Despite criticisms from some over its violent and sexually explicit content, Grand Theft Auto is one of the most successful and critically acclaimed game franchises of all time. Which is thanks in part to it being a sandbox game; a game with a linear story but that also has an enormous central world where the player can do as they please while advancing the story at a pace that suits them. GTA did this so well that even Lego ended up going after a piece of the action with Lego City Undercover. Although a Doctor Who sandbox game would have to ditch the car-jackings, prostitutes and mass murder, it could greatly utilise the mechanics of a sandbox game while remaining suitable for all ages. After all, Spider-Man 2 managed it pretty well. The only barriers to a decent sandbox game based on Doctor Who would be limiting it to only a few environments (even sandbox games have their technical limits) while still telling a decent story, and integrating the Doctor into it. A sandbox game with a pacifist heros going to get pretty boring after a while. Then again, it might be another case of bringing back the Doctors talent for Venusian Aikido so that the sudden fistfights with criminals from Spider-Man 2 can be adapted to break the monotony once in a while.
JG Moore is a writer and filmmaker from the south of England. He also works as an editor and VFX artist, and has a BA in Media Production from the University Of Winchester.
