The Last Clockwinder

About

The Last Clockwinder is a single player simulation game with fantasy and science fiction themes. It was developed by Pontoco and was released on June 2, 2022. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

In "The Last Clockwinder," players repair a clocktower and uncover ancient secrets using Clockwinder’s gloves. These gloves create looping clockwork clones that repeat actions, enabling players to automate tasks, coordinate teamwork, and solve puzzles. The game is a cozy sci-fi experience with a watchmaking, sci-fi-inspired setting and a focus on natural beauty.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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96%

Audience ScoreBased on 617 reviews

story142 positive mentions

grinding8 negative mentions

The Last Clockwinder features a unique and innovative cloning mechanic that allows players to automate tasks in a satisfying way.
The game has beautiful visuals and a charming atmosphere, complemented by excellent voice acting and a touching story.
Puzzle design encourages creativity and experimentation, allowing for multiple solutions and rewarding players for optimizing their setups.

The game is relatively short, taking around 4-6 hours to complete, which may leave some players wanting more content.
Some players experienced issues with the physics and timing of the clones, leading to frustration when trying to achieve optimal solutions.
The lack of smooth locomotion and reliance on teleportation may detract from the experience for some players.

story
263 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
44%
2%
The story in this game is delivered through voice recordings, environmental storytelling, and interactions with a companion, Levi, adding emotional depth to the gameplay without overshadowing it. While the narrative is simple and somewhat short, it is described as charming and engaging, enhancing the overall experience with its heartwarming themes and well-executed voice acting. Players appreciate the balance between story and gameplay, finding the narrative both enjoyable and a motivating factor to explore the game further.
- “The story never intrudes on gameplay, but it adds a sense of purpose that makes restoration feel emotionally satisfying rather than purely mechanical.”
- “The last clockwinder combines the system-design puzzling of a game like Factorio with the precise, complex body movements only feasible with VR, a simple yet powerful story, and likable, well-acted characters, all within a whimsical, mysterious setting.”
- “The storytelling mostly via audio and short transition cutscenes is non-intrusive while usually allowing you to keep on doing whatever you were doing, weaving a bittersweet but heartwarming tale of someone exploring a cherished childhood past through older, wiser eyes and uncovering the secrets they were too young to understand.”
- “The story is relatively short and simple but it's quite nice and fits the theme very well.”
- “The story is a bit underdeveloped, but heartfelt.”
- “I understand the reason for using the tape recorders and radio for running the story along but I was really disappointed when at the end there was no Edea to be seen.”
gameplay
219 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
48%
1%
The gameplay of "The Last Clockwinder" is widely praised for its unique and engaging mechanics, particularly the cloning system that allows players to automate tasks creatively. Players appreciate the gentle introduction to mechanics, the satisfying puzzle-solving experience, and the emotional connection fostered by the story, which complements rather than overshadows the gameplay. While some minor execution issues and a desire for more content are noted, the overall experience is described as fun, innovative, and well-suited for VR, making it a standout title in the genre.
- “As you move through the clocktower, new mechanics and plant types are introduced, each adding subtle complexity without overwhelming the player.”
- “The gameplay is challenging but fun and satisfying.”
- “The core mechanic is unique and really, really satisfying.”
- “The gameplay concept is unique and has exciting potential, but the execution leaves something to be desired.”
- “Even though it isn't a hardcore automation game, automation is the core gameplay, and Clockwinder's implementation of that gameplay has some issues.”
- “Awesome game, just wish there was more to it; my only complaint is that near the end, where the mechanics are a bit more precise, you will find your robot clones don't always exactly replicate what you have done, introducing RNG, which is exceedingly frustrating in this sort of puzzle automation game.”
graphics
69 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
71%
25%
4%
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their charming, stylized art style that enhances the overall experience without being demanding on hardware. Many reviewers highlight the visuals as colorful and pleasant, contributing to a cozy atmosphere, while the performance remains smooth even on lower-end systems. Overall, the graphics are described as good, fitting well with the game's themes and mechanics, though some players noted a desire for more realistic textures and interactivity.
- “The puzzles were the perfect level of challenging vs achievable, the graphics were stylized and beautiful without being a lag-inducing headache.”
- “The art style is quite nice and easy on the eyes and quite colorful, unlike most VR games, and the combination of puzzle automation and VR works really well together.”
- “The graphics are great, unique mechanics, and the art style is gorgeous.”
- “Minor things that I missed are a bit more realistic graphics and a more interactive game world: more things to pick up, look at, etc.”
- “You can't change the graphics, only have a snap turn as an option and no smooth movement.”
- “While Clockwinder had better graphics and an actual story that Transpose lacked, Transpose had more depth, creative perspectives, and had more challenging puzzles.”
music
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
69%
26%
5%
The music in the game is widely praised for its soothing and beautiful compositions, which enhance the overall atmosphere and gameplay experience. Players appreciate how the soundtrack dynamically evolves with the game's mechanics, adding depth and motivation to puzzle-solving. Overall, the music is described as calming, engaging, and a perfect complement to the game's visuals and story, contributing significantly to its charm and enjoyment.
- “The music is beautiful.”
- “The music is fantastic, too.”
- “The music ranges from great to hauntingly beautiful - I had to look up the composer (Joel Corelitz).”
- “It's the only real thing I was disappointed in: the music room.”
- “The music being reactive to how many clones you have really gives you a sense of scale and complexity and it becomes more and more beautiful.”
- “Spent way too long in there playing music by myself.”
optimization
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
72%
9%
Overall, the game's optimization is well-received, with players noting that while performance is generally smooth and free of major issues, some experienced minor stuttering. The optimization challenges are engaging and rewarding, encouraging players to experiment with creative solutions, although some aspects may feel easier with a larger play space. Despite a few criticisms regarding depth, the game successfully combines fun mechanics with a satisfying optimization experience.
- “Inefficient setups still work, just more slowly, while clever optimizations feel deeply rewarding.”
- “The puzzles can be easily brute forced, but optimization to get the achievements will leave you pondering.”
- “Optimization is easily the funnest challenge, but it's a comfortable 10 hours of creativity and fun.”
- “Even though the VR performance graph showed plenty of headroom, I'd get some inconsistent stuttering, which could make it hard to do that throwing and catching.”
- “Of course, the game never *requires* you to do either of these things -- but if you were specifically going in hoping to pull off clever optimizations, just bear in mind that that aspect of the experience isn't quite what you might hope it to be... but there's still a lot of fun to be had here, learning and experimenting and theorizing.”
- “Only downside is it took me 4 hours to get through the story without much optimization, and I still managed to hit some of the top production targets.”
emotional
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a heartfelt narrative that enhances the gameplay experience without overshadowing it, creating a sense of purpose and satisfaction in the player's tasks. Players describe the story as touching, wholesome, and occasionally melancholic, evoking nostalgia and genuine emotional responses, including tears. The combination of beautiful visuals, melodic music, and excellent voice acting further enriches the emotional depth, making it a standout experience in the VR puzzle genre.
- “The story never intrudes on gameplay, but it adds a sense of purpose that makes restoration feel emotionally satisfying rather than purely mechanical.”
- “Oh, and the story was so touching it *literally* made me cry.”
- “The storytelling mostly via audio and short transition cutscenes is non-intrusive while usually allowing you to keep on doing whatever you were doing, weaving a bittersweet but heartwarming tale of someone exploring a cherished childhood past through older, wiser eyes and uncovering the secrets they were too young to understand.”
atmosphere
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
79%
21%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its cozy, relaxing, and whimsical qualities, enhanced by beautiful art, engaging music, and a well-crafted story. Players appreciate the blend of calming environments and clever puzzles, which together create an inviting and enjoyable experience. Overall, the game's atmosphere is described as a perfect complement to its gameplay, making it a standout feature.
- “Cozy environment with pretty lighting and a very pleasant atmosphere overall.”
- “The lore is pretty well-done; it contributes nicely to the atmosphere of the game, as do the music and visual style.”
- “Clever and engaging puzzle game with a beautiful atmosphere, setting, music, and voice acting.”
replayability
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players find joy in optimizing their strategies and tackling challenges, many feel that the limited content and short completion time diminish long-term replay value. A desire for additional modes, such as New Game+, is common among those seeking more challenging puzzles. Ultimately, the game offers some replay potential, particularly for those who enjoy refining their gameplay, but it may not sustain interest for all players after the initial playthrough.
- “The only critique, I think the main game is the right amount of length. It does have replayability if you want to be obsessed with optimizing your sequences, but I would like a New Game+ mode where it would be the same exact game but just with way harder puzzles, giving people like me something to chew on.”
- “Typically with these kinds of games, I just go through once, but the satisfaction of setting up a little assembly line like this has more replayability value than I'd expected, especially since each level has various challenges (more production per minute and/or fewer clones) -- but really, the drive to go back and redo things is just for the joy of creating an efficient system.”
- “There is also decent scope for replayability by optimizing your loops in each level, so I expect more hours of playtime in my future!”
- “The game took about 8 hours to complete and doesn't have a lot of replay value; pretty standard for a puzzle game.”
- “Once you've beaten all the challenges, there's not much in the way of replay value.”
- “For the full price, I'd expect more content/playtime and replayability.”
grinding
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
89%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while the initial gameplay is enjoyable and well-paced, some later tasks can become tedious, particularly when optimizing for achievements. The game offers a relaxing environment for farming and puzzle-solving, but certain elements may require significant time investment to fully explore. Overall, the balance between fun and grind is noted, with many appreciating the challenge without it feeling overwhelming.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Some later puzzles/tasks get quite tedious (building the large 'molecules'), but it's still worth it.”
- “My biggest 'problem' with the game is that the additional content, such as optimizing the throughput for certain levels to gain achievements, often felt extremely tedious.”
stability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
Overall, the stability of the game is mixed; while some users report smooth performance and minimal glitches, others experience significant bugs, particularly with specific mechanics like the piano and floating fruits. The last Clockwinder is noted as the least buggy option among the three games, making it a recommended starting point.
- “Runs great.”
- “Runs great on the Index.”
- “It can be fun at first, but it's quite buggy and feels really half-baked.”
- “The piano doesn't perfectly replay when making a clone play it, and is a bit buggy in total.”
- “The flying fruit could be very buggy; one minute lining up perfectly, the next unsynced.”
humor
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by its quirky interactions and absurd scenarios, leading to genuine laughter and joy from players. Many found the comedic elements to be a delightful surprise, with the game's complexity enhancing the fun rather than detracting from it. Overall, players enjoyed the lightheartedness and the amusing situations that arose during gameplay.
- “I was laughing and smiling the whole time.”
- “I found myself laughing out of pure joy and excitement after setting tight sequences between the gardeners.”
- “Overall super pleasant game, I found myself laughing at my own shenanigans far more often than I'd thought.”

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80%Critics’ scoreBased on 1 critic reviews

The Last Clockwinder PSVR 2
Thesixthaxis.com
80%

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5h Median play time

6h Average play time

5h Main story

9h Completionist

4-10h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 8 analyzed playthroughs

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The Last Clockwinder is a simulation game with fantasy and science fiction themes.

The Last Clockwinder is available on PC, PlayStation 5, Virtual Reality, Windows and others.

The main story can be completed in around 5 hours, while the entire game is estimated to take about 9 hours to finish. On average players spend around 6 hours playing The Last Clockwinder.

The Last Clockwinder was released on June 2, 2022.

The Last Clockwinder was developed by Pontoco.

The Last Clockwinder has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its replayability.

The Last Clockwinder is a single player game.

Similar games include Viewfinder, I Expect You to Die, Red Matter, A Fisherman's Tale, The Pedestrian and others.

The Last Clockwinder

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