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Reader Reviews

First batch of 2004! Including C&C Generals: Zero Hour, Suikoden III, FFTA, Dungeon Siege: Legends of Aranna and plenty more.

Clock Tower 3 (PS2)

by David Kamkaze (Kami)

Hands up those who played the SNES original? Okay... I see a distinct lack of hands.

The original was released on the SNES in Japan only, and was the first visually impressive "Survival Horror". You controlled Jennifer around a big mansion, being chased by a single foe (Scissorkid) searching for your friends. It was simple, point and click, but definitely a benchmark for games to come. Ching!

After the blasphemy of Clock Tower 2 (It was worse than bad), the Clock Tower license was acquired by Capcom. Yes, the kings of survival horror bought the rights to the granddad of survival horror. Ching! (Hunh?)

I wasn't sold on the idea of CT3 to begin with, but actually it's a sound game and quite a departure from the Resident Evil series. You control Alyssa, who gets a weird letter from her mum telling her not to come home. Typical teenage girl, she goes home, and things go to hell. In a literal sense. Big Clock Tower appears and you just know Alyssa is in trouble this time... Ching! (What is that noise?)

Many find this game disorientating in the fact that Alyssa's main strength is hiding! Yes people, this is survival horror. Emphasis on survival. And what you get to defend yourself with is handled with typical teenage girl limp-wristedness - debate amongst yourselves if this is intentional or just poor design. You solve puzzles, solve mysteries and generally try not to be killed by the psychotic, demonic yet slightly predictable enemies.

There's also a lot in this game you'll note has been "borrowed". A statue of a woman bleeding from the eyes. A mirror image freezing still. But they don't dominate, and they never seem out of place. Ching! (Must be my mind playing tricks on me.)

Clock Tower 3 is not a game for those who like blasting an endless army of the undead. Above all else, this is more about brainpower and shocks than combat. But there are problems. You can easily muddle the controls and get killed in a blind panic. And yes, the story is so predictable at times, you'll wonder if they even bothered to try something new and innovative.

Sure, Clock Tower 3 isn't the innovator its grandfather was. And it's by no means the best horror game out there. But this formula works and if you like horror games, or just need an alternative to senseless slaughter of the poor undead, this is well worth a go. It's pretty, it's different and it's surprisingly fun to play. Don't expect anything earth-shatteringly different and you may even begin to love this game. Wait a minute... my reflection just stopped moving!

*CHING!*

AAAARRGHHH!!! [Reviewer is sliced and diced by scissorman. Review ends.]