Audio Club: The Game

It’s time to listen to and discuss The Game

Buy it online using the link above.

Even if you listened to it before and just want to discuss it - dive right in! Just please use spoiler tags!

Everyone who participates will get a coveted Audio Club badge! :medal_military:

Just for fun, add your rating here:

Select your rating (out of 10):
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10
0 voters
3 Likes

I remember this one was, bizarrely, six parts and featured William Russell not as Ian Chesterton.

Hasn’t it got a sports commentator in it too? Ah yes, Jonathan Pearce - a football commentator.

Beyond that, I remember nothing.

2 Likes

The Fifth Doctor early MR stories have just slipped right off my brain because I yet again have no memory of this but an inkling that I didn’t really like it

2 Likes

Yeah, I was not a fan of this one. But then again, it’s a Five & Nyssa story, so it shouldn’t be surprising. Even William Russell can’t save it. I like the idea but dislike the execution.

5/10

The Game sets itself up as a brutal satire of war as sport, but despite a promising first third and a welcome return from William Russell, it ultimately fizzles out. The story lacks the character depth, political sophistication, or narrative momentum needed to turn its clever premise into something memorable. A decent arena concept gives way to dry, drawn-out diplomacy and a naff villain twist, making this one of the more forgettable Fifth Doctor and Nyssa outings. It’s not unlistenable, but it’s hard to care about the final score.

You’re welcome to read my full review below (spoilers hidden):

2 Likes

Excellent review as ever, but I’m always curious - how do you arrive at an out of 100 rating ?

2 Likes

Time to play The Game muahahahahaha

1 Like

I find it frustrating that its a 6 part story but the parts are ridiculously short

1 Like

Oh, The Game.

Where do I begin with The Game?

This story, this f**king story, let me tell you, is something else man.

I can not begin to describe just how abysmal this audio is, but here’s 1600 words of me attempting to:

Full review here, if you enjoy, please leave a like

3 Likes

i legit never heard of this story.

I usually look at roughly five different aspects of a story - writing, characters, atmosphere, pacing, and general enjoyment. I rate all of them 1-10 and then take their average as my score. I then present it as xx/100 just because I think it looks nicer.

So 83/100 is the same as 8.3/10 or 4.15/5.

3 Likes

This is just a bizarre story for me. There’s a lot I like about it: the satire on sport hooliganism, the tribalism aspect of sport, the idea of the sport as an aspect of the military-industrial complex, war profiteering as gambling, gamification of war. It just doesn’t stick the landing though. Massive spans of nothing happening in between five plot points coming out of nowhere. The story may be six parts but it’s the same length as a 4 parter and it doesn’t have the room to do what it wants to do. I really want to like it and there are parts that I genuinely do like. But overall, it doesn’t stick the landing.

Also:

3 Likes

So, I am FINALLY caught up with the audio club!!! Huzzah! I do however feel tempted to continue with the 6/Evelyn ones just outside the club… Can I do that? Idk what prerequisites are needed.

Okay the story itself had me actually quite hooked for at least the first half, even 3/4’s despite a fw issues. My main problems were you had to suspend your disbelief far too many times. Why did Nyssa not share the info about Carlisle with the Doctor immediately and wait for him to find out ages later? It felt like the ending just was super predictable with Faye turning against them and the villain itself was just rather rubbish. Some good parts and good elements to this but overall felt me feeling meh. I wonder if this was some inspiration for River Song’s storyline…

Oh also on the 6 part thing, it didn’t bother me at all. I prefer a 4 parter anyday, but it was kinda refreshing almost do have a shorter 6 parter, but I’m not sure why it was needed.

2.5/5

4 Likes

How far into Evelyn are you?

2 Likes

I’ve done every MR up to and including The Game! So my last one was Medicinal Purposes.

1 Like

Oh that’s fine, the Evelyn ones after Arrangements in the release order are before it in timeline order

1 Like

Hmm, I might I’m not 100% sure, I think a break from the MR will be good as I’ve done nearly 30 ish back-to-back :sob:

2 Likes

None up until The Crimes of Thomas Brewster, which requires The Haunting of Thomas Brewster if you want to know who Brewster is!

Evelyn also appears in a standalone Companion Chronicle and the Seventh Doctor story A Death in the Family which requires a few of Seven, Ace and Hex’s audios.

3 Likes