SDCC Hands-On — Doctor Who: The Edge Of Time

by David 'Hades' Becker [ Wednesday, 24th of July 2019 - 07:00 PM ]

Doctor Who

While at SDCC, I was able to see Doctor Who: The Edge Of Time in a more intimate setting than just a trailer. Here is my take on Doctor Who: The Edge Of Time

So many fans out there have been excited to see just what is going to happen in Doctor Who: The Edge Of Time since it had a surprise announcement and then what felt like a quick development cycle. It is still releasing this September for the various VR systems across the PC and PS4. It is also still very much linked to the current version of Doctor Who currently on the BBC with Maze Theory working close with them to make sure it is what fans want. It is why it is a good thing that some of those fans out at SDCC and the like had a chance to put on the headset and try to enter the TARDIS in the nice little demo. Here is my take on the demo I had to experience out there.

For those curious, below we have a basic walkthrough of what was shown for Doctor Who: The Edge Of Time but in a flat 2D video space. Outside of a few deviations, this is how it all played out to give us all a feel for a small bit of the show. You can have a look at that just below but then stick around as I will dig into the VR parts that you will not truly be able to get from just this video. Go ahead and watch. I will wait with my words just a bit lower.

Doctor Who: The Edge Of Time — SDCC Gameplay

Armed with the iconic Sonic Screwdriver, players will solve mind-bending puzzles, grapple with classic monsters and encounter new horizons in a quest to find the Doctor and defeat a powerful force that threatens to destroy the fabric of reality. They will face the infamous Daleks and other known faces from the Doctor’s universe plus some brand new never-before-seen monsters as they travel through stunning cinematic environments that truly bring the show to life! The Doctor has been hurled through time to the end of the universe. A virus that threatens to rip apart reality itself has been unleashed. Players can pilot the TARDIS on a journey across worlds both familiar and strange to recover a series of powerful time crystals that can repair spacetime and ultimately save the universe itself.

So, right out of the gate, we will have to look at the movement here for The Edge Of Time. While there is a bit of freedom to move in the real world, in the demo I played it was all handled via the controller sticks with left causing the forward and back and the right making a 15° turn per press. As this was a demo in a small space, it was fitting but there were all kinds of other options to allow for our comfort when playing at home. This includes some of the speed of walking and the ability to teleport instead of free movement. However you want it, it seems Doctor Who: The Edge Of Time will have it. We will not be tied down unlike many other games out there.

This brings us to the next part, which would be using the staple of any Doctor Who experience, the Sonic Screwdriver. In general, it hangs at your side in the game and you will have to grab and use it as you would in the real world. Not too shocking. What is a bit off is that for anyone who is not a huge fan of Doctor Who, it was never too intuitive to know what to use it on. In some instances like the car, there would be no prompt until almost on top of the car. Something I missed out on and tried to lift the hood myself instead. Not the biggest of deals, but it does seem like it will be something everyone will need to learn to get used to.

The demo, obviously, did not house much more than a collection and building puzzle so it is hard to say how many of the other actions will all play out in Doctor Who: The Edge Of Time, but my guess is that it will be a point and click bit with the screwdriver. That is, at least, if the new and old enemies for the IP are used in typical video game fashion. There is word that there will be some kind of eye-tracking in the game to go along with some of the specific Doctor Who creatures. Something that could be terrifying and fun, but not here today. Even if they did manage to get the look and feel of it all in the virtual space. Something I know fans will be mainly looking for.

While the demo was short and fairly uneventful, it does feel like Maze Theory is getting it exactly right for it all. Including the TARDIS even though we never got to enter it. I know I am still looking forward to it all and to see what other mechanics they have mixed in for the full experience. Especially since it is hard to be able to perfectly show what the goal is in the convention environment. I am not even the biggest of Doctor Who fans but it has my interests perfectly piqued to see how it all plays out.