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part 5
Clock Tower, the sequel to Clock Tower: The First Fear
Clock Tower builds directly on it’s previous installment as it continues the story of Jennifer’s struggle. As I did yesterday, however, let’s attempt this exercise without any prior knowledge.
Clock Tower branches into two paths: Helen and Jennifer’s separate stories. The game begins with a prologue chapter that is the same for both of them. Jennifer is in therapy after witnessing what Dr. Barton refers to as the Clock Tower murders. Helen interrupts a session complaining that the doctor is pushing Jennifer too far too fast and the women leave. Barton, alone and acting as the player’s first avatar, muses over his dedication to get information out of Jennifer.
He seems like such a swell guy right out the gate doesn’t he?
On Barton’s desk lies a pair of replica scissors. As Barton thinks about what they represent the screen is flooded in crimson hues, ominous music plays, and the camera cranes up to look straight down on the replica as if to suggest that this replica has inherited a sinister power.
When the screen returns to normal Barton is back under player control. Having seen everything in the room it’s time to head into the adjoining office. A few of Barton’s workers are here and so is a strange cold statue likely to draw a player’s attention with it’s strategic location right next to the first NPC shown. On the next desk is a rubber mask that Barton comments is a cheap knock-off of Scissorman’s.
(As an aside, Bobby never wore a mask in the first game. The only conclusion that I can draw is that in her terror Jennifer mistook Bobby’s twisted features for a mask.)
Barton continues talking to the NPCs he meets including his assistant Harris, a reporter named Nolan, and his cameraman Tim. Throughout these conversations it is repeated that Dr. Barton is highly skeptical of Scissorman. As a first time player the existence of Scissorman is never in doubt, but whether he is a supernatural killer and why he kills are still unknown. As the prologue ends the path of Helen or Jennifer is set and the player will begin their first journey towards the truth with one of them depending on their actions prior.
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Jennifer’s Path
Jennifer starts at home deciding to go out and about. There are a number of locations to choose from on a simple city map. She speaks with Helen back at the office and Mr. Sullivan at the library. Eventually Jennifer heads to the hotel for her first meeting with the other survivor Edward – a young boy said to have lost his memory. When she gets home Nolan is there waiting for her. He requests a date with her that night, to which she agrees.
Night falls and the game shifts to the first official Jennifer scenario. She walks alone down a quiet street. Almost immediately the young woman senses she is being followed. Fear overwhelms our heroine as she approaches an open gate so she bolts inside towards a building where a security guard intercepts her. Jennifer pleads with him for aide. As he remarks on her plight his life is instantly cut off by a pair of scissors plunged through his body and out of his chest. The guard falls slain as the camera moves to show the gleeful murderer garbed in green. In the scant few seconds that Scissorman takes to finish off the guard Jennifer bolts inside looking for a hiding place.
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Helen’s Path
Helen begins in her office dealing with a hard drive crash. While waiting for a co-worker to return Helen heads out on the town to talk with NPCs. She visits Detective Gotts at the police station, Edward at the hotel, and then notes how late it is and hurries back to the university. Hard drive replaced she decides to grab a nap on the premises before working on her dissertation.
Thus begins Helen’s official first scenario. When Helen enters the dormitory she finds Rose curled up in a bed. The two chitchat briefly then Helen pads down for some sleep. Her last action before this is to turn off the lights.
A quick fade to black later and Helen is woken by knocking at her door. It is obvious that Rose left her bed. Cautiously she peers out the peep hole to see who keeps knocking at sees it is a co-worker. She opens the door for him but he only gets a failing step in before crashing to the floor dead. Immediately music starts up with the distinctive snip of Scissorman’s blade’s drawing closed.
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