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Let's survive the Clock Tower... (100% Complete)

ghostdog

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Dec 31, 2007
Messages
11,076
Since IMAGESUCK has put codex on the black list, in order to see some of the images you must do this : LINK

So, during my recent fascination of re-playing a shitload of old SNES games, I started replaying Clock Tower and it's the shit. It's amazing how a 2D game can be so atmospheric and scary at the same time. I laugh at pseudo-horror games like Dead Space and RE5 with their cheap scares and amphetamine pumped marines, when I see the awesomeness of Clock Tower.


Clocktower1.jpg



Clock Tower is a 2D sidescrolling Survival Horror adventure (probably the only one of it's kind) and it's bearing a lot of similarities with Dario Argento's movies Phenomena and Suspiria. Since I'm a big fan of Dario's old movies you can understand my multiple orgasms while playing this game. The series have been continued in PS1 and PS2, though I haven't played any of them.


CT_image.jpg



And guess what, the snes game was never released outside Japan --like a bunch of other great snes titles-- due to Nintendo's world-wide publishing and censoring policy at that time. Thankfully you can now play it in English using an emulator and a translation patch by AeonGenesis. The jap rom can be easily found in the net, by not removing it from an inventory.


scissor.jpg



Holy fuck
That's either James Brown's hair-styler, or a deranged serial killer. Or both.



==========================================

CONTENTS:
  1. Prologue
  2. Schizors
  3. Hunted
  4. No Tears For The Fallen
  5. Crooked Paths
  6. Dreams Of Freedom
  7. Cradle Under The Stars
  8. Wheels of Time
  9. Deleted Scenes
==========================================




 

ghostdog

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Dec 31, 2007
Messages
11,076
PROLOGUE



Clock-Tower002.jpg



Clock Tower, now in STEREO®. Hmm, what's that "ending list" thing ?

Clock-Tower003.jpg



What the... 8 endings ? Sheeeet. I don't know how, but I'll try to get one of the awesome ones.

Clock-Tower004.jpg



So, let's get on with the prologue... And yeah, we're gonna play as a teenage girl. But how can you stomach playing a character of a different sex with whom you have nothing in common, you may ask. Well basically all you need is to *not* be a stuck up bitch/bitcher.


ct.jpg






Code:
   ___           _                        
  / _ \_ __ ___ | | ___   __ _ _   _  ___ 
 / /_)/ '__/ _ \| |/ _ \ / _` | | | |/ _ \
/ ___/| | | (_) | | (_) | (_| | |_| |  __/
\/    |_|  \___/|_|\___/ \__, |\__,_|\___|
                         |___/





Remember, remember, that day in September...




Raised in the Granite Orphanage,

Jennifer and her friends were wanted as adopted daughters.

It happened in September...



Clock-Tower008.jpg


Ok, let's be serious. Anyone who wants to adopt 4 cute teenage girls is either a dirty pervert, a deranged killer, or Woody Allen... or Roman Polanski.

Clock-Tower011.jpg


Clock-Tower013.jpg


Clock-Tower014.jpg


Creepy piano playing
(Did I mention that the music is fucking awesome and the sound effects are really impressive for a snes game ?)

Clock-Tower015.jpg



Welcome to the Barrows Mansion.


Clock-Tower017.jpg


Ann.png
Yeah! The main hall is gigantic !

mrsMary.png
I gotta go get Mr. Barrows.

Clock-Tower023.jpg


Ok, so now we get control of Jeniffer. The game is point and click with a cursor and we can also walk/run right or left. When we can interact with something, a bracket appears.

We can talk to our friends if we want. This is Ann, a brunette with a fondness for green:

Clock-Tower027.jpg


Ann.png
You want to know what kind of man Mr. Barrows is, right ?

Jeniffer_1.png
Yeah.


Laura, the coquette blondie, looks a bit nervous...

Clock-Tower039.jpg


Jeniffer_1.png
Is something wrong ?

Laura.png
This house makes me uneasy...


Lotte feels exactly the same...

Clock-Tower043.jpg


Ann.png
Heh, Lotte's paranoid.

lotte.png
...

Laura.png
Ms. Mary... She's taking a long time.

lotte.png
I wonder what happened to her ?

Ann.png
Should I go find Ms. Mary ?

Jeniffer_1.png
No, I'll go look for her.


Wisest decision Jennifer ever took. Let's go.

ClockTower056.jpg



Now, where could that woman be...


:LOUD SCREAM:


Jeniffer_2.png
!!?


Clock-Tower061.jpg



The scream came from the hall...

Clock-Tower062.jpg


Jeniffer_3.png
C'mon, this isn't funny... !



I wish it was all just a game, dear Jennifer... I really do.


 

ecliptic

Liturgist
Joined
Feb 11, 2003
Messages
915
It's too bad what we got as Clock Tower II didn't look very good, and Clock Tower 3's boss fights unfortunately made an otherwise entertaining game unplayable for me. This and the real 2 looked pretty great though.
 

spekkio

Arcane
Joined
Sep 16, 2009
Messages
8,273
I approve this thread.
Last-gen horror games FTW!

ecliptic said:
It's too bad what we got as Clock Tower II didn't look very good [...]. This and the real 2 looked pretty great though.

AFAIK:
 

SCO

Arcane
In My Safe Space
Joined
Feb 3, 2009
Messages
16,320
Shadorwun: Hong Kong
Once again, showing good taste in LP land. Do the last express (after finishing bloodnet. Unless you want to pass from a dog to a pussy. Do you?).
 

ghostdog

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Dec 31, 2007
Messages
11,076
SCO said:
Once again, showing good taste in LP land. Do the last express (after finishing bloodnet. Unless you want to pass from a dog to a pussy. Do you?).

I can't LP all these damn games. Why don't you do us all a favor and an make a Last Express LP yourself, SCO ? I'd sure like to see that one again.

As for the Bloodnet LP., it's probably dead, Jim. :(
 

ghostdog

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Dec 31, 2007
Messages
11,076
SCHIZORS


Let's review what has happened so far...
  • Man living alone(?)in big mansion in big forest wants to adopt 4 teenage girls. Man's name is Barrows (presumably a pervert).
  • Said teenage girls arrive in mansion with Ms. Mary (presumably an orphanage employee).
  • Ms. Mary leaves the girls alone for a long time.
  • Girls uneasy. Brave Jennifer goes search for her.
  • Jennifer hears girly screams.
  • Jeniffer returns back to find other girls missing.
  • [Perception] Shit is about to hit the fan.



Code:
 __      _     _                   
/ _\ ___| |__ (_)_______  _ __ ___ 
\ \ / __| '_ \| |_  / _ \| '__/ __|
_\ \ (__| | | | |/ / (_) | |  \__ \
\__/\___|_| |_|_/___\___/|_|  |___/




We better turn on the lights.

Clock-Tower070.jpg



Ok, Jeniffer just took a peak at that list at the start of the chapter and has deducted that the best course of action is to GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE. Let's try the front door...

Clock-Tower073.jpg



Why am I not surprised... How about going upstairs ?

Clock-Tower077.jpg


the

Clock-Tower105.jpg


fuck ?

Clock-Tower107.jpg



As you can see Jennifer's portrait has changed color and expression. This happens when she gets upset. The more upset she gets the more difficult it will be for her to get out of dangerous situations. And there will be *many* of those. If we stand still for a bit she will kneel down and regain her composure over time.

Clock-Tower111.jpg
Clock-Tower112.jpg



So, the only way to go now is through that other door in the main hall...
Eh? A gust of wind just banged the window to close. That was creepy.

window.gif



Ok, let's enter that north room. Obviously the manor isn't in good shape. We also see that all windows are barred.

Clock-Tower124.jpg



Jennifer knows when to get down and dirty. A search of the rubble reveals...

Clock-Tower129.jpg
Clock-Tower131.jpg



Good girl, she found a rock ! I'd prefer a *magic* rock, but we'll have to settle for an ordinary one. And how about that crack there on the wall ?

Jeniffer_1.png
There's a deep crack in the wall... It's crumbling.


Hmm, we'll keep that in mind, let's head back to the corridor. And in case you didn't know, we're not alone... Evil eyes are watching us.

Clock-Tower137.jpg



Moving on. Next we find a living room.

Clock-Tower143.jpg



After turning on the lights we notice a suspicious box on top of the drawers.

Clock-Tower152.jpg
Clock-Tower153.jpg



It's the west wing key ! I'm sure it will come in handy. Other than that there's not much more here except for the fact that the tv is broken and that the outside world is covered in deep darkness.

Clock-Tower167.jpg



Hmm, I wonder where that door leads...
It's a bedroom. And what a nice mirror. I'm sure Jennifer would like to take a look and straighten out her hair...

Clock-Tower173.jpg



YIKES !


Clock-Tower174.jpg


Clock-Tower176.jpg


Clock-Tower179.jpg


Clock-Tower181.jpg


FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

Clock-Tower183.jpg



Dead end ? Well, it sure is dead and we've definitely reached the end, Jim. Don't worry the game actually continues from the last room you were safe and there are also those nifty save states. But what did this remind me of? Oh yeah, anybody seen Prince Of Darkness ?

prince.jpg



But why the fuck did we die here ? You see, I forgot to press the "panic button". Yes there's actually a panic button in this game. When you're in a deadly situation you've got to continuously press the button and *if* Jennifer is in a good state of mind she may overcome the danger, otherwise ... DEAD END. Also, this can be done only in some situations other times death is certain no matter what.


So, let's do it again.


:lalala fixes hair:

Clock-Tower186.jpg


:handmirror deathgrip:

Clock-Tower189.jpg


PANIC BUTTON PANIC BUTTON !!

Clock-Tower192.jpg


buttonfuckingpanic

Clock-Tower198.jpg

Clock-Tower199.jpg



YES, we prevailed !
Hah, jennifer isn't such easy prey after all, is she ? you stupid satanic mirror !


Ok, but no more looking in mirrors, folks. Vanity is a deadly sin. Nevertheless there is a picture next to the mirror that has piqued my curiosity...

Clock-Tower205.jpg



Hmm, is it a picture of two children ? It's been smashed and we can't make out the faces. A search of the drawer also reveals a bottle of perfume...

Clock-Tower211.jpg



CLUE! Let's take it with us. A glance over the two beds reveals that the left one hasn't been used for a long time...

Clock-Tower215.jpg



Hey, that's a cute little parrot. :Tries to cuddle it:
Ooops, it broke free from the cage.

Clock-Tower219.jpg
Clock-Tower221.jpg


parrot.png
KILL YOU ! KILL YOU ! KILL YOU ! KILL YOU !!!

Holy shit ! (yeah there's actual speech at certain points)

Clock-Tower229.jpg


parrot.png
KILL YOU ! KILL YOU ! KILL YOU ! KILL YOU ! KILL YOU !!!

Goddamn evil parrot ! Let's get the fuck out of here.

Clock-Tower231.jpg
Clock-Tower234.jpg



Phew. This house is full of evil surprises. Ok, now that Jennifer has made her sanity check and passed, we should move on.

Clock-Tower237.jpg



:splat: :splat: :splat: :splat:


Hmm, is that the sound of running water ? It seems to come from this room...

Clock-Tower242.jpg



Damn, it's really humid in here. We should know better than to stay, but curiosity is a persistent bitch :smug:

Clock-Tower252.jpg
Clock-Tower254.jpg



WHOA!


laura-dead.jpg



Clock-Tower259.jpg



Crap, Laura has been kil-


Clock-Tower260.jpg



Eh?


Clock-Tower261.jpg



SHIIIIIIIIIII-


Clock-Tower263.jpg



 

ecliptic

Liturgist
Joined
Feb 11, 2003
Messages
915
spekkio said:
I approve this thread.
Last-gen horror games FTW!

AFAIK:

  • snip

Damn. I just remembered what you wrote, and was hoping to sneak an edit in. You bastards are too fast.

Ever play Sentient? In some ways, that was survival horror.

Silent Hill 1 holds a special place in my heart though. It garnered a lot of respect from me when I finished it, and didn't have any clue what had just went on for the previous twenty hours.

Anyone play Echo Night on PSX? Worth playing? Echo Night: Beyond (PS2) was decent.
 

TheCowburner

Educated
Joined
Feb 24, 2010
Messages
423
Location
Sweden
But why the fuck did we die here ? You see, I forgot to press the "panic button". Yes there's actually a panic button in this game. When you're in a deadly situation you've got to continuously press the button and *if* Jennifer is in a good state of mind she may overcome the danger, otherwise ... DEAD END. Also, this can be done only in some situations other times death is certain no matter what.

So, when you are in these "panic button"/deadly situations, does the button start to blink or something? Or du you actually have to guess whether you are in a deadly situation or not?
 

SCO

Arcane
In My Safe Space
Joined
Feb 3, 2009
Messages
16,320
Shadorwun: Hong Kong
If i recall correctly the portrait blinks. This is a game everyone should try. At night. In a dark room. Without a cigarette break.
 

Erebus

Arcane
Joined
Jul 12, 2008
Messages
4,760
Looks like Laura forgot the safe word !

And the Panic Button is a great idea. More games should have one !

So, this game is purely adventure, right ? I seem to remember Clock Tower 3 was an action game.
 

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