Clock Tower

[Pierrot Le Fou]

For fellow fans of this very fun, original series I think its about time we had a topic to discuss it's greatness ya? Well, maybe not EVERY addition.
Those who have played them all know what I'm talking about, the direction that the developers took was, in my opinion a bad decision on someone's part.

Well then, there are 4 games in total and they are as follows:

Clock Tower: The First Fear, SNES - Only released in Japan, the one that started this horrifying point and click adventure. I hope I'm not breaking any rules by saying there was an English translation patch for... well you know, those things you can play on the computer? Heh, anyway it was a great game and surprisingly scary for its time, and to this day I think it was one of the more groundbreaking games for the SNES.

The introduction to Jennifer Simpson and the murderous Barrows family, you have to uncover the mystery behind the infamous serial killer known as the 'Scissorman.' A young sadistic boy chases Jennifer and her friends from the orphanage around the Barrows mansion who wields a giant pair of scissors. Scary stuff.

Clock Tower, PSX - The first to be released outside of Japan and the peak of the series in my opinion. Most gamers were introduced to the series by this addition, it did a good job of scaring the hell out of myself and so many others. If you aren't familiar with the Clock Towers and you like the idea of solving the mystery of the murderer who has intentions of killing you, you might pick this game up!

This game continues several years(I think) after the events that take place in the First Fear, Scissorman is back terrorizing the citizens of Oslo, Norway. You continue as Jennifer, or her mentor Helen Maxwell and while constantly being haunted by the Scissorman, you and a group of people go back to the Barrows mansion for a final showdown.

Clock Tower 2: The Struggle Within, PSX - Not worth describing, if anyone out there actually likes this game, well be my guest haha. I dont know it really lost something that its predecessors had. Maybe thats just me though.

And finally,

Clock Tower 3, PS2 - Meh, see above. I dont know about you guys but when they attempted the return of Scissorman, I lost every intention of finishing the game. "Snippity Snap!" he says...ugh.

So anyway thats my opinion of this series, if anyone out there likes the 3rd and 4th installment sorry if I offended you heh. To me its just another example of a good series gone bad.

Well, what do you think of these games as a whole, where did they go wrong? Do you think there should ever be another Clock Tower? What did you like about these games? What did you hate? Personally I would love it if they just remade the first two games and released them on the PS3 maybe?
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A not unblack dog was chasing a not unsmall rabbit across a not ungreen field.

[Vince Muerto]

I've only played Clocktower on PSX and I thought it was one of the funniest games I ever played. There were some ridiculous parts in that game. Scissorman in a fishtank? The thing that made that game funny was Scissorman. I can do the Scissorman walk perfectly.
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[RedCydranth]

I have never even heard of it. What kind of game is it? It can't be that good, and by the way you talk about it, it seems hardly worth talking about. Why create a thread about a game nobody seems to like? Well, except for that scissorman-walking Vince Muerto haha. I'm picturing a pair of scissors walking on its points, as it walks it "cuts".
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[Artificity]

The game was surprisingly scary in Japanese. Because at least we didn't have to deal with the crappier than crappy voice acting. The "gasp. a human torso." line from the PSX Clock Tower just forced me to put the game down because I couldn't stop laughing.

But if you can look past this, or just play the Japanese version so you can be spared the horrendous acting, it can be a little creepy. I was actually pretty spooked out by the SNES version when I had it as a kid and I didn't even understand a word. My naivete must've been at fault.
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[Vince Muerto]

[Pierrot Le Fou]

Vince Muerto, haha you're right there is an abundance of goofy moments like the fishtank scene. And the walk, I'm sure thats a pretty funny site if you can do it perfectly.

Anyway, there were certain things about this game that no other game could ever dream of emulating. For starters, depending on the route you take of linking scenarios together, you could find out that Scissorman's identity is actually four different in-game characters. The most interesting plot twist in the game had to be when you found out that ..

Spoilers for those who care!

Professor Barton was one of the ScissorMEN, or rather just a sadist who found release in mimicking the real Scissorman, pretty twisted. This all ties in with the theme of Clock Tower, "Fear is Facinating," see this guy was studying the incidents in the First Fear and questioning Jennifer about the whole thing, frequently. He got too wrapped up in the killings, obsessing over them, eventually he lost his humanity behind and basically gave his soul to Scissorman. Now tell me if you've even seen a something similar in another game? Elements like these make the Clock Tower series appealing.

I dont know, I didn't think there would be a HUGE fanbase on a Suikoden Forum but I thought I'd post it anyway since nobody else probably ever bothered too.

Well, anyways if you guys (Vince Muerto and Artificity) are interested in playing the First Fear for SNES (in English), I could point you in the right direction.
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A not unblack dog was chasing a not unsmall rabbit across a not ungreen field.

[Keriaku]

The only one I've palyed was Clock Tower 2: The Struggle Within, and it was horrible. Couldn't get past running around the huse whil;e this little insane girl was following me around giggling. I never grasped how the system worked. Pierrot, I'd like to be pointed in the right direction *cough*.
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Inspired by everything

[Pierrot Le Fou]

Yeah The Struggle Within is pretty bad, their hearts were in the right place but there was just no follow through with good ideas. One thing that had potential was the split personality idea for the girl, but of course they screwed up on that too.

The little girl wasn't exactly scary like Scissorman, hell I say if shes chasing you around trying to cut you, just kick her in the head you know?
I remember one pretty funny part the phone rings and you answer it to find that girl on the other line, who says "Hmph..I'm going to KILL you!" over and over again, it made me laugh.

Heh, and its a good thing you stopped there because it only gets worse in the 2nd scenario with zombies, yeah REALLY lame zombies at that.

And although I never finished the 3rd scenario the way you're supposed to, I did find out that the final stalker, Ghosthead is named George Maxwell, and I think hes supposed to be Helen's relative. Never cared to really delve into that game though.
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A not unblack dog was chasing a not unsmall rabbit across a not ungreen field.

[Darko]

Dude, this game freaked the hell out of me. I loved it. I was like in the 3rd grade when I play the first one that came out in the US. Back then the graphics for the PSX were thought of as being "very good". I played it a few years latter and loved it all over again. It's so freaky when you hear the scissors in the distance while you're trying to get out of the office.

I think it's great that there are various "possible Scissormen". The stupid little kid was the freakiest. And the voice action was horrible...but not as bad as some other games.

I think the funniest thing that ever happened to one of my friends was that he was playing as Helen in the office and the scissorman started chasing him. So thinking he wouldn't following him up the stairs (he's crippled or whatever...lol) but we literally screamed after it was done loading and we realized that he was still chasing him as he ran up the stairs. On each floor my friend attempted to get out by opening the door from the stairwell, but none would open. He kept climbing and Scissorman kept chasing, until he reached the very top. We kept our hopes that the door would open...Scissorman was slowly climbing brandishing his giant scissors. When we realized the door was yet another locked one we turned back, hoping to knock him down or something. You know how when you turn, the character SLOWLY turns on his heels...well that idot Helen did that and just as she turned, Scissorman jabbed her in the legs with the scissors. It was freaky.

And another time, we tried hiding under a couch thinking Scissorman would just walk out. Well he walked STRAIGHT to the couch and stabbed down into the couch...he got us...that's what Helen gets for working at an office that buys cheap-assed couches.

I think the funniest scene is when Scissorman is watching cartoons in the rocking chair and laughing loudly...he was really enjoying that...

Needless to say, I never got the best ending...I don't even know what you had to do to get it... :cry:
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[Pierrot Le Fou]

Yea, Darko I agree with you about the cartoons moment being the most eeriely hilarious moment in the game. And you know you might of been saved from the stairwell murder had you grabbed the pliers, and opened the fire escape door hehe.

There are so many intense moments in Clock Tower and the best thing about it is you're just a teenage girl, just an average person, with no SUPER powers or techniques or weapons. So you have to make do with what you have, which are hiding places and the like. Sure in some parts you can delay Scissorman by bashing him over the head with a chair but you can't kill him, hes an immortal being for god's sake! So you have to hide from him in places like closets and behind couches and bathroom stalls, but they wont always work which just adds to the anticipation. Sure people are probably desensitized these days from lesser graphic violence and wont get into the game, but I still get the chills whenever I'm playing it and my character is under a bed or something while Scissorman is trying to sniff you out.

Oh and Darko, to get the best ending it all has to do with the statue and the map for the first and second scenarios, then in the 3rd you have to do all kinds of stuff to make sure that this person lives, and this one dies, yadda yadda you get the idea...But its worth it!!
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A not unblack dog was chasing a not unsmall rabbit across a not ungreen field.

[Darko]

Pierrot_Le_Fou wrote:

[Keriaku]

After reading this I want to try the game again. To bad I gave my copy of Clock Tower 2: The Struggles Within, it would probably be good for a laugh. Does anyone know how easy it is to find the first PSX game? Also, since it's the most easiest one to find, is the third one any good?
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Inspired by everything

[Pierrot Le Fou]

Clock Tower 3 had A LOT of potential, you start off just as the other CT games being an avergage young lady. And of course you have a stalker, who in the first scenario is a giant of a man who weilds a massive hammer. Now thats cool right; well after some time you have a showdown with him..you literally have to fight him with this bow and arrow that slays evil, or something stupid like that.

There are three more stalkers, John Heigh a.k.a. the Acid Bath murderer who chases you around with a hose full of sulpheric acid. But again a silly cliche battle is had with him, its not even Clock Tower anymore at this point. You're not searching for clues on the backgrouds of these psychos, they're just there you know? With NO explanation and you have to shoot them with the angel-powered arrows! yee haw!

And hahaha, if you were to get past the first two (which are both based on real people and actually have some style to them) then you get to where the game falls apart. The third guy is the most cliche-crazy-double- hand axe-wielding freak that you'd see in a low-budget Wes Craven film.

Well, like I said before the fourth is the 'return of Scissorman!!' Not really, they failed miserably. Scissortwins is their title actually, its these two clown costumed people, a boy and a girl who have giant scissors sure. But they prance around like pixies and say 'scary' stuff like "Snippity Snap!!" Its horrible.

Sorry about the rant but Clock Tower 2 and 3 just aren't worth it I think. And you know Keriaku I'm not too sure on how rare the first one is for PSX, but I doubt you'd find it in your average game store. Try around on a few used PSX game websites maybe, I found Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen that way, and that is a pretty rare game.
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A not unblack dog was chasing a not unsmall rabbit across a not ungreen field.

[Maximillian]

I've only played the 2nd one, but it was pretty freaky! I liked the various endings though. The opening is downright disturbing, tho.
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[Arenegeth]

I only played the PS1 original, but there is a game before that on the SNES that I'm trying to hunt down, I will also be trying to track down 2 and 3, plus an inspired unofficial sequel some would say, Demento (Hunting Grounds in the US).

Now I found the first game rather atmospheric despite its point and click controls, with several endings and some spooky revelations I consider it a game that achieved is goal, despite been considered bad by many gamers.

I would just prefer if the next game focused on one killer stalking a single girl, is spookier that way...
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