History VideoGame / ClockTower

* ''VideoGame/{{Clock Tower|1995}}'' -- Released in 1995 for the [[Platform/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem Super Famicom,]] features an orphaned girl named Jennifer who is adopted along with her friends, but is pursued by Bobby Barrows, the manor's resident maniac with a huge pair of scissors. It was later ported to [[UsefulNotes/IBMPersonalComputer Windows 95]] and Platform/PlayStation in 1997, followed by a Platform/WonderSwan version in 1999. Though fan translations are available for each version (excluding the Wonderswan release), this installment was never officially released outside of Japan in any shape or form, until Creator/WayForwardTechnologies confirmed that they're working on a remastered version that will be releasing on all modern consoles in all regions in 2024.

* ''VideoGame/{{Clock Tower|1995}}'' -- Released in 1995 for the [[UsefulNotes/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem Super Famicom,]] features an orphaned girl named Jennifer who is adopted along with her friends, but is pursued by Bobby Barrows, the manor's resident maniac with a huge pair of scissors. It was later ported to [[UsefulNotes/IBMPersonalComputer Windows 95]] and UsefulNotes/PlayStation in 1997, followed by a UsefulNotes/WonderSwan version in 1999. Though fan translations are available for each version (excluding the Wonderswan release), this installment was never officially released outside of Japan in any shape or form, until Creator/WayForwardTechnologies confirmed that they're working on a remastered version that will be releasing on all modern consoles in all regions in 2024.

* ''VideoGame/ClockTower3'' -- The fourth and (seemingly) final game in the series for UsefulNotes/PlayStation2, this installment focuses on a different Alyssa who, upon returning home, found that her mother is missing. Unlike the previous installments, this game was co-developed by Creator/{{Capcom}} and Sunsoft as Human Entertainment filed for bankruptcy at the turn of the new millennium, and instead of the series' staple point and click interface, players have full control of their character. It was released in Japan in 2002 and everywhere else in 2003.

* UnbuiltTrope: The first game is one of the first survival horror games ever created, and yet it gives the player even less to work with than most of those genre games do. The enemies Jennifer encounters are pretty much impossible to stop unless Jennifer is in very specific circumstances. And even then, most of that consists of finishing something that someone else already set up. No weapons, no magic, no special powers, nothing. The most you can hope for is the chance to run and hide. And yet, in spite of virtually creating survival horror as a genre, ''Clock Tower'' reads like a deconstruction of the genre it created simply because of how much the player character's helplessness is made explicitly clear.

* SpiritualSuccessor: ''VideoGame/HauntingGround'' is a spiritual successor to this series. At one point, it was intended to be an actual sequel, but the ''Clock Tower'' name was dropped during development. Another successor was produced by Nude Maker under the title "''VideoGame/NightCry.''"

* ''VideoGame/{{Clock Tower|1995}}'' -- Released in 1995 for the [[UsefulNotes/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem Super Famicom,]] features an orphaned girl named Jennifer who is adopted along with her friends, but is pursued by Bobby Barrows, the manor's resident maniac with a huge pair of scissors. It was later ported to [[UsefulNotes/IBMPersonalComputer Windows 95]] and UsefulNotes/PlayStation in 1997, followed by a UsefulNotes/WonderSwan version in 1999. This installment was never released outside of Japan in any shape or form, however fan translations are available for each version, excluding the Wonderswan release.

* SanityMeter: The first game had a panic meter, in the form of Jennifer's portrait. It didn't do much except make her more likely to be killed by traps, cause her to trip more often, and flash when you should be mashing the panic button.

* BittersweetEnding: Most of the good endings are like this.

* KillEmAll: Don't expect your favorite characters to survive to the end. If they do, they'll probably die during it.

* UnbuiltTrope: The first game is one of the first survival horror games ever created, and yet it gives the player even less to work with than most of those genre games do. The enemies Jennifer encounters are pretty much impossible to stop unless Jennifer is in very specific circumstances. And even then, most of that consists of finishing something that someone else already set up. No guns, no knives, no special weapons, nothing. The most you can hope for is the chance to run and hide. And yet, in spite of virtually creating survival horror, it reads like a deconstruction of the genre it created simply because of how much the player character's helplessness is made explicitly clear.

* UnbuiltTrope: The first game is one of the first survival horror games ever created, and yet it gives the player even less to work with than most of those genre games do. The enemies Jennifer encounters are pretty much impossible to stop unless Jennifer is in very specific circumstances. And even then, most of that consists of finishing something that someone else already set up. No guns, no knives, no special weapons. The most you can hope for is the chance to run and hide.

* InfantImmortality: Averted; sometimes children are killed, sometimes they're the killer.

* JekyllAndHyde: The main Characters of ''Clock Tower Ghost Head'' / ''The Struggle Within''. Alyssa / Yu is Dr. Jekyll, while Bates / Sho is Mr. Hyde.

* TheUnreveal: In ''Ghost Head,'' the game vaguely implies that Bobby and Dan are the reincarnated Alyssa and Bates. Alongside the ritual Mary did in ''The First Fear'' to summon them. Your only clue is the golden statue and the mention of George Maxwell's magic powers in Allen's letter to Phillip. This game actually makes sense if you ignore the zombies.

[[quoteright:276:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/clocktower_5.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:276: The original survival horror franchise.]]

* SplitPersonality: In ''Ghost Head,'' there's Yu / Alyssa and her male alter ego Sho / Bates.