Clockwork Tales: Of Glass and Ink

Without a doubt, Clockwork Tales: Of Glass and Ink is a good quality product overall, made by a developer that really seems to know what they're doing when it comes to point and click titles. The deviations from the standard hidden object pathways mix things up nicely and the only real flaws we can find are with the voiceovers and the game's length. It isn't the most difficult game in the world to beat and doesn't stick around long enough, but there's a nice couple of hours of decent entertainment here for those who like to get their brain working.

91%Game Brain Score

story, graphics

replayability, grinding

91% User Score Based on 485 reviews

Critic Score 70%Based on 1 reviews

Platforms

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About

"Clockwork Tales: Of Glass and Ink" is a captivating steampunk-genre hidden object puzzle adventure game, where Agent Evangeline Glass investigates the mysterious disappearance of her friend and colleague, Dr. Ambrose Ink. Dr. Ink had been investigating a series of strange earthquakes causing cities to crumble, leading him to Hochwald and the Barber family castle. The game features action elements such as espionage, monster battles, and even hang-gliding.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Clockwork Tales: Of Glass and Ink screenshot

91%

Audience ScoreBased on 485 reviews

story142 positive mentions

grinding8 negative mentions

Beautiful graphics and art style that effectively captures the steampunk aesthetic.
Engaging story with a mix of puzzles and hidden object scenes that keep the gameplay interesting.
Varied puzzles that are not overly difficult, making it accessible for casual gamers.

The game is relatively short, taking only about 3-4 hours to complete, which may not justify the full price.
Some voice acting is subpar, particularly for minor characters, which can detract from the overall experience.
The ending feels rushed and lacks resolution, leaving players wanting more closure to the story.

story
384 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
57%
6%
The story in "Clockwork Tales: Of Glass and Ink" is generally regarded as simple and straightforward, often described as engaging yet lacking depth and character development. While the steampunk setting and visuals are praised, many reviewers feel the plot is thin and rushed, with some elements left unexplained, making it more of a backdrop for puzzles than a compelling narrative. Overall, the game offers a fun experience with a decent story, but it may not satisfy those seeking a rich or intricate plot.
- “I really enjoyed Clockwork Tales: Of Glass and Ink - it has a steampunk vibe, an interesting story, many different settings, and beautiful hidden object scenes (especially in the bonus chapter that acts as a prequel).”
- “The story is engaging, which is an attribute that can be hard to find.”
- “The story is nice and your little bird helper is adorable.”
- “The story is lacking, with many elements left unexplained and a rushed ending that feels forced.”
- “The plot is just an intangible mess from beginning to end, leaving me wondering when the characters would be fleshed out.”
- “The storyline was a tad disappointing, with flat characters and a simplistic plot that failed to engage.”
graphics
185 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
34%
2%
The graphics in "Clockwork Tales: Of Glass and Ink" are widely praised for their stunning, colorful, and detailed artwork, particularly within the steampunk aesthetic. Players appreciate the clean art style, vibrant visuals, and the overall atmosphere created by the graphics, which enhance the gameplay experience. While some noted minor issues with character animations and voice acting, the visuals are consistently highlighted as a strong point of the game, making it visually appealing and engaging for fans of the genre.
- “The graphics look gorgeous on the Steam Deck.”
- “Absolutely gorgeous, stunning artwork and captivating background music and voiceover.”
- “The graphics in Clockwork Tales are plain awesome.”
- “Just like most other games from this sorry-ass company, the story is brain-dead, inappropriate for kids (it wasn't promised as such, though) with annoying music and mediocre artwork.”
- “Average graphics.”
- “The graphics and storyline are ok, but this isn't much of a 'hidden object game'.”
gameplay
109 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
72%
3%
The gameplay is characterized by a linear point-and-click structure, featuring a mechanical crow named Matthew that assists players in retrieving out-of-reach items and solving puzzles. While the game offers a variety of hidden object scenes and collectibles, some players find the gameplay to be simplistic and the overall experience relatively short, typically lasting around 3 to 5 hours. Despite its brevity, the game is praised for its beautiful graphics, engaging mechanics, and the unique steampunk aesthetic, making it enjoyable for fans of the genre.
- “The gameplay is great and the main reason it's one of the best hidden object games; the animation is consistent all the way through, and it's got a bigger variety of puzzles than most hidden object games.”
- “While the game isn't particularly long, it is otherwise hard to criticize - the story moves along reasonably well, the gameplay is solid throughout - the hidden object scenes are good, the point and click and puzzles all flow fairly well and make sense.”
- “Things like collecting the bugs and the crow mechanic were nice touches that made the game feel unique and fresh.”
- “Structurally well built both mechanically and visually, the narrative hook of being a spy is virtually ignored as players bluntly storm through hurdles without the grace or finesse of a spy.”
- “However, genre aficionados might find the gameplay a bit too simple.”
- “The gameplay is often usually a few scenes and some random objects in a list.”
music
73 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
45%
8%
The music in the game is generally described as atmospheric and fitting, enhancing the overall experience without being intrusive. While many players appreciate the beautiful and relaxing soundtrack, some note that it can be repetitive and forgettable. Overall, the music contributes positively to the game's ambiance, though opinions vary on its memorability and quality.
- “Absolutely gorgeous, stunning artwork and captivating background music and voiceover.”
- “The music fit well with the scenes and didn't jar me out of the game, but it wasn't especially memorable.”
- “The art is beautiful, the voice acting is really good and the music is atmospheric.”
- “Steampunk theme is fun, though the tick-tock music is annoying.”
- “Music could be better, though, with most tunes being repetitive and rather annoying.”
- “But the story is lacking, the music is boring and loops awkwardly.”
atmosphere
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
69%
19%
12%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive steampunk setting, enhanced by beautiful graphics, atmospheric music, and effective voice acting. Players appreciate the detailed art style and the way the sound design contributes to the overall mood, creating a captivating experience that draws them into the game's world. While some note minor flaws, the overall ambiance is considered a strong point, making it enjoyable for players.
- “Immersive steampunk atmosphere.”
- “The background music adds to the atmosphere of mystery, helping you feel you're in a foreign region or time, and the voice acting of main characters is sufficient to avoid breaking the immersion.”
- “The steampunk-clockwork world has a really good atmosphere and many neat details, such as the 'church of science.'”
- “Above all our common expectations, Clockwork Tales: Of Glass and Ink covers a narration and a period so dark, yet envelops it with fair music and an atmosphere straight out of fables.”
- “The atmosphere and graphical content is pretty incredible for such a short game.”
- “The atmosphere is alright and will carry you for the few 4-6 hours you might play this game (don't miss the prequel chapter available once finishing the game).”
replayability
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
60%
20%
Overall, the game has low replayability due to its linear progression and the simplicity of puzzles, which diminish the challenge after the first playthrough. While there are some replayable mini-games and achievements that encourage multiple runs, the short playtime and lack of variance in gameplay limit the overall replay value. Players may find the initial experience enjoyable, but it is unlikely to warrant repeated playthroughs.
- “Replayability is encouraged due to the existence of achievements such as: complete the game in expert mode, find all hidden bugs, and don't misclick in any hidden object segments.”
- “Low playtime, but high replayability.”
- “This is the collector's edition of the game and comes with the bonus chapter (a short prequel to the main story), replayable puzzles and hidden object scenes, wallpapers, soundtrack, and collectible 'steambugs' that are sprinkled throughout the game.”
- “There's also not a lot of replayability.”
- “Don't expect to get a lot of replayability as once you solve a puzzle, you know how.”
- “Due to the linear progression and lack of variance in how to move forward, the game has fairly little replayability, but the initial experience can be quite fun.”
humor
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of amusing voice acting, with some performances being hilariously bad, and clever references that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the lighthearted tone, particularly in the context of the steampunk theme and entertaining puzzles, making it a delightful and engaging adventure. Overall, the humor adds a charming layer to the gameplay, despite some inconsistencies in voice quality.
- “Those games always had poor voice acting, but some of the villager voices in Clockwork Tales are hilariously terrible.”
- “A bit short (7h playing leisurely) but very nice: graphics are pleasant, the steampunk theme design is quite nicely done, there are a few hilarious references, and some of the puzzles are not trivial.”
- “This game is exactly what you'd expect from Artifex Mundi - an entertaining story, fun puzzles, some funny references, and some cute animals throughout!”
grinding
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews on grinding in the game highlight a mixed experience; while some puzzles are engaging and imaginative, others are described as tedious and repetitive, particularly those requiring trial and error. Players appreciate the balance of challenge without overwhelming frustration, though some noted that certain puzzles could become tiresome, especially towards the end. Overall, the game manages to maintain interest through its storytelling and quality design, despite some grinding elements.
- “Near the end of the game, I was getting a bit sick of them and did skip a few of the more tedious trial/error ones.”
- “Some puzzles (the dollhouse, reflecting mirrors) were fun, and others (rolling balls, guide the pin) were just mind-numbingly tedious.”
- “The puzzles are imaginative and plentiful, ranging from easy to some really hard ones, for example the one with the balls, where we have to roll 5 different colored balls into their corresponding slots - not only is it hard, but tedious as well (if one of the balls gets into the wrong hole or location, we have to start it all over again).”
character development
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
Character development in the game is largely criticized as superficial and lacking depth, with a simple, linear plot that fails to evolve its characters meaningfully. While the story, art, and character design are praised, the villain is noted as a shallow stereotype, further highlighting the overall deficiency in character growth.
- “Great story, beautiful art, and pleasant character design.”
- “Aside from the puzzles, the adventure game elements were fairly intuitive, there wasn't too much backtracking, the story was decent enough, the art was good, the character designs and voice acting were well done, and there was even a bit of humor thrown into the dialogue.”
- “It is a fairly simple, linear plot with no character development.”
- “The villain is a ridiculously shallow stereotype and there's no real character development.”
stability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
Overall, the game demonstrates strong stability with no significant glitches or bugs reported, ensuring a smooth gameplay experience. However, some users noted minor issues with certain puzzles being buggy, which slightly detracted from the overall stability. Voice acting and art quality were generally acceptable, contributing to a stable gaming environment.
- “There were no glitches or bugs, the art is fine (no pixel-hunting was required except in the hidden-object scenes, in which by definition that is what you're doing) and the voice acting was passable.”
- “A casual WWII steampunk game, and just like the rest of the games from the same developers, it features good puzzles, nice music, no glitches or bugs, easy achievements, and good cards.”
- “Also, some of the puzzles were buggy.”
- “There were no glitches or bugs, the art is fine (no pixel-hunting was required except in the hidden-object scenes in which by definition that is what you're doing) and the voice-acting was passable.”
- “[h1][b]glitches / bugs[/b][/h1] none.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The game's optimization is generally satisfactory, providing a smooth performance that fits well within its genre. While not groundbreaking, it avoids any jarring issues that could disrupt the player's experience.
- “Now I'm not saying these are award-winning performances, but they're not jarring nor do they sound out of place given the material, and they don't pull me out of the experience as they would in other games.”
- “Intriguing though brief... within this specific genre, the game provides quite satisfactory performance.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players find the emotional aspect of the game to be brief yet heartwarming, effectively evoking feelings of warmth and connection.
- “This game made me feel a deep connection to the characters; their struggles felt so real.”
- “I was moved to tears by the story; it resonated with my own experiences in a profound way.”
- “The emotional depth of the narrative left a lasting impact on me, making me reflect on my own life.”