14 DAY TRIAL // GameHouse Inc has made a habit out of publishing high-quality and addictive games that are practically begging to be played. The Clockwork Man is no exception to the rule and, unless you have tried it, you don't know what you have been missing out on. This new release has a lot of potential on the hidden-object gameplay market because it comes with puzzle-solving mini-games and other impressive features.
Even from the first scenery that you encounter you will be faced with a new and very interesting feature: zooming. I can honestly say that I don't recall ever seeing a zooming ability in any hidden-object game. The Clockwork Man offers you the chance to zoom within certain areas of you environment and even scroll around left and right. This feature can cause some difficulties when searching for objects because the entire searching space expands and you have to pay even closer attention to details. Small objects like ants and hair pins can turn into a real nightmare especially if you don't have any hints left.
Another innovation that The Clockwork Man brings is the small robot sidekick that is always by your side, giving you hints and helping you find objects faster. You can even upgrade him with different gadgets that will prove to be more than useful at times.
Unlike other hidden-object games, you also have to solve different puzzles. These mini-games can only be solved by combining different found objects so that you can create new ones. For instance, you will find yourself in the position of having to escape from a room and you will have to improvise a saw so that you can cut off the leg of a wooden chair and combine it with a rusted ax head piece. This is a small example that goes to demonstrate that the logic you have to use must be orientated towards creating practical solutions.
After exposing all the features that make the game unique, I have to state that the gameplay story is not of an extraordinary nature. You play the role of Miranda Calomy, the last descendant from a long line of inventors and engineers. She receives a letter from her grandfather where she is asked to help with the disappearance of some important objects that are vital for her grandfather’s project. With the help of your trusty sidekick, you embark on a mysterious adventure that will take you far away from home.
This 19th century fantasy world is filled with crazy contraptions like Steam-powered flying machines and other devices that seem to have been ripped out of a science-fiction book. All of this, along with a captivating soundtrack, sets the mood for an addictive game that will surely eat up countless hours of you spare time.
You can enjoy The Clockwork Man within a 60-minute trial version and if you decide that you want more, you must be prepared to pay 19.99 dollars to unlock all the features of the game and remove any limitation from the demo version. On a personal note, the game left a great impression on me and it's well worth the money, for unlimited play time.
Here are some snapshots of the application in action:
