Clock Tower 3
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| Clock Tower 3 | |
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| Developer(s) | Sunsoft |
| Publisher(s) | Capcom |
| Aspect ratio | 480i (SDTV) |
| Platform(s) | Playstation 2 |
| Release date | March 18, 2003 (NA)
October 10, 2003 (EU) |
| Genre(s) | Survival horror |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: M (Mature) |
| Media | DVD-ROM |
| Input methods | DualShock 2 |
Clock Tower 3 (クロックタワー３ Kurokku Tawā 3?) is a survival horror game and is the fourth installment in the Clock Tower series by Capcom. The game was released in North America on March 18, 2003, and was developed by Sunsoft. The previous three games in the series, Clock Tower ~The First Fear~, Clock Tower and Clock Tower II: The Struggle Within were developed by Human Entertainment and published by ASCII Entertainment and Agetec Incorporated. Clock Tower 3 is the first game in the series to incorporate direct control over the protagonist, as opposed to the point-and-click mechanics in the previous games. Clock Tower 3 is also the first game in the series not to feature multiple endings.
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[edit] Story
After receiving a strange letter from her mother, encouraging her to hide until her 15th birthday passes, Alyssa Hamilton instead returns home from boarding school. When she arrives, her mother is gone and only one of the lodgers is in residence, a wayward stranger known as the Dark Gentleman.
In Alyssa's concern for her mother, she decides to check her mother's room (Alyssa's father died when she was a baby) to find not a clue; however, almost randomly a piano starts to play wildly. Alyssa becomes terrified to such a point that she runs out of the bedroom only to be transported to London during World War II.
After evading the bombing Alyssa continues to a tailor shop where she sees a grisly murder of a little girl by the hands of a man wielding a sledgehammer, who then stalks Alyssa in attempt to kill her.
[edit] Gameplay
Players assume the role of Alyssa, a schoolgirl approaching her 15th birthday, on her quest to find her mother and save herself from the Subordinates (the boss characters). Progress through the game entails finding items to unlock new areas, fleeing and hiding from Subordinates and eventually defeating each Subordinate in battle.
Innocents slain by the subordinates haunt each stage and will attack Alyssa if she approaches them, sending her into panic. In order to pacify these spirits, an item of sentimental value must be found and returned to the spirit's corpse, which always lays near the area being haunted.
After each scenario, Alyssa must confront the subordinate who has been stalking her. At this point her holy water bottle transforms into a longbow, allowing her to fight back. Each battle is confined to a single area, and the player must defeat the subordinate in order to progress. The health of both Alyssa and the subordinate is measured by two life bars which appear on-screen. Alyssa must dodge or duck attacks whilst firing arrows at her attacker. In order to inflict considerable damage, shots must be powered-up. These shots tether the subordinate to the ground. Whilst powering-up the shot, Alyssa must stand still and cannot adjust her aim, leaving her vulnerable to attacks and making it possible for her enemy to move out of her line of sight. If the boss is transfixed with multiple powered-up shots, Alyssa performs a highly damaging attack with her next shot, killing or severely wounding the subordinate.
[edit] Characters
[edit] Main characters
- Alyssa Hamilton
The game's protagonist. Without knowing why, she was sent to a boarding school by her mother and told not to return for six years.
- Nancy Hamilton
Alyssa's mother. The two are very close, but Nancy appears to be hiding something from Alyssa.
- Dennis Owen
A boy that Alyssa knew in primary school three years prior to the game's events. Dennis appears unexpectedly at Alyssa's home near the start of the game. He appears to have a crush on Alyssa, and is obsessed with staying as close to her as possible.
- Dick Hamilton
Alyssa's grandfather, who took the task of raising Alyssa after her father died. He seems to dislike Nancy's choice of husband, and is cold hearted toward him. Three years before events of the game, Dick disappeared from the Hamilton Household and has not been seen since. His disappearance depresses Alyssa, and she waits anxiously for his return.
[edit] Other characters
- May Norton
May is a child dedicated to playing the piano. She entered a piano competition, hoping to win so that her music would be broadcast over the radio, and heard by her father, a soldier at war. May was bludgeoned to death by Sledgehammer after the competition, and it was revealed that her father died in battle.
- William Norton
The father of May Norton, and a soldier at war. He cares a lot about his daughter, and is disappointed that he has to leave her alone at the tailor shop. Before Sledgehammer killed May, William was killed out at the battlefield, and May never knew he died because of her murder.
- Dorothy Rand
Dorothy is a blind old woman, who is the mother of Albert. She is very caring, and is sick of people fussing over her health, and tries to give out the feeling that she is happy without sight, but she really isn't. She would give anything to be able to see again, and wonders what her son does all day in his shed making toys.
- Albert Rand
Albert was also a victim of Corroder, and the son of Dorothy. He is very protective of his mother, and looks after her as much as he can. Dorothy believes he is too over protective of her. He is a man who gives and expects nothing in return by making children's toys for a living.
- Philip Hamilton
Alyssa's real father. Alyssa knows nothing about him as he died shortly after she was born. But later, it is revealed that her dad was murdered by her grandfather.
- Linda Owen
Linda is a missionary nurse, currently positioned in Africa. She is also Dennis's big sister, who has raised Dennis ever since his birth. She has told Dennis she will not be back for at least six months, but mysteriously appears again during Alyssa's journey.
- The Dark Gentleman
This enigmatic character is dressed in dark clothes and has an unusually deep voice. He seems to know a lot about Alyssa, and carries a strong love for her. Alyssa does not know who he is, but thinks that it is obviously one of her mother's lodgers. But there might be more to him that meets the eye: He is Dick Hamilton
[edit] Subordinates
Clock Tower 3 features several boss enemies/antagonists known as 'Subordinates'.
- Sledgehammer
Sledgehammer is the first boss encountered in the game, found bludgeoning a twelve-year-old pianist to death on Christmas Eve 1942. Prior to becoming Sledgehammer, he was known as Robert Morris, a stonecutter.
- Corroder
Corroder is the second boss encountered in the game; he is seen blinding an elderly woman and her adult son before throwing them both alive in a drum of acid in 1963. Corroder's real name, John Haigh, as well as his modus operandi of killing his victims, is inspired by the real John Haigh, who was known in Britain as the Acid Bath Murderer.
- Chopper
Chopper is the third boss and head of the Subordinates. Born in 1655 as Harold Powell, he was a woodcutter who was seriously deformed at birth and as a result, was taunted and cursed for his appearance. When Powell was 17, he proposed marriage to Emily Dickins, the innkeeper's daughter, but was cruelly rejected. In turn, he dismembered Emily with his axe and continued to murder other women in the same fashion for 2 more years until he was later on caught and trialed.
- Scissorwoman & Scissorman
Known as Jemima and Ralph respectively, they were sadistic, sought pleasure in torturing people to death and had a fascination with blades, scissors in particular. Their origins before being brought to Lord Burroughs's estate are unknown, though it is said in a file during the game that it is believed the twins came from the Orient. Both twins, Jemima and Ralph actually share the same Entity.
- Lord Burroughs
British lord who had a sadistic side and enjoyed watching people die. He hired the Scissor twins (see above) to do most of his dirty work. He was a strong believer in the Entities and tried to gain power by using his daughter in the Ritual of Engagement, but she died in an accident just before her 15th birthday. Her death sent Lord Burroughs into a deep rage, resulting in him killing many. However, he was eventually overcome by his people who forced him over the clock tower of his castle, where he fell into the gears.
[edit] Sacred Weapons
- Holy Water
The only weapon Alyssa is armed with. The holy water is of limited use and can remove blue crests on doors, stun enemies and activate holy portals. The only way to refill your holy water vial is to find a lion's fountain, or a jar of it. This is the most useful piece of equipment Alyssa will get her hands on with the exception of the crossbow. When pressing the triangle button, Alyssa will throw a dose in an arch ahead of her. It will stun enemies reaching contact with the splash.
- Sacred Bow
Once the sentimental item belonging to the greater spirits whose misery is powering the level's killer is found, Alyssa gains the power to face off against the killer in battle, using a divine bow and arrow. Pressing triangle will make Alyssa to shoot an arrow. The longer you hold the button, the more powerful effect the arrow will have. The thing about these boss battles, however, is that you must not keep on pounding them with arrows until they fall dead, it will take a very long time. You need to hit them with fully charged arrows, which pin them to the ground with golden chains of light. You cannot shoot three arrows standing still however, you must shoot it so it binds the enemy, tying them down from three different angles. After three chains are placed, Alyssa will launch an arrow high into the air, which will then turn into a massive Rooder attack. This does a lot of damage, and may kill the enemy. Some of these attacks may not defeat powerful enemies, and may need to be performed more than once.
- Repellant Arrows
Green repellant arrows do damage and knock your enemy back, giving Alyssa some time to run back a bit and charge a golden arrow up. These are very helpful in boss battle, so use them with care.
- Binding Arrows
These arrows are equivalent to the charged up golden arrows, and have the same effect. They bind the enemy with one golden chain.
[edit] Items
- Lavender Water
Returns the player's Panic Meter to zero over a period of time.
- Sigil Crystal
Protects Alyssa from a single blow. They are used automatically when an attack would hurt or kill Alyssa, such as when in full panic mode. They are unavailable in boss battles, and do not prevent death by scripted events.
- Invisibility Band
Makes Alyssa invisible for a short period of time.
- Sentimental Item
Pacifies a murder victim's spirit, preventing it from harming Alyssa.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Official sites
- Clock Tower 3 official site (Japanese)
- Clock Tower 3 official site (Chinese)
- Clock Tower 3 official site (European)
- Clock Tower 3 official site (Italian)
- Other resources and information
- Clock Tower 3 at GameFAQs.
- Clock Tower 3 at MobyGames.
- The Barrows Mansion A french fan site.
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