~ G-VIRUS REVIEWS: ~
~ CLOCK TOWER 3 ~
This game has been out for quite a while for the PlayStation 2, but its classic survival-horror feel is barely rivaled.
Clock Tower 3 tells the story of Alyssa Hamilton, a young girl sent away to boarding school by her mother, who writes to her the day before Alyssa's fifteenth birthday to tell her to go into hiding until after her birthday has passed. Naturally, the scared teenage girl disobeys her mother and returns to the Hamilton house, where she is instantly thrust into a nightmare of which she is the focus.
Persuing Alyssa are the Subordinates: crazy killers who want her flesh. Alyssa must run, hide, and eventually fight these Subordinates in a cool little boss battle at the end of each level. She also has the option to assist in pacifying the spirits who wander the level, for the spirits usually give goodies to those who care...(-_-) *nod
Alyssa has very limited personal functions: run, walk, crouch, and pick up stuff. She also has a "panic meter", which increases with suspenseful events or when Subordinates attack her. When it gets to a maximum, Alyssa becomes far harder to control, she begins hyperventilating, and falls down on occasion, which is bad when someone is after you, trying to kill you! o_o
Now, onto the review. (>_<)
In a nutshell: a very average game. Many may not like the fact that Alyssa is far too easily sent into panic mode, or that only in certain instances may she fight against her attackers; otherwise, it's "run, Alyssa, run." Also, the other unfavorable thing about the game is that, eventually, the characters' movements get to you. They are so animated and move around so much during cutscenes and the like, that it is hard to concentrate on the story when Alyssa is flailing across the stage like a kamikaze ballerina.
Speaking of story, the one weaved by CT3 is good. Very good. Deviating away from the original CLOCK TOWER storyline, it doesn't focus on Scissorman or any of that stuff; that doesn't mean that it doesn't hint at it, however. (Play for a little bit into the game, and you'll see what I mean. *wink) There's a little bit of drama, a little romance...a little pinch of everything, really.
Finally, the Subordiates are cleverly designed, but predictable in nature. Take, for example, Sledgehammer: the first Subordinate you meet (and I'm not ruining anything for you here, trust me). As his name suggests, he weilds a giant sledgehammer, and his attacks consist solely of swinging a sledgehammer. No spells, no special moves. Just a giant hammer. That makes it a little easy to come up with a strategy during the boss battle. The other Subordinates are just the same. However, after having them chase you, screaming bloody murder in variously annoying voices, all over hell and back for about an hour, killing them in the end is highly satisfying.
Overall, I would recommend Clock Tower 3 if you want a nice story, pretty cool cinematics, and something to play because you don't have...oh, I don't know...Dead Space or something.
~ CLOCK TOWER 3 ~
This game has been out for quite a while for the PlayStation 2, but its classic survival-horror feel is barely rivaled.
Clock Tower 3 tells the story of Alyssa Hamilton, a young girl sent away to boarding school by her mother, who writes to her the day before Alyssa's fifteenth birthday to tell her to go into hiding until after her birthday has passed. Naturally, the scared teenage girl disobeys her mother and returns to the Hamilton house, where she is instantly thrust into a nightmare of which she is the focus.
Persuing Alyssa are the Subordinates: crazy killers who want her flesh. Alyssa must run, hide, and eventually fight these Subordinates in a cool little boss battle at the end of each level. She also has the option to assist in pacifying the spirits who wander the level, for the spirits usually give goodies to those who care...(-_-) *nod
Alyssa has very limited personal functions: run, walk, crouch, and pick up stuff. She also has a "panic meter", which increases with suspenseful events or when Subordinates attack her. When it gets to a maximum, Alyssa becomes far harder to control, she begins hyperventilating, and falls down on occasion, which is bad when someone is after you, trying to kill you! o_o
Now, onto the review. (>_<)
In a nutshell: a very average game. Many may not like the fact that Alyssa is far too easily sent into panic mode, or that only in certain instances may she fight against her attackers; otherwise, it's "run, Alyssa, run." Also, the other unfavorable thing about the game is that, eventually, the characters' movements get to you. They are so animated and move around so much during cutscenes and the like, that it is hard to concentrate on the story when Alyssa is flailing across the stage like a kamikaze ballerina.
Speaking of story, the one weaved by CT3 is good. Very good. Deviating away from the original CLOCK TOWER storyline, it doesn't focus on Scissorman or any of that stuff; that doesn't mean that it doesn't hint at it, however. (Play for a little bit into the game, and you'll see what I mean. *wink) There's a little bit of drama, a little romance...a little pinch of everything, really.
Finally, the Subordiates are cleverly designed, but predictable in nature. Take, for example, Sledgehammer: the first Subordinate you meet (and I'm not ruining anything for you here, trust me). As his name suggests, he weilds a giant sledgehammer, and his attacks consist solely of swinging a sledgehammer. No spells, no special moves. Just a giant hammer. That makes it a little easy to come up with a strategy during the boss battle. The other Subordinates are just the same. However, after having them chase you, screaming bloody murder in variously annoying voices, all over hell and back for about an hour, killing them in the end is highly satisfying.
Overall, I would recommend Clock Tower 3 if you want a nice story, pretty cool cinematics, and something to play because you don't have...oh, I don't know...Dead Space or something.
