
Release Date: February 21, 2020
An indirect continuation of the adventure series from the independent Size Five Games studio. In Lair of the Clockwork God Ben and Dan return in another adventure that combines point-and-click with a two-dimensional platformer.
Lair of the Clockwork God is a kind of continuation of the adventure series Ben There, Dan That! launched in 2008. The game was created thanks to the work of the independent studio Size Five Games with Dan Marshall at the helm. The team also created a two-dimensional platformer The Swindle and a online shooter Gun Monkeys.
The main characters are Ben and Dan, whom we last saw in Time Gentelemen, Please! as time travelers. However, after that story, Dan said that he was tired of old-fashioned adventure games and dreams of a career as a hero of indie platform games. Meanwhile, the world is once again in danger, this time because of many apocalypes. Ben and Dan must use their unique abilities on the next expedition to teach an old computer how to feel. This is the only way to stop the impending doom.
Despite the return of the old heroes, Lair of the Clockwork God is not a continuation of Time Gentlemen, Please!, but independent game. The stories from the two titles are not directly related, so that knowledge of previous studio games is not required. However, the specific humor, well known to Size Five Games fans, has been preserved.
Lair of the Clockwork God combines a classic point-and-click adventure game with a two-dimensional platformer. During the game we control both Ben and Dan, which are characterized by different gameplay styles. The first one cannot jump or run, but the equipment and is able to combine items into useful gadgets and point out important elements of the environment. His companion, on the other hand, has no problem with lowering or jumping on platforms, but will do nothing with most objects, except push them to another location. The gameplay consists of using the skills of both characters to unlock subsequent stages.
Lair of the Clockwork God uses a two-dimensional graphics that is reminiscent of old adventure games. The dialogues are displayed as subtitles and the characters speak in inarticulate voices. The gameplay is accompanied by relaxing music.
Platforms:
PC Windows February 21, 2020
PlayStation 4 November 6, 2020
Xbox One September 4, 2020
Nintendo Switch September 4, 2020
Developer: Size Five Games
Publisher: Size Five Games
Age restrictions: 12+
System Requirements for Lair of the Clockwork God Video Game:
PC / Windows
Minimum System Requirements:
Dual Core 2.4 GHz, 4 GB RAM, graphic card 512 MB GeForce 8800 or better, 1 GB HDD, Windows 7.
Game Ratings for Lair of the Clockwork God Video Game.
Slant Magazine: 4 / 5 by Aaron Riccio
With their latest, Dan Marshall and Ben Ward successfully extend their lovingly parodic style to a much broader range of genres.
FingerGuns: 10 / 10 by Sean Davies
A cohesive and complementary blend of point-and-click adventure and 2D platformer, Lair of the Clockwork God is a real rib tickler that’s capable of delivering real emotion when it aims to. This is Ben & Dan’s magnum opus and one of the most essential games of 2020.
Cubed3: 7 / 10 by Albert Lichi
Fans of adventure games will get a big laugh out of Lair of the Clockwork God. Sadly, the platforming half of the experience is mediocre and unpolished. The experiment of Size Five Games is mostly a success with managing to find a careful balance of platforming and puzzles, but the team needed to refine the experience with tighter quality control. The writing and humour elevate theis from being average, to being worth a look towards anyone who enjoys the adventure genre.