Clock Tower: Rewind on Nintendo Swap comes with numerous bonus gadgets for followers of the unique 1995 launch. There’s an artwork gallery, a music participant, an interview with the sport’s creator…downside is, I’m undecided this recreation has many followers.
That’s not meant as a slight on the sport. Clock Tower: Rewind is an effective survival horror throwback, nevertheless it had by no means been launched outdoors of Japan. The majority of Swap gamers, then, are much less prone to have an interest within the nostalgia and extra into enhancements to make the sport extra trendy. WayForward’s launch does include just a few of these, however not fairly sufficient to earn a full advice.
The gothic horror begins when 4 teenage orphans are adopted and brought to a desolate mansion on the finish of a protracted, wooded stroll. It’s by no means an excellent signal for orphan ladies once they can’t attain their new dad and mom’ dwelling by automotive, and issues go predictably south in a rush. The orphanage director, Mary, disappears. Jennifer goes to search for her, solely to listen to her pals scream earlier than they, too, are gone. After a quick search and an assault by a peculiarly aggressive parrot, Jennifer finds one among her pals useless by the hands of a dude with an enormous pair of scissors. Worse, Scissor-Dude now has his sights set on Jennifer.
That proper there may be all the pieces that you must know in regards to the normal gameplay. Jennifer will spend the sport looking the mansion for Mary and her remaining pals whereas uncovering clues in regards to the mansion’s historical past, all whereas being chased by the notably tenacious Scissorman. Clock Tower: Rewind is, kind of, a point-and-click journey with survival horror components.
I fairly preferred that in regards to the recreation. I grew up on puzzle-adventures that required you to “save early, save typically,” so that is my type of haunted home. Sadly, the console implementation isn’t as pleasant because it might be. The participant strikes Jennifer left and proper in a 2D, side-scrolling atmosphere utilizing the L and R buttons. X stops her. That is OK, as Jennifer is brilliant sufficient to chop corners and open doorways robotically. And while you’re being pursued by Scissorman, it’s nice that his supposed sufferer is sensible sufficient to run on her personal. That lets you concentrate on hiding spots, however that’s additionally the place issues get dicey.
The participant makes use of the L- and R-sticks to maneuver the cursor in regards to the display screen. This, after all, just isn’t very exact. That’s OK while you’re not below stress. It’s extremely irritating, nonetheless, when you must shortly pinpoint a small merchandise to flee Scissorman. If the builders had widened the detection space of doorknobs, for instance, or applied some kind of snap-to course of, the survival horror components would appear rather more honest. Because it stands, I saved yelling at Jennifer as a result of she couldn’t work out the right way to open a door, and I don’t wish to be that man…particularly contemplating the recreation’s Jennifer is impressed by Jennifer Connelly’s character from David Argento’s Phenomena. In truth, followers of ’70s and ’80s horror will certainly wish to take discover, as Clock Tower: Rewind’s story and visuals are instantly impressed by David’s works.
One other downside is that the puzzles are typical of the timeframe in that they very often make no sense; you’ll positively have to depend on both trial and error or Web and walkthrough. In the event you’re courageous sufficient to go along with the previous, you can too rely on loads of backtracking to seek for gadgets you’ll want to maneuver issues alongside or to get totally different endings on subsequent play-throughs.
Though the controls and random puzzles don’t work that effectively, almost all the pieces else does. The power to typically arrange traps for Scissorman could be very rewarding while you pull them off efficiently. I additionally cherished that Jennifer’s stamina comes into play; the extra drained she is, the extra doubtless she is to stumble in her escape makes an attempt. Retaining her rested is vital to survival.
Lastly, the graphics and “units” are unbelievable. Though the mansion is oddly barren, it’s offered in a splendidly creepy manner that—when coupled with the chilling audio results—manages to supply good, typically surprising leap scares. The sport can also be designed for a number of playthroughs. There are quite a few endings to achieve, and merchandise placement is randomized. Clock Tower: Rewind is a recreation you might revisit every Halloween (or at any time when the temper strikes) and get a reasonably new expertise every time.
Once more, although, one of these recreation is not going to attraction to everybody. Its controls and method to puzzle fixing are lengthy useless and buried, and so they shouldn’t be exhumed. And though the bonus content material is insightful, most of it (except for save states) doesn’t actually push the gameplay ahead. Followers of nostalgic horror and puzzle/journey video games shall be rewarded for adopting Clock Tower: Rewind regardless of its intrinsic frustrations, however others will doubtless wish to go away this one orphaned within the eShop.
