Back in the day, Clock Tower was a game you’d only hear about in whispers and rumors. Exclusive to Japan, and released during the 16-bit era before the internet had really taken off, it was almost like an urban legend: “Did you hear about this horror game?” “It’s like a slasher movie, and you’re the victim!” “The killer has this giant pair of scissors, and he can come at you from anywhere, and if you don’t escape he’ll chop your head off!” “There’s this other guy in a cell, and you don’t wanna know what happens if you don’t have food for him!”
Released in 1995 by Human Entertainment, Clock Tower was one of the pioneers of the survival-horror genre — with a strong, almost unparalleled emphasis on survival — and though its 32-bit sequels made their way to the West, the original Clock Tower game remained out of reach for most players. But that didn’t stop it from becoming a cult favorite with a large fan following, especially as the years passed and streamers and fan translations introduced the game to a new, ever-growing audience. Nonetheless, an official North American or European release for the first Clock Tower was nowhere to be found.
Which is why, when the opportunity came up, those of us here at WayForward leapt at the chance to team up with the IP holders at Sunsoft and Capcom to bring the game back from the beyond, add some shiny new features, give it an official translation into English, Spanish, French, Italian, German, and other languages, and finally bring the game to a global audience with Clock Tower: Rewind on Xbox Series. Running on Limited Run Games’ Carbon Engine, Clock Tower: Rewind is first and foremost an opportunity to experience a lost classic, finally available to play with the vintage graphics, sound, and gameplay that Western audiences have been missing out on for decades.
At its core, Clock Tower is a pixel-art point-and-click horror adventure game. Cast as teenage orphan Jennifer, players find themselves trapped in the Barrows family mansion, along with their teacher and a few friends, where they must explore the abode for a way out — and perhaps more importantly, avoid the psychotic, relentless, shears-wielding Scissorman, who will mercilessly murder anyone who crosses his path. You’ll find items, uncover secrets, solve puzzles, and ultimately work your way toward a variety of possible endings in Clock Tower: Rewind’s Original Mode.
However, there’s more to the game than that. The game’s Rewind Mode retains the same essential 16-bit experience as Original Mode, but adds in extra content from Clock Tower’s 32-bit port, including additional enemy encounters and a new room to explore. It also adds more places for Jennifer to hide, more places for Scissorman to attack from, quality-of-life enhancements like being able to run up or down stairs or rest at the touch of a button (to recover Jennifer’s panic meter), as well as a variety of smaller tweaks and adjustments. Additionally, both Original and Rewind Mode include the option to use save states and a rewind function.
On top of that, Clock Tower: Rewind includes a number of bells and whistles, not the least of which is a gorgeously drawn animated intro, which comes complete with an opening theme song with music by composer Dale North and vocals by Mary Elizabeth McGlynn (known for her work on the Silent Hill series). Not to be outdone, the credits also feature a new vocal song performed by Emi Evans (of NieR fame). Other features include unlockable motion comics sourced from original Japanese “Clock Tower” manga (with English voiceovers by Cat Protano, Jenny Yokobori, Suzi Hunter, and Gab Smolders), an art gallery, a music player, a playable Japanese demo version of Clock Tower, and even a new behind-the-scenes interview with series creator Hifumi Kono.
It may have taken nearly 30 years, but everyone at WayForward is proud to finally bring this groundbreaking survival-horror title to Western audiences, and — hopefully you agree — in an ultimate package befitting such a legendary game, just in time for Halloween, no less! We hope you enjoy experiencing this missing piece of horror-gaming history on Xbox Series, and if you find the guy in the cell, we hope you have a snack for him. It turns out the rumors were true: you really don’t want to know what happens otherwise!
Clock Tower: Rewind
WayForward
☆☆☆☆☆
12
★★★★★
$19.99
Turn back the clock for one of the pioneers of the survival-horror genre. Translated and released outside of Japan for the first time, Clock Tower: Rewind is a revival of the terror-inducing 16-bit classic that dares you to explore the haunting confines of the Barrows family manor. As teenage orphan Jennifer, you must search every disturbing corner to find items, reveal secrets, and discover ways to evade Scissorman, a murderous, unstoppable, shears-wielding psychopath.
Play Original mode to experience Clock Tower as it was when initially released in 1995, or play Rewind mode with extra content and improvements. Additional features include a new animated intro, opening and ending vocal theme songs, motion comics, creator interview, art gallery, border artwork, save states, and a music player. The clock is ticking…can you survive?
Key Features:
• The survival-horror classic, Clock Tower, officially translated and brought out of Japan for the first time
• Choose from Original mode or Rewind mode, which features numerous gameplay additions and quality-of-life refinements
• Run, hide, and survive as you attempt to evade the psychotic Scissorman
• Atmospheric 2D art, detailed animations, and haunting sound effects augment the tense point-and-click gameplay
• Multiple endings and randomized gameplay elements maximize replayability (and jump scares)
• New animated opening, motion comics with VO, and vocal theme songs performed by Mary Elizabeth McGlynn and Emi Evans
• Featuring an art gallery, music player, behind-the-scenes creator interview, save states, and other modern inclusions