Limited Run Games announces a Clock Tower remaster for the SNES with a new English translation
Limited Run Games is reviving a classic. The up-and-coming publisher, known for bringing back old favorites, announces a Clock Tower remaster and English translation. The influential Japanese Horror game originated on the Super Famicom back in 1995, and now, nearly 25 years later, it’s getting a modern update.
Clock Tower, developed by Human Co. and directed by Hifumi Kono, follows protagonist Jennifer as she explores a mansion while being pursued by the deadly Scissorman. It’s a point-and-click adventure, but with a strong focus on survival horror. While it’s not the first horror game, Clock Tower is largely responsible for influencing Japanese horror games. It also received a director’s cut and sequels, which are still being made today.
“I was, like, 16 when I first played Clock Tower,” says Clock Tower localization lead Mariel Cartwright. “And let me tell you, it was the scariest thing I had ever played. I was so terrified I would fall off the edge of the game world and have to start over again. But that’s what made Clock Tower so special. There was no fighting back.”
I share Cartwright’s sentiments. While I didn’t play Clock Tower until much later (in fact, I was playing it around the same time Cartwright was), it was the first game that truly felt like a survival horror to me. There’s a unique tension in not being able to fight back, especially when you’re stuck in a corner with nowhere to go.
Limited Run Games is bringing Clock Tower to the Nintendo Switch, along with a “port-slash-remaster” from developer WayForward. According to the announcement trailer, the new version will feature improved operability, additional animations, opening videos, new theme songs, additional cutscenes, and video galleries.
Clock Tower will also be localized into five languages, including English. While I’m not sure how they’ll handle the voice acting, it’d be nice to see a faithful English localization of the original game.
The Clock Tower Remaster release date is set for early 2024. You can find out more about Limited Run Games here. You can also learn more about the Clock Tower Remaster on the game’s official website.
