Back to the future
If you understand French and enjoy a bit of science fiction text adventuring, sort of like The Tracer Sanction, then this little gem will be right up your alley. The complex narrative is highly compelling, while the puzzles are challenging yet satisfying and which combine to make a first rate quest. The story here revolves around that classic sci-fi staple, a computer virus, which has infected a number of employees at an Alaskan base and which has now barricaded itself off from the world. However, some employees have managed to escape using a teleport system, not only endangering themselves but also the rest of the planet. Worse still, they have managed to flee into history, thus threatening the past and the future. It falls to the player to track down these runaways and eliminate the threat before it can spread too far. Aided by a cyborg with detailed knowledge of history, you must travel back to various points in the past in order to track down the infected and put them down before the virus can rip apart the very fabric of time. These periods include Scotland in the 12th century, Japan in the 16th and Europe in the paleolithic era. Les Portes du Temp is certainly an engaging and enjoyable little romp that makes good use of its time travelling theme. The eras chosen are well represented in terms of visuals and the graphics give a good sense of atmosphere to proceedings, helping to hook the player into the story. Puzzles too are interesting and varied while the narrative should keep you hooked until the end, with plenty of twists and turns. It might not be quite up to the standards of the mighty Zork, but this is good solid entertainment.
