Previous Next

Peals of demonic laughter ring round the spirals of time, as yet another mad tyrant seeks to bring the Earth under his control. Whilst being escorted to a nice padded cell, the evil doctor Blond-Beard made a break for it, and managed to slip inside a time capsule that someone had carelessly parked in a "no-waiting-mad-megalomaniacs-zone".

More fool them, as now the crazy doctor threatens to hold earth in subjugation for the entirety of history with his time-jumping antics - unless our green-coiffured heroine, Time Gal can reach him in 4002AD and escort him back to Broadmoor, and the kindness of strangers. However, fluctuations in the time loop (or something) keep dumping her at inopportune moments in history, where she has to leg it to the next jump point. It's another cartoon caper from Wolfteam, and no mistake!

Based on the Dragon's Lair type of game - You know the sort of thing I mean...

Follow the directions shown on the screen to reach the zone end. Complete all sixteen zones, played in random order, to reach the doctor.

Knowing the limit of the gameplay in Time Gal is quite important. Your part in the proceedings islimited to following the on-screen prompts. These are shown in two ways. On the outer frame of the screen are four globes, one for each joypad direction.

If one of these lights up, this is a movement prompt; if all of them light at once, it's a button prompt. Clues to forthcoming moves are also shown within the frame, when objects flash golden.

Wolfteam's expertise at Full Motion Video seems to improve with every attempt. Road Avenger and Cobra Command looked very impressive, but ran jerkily and had an overall fuzziness that has been left off Time Gal.

Although the image only takes up the central portion of the screen, the ingenious perspectives and effects make it burst out of the frame. To complement it, Time Gal makes all sorts of amusing squeaks with the perfect CD sound effects.

But the two bugbears of all 'interactive cartoon' type games remain. There isn't must to do, and it isn't that big. Most gamesplayers won't be satiated with the reaction-test gameplay, however interesting the accompanying visuals.

Each worse, Time Gal is a pushover compared to Cobra Command and should be completed in a day. It's a great shame that the ingenuity and humour of Time Gal is let down in this way.

This is way too similar to Road Avenger and Cobra Command - all that's changed are the graphics. The same weary gameplay rears its ugly head again.

I'm all for games that are graphically outstanding (and Time Gal is simply superb), however pressing joypad directions at the correct time isn't my idea of a good laugh. I think that more intelligent use of Full Motion Video, as seen in Night Trap, is the way forward.

To be honest, Time Gal is little better than the cacky Dragon's Lair coin-ops. Another thing that doesn't do the game any favours is the fact that it's way too easy - there's only a few sessions' worth of play in this one.

As it is, Time Gal is little better than a cartoon with small pretentions of interaction - certainly not worth £40! I'd definitely recommend buying a top-notch Disney vid before shelling out for Time Gal.

Presentation 80%
P. Three levels of play, and a visual mode, letting you appreciate the sequences in full.
N. An annoying repetitive Game Over sequence. There are also too many continues.

Graphics 94%
P. Fabulous cartoon Full Motion Video images. The best and most imaginative sequences yet seen on the Mega-CD.

Sound 89%
P. Time Gal's, whoops, oohs and aahs are great, as are all other effects. Brilliant cheesy title tune really sets the atmosphere.

Playability 78%
P. The effects of your actions are usually really interesting, which drives you on to see later areas.
N. The gameplay is very simplistic, and only partially interactive.

Lastability 51%
N. The levels play the same on all difficulties, so you've seen everything in a short time.

Overall 63%
Impressive to look at, Time Gal is really an expensive personal cartoon, rather than a game. There's no real lasting interest, making for a CD title that's definitely not worth its high price tag.