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Clock Tower is a scary game. No, really - it will actually frighten you. The premise may sound silly, but believe me, this game will make you jump more often than you want. The story (as outlined in the prologue) goes like this: A disfigured mass murderer called Scissorman is on the loose, cutting up the citizens of Norway, and you must piece together clues to stop him. Sound simple? Well, it isn't. Clock Tower combines a point-and-click, 3D interface with some of the toughest puzzles since Myst for an interactive quest littered with twists and turns. Even if you do make it through many of the game's situations, you still must avoid the blades of the Scissorman, who is out to hack you up.
Playing Clock Tower is simple, but actually getting anywhere can be hard. The interface lets you point and click your way through each scene, but the game's puzzles are rather challenging. Solving the mystery of the Scissorman is no easy task, but, as a variety of characters, you can slowly navigate your way through the game's story and around Scissorman's blade (by hiding under and behind furniture). When you complete the game, you are treated to one of the game's many different endings. If Scissorman gets you, you'll have to be buried in about 18 coffins.
The 3D graphics in Clock Tower are more than you would expect for a game like this, providing a cinematic level of detail to each scene. The music also compliments the game; every time Scissorman is near, the eerie music lets you know that he is coming to get you. Clock Tower truly feels like an interactive horror film, and not since Resident Evil has a game gotten down the familiarly haunting feeling so well. From the cut scenes to the dialogue, this game sets up a good mix of terror and story, and things come to a peak with the (somewhat) violent scenes that occur when you (or someone else) gets sliced.
While Clock Tower is similar to Resident Evil, it definitely has its own feel - yes, the game is scary, but the style of gameplay is much slower than adventure game players are accustomed. If you like games that involve a good amount of detective work, Clock Tower is worth picking up. The detailed storyline and immersive gameplay are sure to win over a set of gamers that don't find enough cerebral stimulation in today's current crop of games. If you want faster-paced blood and gore though, your needs are better served with Resident Evil: Director's Cut or the upcoming Resident Evil 2. Clock Tower is hardly revolutionary, but it is very refreshing. --Glenn Rubenstein
--Copyright ©1999 GameSpot Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of GameSpot is prohibited. GameSpot and the GameSpot logo are trademarks of GameSpot Inc.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Let's play, Jennifer...,
= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars
This review is from: Clock Tower (Video Game)
I will admit this...I have played this game far too much in my lifetime. I've gotten all the endings multiple times, memorized every nook and cranny, and I'm getting the Japanese version in the mail just so I can see the translation differences between the two games. But this game really is something worth all that effort and time I put into it. Now, before I get started, I'll let you know that this game isn't for everyone. In fact, this game seems to elicit a response only from a select group of horror enthusiasts, rather than a widespread throng of gamers in general. But if you're willing to read the review and give the game a chance, read on.
If you played Clock Tower 3 first, please note that this game is nothing like that horrible Echo Night ripoff. The only things that are similar are: 1. Serial killer out to kill the main character. 2. A female main character (Though this game has many more characters to play.) 3. Running away and hiding. Gameplay mechanics: 4/5 The entire game is controlled using a simplistic point-and-click system, so if you're not into that sort of thing, you've been warned. You have to click on things to either get clues behind the mysterious and twisted Scissorman, or just to save your own life when it's in danger. There is no combat (unlike Ghosthead/The Struggle Within, where you can use guns), but you don't really need it, as that adds to the terror when Scissorman chases you. Though guns don't really work on Scissorman anyway (if you played the game, you know what I mean). Depending on which character you play, your character will be faster or able to do more things (Jennifer can hide in even the most obscure areas, while Helen can do more 'hit Scissorman' escapes), which, especially in the last area, affects your hiding strategies (though there's still the 'failsafe' in the castle--at least if you aren't on red cursor), which diversifies gameplay. The idea this brought about was nice, but it could frustrate some gamers (it did to me at first)--especially since it isn't even put in the instruction manual. Also, the multiple endings adds for some nice replay value, though if you know the game you can breeze through getting them easily. But it's a pain to go through all those 'intermission' scenes again. >.< A hint: Save in the prologue right before talking to Harris about the statue, so that you can play as whichever character you picked (have one file for Helen, one for Jennifer) without having to sit through as much boring stuff! Graphics: 2/5 These graphics suck. For their time, they were some of the best, but with some of the stuff they did with the game (not spoiling anything!), I just say that this game was made at the wrong time graphics-wise, and would have been better off on something like the PS2 or even the Xbox 360 (That would have been AWESOME). The characters look like legos for the most part, but the enviroments were pretty good. The movements were also okay, but overall...yeah. The graphics suck. Sound: 5/5 The sound--well, what there is of it anyway--is nice and clear. The music was well-composed, and the sound effects were realistic sounding enough, though I wish Scissorman's "SHINK" sound effect was the same one used in the CD dramas rather than the unrealistic shinging that is in the game. But the sound will make you jump, and adds more to the atmosphere than any graphics set can. Story: 4/5 This story is badly translated, and Human purposely put Cheesy voices to replace the good English dialogue in the original Japanese version, but the plot was essentially the same (some differences in the small details, but if you haven't played the first game on SNES or PSX in Japanese, then you won't have to worry about plotline translation inconsistencies): Jennifer Simpson was one of two survivors of the Clock Tower Murders a year ago, so she's constantly harassed by reporters and police about the case. She stayed under the wing of a psychology assistant, Helen Maxwell, and tried to live a normal life, despite what happened to her. Just as the nightmares were going away, Scissorman strikes again, and she's not sure if she's going to survive this time... Typical horror movie plot, but it works for this game. Though the dialogue is really cheesy, and you'll find yourself laughing more at the dialogue than actually getting into the story (unlike me, who got into it regardless). But even if you think the story's stupid, listening to the characters is certain to give you a chuckle. Or make you claw your ears out with plastic sporks. Whichever. Overall: 5/5 With great sound, frightening atmosphere, and some B-movie moments, Clock Tower is a cult classic that should please the people who decide to dust off the cover and play it.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not for everyone,
By A Customer
This review is from: Clock Tower (Video Game)
I liked this game a lot. It is somewhat similar in looks to Resident Evil. But as opposed to the resident evil games, there is no fighting. It is also a pretty easy game. When your enemy, the scissorman is near, creepy music starts to play and you have to hide or do something to make him retreat. It takes place in Norway, and there are several settings, including an office building, a library, and an old mansion. there are (i believe) 8 possible endings. It has some gore, but if you're really into challenging games and shoot-em-ups, this game will probably disappoint. But if you like a more nonviolent (but still scary), puzzle solving game like D, you'll like this.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ooooh, now THAT's scary,
By "thetornpr1nc3" (Ypsilanti, MI USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Clock Tower (Video Game)
This survival horror game is quite possibly the best one of all time. It has its downfalls, of course, one of which is the method of movement. Its a point and click based game, like a computer mouse. You get used to it really quick though. The graphics arent THE BEST either, but its PLAYSTATION. What do you expect? Now that I'm done reporting the bad things about it, lets go on to the good things. Every time you play the game, it is COMPLETELY RANDOM when and where Scissorman shows up. This has a tendency to scare the hell out of you (for those of you who have played this game, I HATE turning the light on in the fish tank room in the library...you know what I'm talking about). Your actions and speed determine who lives and who survives. If you think seeing one of your comrades dead is bad, you should sit and watch them get killed! Its quite disturbing actually. And on a final note, I would comment on the music, but there is very little. This game proves with solid evidence that there is nothing scarier than hearing the sound of your own footsteps echoing throughout silent halls....ooh scary. (FACT - this is not really the first CLOCK TOWER game. The original one, which we in the US call "Clock Tower - The First Fear", was released for the Super Famicom in Japan. It was never released here, but you can find a ROM for it in English on www.edgeemu.com)
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