[vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=37&v=rNmw4ifALC8 ” align=”center”][vc_column_text]For those who don’t know I’ve been a Whovian (a Doctor Who enthusiast) ever since a now defunct channel in Canada named TVOntario played re-runs of the Tom Baker led episodes of Doctor Who in the 1980s.
There’s a reason why Doctor Who is the longest running sci fi series in the world. Actually, there are a lot of reasons for that. And all of them are perfectly captured and encapsulated within the soon to be released VR Game, Doctor Who – The Edge of Time.
I was fortunate enough to get a demo of the game at San Diego Comic Con 2019. I’m an early adopter of all things VR and I firmly believe this innovative technology will be the future of gaming, education, and entertainment. Kiron Ramdear, one of the producers of the Doctor Who VR experience who personally took me through the demo, not only agreed with my sentiments towards VR but also told me to keep my expectations very high for this latest Doctor Who offering.
And he was right to do so! Within seconds of putting on the VR headset I was in the world of Doctor Who, or rather the Doctor’s world. In this game you play as the Doctor’s companion and not the Doctor herself. This is an interesting element that makes a lot of sense and that also further differentiates this VR experience from others.
The graphics, the visuals, the fairly intuitive use of the controls and the iconic sonic screwdriver were spot on. However, I wasn’t prepared for the auditory experience. There’s nothing quite like hearing the Doctor’s voice guiding you along your journey, or a Dalek screaming ‘Exterminate’ in your ear, or (my personal favorite) hearing the Tardis materialize nearby.
The immersive experience offered through the use of VR was masterfully displayed in the demo. Kiron Ramdewar provided a great amount of detail into how the Doctor Who VR Experience wasn’t so much produced as it was crafted. After playing the demo I’d have to agree as the gameplay was artwork in motion.
Another element I found really intriguing was the level of problem solving involved. The demo had me assemble some sort of transmitter from spare parts lying around and then activate it with the sonic screwdriver in order to summon the Tardis. It felt a lot like an escape room with the added ‘benefit’ of a Dalek spacecraft about to descend upon me.
Of course, I had questions.
Will there be other Doctors available? There’s no denying the greatness of Jodie Whittaker but let’s face it; we all have our favorite doctors. And as I mentioned earlier, I’d love to have the voice of Tom Baker guiding me through some adventures while facing off against screaming angels.
The answer is that at the moment there are no plans to add other doctors but that could change based off the demand for the product. Not that I can see into the future but I’m fairly confident demand will be quite strong.
However, I did put the demo to one more test which would tell me everything I needed to know. I witnessed a person go through the demo who was not familiar with Doctor Who and therefore had no expectations. Once they finished the demo the smile and excited expression on their face revealed everything, namely that the Doctor Who VR Experience will make Whovians around the world rejoice and that it will also be the most amazing introduction to the Doctor Who universe to many more.
As a Doctor Who enthusiast I give the Doctor Who VR Experience a 10 out of 10!
Keep an eye out for Doctor Who: The Edge of Time coming to both Oculus Quest and the Rift Platform later this year,
Written by James Gavsie
Producer and Host of the Who Would Win Show
www.whowouldwinshow.com[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
