Support NeoGAF

[IbizaPocholo]

The Survival Horror genre of video games is, to me, it’s most powerful. When the potential of a horror game is leveraged with skill, it can trigger a visceral flood of panic and dread for the player that can handily eclipse the emotions that other genres elicit- at least in terms of intensity. This is not without risk though. Taking a swing at the player’s sense of stability and assuredness can just as easily end with an embarrassing face plant if all the pieces don’t perfectly fit.

This is why so many corny horror movies and games from many decades ago are now enjoyed in more of a comedic sense by many. Where fear fails, comedy often takes over. Some games, even lean into that. 2017’s Friday the 13th is a great example of a game that scares you when it can but is also fine with just being a goofy trip into absurdity when it can’t. There is certainly a time and a place for that. But the true giants of the genre are the games that aim for that microscopic bullseye and actually hit it.

Resident Evil’s mysterious mansion and the many secrets it holds keeps you in suspense of what could be waiting for you behind each and every door. Silent Hill 2’s enigmatic characters slowly reveal the grim personal hell that all of their past traumas lead them to create. These are two completely different styles of horror game yet, are still both sterling examples of the genre being done right. Another breed of horror classic also exists though. The transcendental horror masterpiece Clock Tower on the PlayStation 1.

 

[TGO]

Never played the first, I remember the second very well and the 3rd

 

[teezzy]

It's awesome. One of the few games really I wish I hadn't sold, especially considering how much it goes for now.

Clock Tower 2 was just too abstract and asian horror for me though. Super glad I sold that:

 

[SlimeGooGoo]

.

 

[Heimdall_Xtreme]

Of course the series are a masterpiece.

One of the best horror games saga that i play.

I love Clock tower 3 and their spiritual sucessor Haunting ground




Tip: Clock tower 3 is made it by the Director of the movie Japanese Battle Royale

 

[kunonabi]

It's awesome. One of the few games really I wish I hadn't sold, especially considering how much it goes for now.

Clock Tower 2 was just too abstract and asian horror for me though. Super glad I sold that:

Condsidering how much it's worth you probably should have kept it. I sold mine too and I'm kicking myself for it. Bates was a freaking awesome character even if the rest of the game was frustrating as hell though.

I love the first PSX Clock Tower though. So many great moments playing through it with a friend of mine.

 

[Heimdall_Xtreme]

I still angry why the SNES First game never come to America or at least Europe

 

[Lord Malachite]

Back in 2006 I was working on getting all ten endings. I'd gotten seven of them and then a freak accident resulted in the disc getting dropped and snapped in half. There was never a digital release so it's remained unfinished for me. I do have an import copy of the PS1 port of *Clock Tower: The First Fear* in storage though.

 

[Fugitive Sex]

I found the SNES game scarier, to be honest. This wasn't a bad game per se, but it felt like something was missing.

 

[IbizaPocholo]

Looking at the four titles of the dormant Clock Tower Series, which laid some of the foundations of survival horror.

With the first title released in Japan only in late 1995, and the fourth and final title release in early 2003 (and has been dormant since), Clock Tower was never a huge seller in the survival horror space, but beat Resident Evil to the market by a few months.

It's focus on hiding and having no way to kill off our pursuers gave it a unique flair, which would show up in future Resident Evil titles, and influencing a number of indie based horror titles.

Sadly, the series has been dormant since the early 2000s, although it has had spiritual successors like Haunting Ground which took the Clock Tower formula and mostly perfected it.

In this video, we'll look at the four Clock Tower titles: Clock Tower, Clock Tower 2, Clock Tower: Ghost Head, and Clock Tower 3.

Timestamps:
• 00:00 - Prelude
• 01:42 - Clock Tower
• 10:30 - Clock Tower 2
• 16:37 - Clock Tower: Ghost Head
• 25:19 - Clock Tower 3
• 38:30 - In Conclusion of Clock Tower

 

[Vampire On Titus]

We need more Point & Click horror games

There's been some good ones in recent(ish) years. If you haven't played Detention by Red Candle Games, I highly recommend it. Some of my favorite horror since Silent Hill.