All Charm and No Substance
The Doctor Who franchise does not have a storied history of adventure games. In fact there is very little in the Doctor Who back catalog at all. So with the rejuvenation of the TV series, and the go ahead to have a crack at a set of episodic adventure games, Sumo had the chance to create something that set the standard for Doctor Who games. Superficially, it does everything right; both Matt Smith and Karen Gillian are present, and the clean, stylized visuals fit perfectly in the Who universe. The script itself is also more than serviceable, channeling the humour and intrigue that new Who does so well. The shell is there, just waiting for a strong core gameplay to complete the experience. Unfortunately, City of the Daleks falters where it counts.
The real success of the TV series is the feeling of intelligence and triumph you get when The Doctor solves whatever weekly crisis he was wrapped up in. In City of the Daleks there is a large disconnect between the plot and the narrative, because I never had that feeling during the weak puzzles or mini-games Sumo set in front of me. The plot may call for an ingenious solution, but the gameplay will always boil down to 'pick up obvious item and use'. This is the real problem with the game; there are no taxing and complex quests and no value to your actions. Decisions are taken out of your hands, turning a spontaneous TV series into fetch quests.
Aside from the exploration and puzzle solving, City of the Daleks employs heavy use of stealth sections that require you to skirt around the vision of the Daleks. Interesting idea, but the execution is hindered by the awful response of the controls. Both characters are slow, turn like a truck and take precious time responding to your input. This kills all real connection with the character, I never felt like I was in their shoes and this problem was exacerbated by the controls.
Ultimately City of the Daleks is a competent adventure game, aimed at those not used to the smarter fare, that uses its license well but never connects on the narrative or gameplay level. The plot is traditional Who, and it is worth the free price of entry for fans in the UK. Those expecting something similar to the rejuvenation of the TV series will be left wanting. However, it does show promise; with spot on visuals and voice work, Sumo have the chance to improve on their first effort and make a truly worthwhile Doctor Who game.
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