Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock
- November 15, 2012
- Supermassive Games
- 10h median play time
Dr Who is back and River Song is along for the ride. Take on some of the series' infamous enemies and face a race against time. Fans will love this... the rest of you, not so much
"Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock" is a Sci-Fi Platformer game featuring both local multi-player and single-player options. Players can control the Doctor and River Song in this exciting adventure through time and space to save Earth. The game boasts a fantastic story and good music, but can be buggy at times.
PC
Windows
PlayStation
Playstation 3
Playstation Vita
Reviews
- The game features voice acting from Matt Smith and Alex Kingston, which adds authenticity for Doctor Who fans.
- The puzzles are simple yet enjoyable, making the game accessible for a wide range of players.
- The story captures the essence of Doctor Who, providing an engaging experience for fans of the series.
- The game is plagued by numerous bugs and glitches, particularly with AI behavior and level progression.
- The ending feels incomplete, as it is part one of a trilogy that has no plans for sequels.
- The gameplay can be frustrating due to unresponsive controls and poorly designed puzzles.
- story49 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 51 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The story of the game is generally well-received by Doctor Who fans, praised for its engaging narrative and strong voice acting, capturing the essence of the show despite some criticisms of being simplistic or leaving players hanging at the end. While some players found the plot to be mediocre or convoluted, many appreciated the nostalgic elements and connections to the Doctor Who universe, making it a worthwhile experience for fans. However, technical issues and gameplay mechanics detracted from the overall enjoyment for some, highlighting a need for improvement in execution.
“The story is very interesting and makes the game more dramatic.”
“The story and voice acting for this game is amazing.”
“I love how the game makes connections to the storyline of the show in little ways and through comments the characters make.”
“The story was meant to be the first part in a series, but the others weren't made, so the game leaves you hanging a bit at the end.”
“What makes things just that extra bit worse is that there’s barely a story to help try to hold this all together.”
“The faithfulness to the show structure is apparent but whovians can only appreciate this intermittently as they struggle to overlook the stack of cons that overwhelm, not least in the middling story and sub-par visuals.”
- gameplay33 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has received mixed to negative feedback, with many players highlighting a stark contrast between the enjoyable mechanics of certain levels and the frustrating design of others. Common complaints include game-breaking bugs, basic movement mechanics, and a lack of engaging elements, leading to an overall experience that feels underwhelming despite some redeeming features for fans of the franchise. While some players found enjoyment in the story and certain gameplay aspects, the consensus suggests that the gameplay fails to inspire or provide a smooth experience.
“I like the stealth mechanics as I feel that running and hiding is the only way to survive, and also the climbing is amazing.”
“The gameplay is engaging and the puzzles are challenging; the added bonus of choosing puzzle difficulty is awesome.”
“This game is so fun; the gameplay and the graphics would be 10/10.”
“The gameplay is horrible - the adventure games were more fun than this.”
“Through the game, I had to restart from the checkpoint around 5 times because of gameplay bugs.”
“The mechanics are terrible.”
- stability25 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is plagued by numerous bugs and glitches that significantly hinder the overall experience, including issues with AI behavior and controls. While some players find enjoyment in the story and voice acting, the persistent technical problems and lack of a reliable checkpoint system lead to frustration and repetitive gameplay. Overall, the stability of the game is a major concern, making it difficult to recommend without reservations.
“Sometimes the voice acting is horrible and the game is rather buggy, and I ended up restarting the game several times.”
“Though Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock is very buggy for a game that should be of better quality than what is given.”
“What really takes away from the tension and pacing of the game are the persistent glitches and technical problems which plague the experience from start to finish.”
- music20 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The music in the game, primarily drawn from the original series and composed by Murray Gold, is widely praised for its authenticity and epic quality, enhancing the overall experience for fans. While some reviewers rated the music around 6 to 8 out of 10, they appreciated the inclusion of voice acting from Matt Smith and Alex Kingston, which adds to the immersion. Overall, the soundtrack and sound effects contribute positively to the game's atmosphere, despite some criticisms regarding gameplay mechanics.
“Should also mention the very wise move of using Murray Gold's music from the series, adds a real authentic feel to proceedings.”
“Contains the best music from the show as well as official voice acting, which makes the game a lot more immersive for a Doctor Who fan.”
“Matt Smith's and Alex Kingston's voices, the original soundtrack, hilarious quotes, and a fun storyline truly make this game a Whovian's dream come true.”
“Music: 6/10 (music taken from the show, but it's so good!)”
“The game looks decent and the ambient sound effects and music are culled directly from the show.”
“Should also mention the very wise move of using Murray Gold's music from the series; it adds a real authentic feel to proceedings.”
- graphics17 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with scores ranging from 5/10 to 9/10. While some players appreciate the visual improvements over previous titles, noting that they are "really nice" and a "step up," others criticize the presence of glitches, texture popping, and inconsistent performance, particularly in single-player mode. Overall, the graphics are seen as decent but hindered by technical issues that detract from the experience.
“Graphics are really good for a little game dating back to 2012.”
“First of all, the graphics are really nice, much better than in the adventure games.”
“This game is so fun, the gameplay and the graphics would be 10/10.”
“Graphics are a middle-of-the-road 'okay'.”
“The faithfulness to the show structure is apparent but whovians can only appreciate this intermittently as they struggle to overlook the stack of cons that overwhelm, not least in the middling story and sub-par visuals.”
“The video options menu won’t save your chosen settings, so you are forced to use the default graphic profiles (low, medium or high), which is also annoying, and frequently, you will notice popping textures.”
- humor7 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its amusing sound cues, quirky animations, and witty dialogue, particularly from characters like Matt Smith. Players enjoy engaging in silly antics, such as inappropriate gestures and voice spamming, which add a lighthearted touch to the gameplay. Overall, the combination of funny quotes, entertaining mechanics, and a playful storyline makes it a delightful experience for fans.
“Also, this game has a lot of funny things to do, such as inappropriate gestures made by spamming the sonic screwdriver, voice spamming (clicking on collected hats repeatedly), and somewhat broken animations to mess around with!”
“The ability to point your sonic screwdriver and use it to mess with stuff is pretty damn funny, and it's cool to personally evade and defeat the Daleks in a post-apocalyptic London while listening to Matt Smith's occasional witty one-liners.”
“But I think that it's really cool going from the present to the future to the past and back again; the dialogue is also hilarious.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players note that the presence of collectables, such as pages and hats, enhances the game's replayability, providing motivation to explore further. However, some reviewers feel that despite these elements, the overall gameplay experience can be frustrating, leading to a perception that replay value is limited.
“These collectibles are quite easy to find, and they give the game some replay value, simply by looking for the pages and hats.”
“All in all, I liked the story, but the gameplay is irritating and replay value is nonexistent.”
“These collectables are quite easy to find, and they give the game some replay value, simply just looking for the pages and hats.”
“These achievements really add to the replay value of the game.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional impact of the game is hindered by standard voice acting from Matt and Alex, which feels disconnected and lacks the depth expected, suggesting that it may have been sourced from unrelated TV series clips rather than being specifically recorded for the game.
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, with uninspired environments and repetitive puzzles that detract from the overall experience. The lack of engaging action sequences further emphasizes the frustration, particularly in a genre that typically thrives on dynamic gameplay.
“Once you step outside of the ship, you are met with drab environments and quickly tedious puzzles, leading to dull action sequences. This highlights the argument that a non-violent protagonist doesn’t work in an action-adventure game.”
“The grinding in this game feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged with the story or characters.”
“I found myself doing the same tasks over and over again just to level up, which made the gameplay feel more like a chore than an adventure.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game is not directly addressed in the provided text, which focuses on the strong voice performances of Alex Kingston and Matt Smith as River and the Doctor. Therefore, no specific insights on optimization can be drawn from this review.
