Doctor Who fans have had a rocky road in the gaming world. The various titles released have had their up and downs, however Doctor Who: The Edge of Time, a fully interactive VR game, seems to have pleased fans where other games haven’t lived up to expectations.
With our hindsight goggles on, we look back at the previous Doctor Who video games that paved the way for The Edge of Time.
While not a standalone Doctor Who game, we start with one of the more well-known appearances of the Doctor in the gaming world...
Lego Dimensions: Doctor Who
Release Date: 29 September 2015
Platforms: PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Developer: TT Games
Publisher: LEGO
The Lego series of games have been a fan favourite in multiple franchises from Star Wars to Batman. In Lego Dimensions, characters from over 30 different franchises are brought together in an action-adventure video game.
One character in Lego Dimensions is, of course The Doctor, who joins characters like Robin, Frodo, and MetalBeard on their quest to defeat the evil Lord Vortech. The first twelve Doctors appear in the game, but only 12 (Peter Capaldi) is fully voiced, and he is the doctor who works to seal Vortech in a rift loop.
Doctor Who: Destiny of the Doctors
Release Date: 5 December 1997
Platforms: PC
Developer: Studio Fish
Publisher: BBC Multimedia
Moving onto the oldest title on this list, Destiny of the Doctors was created by BBC Multimedia back in 1997. Unfortunately, this title definitely falls short in the graphics department and really shows its age today.
This game features voice acting from the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh incarnations of the Doctor, provided by Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy respectively.
In the game, the Doctor’s enemy, The Master has taken control of the planet Siralos which is made of psychic energy. The Master intends to use this energy to bend the universe to his will. You play as Graak, a being created by The Doctor to help him defeat the Master.
Other enemies appearing in this game include Daleks, Cybermen, Autons and Sontarans, all who have been placed by the Master to try and stop you.
Doctor Who: Legacy
Release Date: 27 November 2013
Platforms: Android, iOS, Amazon Kindle, Facebook, Samsung
Developer: Seed Studio
Publisher: Tiny Rebel Games
Doctor Who: Legacy is a puzzle-based RPG released to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the show. It originally focused on the Eleventh Doctor played by Matt Smith, but eventually switched to the Twelfth Doctor, played by Peter Capaldi when 11 regenerated in the show. However, every incarnation of the Doctor has been included at some point in the game as well as over 200 companions. - many from Big Finish, novelisations and adventures in comics.
The gameplay in this title follows a role-playing puzzle style. As you progress through the game, you will be able to collect characters which can then be levelled up and used to build a team of up to five companions.
Doctor Who: The Adventure Games
Release Date: 5 June 2010
Platforms: PC and Mac
Developer: Sumo Digital
Publisher: BBC Wales Interactive
Doctor Who: The Adventure Games is an episodic video game, with each episode made available for download free from the BBC’s Doctor Who website. This was a short-lived game which ended when the developer’s license with the BBC expired.
Episodes feature a range of different monsters and enemies typically faced by the Doctor, including classic foes such as the Daleks and Cybermen. As this game is no longer on Steam, you’ll have to be a true fan of Doctor Who to track this one down.
Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock
Release Date: 23 May 2012
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita
Developer: Supermassive Games
Publisher: BBC Worldwide
If you’re looking to play a title with Matt Smith as the Doctor, this game allows you to travel across space with fan-favourite River Song as they attempt to gather pieces of the Eternity Clock - which serves as a record of everything that has happened or will ever happen in the universe.
The player will come across multiple opportunities and puzzles as well as clashing with the Daleks, Cybermen and the Silence. Unfortunately, the gameplay only exists in the form of side scrolling and the controls are clunky at the best of times. However, you might be able to overlook that for the interesting plot.
Doctor Who: The Edge Of Time
Release Date: 12 November 2019
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Oculus Quest
Developer: Maze Theory
Publisher: PlayStack
Last on the list is the latest release in the series of Doctor Who video games. Doctor Who: The Edge of Time stands out from the pack as it is a virtual reality title. The first Doctor Who game in the series to embrace the world of virtual reality.
The story follows a mysterious new enemy who threatens to destroy the universe. You will only be able to stop them armed with your TARDIS, Sonic Screwdriver and the ability to fight monsters, aliens and solve complex puzzles. Each scene looks like it’s straight out of a Doctor Who episode so it’s perfect for fans of the show.
The Edge of Time provides an immersive experience, especially with the use of virtual reality, something that the game series has sorely lacked until now. If you love Doctor who as much as we do, then make sure you have the best CPU, GPU and all the other components plugged into your PC ready to experience it in all of its VR glory!
Final Word
Doctor Who has a complicated history when it comes to its video games. Fans are still waiting for a game that achieves widespread acclaim and popularity in the way that the TV show manages to pull in audiences from all over the world each year.
While Doctor Who: The Edge of Time is arguably the best video game released for the franchise, it still doesn’t quite live up to the popularity of the TV show. With the bar being set so high in the eyes of the fanbase, it seems at this point nothing can match up to the Doctor Who hype. But if you’re looking for a great way to experience the Whoniverse then The Edge of Time is by far the best and most immersive way.
No comments:
Post a Comment