Clock Tower (series)

Clock Tower is a survival horror video game series created by Human Entertainment and continued by Sunsoft. The series plays like a horror film and unlike some of the other survival horror games, the Clock Tower series does not focus on shooting creatures or using violence, but rather using the player's surroundings to hide and escape while solving puzzles and following the twisting storyline. The main character is usually quite helpless compared to the villains, so the main emotional connection to the game is the fear of being captured or discovered.

Games

There are currently four games in the series while a remake is still in development. The first two games are directly connected by use of common main characters and villains; the latter two titles do not share common characters. It should also be noted that Clock Tower Ghost Head, while sharing the gameplay mechanics of the first two, could be considered a spin-off from the main "numbered" series inasmuch that is set in Japan rather than Europe. Thus Clock Tower 3, while differing in gameplay style, reunites the original and western numbering.

• Clock Tower: The First Fear (1995) - Super Famicom, PlayStation, WonderSwan
• Clock Tower (1996) - PlayStation
• Clock Tower 2: The Struggle Within (1998) - PlayStation
• Clock Tower 3 (2002) - PlayStation 2

Ownership

After Human Entertainment folded in 1999, the Clock Tower series was sold to Capcom. Clock Tower 3 was created by Sunsoft and published by Capcom. Not only was this part of the series created by a different company, it also offered 3D movement for the first time within the series. Capcom has not announced another game, although the game Haunting Ground is considered a spiritual sequel and was initially developed as Clock Tower 4.

Film adaptation

Until April 30, 2008, the film was stuck in development hell, but finally more information about the film was announced on G4's Attack of the Show!, the show featured a headline quoting: "The Weinstein Company has announced their plans to make a feature adaption of Capcom's classic series Clock Tower, the film will offer gameplay elements from the series while the story will be loosely based on all of the games. Martin Weisz (The Hills Have Eyes 2) has currently been signed to direct."

On September 9, 2008 it was reported that Brittany Snow would be playing the lead in Clock Tower. Filming is set to begin in November at Los Angeles. It is known that Scissorman will be included in the film, but his identity and backstory will be completely different from any of the games.

On October 7, Bloody Disgusting reported rumor that Milla Jovovich, star of the Resident Evil movie franchise was to play a role in Clock Tower. However on October 14 a representative of Jovovich corrected Bloody Disgusting saying that Jovovich was not doing the movie. The only confirmed actor in the movie so far is Brittany Snow.

November 7 brought news that Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions Group had acquired domestic home entertainment and television distribution rights to Senator's release slate, which included Clock Tower. The long delayed movie has also been pushed back and is set to begin filming in December. It is unknown if the movie will, yet again, be pushed back further.

On December 16, eight promotional artwork and teaser posters were posted online, along with a synopsis and a TBA 2009 release date. The posters show the Scissorman extensively and it appears as though he will be wielding two knives that can join together into a makeshift pair of scissors (like the Scissorman/Scissorwoman in Clock Tower 3 appearance) rather than his trademark pair of shears.

In February 2009 it was revealed by Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions Group that Clock Tower will have a 2010 release. It has not been revealed whether or not filming has begun, or if Snow is still attached to the project.

In June 2009 it was hinted that Clock Tower will go into production in July. The film is still slated for a 2010 release date.

As of September 2010, it appears the film once again has no director and was described as Martin Weisz as "officially in limbo".

Fan remake

In February 2009, Mansyon Software, an independent video game developer has released information on the development of a fan remake to the first 1995 Hifumi Kohno's Clock Tower: The First Fear game, entitled Remothered. Now in the production stage, gameplay videos and images for the game have been released. The developer has stated that the game will be released in early 2011 for Microsoft Windows.

Remothered takes on the premise of the 1995 original, where four teenage orphan girls are adopted and taken under the wing of a wealthy man and his wife. Soon after, before the girls are able to get adjusted to their new home, they are pursued by a menacing killer who wields scissor-like blades as his weapon. There will be a greater focus on dark atmosphere, fear and stealth, compared to the original's puzzle-style gameplay.

In 2007, developer Chris Darril revealed early sketch arts of a remake he had in mind of the 1995 Hifumi Kohno's Clock Tower: The First Fear game under the helm of his independent developer Manyson Software. It was a rumor until May 2009, when Darril announced that the remake he entitled Remothered (also known as Reborn) was on its way into production, unveiling new images and videos of its progress. The game is still in production. A 2011/1st quarter release date is set.