Clock Tower

Developer

Human Entertainment

Publisher

ASCII Entertainment

Release date

December 13, 1996 (Japan)
October 1, 1997 (North America)
February, 1998 (Europe)
February 22, 2012 (Japan PSN)

Platforms

PlayStation
PlayStation 3 (via Japan PSN)
PSP (via Japan PSN)
PS Vita (via Japan PSN)

Clock Tower, known as Clock Tower 2 (クロックタワー2) or Clock Tower Second (クロックタワーセカンド) in Japan, is a PlayStation point-and-click survival horror game and a sequel to Clock Tower: The First Fear.

It was developed and published by Human Entertainment on December 13, 1996 in Japan, and later published by ASCII Entertainment on October 1, 1997 in North America and February 1998 in Europe.

It was released as a PlayStation Classic on the Japanese PlayStation Network for PlayStation 3 on February 22, 2012.

Clock Tower tells the story of Scissorman's return following the incident at the Barrows Mansion. The game has five playable characters: Samuel Barton, Jennifer Simpson, Helen Maxwell, Stan Gotts and Nolan Campbell. However, the game primarily focuses on the female characters Jennifer and Helen, while the male characters have less time; Barton is only playable in the brief prologue, while Gotts and Nolan are only playable for a brief time in Chapter Two if the player does not visit the library. The game is divided into Jennifer's and Helen's scenarios.

Plot

Note: This summary follows Ending A (it is unknown which ending is canon, however). The game features 10 multiple endings, 5 each for Helen and Jennifer.

Prologue

The story is set one year after the events of Clock Tower: The First Fear, in December 1996.[1]

After the first game, Jennifer Simpson has been adopted by Helen Maxwell, the assistant of a renowned psychiatrist, Samuel Barton, and is currently undergoing treatment at a university research building in Oslo, Norway, to help her cope with her traumatic experiences in the Clock Tower case and possibly shed some light on the mystery that was the Scissorman.

As Barton hypnotizes Jennifer, Helen takes Jennifer home early, saying that she's not ready to remember the murders yet. Barton then leaves the room and talks to Harris Chapman, an assistant at the university. If Barton talks to him twice, Harris slips his affections for Jennifer and the player will become Jennifer rather than Helen.

Barton goes downstairs and is interviewed by Nolan Campbell, a reporter, and then he gives the Demon Idol statue to either Rick, a former butler for the Barrows family, or Sullivan, the curator of the local library. Remembering where the statue went is crucial in determining the ending.

Jennifer's Scenario

Chapter One

Jennifer meets Kay Satterwhite, a teacher at Jennifer's past orphanage, and Edward, an orphaned boy who claims he also survived the Barrows Mansion incident, although Jennifer does not remember him.

Nolan asks Jennifer on a date and Jennifer takes up his offer, but while Jennifer is walking to the date, she hears footsteps and runs into the park around the university where she informs the guard that somebody is following her, but then the guard is killed by Scissorman. Jennifer goes into the university and hides. She then finds the dead bodies of another guard and Rose but she escapes using a ladder.

The next day, Jennifer and Helen tell Assistant Inspector Stan Gotts about the Scissorman being back.

Chapter Two (if Helen)

Helen is attacked by Scissorman in the library. Helen locates the Demon Idol and escapes.

Chapter Two (if Nolan)

Nolan visits Rick, a butler of the Barrows Family, but Rick dies by a chandelier. Scissorman chases Nolan in Rick's house. Nolan locates the Demon Idol in a closet on the second floor and escapes.

Chapter Three

The group goes to the Barrows Castle in England but are split up. Jennifer is captured by Scissorman (who turns out to be Harris) who was told by the real Scissorman that if he caught Jennifer she would be his, but Harris is killed by the real Scissorman. Jennifer then looks for survivors. She finds Helen in a box and Nolan in a room with ghosts of children that were killed there. Jennifer then finds a door spell and gets it translated by either Helen or Barton. She also finds a dagger, then finds a room under the fountain and hears Kay begging Edward for mercy before she is then killed.

Jennifer then goes into the room with Kay's corpse and the Scissorman (who is really Dan Barrows, Bobby Barrows' brother that Jennifer blew up) who is looking to avenge his brother and mother, but before he can kill Jennifer, Nolan comes in and tells her to run. She puts the statue in a hole and a door is revealed. Jennifer then casts the door spell to open the door. A vortex then opens and Jennifer holds onto the rail but Dan or Scissorman holds onto Jennifer. She then stabs him in the face with the dagger and he falls into the vortex, dying as the door closes then Nolan pulls her up as the the castle falls down, trapping Jennifer and Nolan. After they talk they kiss and start a relationship. They are then rescued by Helen.

Jennifer's Endings

• Ending A - After finding out that Edward was Scissorman, she draws him into the vortex by the Door Spell and escapes his grasp by stabbing him with a dagger. She and Nolan are trapped in the wreckage after it collapses. After a romantic conversation, they are rescued by Helen.
  • In Chapter 1, get the Oil Can.
  • In Chapter 2, go to the place where you sent the statue during the prologue.
  • In Chapter 3, get the Foreign Note from the Church Library and have either Professor Barton or Helen translate it into the Door Spell. Unlock the box in the Storage Room and talk to Helen. Get the dagger from the underground shrine.

• Ending B - Jennifer opens the vortex with the Door Spell and Edward is pulled in. However, unable to get out of his grasp, she is pulled into the vortex as well. The scene that follows shows Helen and Nolan visiting her grave. In Jennifer's Clock Tower Adventure Novel, in a corruption of Ending B, both Dan and Bobby are reborn with Jennifer as their mother.
  • In Chapter 1, get the Oil Can.
  • In Chapter 2, go to the place where you sent the statue during the prologue.
  • In Chapter 3, get the Foreign Note from the Church Library and have either Professor Barton or Helen translate it into the Door Spell. Unlock the box in the Storage Room and talk to Helen. Never use the Copper Book.

• Ending C - Jennifer finds Scissorman in the cavern and recognizes him when he calls her. Before she can have the chance, she is stabbed by Kay. The scene that follows shows a reporter that is outside reporting the incident, stating that many corpses have been found. The rescue team behind her then announces they have a survivor, and they wheel out with a stretcher. Edward turns out to be the survivor, and he promptly opens his eyes and smiles.
  • In Chapter 1, get the Oil Can.
  • In Chapter 2, go to the place where you sent the statue during the prologue.
  • In Chapter 3, DO NOT pick up the Foreign Note. Unlock the box in the Storage Room and talk to Helen. Never use the Copper Book.

• Ending D - Under the fountain in the courtyard, Jennifer finds Edward, who tells her he has found a way out. She walks past to the door that's behind him, but before she could even get to it, he stabs her and his reflection is shown in blood.
  • In Chapter 2, go to the place where you sent the statue during the prologue.
  • In Chapter 3, DO NOT pick up the Foreign Note. Never go into the Storage Room - you can't if you don't have the Oil Can anyway. DO NOT save Helen (this is crucial). Never use the Copper Book.

• Ending E - Jennifer is in her room writing in her diary about how the Demon Statue was never found. She then hears a familiar metallic clanging outside her window and gasps, suggesting that Scissorman approaches.
  • In Chapter 2, go to the place where you DIDN'T send the statue during the prologue. This way, you can never find the statue.

Helen's Scenario

Chapter One

Helen's PC hard drive crashes so Helen takes a break. She strolls around the city until it gets dark. Danny replaced Helen's hard drive, and Helen takes a nap in the campus. Helen hears knocking on the door and Scissorman appears, killing Baker. Helen escapes the building using a storage room door.

The next day, Helen tells Assistant Inspector Stan Gotts about the Scissorman being back.

Chapter Two (if Helen)

Helen is attacked by Scissorman in the library. Helen locates the Demon Idol and escapes.

Chapter Two (if Gotts)

Gotts visits Rick, a butler of the Barrows Family, but Rick is mauled by his dog, Victor. Scissorman chases Gotts in Rick's house. Gotts locates the Demon Idol on a coffee table in the lounge on the second floor and escapes.

Chapter Three

Later, the group goes to the Barrows Castle in England but are split up.

Upon entering the chapel, Helen encounters Scissorman about to kill an unconscious cross-bounded Jennifer. After Helen shoots him with a pistol to save Jennifer, the wounded Scissorman staggers into the torture chamber.

Helen enters the torture chamber to find and confront a wounded Barton, who had taken off his Scissorman disguise. Having been deeply involved into the Scissorman case, he admits having been drawn into Scissorman's dark soul. Before he succumbs to his wound, Barton asks Helen if she will fall into the same path he faced, to which Helen defiantly rejects.

Helen's Endings

• Ending A - Helen shoots Scissorman before he could kill Jennifer, only to find out he is Professor Barton. After the professor tells her why he dressed as Scissorman, Helen informs Gotts and Jennifer of what happened. Gotts asks if the case is closed, but Helen can tell that the Scissorman is still alive. She finds the Scissorman (who is really Edward but not recognized as Dan) under the fountain and traps him in a vortex using the Door Spell. Though Edward manages to grab Helen, he is shot by Gotts before he can pull Helen in. She helps Jennifer out of the Barrows Mansion wreckage.
  • In Chapter 1, pick up the Flashlight in the university's fax machine room in a locker.
  • In Chapter 2, go to the place where you sent the statue during the prologue.
  • In Chapter 3, do NOT use the Fireplace Key. Get the Cosmetics Key in order to get the Mansion Map. Use the revolver to gain access to the Church. Save Jennifer's life in the Church. Have the Door Spell before going under the fountain.

• Ending B - After the vortex is opened, Scissorman is pulled in, but he manages to pull in Helen as well. The scene after it shows the reporter covering the incident. It then pans to a familiar pair of scissors laying on top of the rubble and Scissorman's hand rising from the wreckage.
  • In Chapter 1, pick up the Flashlight in the university's fax machine room in a locker.
  • In Chapter 2, go to the place where you sent the statue during the prologue.
  • In Chapter 3, do NOT use the Fireplace Key. Get the Cosmetics Key in order to get the Mansion Map. Use the revolver to gain access to the Church. Allow Scissorman to kill Jennifer in the Church. Have the Door Spell before going under the fountain.

• Ending C - After going under the fountain, Helen finds Professor Barton. He tells her that he has found something behind him that helps solve the case, but after Helen walks past him, he hits her over the head with a rock, killing her. The scene that follows shows Gotts visiting her grave.
  • In Chapter 2, go to the place where you sent the statue during the prologue.
  • In Chapter 3, use the Fireplace Key to unlock the grate in the 2F Sitting Room. Watch Jennifer die in the Church, having used the Fireplace route. Get the Cosmetics Key in order to get the Mansion Map.

• Ending D - Helen shoots and kills Scissorman before he could kill Jennifer, only to find out that he is Professor Barton. After the professor tells her why he dressed up as Scissorman, Helen informs Gotts and Jennifer of what happened. They conclude that Professor Barton was the real Scissorman this whole time, and the game ends.
  • In Chapter 2, go to the place where you sent the statue during the prologue.
  • In Chapter 3, do NOT get the unopenable box, therefore do NOT get the Cosmetics Key. You must have no clues towards finding the Mansion Map. Use the revolver to gain access to the Church. Save Jennifer's life in the Church.

• Ending E - Helen comes in to check on Jennifer before she goes to bed, only to find the girl with a small pair of scissors lodged in her back. She then runs to Jennifer, not noticing Scissorman hiding behind the door. The screen then fades. It is believed that this scene is a continuation of the scene of the E Ending Jennifer's Scenario.
  • In Chapter 2, go to the place where you DIDN'T send the statue in the prologue. This way, you can never find the statue.

Gameplay

The player controls a cursor to direct and give commands, such as investigating objects, to a character. The interface is akin to point-and-click adventure games, but simplified to work better with a gamepad. The cursor color symbolizes the character's panic. Scissorman occasionally pursues the player; this delays puzzle solving and requires the player to run in order to find objects or hiding places to fend off or avoid him.

The game is separated into three scenarios, including a prologue, where the main character for the rest of the game is decided. In the prologue, the player controls character Samuel Barton. In the first scenario, the player either plays as character Jennifer Simpson or Helen Maxwell. The playable character for the second scenario can either be Nolan, Stan, or Helen. Between each scenario, there is an intermission, where the player can explore the town and gather clues using a "world map", before moving on to the next level.

The Japanese version of the game contains a secret mode that can be unlocked by playing all 10 endings, called "Buyo Buyo Mode." If the mode is turned on during the game, all of the characters change size and width repeatedly.[2]

Unlockables

• Alternate Costume: Beat the game with both characters and at the first menu of the game, press Start with the second controller to change costumes.

• ??? Menu: Get an A ending and have everyone survive.

Development

Hifumi Kono & Human Entertainment weren't initially interested in a sequel to Clock Tower SFC (1995), but the newer hardware and shift in games to 3D got them interested. He even felt that the unanswered questions of the Clock Tower story motivated a sequel's creation as well. Kono was unsure as to which system he wanted the game to be on. His options were the Sega Saturn, the PlayStation, & the upcoming Nintendo 64. There was much speculation at the time as to which system would come out on top. Kono took a stab in the dark and picked the PS1, which he said "proved in the end to be the best choice."

The staff (comprised of 30 people) at Human weren't very experienced with 3D game development and had a short window to make the game. Veteran team members said they would've been just fine with making another 2D game. It was also the first game by Human to make use of motion capture. Kono loved the camera movements of the sequel he was developing with Human as he felt they'd help sell the horror aspect of the game.

Shortly after development began, advertisements for BIOHAZARD (Resident Evil) began appearing. There was an inside joke within Human to compete with Capcom's upcoming horror title at the time, saying things like "Down with Biohazard!" Human's joke goal to outshine Biohazard became a strong motivation for the development of Clock Tower 2.

Kono was amazed by the visuals BIOHAZARD was displaying & was more surprised by the game's budget when he later met Shinji Mikami himself. Kono said that BIOHAZARD's success helped spark more interest in Horror Games and thus helped the sales of Clock Tower 2 in Japan.

Horror game Enemy Zero for the Sega Saturn released on the same day as Clock Tower 2 in Japan, being December 13th, 1996 (A Friday the 13th.) Because of this, retailers placed both games side by side as to insinuate competition between the two.

According to Stalking Insanity's coverage of the TV Game Ratings Databook: "Clock Tower 2 - PlayStation - sold 181,508 copies after its release nearing the middle of the month in 1996 and remained within the top 40 for a decent amount of months afterwards."

In July of 2021, Clock Tower Preservation team, C.U.T.S. (Cradle Under The Star) contacted Jennifer's voice actress, Rumikio Varnes and asked about any memories she had voicing her character:

Varnes: "Surprisingly, Clock Tower (2) was recorded in a backyard of someone’s home. Typically, video games are recorded in a fancy studio, with a line up of the latest recording equipment, but it was different for this project, so I figured it was a low budget scheme.  And I think I spent about three hours recording all my lines.  One scene I distinctly remember is when Jennifer sees a dead body and she is immediately overcome with nausea so I made some vomiting reaction. Apparently, it sounded too realistic, and the director asked me to 'tone it down', which I found hard to do.  It’s the first and the last time I’ve ever had to puke for any video game."

Music

Main article: Clock Tower 20th Anniversary Sound Collection

An official soundtrack, Clock Tower 20th Anniversary Sound Collection, was released in 2016.

The Door of the Fear - Demo Disc

A demo for the game was distributed in Japan around the same time as the game's release. Subtitled, "The Door of the Fear," the demo disc contained a promotional video with scenes from an earlier version of the intro movie, as well as a message from film critic Nagaharu Yodogawa two years before his passing in 1998. Two of the same discs were printed with different SLPM numbers, 80062 & 80063

The demo itself is a 10-minute demo of the last scenario at the Barrows Castle. You play as Jennifer and the events play out similarly to the final version, aside from the scene starting with Jennifer already up instead of confronted by Scissorman. Gotts has no textures, the torture room looks unfinished, and some of the rooms of the Barrows Castle are unclickable, making it impossible to complete the demo. The music is also different from the final version of the game.

Voice files of Jennifer interacting with Helen, Beth, Tim & Barton exist in the demo discs' files, but go unused in the demo itself. Jennifer can only find Gotts and talk to him. All voice clips from the demo were used in the final release of the game in Japan.

This disc also contains a demo for Twilight Syndrome, as well as videos of other games Human Entertainment were promoting in 1996.

Other Demo Discs:

• Hyper PlayStation REMIX No.2 Disc from the Vol.3 issue of Hyper PlayStation REMIX from 1996. The disc contains the earliest version of the Barrows Castle demo. Released in Japan.

• PrePre Vol. 5 Demo Disc. Distributed as part of a subscription service around the same time as the game's release. The demo in this disc is the same one as the one included in The Door of the Fear's demo disc. The only difference being a boot-out to the game's menu if the demo is left idle for a short time. Released in Japan.

• TECH PlayStation June 1997 Demo Disc. This demo was included with the TECH PlayStation issue mentioned previously. The demo included is the exact same demo as that of The Door of the Fear's demo disc. Released in Japan.

• ASCII Demo Disc. This disc was released in the US around the time of the game's US release with a promotional video for Felony 11-79. The demo in this disc is of the final retail build and has you play through Scenario 3. Freezing the time limit, the demo can be beaten, but since the oil can (needed for Endings A, B, & C) does not exist in the demo's files, beating the demo disc forces you into Ending D.

Reception

The game received positive reviews from various publications at the time of its release. Around this time, it was viewed by many to be one of the scariest games of all time, some calling Scissorman the "Michael Myers Of Video Games". However, as time goes on, the fear level of Clock Tower has been arguably eclipsed by many other titles. Some reviews praised the game for its atmosphere, its interactive story which adds replayability, and tense gameplay.

However, the only complaint that IGN and GameSpot had for the game was its heavy dialogue portions when characters in the game interact with one another and when the character is observing objects. It is also noted that many aspects of the game haven't aged well, such as its early 3D blocky low-polygon graphics, interface and some of its voice acting.

Trivia

• The game is widescreen hack compatible via emulation.
• At first, the developers of the game weren't very interested in creating a sequel to The First Fear, but the change in hardware combined with the use of 3D polygons, which symbolized cutting-edge technology at the time, won them over. Plus, the developers felt that there were some unanswered mysteries regarding the future of the Clock Tower series. The developers were considering developing the game on the Sega Saturn and Nintendo 64, but ultimately chose the Sony PlayStation, which Hifumi Kono felt was the best option.
• According to Hifumi Kono, "For me, the Jennifer path is the real story! But to understand Prof. Barton's story, the Helen path is important too. So to me, it's really looking at multiple sides of a single larger story."

• Clock Tower deals with some sexual taboo themes. For example:
  • The novelization confirms that Helen was sexually abused by her father. It is also possible Helen may have developed a complex as a result, as she slept with Barton, but regretted it after.
  • In an interview, Hifumi Kono confirmed Kay is a pedophile who developed feelings for Edward. However, Kay is portrayed as a mostly kind and generous young woman who helps unfortunate children in an orphanage and apparently never acts on this attraction. Kono mentioned this isn't revealed in-game is because "due to the unique characteristics of this media as a consumer game, the settings stop just at the point of hinting of this."[3]
  • It is strongly implied Harris and Nolan are hebephiles interested in Jennifer. Jennifer even reciprocates Nolan's feelings for her, much to Helen's annoyance. Jennifer and Nolan only kiss and go on a date. The 11 year age difference between 15 year old Jennifer and 26 year old Nolan was intentional, and is mentioned by Helen in the novelization. It was also a controversial point of discussion since Jennifer is still a minor. The game itself doesn't mention any ages, however. Developer Hifumi Kono also doubts Jennifer's relationship with Nolan will last long.

• There were two novels (one each for Helen and Jennifer) and a radio drama based on the game. They were not released outside of Japan, however, both Helen's novel[4] and Jennifer's novel[5] were translated.
• A Clock Tower poster can be found in Moonlight Syndrome, a game also created by Human Entertainment.
  • Coincidentally, a gameplay segment of Clock Tower can be found in the same game, as a group of kids were playing it.
• The Sega Saturn exclusive survival horror game Enemy Zero, a sequel to the 1995 survival horror game D, was released on the same day as Clock Tower.
• In the Japanese version, the voice actors refer to the Barrows family as the Barlow family throughout the entire game, probably because R and L are interchangeable in Japanese. Because of it, it can be theorized that "Barrows" is a mistranslation, although there is no proof of this.

Gallery

Box art

The Japanese front cover of the PlayStation version.

The Japanese back cover of the PlayStation version.

The North American back cover of the PlayStation version.

The European front cover of the PlayStation version.

The European back cover of the PlayStation version.

Screenshots

Jennifer finds a decapitated man.

Scissorman sends Jennifer a spooky fax.

Scissorman kills Helen.

Decapitated by a clock.

Helen hiding from Scissorman behind a ladder.

Scissorman's surprise attack.