Clock Tower: Rewind - Summarized List of Issues

[Odjn Ryu]

Because I love this game too much, I've taken it upon myself to note the common issues/complaints folks have been having with this recent release.

Hopefully the game does receive post-launch support in the form of updates to address these issues!

If there's anything else you feel should be on this list, please do chime in.

Bugs/Technical Issues

• Game doesn't launch: EDIT: WayForward has issued an update that supposedly fixes this. If you are still having this issue, please contact WayForward Support and include a DxDiag.txt report: [e-mail]. Some users can't get the game to launch, with some pointing to Steam Input configuration being the culprit. Turning Steam Input off seems to fix the issue for some, but not all. Nevertheless, Steam Input should not determine whether the game gets to launch or not.
  
• Slowdown/framerate drops: In certain scenes and areas, the game's framerate will noticeably plummet, such as running across a long corridor, running across the courtyard, hiding under the bed, and during the clock tower scene. This slowdown was not present in the original SFC version on actual hardware, nor when run in a PC emulator.
  
• Steam Cloud saves do not carry over: Having put ample time into the game on Steam Deck, despite the Cloud status saying "Synced" on both Steam Deck and Desktop PC, the Desktop PC does not have any save data from the Steam Deck version. As of 11/11/2024, a new update has reportedly fixed the issue.
  
• PS5 DualSense controller does not work: Despite the Store Page indicating PlayStation Controller support, the DualSense is not detected by the game (both USB wired and Bluetooth wireless) and PS button icons are not shown.
  
• Achievement issue - Dolly Dearest: This achievement unlocks as soon as you enter the nursery but before the actual situation occurs. The achievement notification spoils the situation ahead of it actually happening.
  
• Achievement issue - A Deadly Duet: This achievement implies the piano room situation that can occur when you play the piano, but also unlocks during the piano room curtain situation. It seems the conditions are: Scissorman and Jennifer must be in the piano room together, regardless of what happens.
  
• Screen Sizing Inconsistencies: The "2X" scaling option is only actually a 2X integer scaler if playing in 720p. In 1080p it's 3X scaling, and in 1440p it's 5X scaling. "Full" does not scale to the top and bottom of the screen, but "4:3" does. Additionally, 4:3 does not appear to be actual 4:3 and is not using any known SFC/SNES horizontal stretching method (such as multiplying the horizontal res by 1.1275, or 8/7, or 4/3). 4:3 seems to be more of a "zoomed in" 8:7.
  
• Upside down scan in Extras: The Japanese Hifumi Kohno comments section of one of the Clock Tower scan extras is displayed upside-down.

Gameplay Issues/Feature Requests

• Forced, intrusive Extras mode unlock notices: There are "artwork unlock" pop-ups you get during gameplay that you can't toggle off. These pop-ups occur while the game is actively running. They are jarring and break the immersion. There should be a toggle for these and the notices should not get in the way of the scenes/gameplay.
  
• Awkward save state functionality: There are 3 save slots, but each slot can only handle 1 save state in a session. Rather than make it clear or confirm with text that the state was saved, you just get a "thunk" sound and it goes back to the game. The only way to actually load your state is to quit the game back to the launcher's save menu and reload from there. Additionally, save state is the only way to actually save in this version; no SRM data is retained upon leaving the game, so if you want to keep your Ending List progress, you must keep an active save state of it prior to exiting back to the main menu.
  
• No controller button mapping in-game: Despite being a common feature in PC emulators and other emulated retro ports/collections, you cannot remap controller buttons in-game.
  
• Only 1 visual filter option: The CRT filter in this release adds thick, darkened scanlines and tints the colors, but doesn't soften the image like a CRT would. Ideally, it'd be great to have control over the thickness of scanlines and added filters that can lightly or heavily soften the image to try to achieve that CRT look.
  
• Cursor sensitivity: When using a PS4 DualShock controller, you can tap the touch button to change the speed of the cursor. It's currently unknown if this cursor sensitivity change can be done on other controllers or mouse + keyboard, but if it cannot, there should be an option!
  
• The extras scans are in Japanese only and do not have any English, Spanish, nor other language translations. These would be great to have so Western users can actually read them!
  
• The interview with Hifumi Kohno and interactive comics are translated into English, but not Spanish nor other languages.
  
• Need moar Clock Tower: If this does well, please consider ports/remasters of Clock Tower: The First Fear (PS1), Clock Tower (WonderSwan), Clock Tower/Clock Tower 2 (PS1), Clock Tower II: The Struggle Within/Ghost Head, and Clock Tower 3. ;) And Haunting Ground while we're still port-begging. Thank you!

[Transfem Bucky Beaver (Beav/Her)]

also, the books provided in the "clocktower: rewind museum" have no translations provided for them! !!

[Odjn Ryu]

Originally posted by Transfem Bucky Beaver (Beav/Her):

also, the books provided in the "clocktower: rewind museum" have no translations provided for them! !!

Good catch, added thanks!

[asdbanz]

I got A Deadly Duet during active chase which was initiated in different place

[Odjn Ryu]

Originally posted by asdbanz:

I got A Deadly Duet during active chase which was initiated in different place

Weird! Where was it that it unlocked for you?

[MTaye]

I haven't bought the game yet, but have seen some gameplay and the way the ingame overlay for unlocking extras works is quite bad. It basically dims the whole game and displays a message in the middle of the screen while game is running in the back... And there's no way to turn it off. Not great.

[Ripast]

Neither the interviews nor the interactive comics are translated into Spanish or any other language.
And where does that leave us who don't speak English?

[asdbanz]

Originally posted by Odjn Ryu:

Originally posted by asdbanz:

I got A Deadly Duet during active chase which was initiated in different place

Weird! Where was it that it unlocked for you?

What I figured out is that the game checks 2 conditions - place and if Bobby is present.
For me he jumped out of a box in another room. And I run to the piano and just waited for him to appear normally.

[TheClayKinderSurprise]

I had a major issue with the cutscene with Walter. The music that was supposed to play is busted. Instead, I had a repeating tone and white noise playing throughout in the Rewind mode.
This only happened on my S ending playthrough and not during my C ending one.

[Saw◭Eater]

I also noticed a complete lack of any volume or audio options.

[TheClayKinderSurprise]

Also, since the developer of the Clock Tower Deluxe ROM hack was involved, I was pretty disappointed that the additional mouse controls that were mentioned in the readme for that hack weren't included here.

Originally posted by BobSchneeder45:

Left button: walk/ click things
Right button: stop/ panic button
Press SELECT to change mouse speed (on real hardware). Changes cursor speed for the gamepad instead if no mouse connected.
Move the cursor down to access the inventory. Right clicking there will switch to the default cursor.

[Odjn Ryu]

Originally posted by TheClayKinderSurprise:

Also, since the developer of the Clock Tower Deluxe ROM hack was involved, I was pretty disappointed that the additional mouse controls that were mentioned in the readme for that hack weren't included here.

Originally posted by BobSchneeder45:

Left button: walk/ click things
Right button: stop/ panic button
Press SELECT to change mouse speed (on real hardware). Changes cursor speed for the gamepad instead if no mouse connected.
Move the cursor down to access the inventory. Right clicking there will switch to the default cursor.

I've heard that apparently you can change the cursor speed in the PS4 version if you tap the touch pad. I'm wondering if that's possible with a certain key or button on other platforms/controllers.

[Faye Strawberry]

Yes please to Haunting Ground! I would love to have that in my Steam library <3

[Vermillion]

Would like to add to this list that you cannot fight back/struggle against Scissorman a lot of the times.
Certain rooms do not allow for it and I think it is a bug related to Scissorman now being able to spawn at any time and not at set interactions/locations.
I think there is missing code or something that was there to allow the player to fight back/struggle but when they changed his spawn rates something broke and now more often than not you just die when he gets too close.

[ChubbiChibbai]

Originally posted by Odjn Ryu:

• Steam Cloud saves do not carry over: Having put ample time into the game on Steam Deck, despite the Cloud status saying "Synced" on both Steam Deck and Desktop PC, the Desktop PC does not have any save data from the Steam Deck version.

It's so frustrating the amount of games that launch with steam cloud issues these days.

[SHIBITO BRAIN]

I had an issue while running from Dan Jennifer icon wasn't flickerin and pressing X did nothing so it was a game over but then it worked after choosing continue. Also the same happened while fighting Mary on the third floor of Clock tower. There is supposed to be QTE to keep pressing X before crows save you but again, it happened only after game over and choosing to continue. I experienced it only in rewind mode though, there were no problems in original.
Edit: pressing "A" actually, not pressing "X"