Clive ‘N’ Wrench PS5 Review. For players of a certain vintage, the traditional collectathon-type platformer likely made up a significant part of childhood.
If you subsisted on a diet of either Mario and Banjo-Kazooie or Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon (depending on your console preference) chances are you’re of an age now where nostalgia is taking hold and you have a hankering for games of a similar ilk to relive those precious memories. Hell, some us have even went back over the years and found something to like in games such as Blasto and Jersey Devil all in the name of satisfying that very urge.
Clive ‘N’ Wrench PS5 Review
Setting Out Its Stall As A Homage To 1990s Platformers
In more recent times others have seemingly gotten the memo, what with the re-emergence of the aforementioned Crash and Spyro alongside the steady success of Ratchet & Clank on consecutive PlayStation consoles.
Fast forward to now and developer Dinosaur Bytes is hoping to extend that goodwill with the release of Clive ‘N’ Wrench, a platforming jaunt that wears its influences proudly on its sleeve, for better or for worse.
In truth, Clive ‘N’ Wrench’s first impression isn’t particularly strong, with a relatively simple story exposition by way of a muted interaction between a number of the main characters, with most exhibiting a thousand-yard stare not too dissimilar to the initial impressions of the animatronic characters that would go on to star in Five Nights at Freddy’s.
Unsettling as that initial cut scene may be, it is worth mentioning that this game is the result of an on-and-off development cycle spanning over 10 years and led mainly by a sole developer, so it is thus reasonable to set expectations as such for a game that is aiming to be a new contender in the platformer space.
As would be a familiar blueprint to anyone versed in the genre, Clive ‘N’ Wrench centres around our titular heroes’ efforts to stop the evil Dr. Daucus, a Neo Cortex-esque figure who is hell bent on traversing time and space in a bid to acquire several ‘ancient stones’ which are said to grant untold power. Of course, both Clive and Wrench aren’t far behind in their chase to stop said plot from being realized and this sees them embark on a time-bending journey across different historical time periods and locales.
In practical terms, each of these areas is a sandbox of sorts, chockful of trinkets to collect in typical platformer fashion. From 100s of pocket watches, to sets of keys, and ancient coins. Accessible via a centralized hub, the 11 levels range from cowboy and Egyptian themed, to a prehistoric ice age and ancient Rome, with each containing a slew of side missions that naturally involve even more collecting as well as a separate area with each containing a boss. Both Clive and Wrench dress appropriately for each level, too, which is a nice touch.
In order to thus facilitate the ultimate aim of nabbing every trinket available, Clive ‘N’ Wrench plays primarily like a combination of reference points Spyro and Crash, with the added layer of a glide mechanic by way of Clive swinging Wrench above his head in a rotor-like fashion. It’s not something you’d typically subject your partner in crime to but we’ll reserve judgement in this instance.
With a charge akin to Spyro’s horned effort and a spin not unlike Crash Bandicoot to dispatch of enemies, Clive is well equipped to tackle the myriad of levels ahead, however it becomes apparent quite early that the first batch of these levels don’t particularly play well to these mechanics, and there’s a distinct feeling that everything isn’t meshing cohesively.
What’s more problematic fundamentally, however, is how the gameplay doesn’t have the requisite tightness and reliability to fully complement the level design it’s going for. Hit detection can be a little flimsy, enemy’s ragdoll without a tangible sense of impact, and the camera can be a little unruly at times. For a game that is, at times, contingent on relatively precise platforming this can prove slightly irritating.
That said, there is undoubtedly a bedding in period of sorts, and once you acclimate to how the game expects you to play, things become decidedly better. This also coincides with an uptick in level design, and before long you’ll be in a particular rhythm as you hoover up all the collectibles in sight. That’s not to say there isn’t a degree of pushback at times (and several performance concessions that will be touched upon) but it becomes a more serviceable and pleasant experience, even if the music can sometimes be a little grating.
From the third level (technically second if you don’t count the initial training level) onwards, the areas are quite large with varying degrees of verticality and off-the-beaten-path areas which encourage exploration, whereas later levels partly adopt a more gauntlet-style approach not too dissimilar to the ones found in the earlier Crash Bandicoot games.
Overall, the spread of levels is quite varied and each one’s distinct visual theme ensures that there is always something new to gawk at, even if the framework remains consistent with little deviation level to level. That said, one aspect that does shake things up is the boss battles which aren’t always just standard dodge and hit affairs.
On performance, it’s also evident from the opening cinematic to the training level that immediately follows that Sony’s consoles were by no means the target set of machines for development, with PS5 boasting a target of 1080p/30fps for what is not a taxing game by any means. Size of the team and development time notwithstanding, this lowly performance level also exhibits significant pop-in at times, clipping, and virtually no DualSense functionality whatsoever.
At the time of writing, however, a patch is in the works for launch that will improve matters by adding resolution and performance modes, with the former targeting 1440p at 30fps, and the latter bumping up the frame rate to 60fps at the expense of displaying a 1080p image.
Despite its rough edges and myriad of issues, the heart that’s present at the centre of Clive ‘N’ Wrench is very much evident throughout, and it’s safe to say that this is a labour of love and homage to a genre that enjoyed its peak around 25 years ago. While there is praise to be had in certain respects – indeed, fans of the genre may well find some merit here – Clive ‘N’ Wrench is ultimately a little too raw and unevenly cooked to recommend to everyone.
Review code kindly supplied by PR.
Clive ‘N’ Wrench releases on PS4, PS5 on February 28, 2023.