Clive 'N' Wrench Reviews
It’s clear to see that Clive ‘N’ Wrench is undoubtedly a product of passion and a huge amount of love has gone into it. It is undeniably charming with many fun aspects and platforming fans will find lots to enjoy. Certainly entertaining enough to while away a few afternoons and very impressive work from a solo developer. However, its inconsistencies are hard to ignore and prevent it from reaching its true Switch platforming potential.
Despite its rough edges and myriad of issues, the heart that's present at the centre of Clive 'N' Wrench is 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. And 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 be put on the pedestal alongside its famed influences.
I can tell that there was a lot of love put into Clive 'N' Wrench, and this is impossible to ignore. It's an amazing feat to make a game, especially one as complex as this one, but even still, there are many areas where Clive 'N' Wrench falls flat. There are moments of greatness, such as in the well-crafted platforming sections, but overall it's an underwhelming experience with lacklustre animation and a soundtrack that fails to impress.
Clive 'N' Wrench is not a good game, there is no way around that. When the Switch is home to some of the greatest 3D platformers ever made, Clive 'N' Wrench stands out for all the wrong reasons. From terrible controls to poor visuals and performance, we're sad to say that there is very little redeemable about the game on Switch. The entire project feels like a glorified demo made for a game design class, rather than a completed project that belongs on store shelves. The attempt is admirable, but after a decade's worth of development, Clive 'N' Wrench turned out as an incredible disappointment. With so many other ways to get your 3D collectathon platforming fix on Switch, your time and money are best spent elsewhere.
I do not think that this game is entirely bad or a complete mess, but it is the missed potential that stings. It is a plea to sometimes take a step back and fundamentally understand what your work should be about. Sure, there is enjoyment to be had, but much like a fast food meal I will not be thinking about Clive 'n Wrench much in the future.
Clive 'n' Wrench is a true love letter to the great platform games of the 90's, mixing all that was best in them. Simple, captivating, extremely fun and with an addictive soundtrack, it ends up being a must play for fans of the genre. Even with problems, Clive 'n' Wrench manages to show a lot of potential and, above all, transports us back to the golden age of the genre.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Clive 'N' Wrench probably won't set your world on fire, but it's an enjoyable enough 3D platformer with plenty of colourful doodads to collect.
Clive N' Wrench may not include perfect gameplay, but there is more than enough to enjoy for a memorable and nostalgic experience that harkens back to the classic 3D adventure days of yesteryear. Our review:
Clive ‘N’ Wrench features a monkey and rabbit duo on a quest through time. Is this homage to retro 3D platformers a classic in its own right, or is it better stuck in the past? Find out in this Rapid Review.
Clive 'N' Wrench might take inspiration from classic 3D platformers, but it doesn't take the best practices, resulting in a dated and at times frustrating gameplay experience.
In comparison, the most unique thing that Clive ‘N’ Wrench has going for it is its focus on speed and its wider pool of moves, which doesn’t feel like a defining feature. How much that bothers you is going to depend on what you go into Clive ‘N’ Wrench expecting. If you’re hoping that it’s going to revolutionise or build upon the collect-a-thon platforming genre, you’re going to be disappointed. If you’re just looking for a simple, nostalgic adventure that calls back to the platforming days of old, then you’ll Clive ‘N’ Wrench might be worth grabbing a backpack for, but its dated design makes it a tough recommendation for anyone other than the genre diehards.
A very enjoyable 3D platformer let down by a host of technical issues. Clive 'N' Wrench is well worth playing, but you may want to wait for some patches.
Its potential flaws could easily compromise the final verdict, but Clive 'N' Wrench won me over thanks to his charisma and robust exploration proposals in spacious worlds, offering a fun action game that revives the golden times of 3D platformers. So, cheers to Clive and Wrench, who form an unusual animal combination to save the day in different windows that take us back in time.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
An unfortunate pairing of classic 3D action and less-then-reliable controls dooms this all-ages platformer
At first, I hated Clive ‘N’ Wrench, I didn’t see any appeal and thought it was a terrible game. As I played it and got used to the controls I found myself enjoying some aspects of the game because it is an attempted homage to one of my all-time favourite genres. If like me, you’re a fan of 3D platformers from yesteryear, you’ll find SOMETHING that attracts you to Clive ‘N’ Wrench. Unfortunately, the title has too many issues to really flourish and reach its full potential. For a debut effort, the developer did a lot right and a lot wrong, all I can hope for is that they focus on what they did right with this one and knock it out of the park next time.
The duo's adventure in Clive 'N' Wrench should please both the generation that loved the golden age of 3D platform games and their children who enjoy a good mascot game.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
The worst part about Clive 'N' Wrench is that there's no way it could be recommended, at least not in its current state. As I wrote way back at the start of this review, it's a one-man passion project, and you hate to criticize something that someone has spent more than a decade working on. But the simple fact is that it's just not very good, and it's certainly not something you need to spend your time or money on right now.
It is an ungodly flawed game in need of some patches, without a doubt. Some of its design choices are questionable, to say the least. Yet, somehow, I still liked Clive ‘N’ Wrench way more than expected. By no means was this up to par with some of the other love letters to the collectathon genre released over the past decade, but its charm and creativity somewhat outweighed its cons.