The Clockwork Man

About

In The Clockwork Man, players explore a steam-powered Victorian era, assisting engineer Miranda Calomy on a global quest to reassemble her grandfather's mysterious invention. Featuring hand-painted hidden objects, immersive puzzles, and an innovative hint system with a robot sidekick, this game encourages replayability with changing object locations and freeplay mode.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

50%

Audience ScoreBased on 124 reviews

story24 positive mentions

stability14 negative mentions

The game features beautiful graphics and a charming steampunk aesthetic that many players find engaging.
The hint system is innovative, allowing players to receive various types of assistance, which can enhance the gameplay experience.
The game offers a unique gameplay mechanic with zoomable and scrollable scenes, adding depth to the hidden object puzzles.

The game is very short, typically taking only 2-3 hours to complete, which many players feel does not justify the price.
Objects in the hidden object scenes are often extremely tiny and difficult to identify, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
There are significant technical issues, including compatibility problems with Windows 10 and bugs that can disrupt gameplay.

story
78 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
65%
4%
The game's story, set in a steampunk Victorian world, receives mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the intriguing concept and visuals, many criticize its shallow plot, fast pacing, and numerous plot holes. The narrative is often described as simple and short, with a completion time of around 2-3 hours, leaving players wanting more depth and resolution. Overall, the story serves primarily as a backdrop for the hidden-object gameplay, with some players finding it unsatisfactory and lacking in engagement.
- “I love the steampunk vibe, the details in imagery, and the concept of the story.”
- “Interesting story to follow, rather steampunk in style and not bad if you like searching for items in a picture.”
- “If you enjoy point and click searches with an interesting story line, this is a definite winner.”
- “There isn't really a story.”
- “The game is too short and the story is totally dull.”
- “The story was pretty miserable and irrelevant.”
gameplay
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
67%
11%
The gameplay is primarily focused on hidden object mechanics, requiring players to click on items within zoomable and scrollable scenes, which some find relaxing despite the challenges posed by poorly hidden objects and buggy hints. While the game features charming graphics and a compelling storyline, many reviewers noted significant gameplay issues, including broken puzzles and a lack of variety in gameplay elements typical of the genre. Overall, the experience is described as enjoyable yet marred by technical flaws, leading to mixed recommendations.
- “Very good hidden object game with loads of unique gameplay elements to spice it up a bit, good storyline, great graphics, and is a decent length.”
- “I found the gameplay fun and relaxing.”
- “This is a good game if you enjoy puzzle solving and hidden object style gameplay.”
- “The story is awesome with very good voice acting; this saves the game from being a total disaster, but the gameplay elements are so buggy they're almost broken, making it a very tedious and exhausting gameplay experience.”
- “Difficult decision, thumbs up or down... the game was charming, looks lovely, and the player character is so endearing... but ultimately I can't recommend it for gameplay.”
- “One of the puzzles was broken; it lacks other gameplay elements that you usually find in other hidden object games.”
graphics
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
80%
10%
10%
Overall, the graphics in the game are praised for their high quality and detailed artwork, particularly in close-ups, with many reviewers noting good character designs and a visually appealing aesthetic. However, some players expressed frustration with the small size of objects in scenes, which detracted from the experience. While the visuals are generally well-received, a few comments suggest that the graphics may not be enough to elevate the overall gameplay or story.
- “High quality art throughout - I especially appreciated the detailed artwork in the close-up of each object I found.”
- “Very good hidden object game with loads of unique gameplay elements to spice it up a bit, good storyline, great graphics, and a decent length.”
- “Very nice graphics, easy to play, and a decent distraction.”
- “Maybe it's my imagination, but it seems the graphics are better in #2, though I'm pretty sure they used the same game engine.”
- “High quality art throughout - I especially appreciated the detailed artwork in the close-up of each object I found (but then why make them so darn tiny in the scenes? More on that below).”
music
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
31%
19%
The music in the game is generally described as pleasant and cinematic-quality, though it suffers from issues such as low audio volume compared to voice acting and jarring looping. While not spectacular, the soundtrack is appreciated for its variety and non-repetitive nature, enhancing the overall experience despite the game's hidden object focus. Users noted that adjustments can be made to improve audio balance, making the music more enjoyable.
- “All that being said, the art was beautiful, the few mini-games and point-and-click sections were intuitive enough, the voice acting was hilariously over-the-top, and the music was cinematic-quality.”
- “The music is alright; it’s not repetitive and mind-numbing like some soundtracks I have heard alongside a game like this.”
- “The music and ambient noises were pleasant, and the variety of settings and bizarre items in each screen made it an actual challenge.”
- “The audio volume is too low compared to the music volume by default, but there were settings for these to fix it.”
- “(The default sound level has the music as loud as the voice acting, which makes it impossible to hear what people are saying.) The game seems to have been developed in Flash -- which I don't mind, as long as the final result works.”
- “Initially thought this would be a Burton-esque steampunk point-and-click adventure, but despite the grand music, it turned out that The Clockwork Man actually is mostly a hidden object game with the occasional puzzle.”
stability
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is notably poor, with many users reporting significant bugs and sluggish performance, particularly on Windows 10 despite attempts at troubleshooting. While the story and voice acting are praised, the gameplay experience is marred by technical issues that make it tedious and frustrating. Overall, the game is described as forgettable and overly buggy, detracting from its potential.
- “In itself, it is a forgettable and buggy game.”
- “As it stands, it's all a bit sluggish and buggy (I have a very powerful PC, so hardware is not the issue).”
- “The story is awesome with very good voice acting; this saves the game from being a total disaster, but the gameplay elements are so buggy they're almost broken, making it a very tedious and exhausting gameplay experience.”
humor
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by its over-the-top voice acting and amusing accents, with players finding joy in the absurdity of the characters' messy situations and the chaotic hidden object puzzles. While the story may lack depth, the comedic elements, including a recurring theme of characters being slobs or disaster victims, contribute to a lighthearted experience. Overall, the humor is a standout feature, making the gameplay entertaining despite some shortcomings in plot and design.
- “On the positive side, some of the accents are hilarious.”
- “All that being said, the art was beautiful, the few mini-games and point-and-click sections were intuitive enough, the voice acting was hilariously over-the-top, and the music was cinematic-quality.”
- “It's hilarious how everywhere Miranda goes, people ask her to clean up a big mess.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, primarily due to frequent hidden object segments set in a messy environment that detracts from the overall experience. While the engaging story and strong voice acting provide some relief, the buggy gameplay elements contribute to a frustrating and exhausting experience.
- “The story is awesome with very good voice acting; this saves the game from being a total disaster, but the gameplay elements are so buggy they're almost broken, making it a very tedious and exhausting gameplay experience.”
- “Unfortunately, the setting of the adventure, New Coventry, is much like its real-world equivalent and full of people with messy, run-down houses, so the hidden object bits are frequent and rather tedious.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews highlight that the game features impressive graphics and well-crafted character designs, contributing positively to the overall character development experience.
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game effectively captures and maintains a steampunk atmosphere, immersing players in its unique aesthetic and setting.
- “It does a great job of maintaining a steampunk atmosphere throughout the game.”

Buy The Clockwork Man

The Clockwork Man
$6.99
See offer on Steam

9h Median play time

9h Average play time

9-9h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

Videos

The Clockwork Man: The Hidden World Image

55%100reviews