Super Nintendo
Clock Tower
| Graphics: Sound: Gameplay: Overall: |
7.68 7.71 8.12 7.94 |
| Votes: | 34 |
| Reviews: | 2 |
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| Reviewer: The Subhuman | Date: Jun 16, 2002 |
| I got this game expecting a "survival horror" advernture similar to Alone in the Dark, or, to a lesser extent, Resident Evil. While my expectations weren't exactly met, I was completely blown away and much happier with the game than I probably would have been if it were an Alone in the Dark knock off. Graphics: 8 I thought this game was decent looking, but most of the graphics are pretty much hit or miss. The things that need to look good do, and the things that don't range from good to terrible (the staircases look particularily gaudy). The characters look really good most of the time, but when you're playig the game full screen (which is almost necessary), there's some very obvious pixelization, but it's nothing too serious. The animation is pretty smooth, but there are a lot of cheap tactics used that didn't really need to be. Also, I'm not a big fan of the still screens that the game uses for some of the scenarios, but they get their point across. I liked how the characters scaled in and out of the background. It sort of adds a dimension to the gameplay. I was also very impressed with one particular scene where the developers used the foreground to make it look like the camera was rotating instead of simply scrolling past it. The main thing is that the environments are detailed enough to set the mood that the game is trying to achieve, and it does a great job with that. Sound: 7 There's not really much music through most of the game since it's normally triggered through an event of some sort, but it adds mood to the game so it's fine with me. Still, the music that does play is great and doesn't detract from the ambience, if not add to it. The sound effects are pretty cheap, but it's kind of amazing considering how much they crammed in here. There's a couple a vocal tracks in here, but all the dialogue between characters is text based, so you're pretty much getting things like screams, shreiks, and noises from objects in the environment. I thought it was pretty lame that your footsteps sound the same no matter what you're walking on, but I was still pretty impressed with the sounds as a whole. It offers a lot more than most SNES games do. Gameplay: 10 This is one of those games that really avoids getting placed in any particular genre due to it's unique control scheme and gameplay perspective. I guess you could call it a point and click game because of it's cursor interface, but it's really not because you have direct control over your character the whole time except when you're interacting with objects. I'd say this is an adventure game with an interface inspired by point and click games. And to me, the interface works much better than having to walk directly on top of an object and then pressing a button like you do in Alone in the dark. I find the control scheme pretty ingenious. You move your character with the buttons on your controller and move the cursor with the d-pad. This setup would work great with a SNES-style controller, but it unfortunately doesn't translate well to the keyboard, so if you use one be prepared to spend a good deal of the game trying to get used to it. In addition to this, you also have a panic button. While it's a unique and interesting addition, it's not exactly a gameplay defining feature. Overall: 9 Overall I think I can say that I enjoyed this game more than I did AitD and Resident Evil. The general ambience is done better than any game I've ever played, which is especially impressive since the technology it's running is much weaker than the games I've compared it to, and it fits the term "survival horror" better than Resident Evil just for the fact that there are no weapons to defeat enemies with. Your only way to get away from them is to run. I like to think of the panic button as a second chance because if an enemy does catch you, you have a chance to get away from it. And fortunately, if you do die, you can always start from the last room you entered since the game automatically saves and gives you unlimited continues. The story is great, although it is a bit convoluted and never really explains itself. You have to piece most of it together by yourself, but it isn't too hard to figure out. And since there are so many different endings you have to play through the game thoroughly to get every last bit of story out of the game. It's also cool that there's more than one way to escape from the house. My only regret is that the game is so short. A normal game is normally just an hour our so long, if that. but even with all of it's shortcomings, it's a great game, and even if you don't like it, it's definitely an experience. There's really no way to describe the genius of this game. All I can say is that I'm in love with it. |
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| Reviewer: Chanlin007 | Date: Feb 3, 2002 |
| Wow, I just got this game, and about an hour later I'm writing this review. Sufficing to say, it was slow at first, but I have fallen absolutely in love with this game, and I'm generally not a fan of point and click adventures. This game has a survival/horror theme which won my interest right away. Good thing too, because without that I would have stopped playing too soon. It took awhile to figure out but I will include controls in this review (they need it because otherwise you will be entirely lost.) Graphics: 8 Good for the SNES, great for a point and click puzzler type game. The character models look nice, and the cut scenes are very realistic as well as the facial graphics in game. The dollhouse (what i like to call the playfield in these types) is your typical look for a point and click. Sound: 6 The lack of music for most of the game leaves somthing to be desired. Yes it sets the mood. The music that does play beatifully sets the mood, but music usually plays for 2 reasons, discovery, and danger. The sound effects are a bit shoddy, and the repetitive ones can become annoying. Though some of them could be positively frightning if you play this game at night. Gameplay: 6 For me, and a point and click, this is a good rating. The play is very simplistic. And they even have an innovative use of a "Panic" button to get you out of dangerous situations. And there is also a strength meter that directly effects the success of this panic button. There are even some situations that make the meter spike to full (adrenaline). Directional Pad- Move cursor Y- Click to move to cursor, examine objects, use doors when the cursor is a bracket. Use items with objects etc. X- Makes you stop moving, useful while on the run from something. A- Hold to scroll through your inventory B- The afformentioned panic button. Makes you fight, climb, hide whatever is appropriate. When your picture flashes, it means you must fight (ie mash the button) Fighting drops strength meter etc, using it to hide, or climb boosts the strenght meter temporarily but then drops it very quickly once your out of danger (like a real adrenaline surge) blue = full strenght green, orange, red= weak rare but visble inverse color = No strength, you must hide to avoid danger, fighting is impossible, panic button will not work. The panic button idea won me over for this game besides the whole horror theme. This game forces you to think quickly, and saves for you when you walk through a door. Overall: 8 Overall, I enjoy this game so far, and look forward to playing it. The horror of it is great, and the panic button is simply genius. Nothing else to comment on... rather enjoyable, somewhat reminicent of the classic Maniac Mansion |
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