The BBC has commissioned some heavy UK developers to make four interactive Doctor Who adventures which complement the new series.
Doctor Who was originally broadcast on the BBC in 1963 and ran for 26 years until the series was cancelled in 1989. The campy British sci-fi show was relaunched in 2005 under the guiding hand of writer Russell T Davies and has been running ever since. As part of the next season (or series as our English friends call it), the BBC has announced 4 downloadable game “episodes” that are being developed by Charles Cecil (Broken Sword) and Sumo Digital, and which star the new Doctor, Matt Smith, and his companion Amy, played by Karen Gillan. The first of the four adventure game “episodes” will be available for download on Mac and PC this June.
“There aren’t 13 episodes of Doctor Who this year,” adds Piers Wenger, the executive producer Doctor Who, referring to the number of TV episodes in a British season. “There are 17 – four of which are interactive. Everything you see and experience within the game is part of the Doctor Who universe.”
The dedication to how these “interactive episodes” fit in with the story is unique; as far as the BBC is concerned, they are canon Doctor Who. The writers are working on both the TV series and the videogames simultaneously with the new lead writer, Steven Moffat, being directly involved with the games as executive producer.
Other than the revelation that you assume control of the Doctor and Amy, it is unclear exactly how the games will be played. The fact that they are referred to as “adventure” games leads me to believe that they will be of the old-school point and click variety like Monkey Island or Sam & Max. Which would be awesome. The concept art definitely seems to have a whimsical, cartoony feel.
BBC promises more info is coming, including the titles of the episodes, so we’ll have to wait and see.
