrough of Episode 2, what's really going to maintain fan interest is the ongoing story. It picks up directly after the events of the first episode with Marty flashing in and out of existence due to some unplanned meddling in the time stream. This initial problem is quickly fixed but only serves as the catalyst to a much bigger crisis that directly involves Biff's father and Prohibition gangster, Kid Tannen. The story is entertaining but far less referential than Episode 1, which always seemed to be mentioning something from the original movies. While there are still references in Episode 2, the plot is much more focused on the task at hand rather than overt humor. This isn't entirely a bad thing though since the plot feels like it's taking the time to form its own identity while staying entertaining. The best compliment I can pay the story is that I can't wait to see what happens next in Episode 3.

This being a Telltale game, Back to the Future is still an adventure game and strictly follows all of the genre conventions. Nothing new is added to the formula though I still appreciate that common sense is the solution to most puzzles rather finding and combining some wacky item with another wacky item like Sam & Max or the Monkey Island series. Experienced adventure gamers will likely fly through the game, but a hint system is offered to players more interested in continuing the Back to the Future mythology. While I fall more into the latter category, I was still a little disappointed with how simple and straightforward most of the puzzles were in Episode 2. None of them required the exploration or unique thinking of the first part, making them quickly forgettable. The puzzles seem much more interested in moving the plot along.

The gameplay isn't the only aspect of the game to remain constant in Episode 2. The graphics are still good but not spectacular and is helped greatly by the unique art style. I didn't expect the game's looks to be greatly improved, but I did hope that there would be more locations to see and characters to meet. Unfortunately, neither really met my expectations with only three new areas and characters appearing. In a way, it makes since most of the game takes place in 1930's Hill Valley, but I still wish I could've seen more variety. The odd graphical quirks also return in the form of a black line that sometimes skirts across the screen. It's nothing major, but it can ruin the immersion at times. Thankfully, the sound design is as strong as ever with the voice actors really making you believe that this is Back to the Future. Most of the music comes from the original soundtrack, but there are a few new songs that are sung at a speakeasy. None of them are memorable, but there's some variety at least.

Back to the Future Episode 2 didn't blow me away in the same way as Episode 1, but that's to be expected. Before, my expectations were low and this awesome continuation of some of my favorite movies completely blew me away. Now that I've settled into this world, it has lost some of the luster but in no way is it a bad game. I still had fun playing through the story and can't wait to see what comes next. I just hope that there will be more to see and that the puzzles become a little more complex. If you've already played Episode 1, there's no reason not to continue this tale.

Note: This game was reviewed on the PC