100% Longplay • Clock Tower 3 (Clear Mode)
15This is a 100% playthrough of Clock Tower 3, released for the PS2, played on PSCX2. Been playing this game a lot recently trying to get the RetroAchievements for it, and had myself a blast. I thought since I had the game fresh in my memory I thought, hey, might as well record a playthrough of it.
So this is a 100% playthrough, and what constitutes as 100% in this game is kind of vague? If you look at the CT3 page on Speedrun.com, it basically boils down to beating the game from start to finish, while healing all the spirits you come across. This in my opinion is a good definition, since the game doesn't really have a checklist of sorts of things you need to accomplish, due to how there aren't really that much in terms of collectables to find throughout the story. Most of what you get from calming spirits are consumable items, like Sigil Stones and Invisibility Bands etc., so it's not like you get anything unique from doing it.
However I would say that another requirement for 100% is collecting every File in the game, which I believe totals up to 29? Not really a hard task, since a bunch of em are obtained via story progression, and the rest of them are fairly easy to spot as you go through the game, so they're pretty hard to miss. The file you find in the trashcan at the start of Stage 2 can be hard to miss though since it doesn't have a sparkle like the rest of the items do, as well as the file from one of the patient in the hospital at Stage 4. You need the release form to heal him, but (at least for me) it's easy to forget that you actually get a file if you interact with the body. So if you're like me and trail blazes through the game, you wanna give him the release form immediately and just move on with your life, it's easy to neglect he actually carries a file.
This was played on Clear mode, which is essentially a hard mode of the game. Clear mode is something that's unlocked akin to a new game plus; you beat the game once, then save over a previous file, and you will start a new game in this new mode. So what's the real difference between Clear mode and normal mode? For one, the stalkers are a lot more aggressive, both running a helluva lot faster, and they fill your panic meter A LOT more than before. One attack and you're almost at panic, it's no joke no siree. Bosses are also buffed, with some having a few different attacks that they'll use, and generally having a but more health than normal. I wouldn't say the bosses are all that more difficult, if you didn't have issues with them on the 1st playthrough, they won't pose much of a threat this time around... Except for Burroughs. Burroughs is a pain and a half no matter the difficulty, unless you know a good strategy. In cleared mode, he will always fire three projectiles as opposed to one, and the best way to avoid them is to crouch down, but if you crouch down you rarely have the time to charge up an arrow enough in order to transfix him (unless you deliberately take a hit). It's not really a huge deal, but it makes the fight take longer and you will have to rely on your special arrows a bit more than usual.
All in all I feel I played the game pretty well! As of recording this, my latest playthrough was around 4 days ago I think? So I still had (most) of the knowledge of the game intact. I was intending on picking up every item, which I did do for the most part, although I had some brain farts and forgot a few. I think the ones I missed were the repellant arrow in the pocket watch room of the tailors in Stage 1, as well as a Lavender Water in the theater (that's on the 2nd floor on your way to the catwalk area). I also deliberately neglected to pick up the repellant arrow in the sewers area of Stage 2, located at the end of the path from where you find the shawl. Normally I would pick it up, but I got trolled super hard by corroder and the spirit, I wasted nearly all of my holy water, and I didn't wanna chance accidentally going into panic just before the boss fight.
SPEAKING OF BOSS FIGHTS -- I did them all superbly. I'm quite shocked myself. For anyone who's played this game before, you KNOW how rough these boss fights can get, and how super finicky it can be to transfix em. Like I mentioned before, I did play this recently to get all the RetroAchievements, and some of the achievements included beating the bosses without taking any damage, so I'm certain that made it easier for me this time around. Sledgehammer and Corroder; basically flawless. Chopper 1 is always easy so nevermind that. Chopper 2 went really well although I flubbed up a bit towards the end. Scissorwoman I don't think I ever beat this fast, I was taken aback. Scissorman likewise, went well. He is really easy once you transfix him once I feel. Burroughs was pretty good, can't complain. I did mess up a bit around halway through the battle, but I got back easily.
Okay that's enough of me talking, enjoy the video.