The Fifth Doctor, Tegan and Turlough have materialised in an apartment. They find a couple, named Simon and Joanne, who welcome them and offer refreshment. The couple act strangely, wanting to change Tegan and Turlough’s names. They tell the Doctor they don’t work, they just play. He gets them to explain by pretending it’s a game. They play a game called Lant Land. On a screen they watch people live their lives.

Tegan and Turlough explore while Simon and Joanne talk with the Doctor. Simon explains that the Lants were such perfect simulations that people downloaded themselves into the Lants to play the game.