I wish they would do Star Wars. :)
The Great Oversight of Telltale Games
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 On 04/08/2013 at 06:11 PM by daftman See More From This User » |
More than any other developer, Telltale Games is responsible for the popular resurgence of graphic adventures. (They also validated the episodic model, but that’s a blog for another day.) They made their name and indeed their business from licenses of popular properties like Sam & Max, Back to the Future, and The Walking Dead. But given their episodic business model and tendency for humor, I think Telltale has overlooked the property best suited to their strengths: Dr. Who.
Dr. Who is a TV show that got its start in Britain in 1963 but a 2005 continuation of the show, still going strong today, has made it quite the popular property. For those who don’t know, the Doctor travels through space and time in his ship called the Tardis, which looks like a blue police box, helping people and thwarting nefarious alien plots. He is usually accompanied by a companion or two (usually a girl). The Doctor isn’t a fan of violence and so uses his wits and vast knowledge to win the day, though sometimes his traveling buddy ends up saving his bacon…and the universe. Depends.
Most episodes take place in a different time and location (except for the occasional two-parter), which is a perfect setup for an episodic game. Telltale could basically pick any time and place in all of history, including the future, for each episode, giving the game limitless possibility and variety. One episode could involve a particle-based alien lifeform attacking factory workers in Industrial Revolution-era England and the next could take place 10,000 years in the future on the other side of the universe. That, my friends, is variety!
The Doctor’s lack of violence makes him the perfect character for a classic adventure game while his companion would be a safeguard against things becoming stale. Need two characters to solve a particular puzzle? Use the companion. Worried things might get too dry? Throw in some witty banter between them. Want to up the ante in the story or make it personal? Have the bad guys kidnap the companion or have her get stuck in a time loop or something. Another plus is the Doctor’s vast knowledge of everything would make it easy to drop hints if any of the puzzles prove too daunting for the player.
The built-in fanbase, episodic nature of the show, endless potential for variety, and inherent adventure game qualities make Dr. Who a perfect fit for Telltale Games. I sure hope someone there gets the same idea because those daleks aren’t going to stop themselves, you know.
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