I bought Clock Simulator with some trepidation, as I hadn't seen a trailer or an E3 demo or a preview from IGN. At £0.79 at the time of purchase, this is not a cheap game; however, owing to the 15 or so previous positive reviews I decided to take the plunge and give Clock Simulator a go.

The game was around 250mbs in size - quite beefy, I thought, as it took around 80 seconds to download on my broadband connection. However installation was relatively quick and painfree. I was slightly dismayed when, as I opened up the game for the first time, it appeared on the second of my two monitors - the one I don't play games on. I made my way quickish to the options screen and unchecked "fullscreen", believing I would need to keep it in windowed mode to transfer to my primary monitor. However, on closer inspection, I found a dedicated monitor select option, which pleased me greatly. I made sure the settings were set to high quality, despite being unsure how my computer would handle the game as I did not know the technical specifications. I then proceeded to the tutorial.

The tutorial is clear, concise and well presented. It is a well balanced mixture of text based instruction and manual practice. The visual guides worked well. It was perhaps lacking somewhat in depth, but I assume depth is a small sacrifice for the minimalistic presentation of the game. Once I had become well versed with the games principle concepts via the tutorial, I proceeded to try the first game mode.

Clock Simulator is focused on providing the experience of being a clock. By clicking or pressing space at 1 second intervals, you become a clock. The game works well to emulate the precise timing of 1 second, and uses visual cues or likewise to notify you when you are out of sync with said timing. The visuals are minimalistic but effective and artful. My computer handled the performance of the game adequately; my concerns about not meeting the technical specifications were unfounded. Some edges were jarringly sharp, and at times I lamented at the lack of graphical depth owing to the minimalistic approach but on the whole, the graphical performance and art style are constructed well.

The gameplay is deceptively simple but very rewarding. There are many nuances to consistently clicking at 1 second intervals. The difficulty varies within the different game modes, but with practice, nothing is unbeatable. To maintain clicking frequency with perfect timing is a challenging but wholly satisfying experience.

The plot/story/character aspect of the game once again reflects the overall minimalistic approach; but much can be inferred from the details provided if looked upon closely enough. The very sparse but deliberate use of text is rich with illicit poetry. Character development is done through the player - by becoming the clock, you ARE the protagonist. Unlike most other games that have you play the protagonist as an extended avatar, this game succeeds in blending the distinction between player and character. In my 0.1 hours of playtime, I managed to feel a subtle yet effortless connection with my clock self. By extension, I now further appreciate the function of time keeping in my daily life, and the technical artistry of the clock.

The sound design is rich and textured. The musical undertones are perfectly composed for the games presentation and artstyle. It aided extensively in setting the appropriate mood to enable me to immerse fully in being a clock. There is occasional slightly excessive loudness in certain aspects of the score, but this is remedied by altering the volume settings and spending some time to achieve the right balance of volume for yourself.

The technical performance of the game is stellar. In my 0.1 hours of playtime, I have encountered no noticeable bugs or glitches. I have had no crashes, lag or framerate drops. As of this review, I would be confident in stating that this game sets the standard for technical quality in modern game production.

On the whole, Clock Simulator is a deceptively minimal, rich and extremely rewarding gaming experience. The balance of presentation, gameplay and art is almost perfectly maintained. It manages to succeed in simulating the experience of being a clock, to a point where it is almost a disservice to call it a simulation. You ARE the clock.

I fully expect this game to become a sleeper hit; my principle concern perhaps being the steep price at the time of review. I would absolutely recommend this as a purchase within a Steam sale - at a discount, this game is undeniably a must have. I look forward to spending more time on Clock Simulator, and look forward more so to a potential follow up or DLC.

I give Clock Simulator a 9.4/10.