🎮 Clock Tower is a point-and-click survival horror game inspired by the 1985 film Phenomena, released in 1995 for the Super Famicom. The game features a notorious character known as the Scissor Man who chases players through a mansion.
🗓️ The original game was never released outside Japan, but it achieved decent sales, leading to further entries in the series. A PlayStation version titled Clock Tower: The First Fear was later released, confusingly marketed as Clock Tower 2 in North America.
📉 Despite initial success, the franchise struggled with subsequent releases. Clock Tower 2: The Struggle Within and its spin-off Clock Tower: Ghost Head were poorly received, leading to the closure of Human Entertainment by 2000.
🔄 The series was later acquired by Sunsoft, and Clock Tower 3 was released, which drastically changed gameplay and ultimately flopped, leaving the franchise dormant for over 20 years.
🕰️ Recently, Clock Tower Rewind has been released, allowing players outside Japan to experience the original game. This version includes enhanced graphics, new cutscenes, and gameplay refinements.
🧩 The gameplay remains a point-and-click adventure where players control Jennifer, who must solve puzzles and evade the Scissor Man. The game features a randomized mansion layout, requiring thorough exploration.
⚡ Players can utilize hiding spots and traps against the Scissor Man, adding tension to encounters. The game also includes a rewind mode for correcting mistakes, making it more accessible to modern players.
🎨 Visually, the game retains its 16-bit pixel art style, enhanced with new animations and sound design that captures the horror atmosphere effectively. The soundtrack includes new tracks, enhancing the overall experience.
🏆 Overall, Clock Tower Rewind is a thoughtful re-release that respects the original while adding modern features. It has been awarded the silver Genie lamp of approval for its quality and nostalgic value.