Thworping through time and space, one adventure at a time!

“ALIEN ARENA: A CHOOSE-YOUR-OWN-ADVENTURE DONE RIGHT”

After the underwhelming experience of The Spaceship Graveyard, expectations for Alien Arena, the second Decide Your Destiny book, weren’t high. But this one turned out to be a pleasant surprise, thanks to three key elements that elevate it above the usual interactive book fare.

A MORE IMMERSIVE POV

One of the best decisions here is to frame the story from the perspective of a child. Rather than having the reader step into the Doctor’s shoes, Alien Arena casts you as a regular Earth kid caught up in an extraordinary adventure. This instantly makes the experience more immersive and the dangers more tangible—you’re not some all-knowing Time Lord, just an ordinary person trying to make the right choices. The book allows for a range of approaches, whether cautious, brave, or downright reckless, making the choices feel more personal.

MEANINGFUL CHOICES

Where some Decide Your Destiny books fall flat by offering inconsequential choices, Alien Arena ensures that many of the decisions actually impact the narrative. The previous book, as well as some later entries in the series, suffered from choices that felt arbitrary—paths that led to nearly identical outcomes, making them feel hollow. Here, there’s a genuine weight to your decisions, even if some moments still funnel into the same result. You find yourself pausing to consider the potential consequences, which makes for a much more engaging reading experience.

A STORY WORTH REPLAYING

Unlike many Choose Your Own Adventure books that feel thin on narrative, Alien Arena is packed with enough depth to encourage multiple readthroughs. Different choices unlock different aspects of the world, meaning you can go through a significant portion of the book without even encountering the Doctor or Martha. The titular alien arena fight sequence can stretch across several decisions, depending on the path you take. That said, while the setting is compelling, the supporting characters aren’t quite as memorable as those in Terror Moon.

CONSISTENTLY ENGAGING, BUT A RUSHED ENDING

The writing maintains a solid flow, keeping the tension and excitement levels high. One of the book’s strengths is that the Doctor and Martha aren’t shoehorned into every moment, allowing for an adventure that feels genuinely player-driven. However, the ending can feel a bit abrupt, sometimes resolving itself in an overly convenient, deus ex machina fashion—very much in line with RTD’s signature storytelling style.

📝VERDICT: 7/10

Alien Arena is one of the rare Decide Your Destiny books that truly delivers an engaging interactive experience. With a relatable protagonist, meaningful choices, and a setting rich enough to justify multiple playthroughs, it stands out as one of the stronger entries in the series. While some paths still feel predetermined and the ending can be rushed, the overall execution makes this a Doctor Who adventure worth revisiting.