The Last Clockwinder (PSVR2) Review
Summary: The Last Clockwinder may not have the most original concept, but it is still a well executed and charming puzzler.
4
Gardener's world
The Last Clockwinder may not have the most original concept, It’s essentially a puzzle game in the style of In The Company of Myself, where you use clones to solve a series of increasingly more complex puzzles, however, a combination of excellent execution and an added sense of immersion thanks to the wonders of the PSVR2, combine to create an engrossing and incredibly compelling experience.
You are the new keeper of the Clocktower, a gigantic tree in a watery world that is a repository for rare plant life. However, there’s a problem; the pumps that keep the clocktower afloat are broken and it is in imminent danger of sinking into depths below it, along with all of the precious fauna contained within. Thus it’s up to you to set the cogs in motion, get the bilges pumped, and bring the colossal tree back to life.
To do this you use the Clockwinder’s Gloves. A set of gauntlets that create robotic clones of yourself that mimic the actions you performed over the past few seconds. You then use these clones to do things as simple as pull multiple switches at once or hold a few loose pipes in place or even construct complex production lines to gather and process fruits and seeds that are used to power the Clocktower.
Once you hit record on the gloves your actions for a short period after are repeated on a loop by the automatons they create. This allows you to do things like have your clockwork clone hold a lever down so you can then move through a door, or throw an object across the room, and then allow you to catch it. Before creating another clone that will then catch the fruit and throw it in a basket ready for processing.
This all works rather smoothly thanks to the excellent tracking capabilities of the PSVR2’s Dual Sense controllers. While the haptic feedback and ease of movement afforded by the devices allow for a surprisingly tactile experience for a VR game. While successfully creating little production lines crafting molecules from sticks and fruits feels incredibly satisfying.
As you make your way up the tree you’ll extend the amount of time your clones can copy your movements and new kinds of fruit are added that require different approaches to successfully process like the bomb fruit that you need to swiftly pass from one bot to the next in a solo game of hot potato or the squashes that need to have their roots cut off (and some bugger has hidden all the knives).
Although there are efficiency targets if you fancy challenging yourself to make the most efficient production line possible, they’re not necessary for you to progress, and there are no fail states to speak of throughout The Last Clockwinder’s four-hour long runtime. I enjoyed plodding along at a fairly sedate pace because at its core, The Last Clockwinder is a very sedate and cosy VR experience.
It also doesn’t support smooth movement, just teleportation and blink-turning so you don’t even have to worry about your movements making you feel nauseous. Though that being said, it’s clear the game is designed with full room VR in mind and the experience is greatly improved if you have the room to physically move around each puzzle area without stubbing your to on the coffee table or accidentally kicking the cat.
The presentation though nothing spectacular is also pleasant, and your army of bots have a charming Ghibliesque quality to them, while the narrative is told Firewatch style via a series of audio logs. It’s a simple tale that acts mostly as window dressing to the puzzles but is still a pleasant tale that is bound to pull on your heartstrings by the end.
Final Thoughts
The Last Clockwinder is a charming puzzle game and a great pick for anyone who has just taken the plunge on that shiny new PSVR2 headset but is still getting their VR legs. With plenty of comfort features, a leisurely pace, and mechanics that only work in VR, The Last Clockwinder is a great showcase for the hardware, which I’m sure, will make your significant other concede that it was worth spending more than 500 bones on.
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