In a nutshell, The Last Clockwinder is a blend of puzzle solving and factory building. It’s not the most original idea, but it’s very well executed by taking advantage of VR’s unique perspective to create truly engaging gameplay.
Set within the Clocktower, a giant tree that serves as a safe haven for various plant species, it’s your job to get everything running again. Clockwinder gloves let you create loop clones of actions to automate things like collecting fruit, starting machines, and more. Once the record is reached, anything you do physically in a short time frame is duplicated in a loop. This allows you to pick fruit and throw it across the room, for example. You can then clone another to catch it and continue the process.
Everything works great thanks to the PSVR2 Sense Controller’s solid tracking. The game has a nice tactile feel to it as all the action comes from your own movements. It’s a very satisfying feeling. You’ll soon be able to clone different time periods, and as you explore the Clocktower you’ll discover new plants, learn more techniques, and uncover stories (mostly , is there as a set dressing). It introduces new ideas while increasing difficulty at a great pace.
While not strictly necessary for progress, there are efficiency goals to work towards, requiring maximizing production while minimizing the number of clones. Aside from that, this is a very laid back experience. Clone more and the music will build. There is no failure state or time limit. Clone yourself to create a looping factory line and move on. It’s never-ending fun, and time melts while you think of solutions.
Despite some low-res textures, the comfort art style works well, with a range of comfort options to suit your needs. The Last Clockwinder isn’t a big, flashy experience, it uses VR to lure you into a puzzle. Enjoyable throughout and not overly long, this game is one of his quietly better games in his lineup for the launch of PSVR2.
