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Games :
Ranking:
Release Date: May 23rd, 2012 Movie Release Year: 2012

Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock

Overview -

I love Doctor Who. I mean, I really love it. The fifty years of the show, the books, the radio dramas, the spin-offs, the whole kitten caboodle. If there's only thing I don't love about Doctor Who, it's the video games. There aren't many of them, but the few that there are have been aimed squarely at kids. Now, there are good games for children (see the Lego franchise for proof), but up to this point Doctor Who has not been able to conquer the gaming universe. The BBC has finally released a game aimed at more than children with The Eternity Clock. The question is, will this adventure draw in real gamers?

OVERALL:
Rating Breakdown
VIDEO
AUDIO
Tech Specs & Release Details
Technical Specs:
Digital Download
Video Resolution/Codec:
720p
Audio Formats:
Dolby Digital
Release Date:
May 23rd, 2012

Video Review

Ranking:

While you're restricted to a 2D playing field, the game itself is in 3D. The models for The Doctor and River are far superior to previous Doctor Who games, although keep in mind this isn't going to look like a top tier PS3 title. The world itself also has lots of detail and variety in the environments, making the game pleasing to look at (which you may have to do, over and over, thanks to the AI glitches).

Audio Review

Ranking:

If there's any high point to The Eternity Clock, it's the voice acting by Matt Smith and Alex Kingston. Both are pros who know their characters well, and their banter is often a highlight of any given recent episode of the series. When they're going at each other, it feels like an authentic Doctor Who experience. Similarly, the voices of the Cyberman, Daleks, and other baddies are spot on. However, trouble crops up even here. More than once I encountered a glitch where dialogue wouldn't be spoken for a period of time, only to be said all at once in a row later in the game, completely out of context. This happened at random and nothing seemed to trigger it.

Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock is a game with a lot of promise. It has reasonably good graphics, great voice work and dialogue, and a few worthwhile challenges. However, making the game 2D, repetitive puzzles, and a host of bugs and glitches make The Eternity Clock almost unplayable. It's truly a shame, because for a few brief moments here and there, one can almost see how fantastic a more fully realized Doctor Who game could be. I guess I'll have to jump into a TARDIS to find a point in time and space where I can play one.