Future Wars
| Industry | Video game development |
|---|---|
Key people | Paul Cuisset, Éric Chahi |
| Products | Future Wars (video game) |
Future Wars, known in Europe as Time Travellers and in North America under the title Adventures in Time, is also recognized in France as Time Travellers: The Menace (). This 1989 adventure game was developed by Delphine Software International. The project was chiefly led by Paul Cuisset, responsible for story and programming, alongside Éric Chahi, who handled the graphics. Initially intended to launch a series focused on time travel, no subsequent installments were ultimately created.
Gameplay
The gameplay of Future Wars revolves around point-and-click interaction: players use the left mouse button to navigate their character, while the right button opens a menu with options such as Operate, Examine, Take, Use, and Inventory. The "Use" command enables combining or applying items found within the inventory.
Plot
The story follows an unnamed protagonist, referred to simply as the "hero," who starts out as a window cleaner in 1990. He stumbles upon a concealed chamber containing extraterrestrial documents. Utilizing a time machine, he is transported to the year 1304 where he assists Lo'Ann, a time traveler opposing an alien menace from the Crughons. After discovering classified intelligence, the hero is brought forward to the Supreme Council of the 44th century amid an attack by the Crughons.
In this distant future, Earth's colonies have returned to restore the planet during an ongoing conflict with the Crughons. Earth’s defense relies on a Strategic Defense Initiative (S.D.I.), a time-space energy barrier safeguarding the planet. However, the Crughons have planted three irreversible time bombs aimed at S.D.I. generators across different historical periods. Together with Lo'Ann, the player defuses one bomb during medieval times; nevertheless, another explodes in the player’s original era, allowing a Crughon invasion. Documents carried by the hero reveal that the final bomb is concealed in the Cretaceous period.
The player and Lo'Ann journey to this prehistoric era to stop the detonation. Following an arcade-style sequence and Lo'Ann sustaining injuries, they reach the Crughon base where the player accidentally triggers the bomb early—resulting in a historical alteration that causes the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event. The narrative concludes with the protagonist returning to the 44th century to continue battling against the Crughons.
Reception
When it was released, Future Wars was met with favorable critiques.
Allen Greenberg of Computer Gaming World commended its imaginative storyline, high-quality graphics, and musical score that surpassed many film soundtracks. Nevertheless, he observed that intricate visuals occasionally obscured important items and restricted character movement. Additionally, he criticized the Cinematique engine for lacking true innovation, noting that similar mechanics had appeared previously in games from Sierra and Lucasfilm.