Doctor Who: The Lonely Assassins

Doctor Who: The Lonely Assassins is a wonderful game that takes advantage of the found phone formula to tell an interesting and exciting story.

84%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

music, replayability

85% User Score Based on 334 reviews

Critic Score 83%Based on 8 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $4.75

Buy NowGet on Steam Buy NowGet on Xbox Games Store Buy NowGet on Epic Games Store

About

Doctor Who: The Lonely Assassins is a single player casual role playing game with horror, mystery, thriller and science fiction themes. It was developed by Maze Theory and was released on March 18, 2021. It received positive reviews from both critics and players.

"Doctor Who: The Lonely Assassins" is a single-player horror role-playing game with an excellent story, offering around 3 hours of playtime. In this survival horror, you investigate a chilling disappearance by examining a found phone, solving puzzles, and uncovering hidden clues. The game features mystery, suspense, and cryptic puzzles to solve, partnering with ex-UNIT scientist Petronella Osgood to unravel the truth behind the sinister events.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Doctor Who: The Lonely Assassins screenshot

Skip User Reviews

85%

Audience ScoreBased on 334 reviews

story55 positive mentions

grinding6 negative mentions

Engaging story that expands on the beloved Doctor Who episode 'Blink', featuring familiar characters and lore.
Fun puzzles and gameplay mechanics that keep players invested, with a good mix of horror elements.
Great voice acting and sound design that enhance the immersive experience.

The game is relatively short, taking only about 2-3 hours to complete, which may leave some players wanting more.
Some players may find the gameplay repetitive, as it primarily involves reading texts and clicking through the phone's content.
Lacks significant replay value, as the story is linear and doesn't offer multiple endings or choices.

story
131 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
53%
5%
The story of "Doctor Who: The Lonely Assassins" is a compelling sequel to the iconic "Blink" episode, following Lawrence as players unravel a mystery involving the Weeping Angels. While many fans appreciate the engaging narrative and references to the Doctor Who universe, some critiques highlight a lack of originality and predictability in the plot, with a few finding the ending unsatisfying. Overall, the game offers an immersive experience that appeals to both die-hard fans and newcomers, despite its relatively short length and straightforward gameplay.
- “The story was very compelling and held my attention the entire time I was playing through the game.”
- “The game's story revolves around the player character, who discovers a mysterious phone belonging to a missing person.”
- “Doctor Who: The Lonely Assassins is a fantastic game, providing tons of cool nods to the series, some great gameplay, and an engrossing story.”
- “The story itself was very bland and kind of ruins the Weeping Angels since the concept of them is perfect but ruined by later seasons of Doctor Who.”
- “It's essentially degrading fan service wrapped in abysmal writing with plot holes the size of entire universes.”
- “The problem with this game is if you already watched the 'Blink' episode (which most of you must have watched), there is no plot twist, no surprises, no shocker... from the beginning you already know what happened and the game is just about uncovering the secret that you already know from the beginning.”
gameplay
37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
54%
8%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its linearity and lack of depth, often describing it as basic and repetitive, primarily involving clicking and gathering information. While some appreciate the immersive mechanics and engaging story, others feel it lacks true puzzles and variety, making it less engaging overall. Despite its shortcomings, the game is considered enjoyable for fans of the genre, especially at a discounted price.
- “Controls, graphics, and gameplay are top of the line.”
- “Fun gameplay and an interesting story which manages to appeal to both newcomers and whovians at the same time.”
- “Doctor Who: The Lonely Assassins is a fantastic game, providing tons of cool nods to the series, some great gameplay, and an engrossing story.”
- “I wouldn't really recommend this game to anyone, but the price is cheap and if you manage to get your hands on the game at a discount, it will be worth the few hours of gameplay.”
- “I like how it follows on from the relevant episode, but I feel that there is a tragic lack of gameplay...”
- “Found this really boring, just keep clicking with slow boring dialogue and little to no actual gameplay and completed in 2 hours; on a plus note it was cheap but still feel like I paid too much.”
graphics
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
52%
16%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the impressive quality, immersive visuals, and a blend of live-action footage and stylized graphics. However, some users criticize the simplistic 2D art assets, particularly in the mobile version, which limits visual enhancements and detracts from the overall experience. Overall, while the graphics are generally well-received, there are calls for improvements, especially in the mobile adaptation.
- “To be fair, it was of fantastic quality, and I loved the insanely great graphic inclusions and real-life style of the game.”
- “The game's visuals are well-done, with a mix of live-action footage and stylized graphics.”
- “The game's immersive storytelling, challenging puzzles, and impressive graphics and sound design make it a must-play for fans of the Doctor Who universe and puzzle-solving games in general.”
- “While there are only two options to change the resolution for the mobile app, all this does is scale up the simplistic 2D art assets used to make the mobile app, which makes little or no difference to the graphics quality.”
- “Without any other substantial graphics tweaks, it's not possible for gamers to improve the lackluster 2D visuals.”
- “PS1 graphics are better.”
music
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the well-executed sound design that enhances the horror atmosphere, others feel the background music is too subtle and lacks variety, with only the opening theme standing out. Despite this, the soundtrack has been praised for its nostalgic value and ability to evoke emotions, making it a worthwhile purchase for fans. Overall, the music contributes to the game's ambiance but could benefit from more memorable tracks.
- “The game's sound design is also well-done, with a mix of ambient noises and music that adds to the game's horror elements.”
- “This one pulled me right in instantly, and I can't lie: I was grinning like an idiot when the theme song started and I knew I was going to solve mysteries with none other than my childhood (and, okay, adulthood, too) hero, the doctor!”
- “The voice-overs, music, and sound effects built a creepy atmosphere.”
- “I do wish there were some ambience/music or something going on in the background, but maybe that's the whole point.”
- “Sadly, it doesn’t feature any of the great themes from the show except the opening music.”
- “However, the game doesn't have too many music tracks, so it could be a bit boring playing the game, looking for clues and not hearing anything else.”
replayability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the opportunity to explore different outcomes and storylines, others find it relatively linear with limited replay value. However, many agree that the potential to discover missed content and the game's short length encourage multiple playthroughs, suggesting a decent level of replayability overall. Some players also express a desire for additional features, like achievements, to further enhance this aspect.
- “However, the game's replay value helps to offset this, as players can replay the game to experience different outcomes and storylines.”
- “As I started playing the game, I wasn't sure if there would be much (if any) replay value in this game. However, with further inspection, I realized that there are things that you may miss, so that might just be worth playing through the game again, and that isn't a problem due to the game only being as short as it is.”
- “Overall, a really great way to spend an evening, and it seems like there's some replay value, which I look forward to.”
- “I don't know how much replayability there is.”
- “It felt pretty linear, so not really any replayability (unless you want the one extra clip), but in my opinion it's still worth it.”
- “As I started playing the game, I wasn't sure if there would be much (if any) replay value in this game. Though with further inspection, I realized that there are things that you may miss, so that might just be worth playing through the game again, and that isn't a problem due to the game only being as short as it is.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game is perceived as tedious rather than challenging, with players finding the tasks repetitive and lacking in depth. While some appreciate the immersive world, many feel that the gameplay relies too heavily on monotonous clicking and a drawn-out storyline, detracting from the overall experience.
- “But it feels more tedious than challenging, since you can easily find the information you need.”
- “There's no real investigation or putting clues together, but tedious clicking, interspersed with a bland, overly dragged out storyline.”
- “Puzzles are tedious instead of challenging.”
monetization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of "Doctor Who: The Lonely Assassins" has been criticized as a blatant cash grab, with users feeling it was poorly adapted from a mobile app to a PC game. Reviewers express concern over the game's data collection practices, including sharing personal information with third parties for advertising, suggesting it should have been offered for free as a promotional tool rather than a paid product.
- “Doctor Who: The Lonely Assassins is a mobile app that's been dumped on Steam as if it were a real PC game (it's not)... it's a cash grab from greedy mobile developers. The game seems to have been designed purely to irritate and offend fans of Doctor Who, which, while being a high-quality TV show, doesn't deserve to be presented by such a garbage mobile app.”
- “So there's a trend here... 'Doctor Who and the Cash Grab Mobile App' would be a better title for this.”
- “The developers admit that this data is personally identifying (they sell and share the data with Facebook for advertising profiling!!!!), they're collecting IPs and all kinds of other information about gamers and allowing it to be combined with other profiling data.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its genuinely creepy and immersive qualities, enhanced by effective writing, character development, and strong audio elements like voice-overs and sound effects. It successfully creates a captivating experience that appeals to both fans and newcomers, making it an addictive exploration of a found-phone narrative.
- “Easily the best video game I've ever played with the Doctor Who license - good writing and characters, genuinely creepy atmosphere, and as my first found-phone game, it is worryingly addictive snooping through someone else's phone!”
- “The atmosphere is great and it's a perfect fit into any Whovian's dream.”
- “The voice-overs, music, and sound effects built a creepy atmosphere.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game evokes a mix of spookiness and heartfelt moments, offering a fun yet emotionally charged experience, particularly for fans of the associated show. However, players unfamiliar with the characters may struggle to form a deep emotional connection, as the game seems to rely on prior attachment to enhance its impact. Overall, it successfully delivers a sense of dread while remaining enjoyable.
- “Very spooky, heartfelt (in its making and its story) and really, really fun.”
- “Honestly, I would recommend this; it's a fun little horror puzzle game, which genuinely made me feel dread.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The optimization of the game has received high praise, with users highlighting impressive performances from various characters, particularly noting the contributions of Kaigan, Osgood, Lawrence, and Natasha, as well as Ingrid Oliver's phenomenal performance. Overall, the game's optimization appears to enhance the overall experience significantly.
- “Awesome returns by Kaigan and outstanding performance by both Osgood and Lawrence with the help of Natasha.”
- “Incredible game and phenomenal performance by Ingrid Oliver.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a lighthearted approach that diminishes any horror elements, making the experience more comedic than frightening. Players appreciate the decision to give characters a voice, which adds to the overall humor.
- “They decided to give them a voice (sort of), which takes away all the horror and makes it just funny, not scary.”
- “The witty dialogue and absurd situations had me laughing out loud throughout the game.”
- “The humor is cleverly woven into the gameplay, making even the most mundane tasks entertaining.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users report significant stability issues, with frequent glitches occurring even on newer systems, which detracts from the overall experience. Troubleshooting was often necessary, leading to an underwhelming conclusion for some players.
- “However, the glitches in the game were well-reported, and I'm sorry to say that, even though my computer is relatively new, it kept glitching on mine as well.”
- “The ending felt a tad underwhelming, but I think there are multiple endings. In fairness, that may just be because I had to wait a while and do a lot of troubleshooting to get there!”

Skip Critic Reviews

83%Critics’ scoreBased on 8 critic reviews

Skip Game Offers

Buy Doctor Who: The Lonely Assassins

4h Median play time

4h Average play time

3-5h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

Skip Videos

Videos

Skip Games Like Doctor Who: The Lonely Assassins

81%4.1kreviews

SIMULACRA

2017

Casual Role Playing

+12

56%364reviews

SIMULACRA 3

2022

Role Playing

85%559reviews

SIMULACRA 2

2020

Role Playing

96%912reviews

Enigmatis 2: The Mists of Ravenwood

2014

Casual Puzzle

+12

71%1.7kreviews

Conarium

2017

Puzzle

More games like Doctor Who: The Lonely Assassins

Skip FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Doctor Who: The Lonely Assassins is a casual role playing game with horror, mystery, thriller and science fiction themes.

Doctor Who: The Lonely Assassins is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, iPhone, Windows and others.

On average players spend around 4 hours playing Doctor Who: The Lonely Assassins.

Doctor Who: The Lonely Assassins was released on March 18, 2021.

Doctor Who: The Lonely Assassins was developed by Maze Theory.

Doctor Who: The Lonely Assassins has received positive reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its music.

Doctor Who: The Lonely Assassins is a single player game.

Similar games include SIMULACRA, SIMULACRA 3, SIMULACRA 2, Enigmatis 2: The Mists of Ravenwood, Conarium and others.

Doctor Who: The Lonely Assassins

Platforms