Doctor Who: The Edge of Reality [Nintendo Switch] | REVIEW

If Doctor Who: The Edge of Reality looks a little familiar to you, it might be because you played the virtual reality-exclusive Doctor Who: The Edge of Time. This acts as an expanded version of that game, bringing with it new gameplay segments as well as the re-introduction of David Tennant’s take on the Doctor, which I’m sure is going to prove to be a hit with a lot of Whovians.

Is the game actually any good to play, though? Well, whilst I can commend its narrative and fan service, the actual gameplay experience was a little bit dull and janky on the Nintendo Switch.

Check out a gallery of screenshots down below:

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The game puts players into the role of an unnamed person who’s lucky enough to become the thirteenth Doctor’s latest companion, as she looks to save the world from some reality-shattering enemies. Typical day in the office then, really. What follows is a journey across time-and-space as you face off against all sorts of iconic enemies and even run into an old familiar face.

From a narrative perspective, Doctor Who: The Edge of Reality is fantastic. The quirky and charming script manages to capture the vibe of the show perfectly, the performance from the actors is top notch, whilst the fan service is impeccable with countless nods to previous Doctors from across the show’s illustrious history. It feels like a high-stakes escapade where there’s a lot at risk, and whilst it’ll mostly appeal to long-time fans of the series, even newbies will be able to get on board with the frantic adventure. Plus, there’s the return of David Tennant… what more could you want?

“The quirky and charming script manages to capture the vibe of the show perfectly, the performance from the actors is top notch, whilst the fan service is impeccable with countless nods to previous Doctors from across the show’s illustrious history.”

Whilst the storytelling is great though, the gameplay leaves a lot to be desired. One of the obvious flaws from the get-go is that the performance on the Nintendo Switch is very inconsistent. Environments feel dark and have some sketchy textures, some of the objects you can interact with look horrible (especially photographs), whilst the frame rate can feel incredibly jittery during some of the game’s busier sequences.

The puzzles could be a bit of a mixed bag too, with a lot simply relying on the player to find items in the environment and put them in the right place – all whilst being clearly directed as to what exactly they need to do by the Doctor. Whilst there are some clever ideas here and there that do challenge the player in different ways, it still all felt a bit too easy. There are some enemies out to get you, with the likes of the Daleks, Cybermen, and Weeping Angels posing a threat to your existence, but the checkpoint system is generous enough that you won’t be set back too far if you get caught.

That’s not to say that it’s all bad though, with some stand out set pieces towards the backend of the game that were a lot of fun to play through. Some of the more cosmic sights you see can be impressive too, especially the Tardis which feels like a brilliant re-creation that captures the sense of scale perfectly. Believe me, walking into the ‘police phone box’ and realising it’s this big ship in real-time was pretty impressive and really made me feel like I was a part of the show.

“There are some enemies out to get you, with the likes of the Daleks, Cybermen, and Weeping Angels posing a threat to your existence, but the checkpoint system is generous enough that you won’t be set back too far if you get caught.”

There’s a lot of extra content when compared to Doctor Who: The Edge of Time too, with the opening sequence a fine example of that. Whilst it was a short sequence with a few minor interactions when played in virtual reality, in Doctor Who: The Edge of Reality you explore a scrapyard, do a bit more puzzle-solving, and even face off directly with a Dalek. There’s a few more cases of this across the game, whilst the third act that includes David Tennant is all-new. It shows that this isn’t just a port from virtual reality, but an extended experience that gives more for the player to do.

That being said, it could feel a little obvious in places that a lot of puzzles were meant to be played in virtual reality, whilst the lack of motion controls did see some interactive aspects feel a bit duller to perform. Some of the game’s more frightening moments packed less punch too, especially when facing off against the Weeping Angels who were terrifying in virtual reality but just somewhat ordinary here. It’s also worth noting that it’s still a short game despite the extra content, with it easily beaten in around three hours (and I was taking my time trying to soak everything in too).

Developer: Maze Theory, Just Add Water
Publisher: Maze Theory
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch (Reviewed), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Website: https://www.doctorwhotheedgeofreality.com/