Publisher Numskull Games, also known for their gaming merchandise such as Space Invaders quarter arcade cabinets, has released 8 minutes of gameplay from the upcoming 3D platformer, Clive ‘N’ Wrench. Inspired by genre classics like Spyro the Dragon and Jak and Daxter, Clive ‘N’ Wrench features its titular rabbit and monkey jumping through wacky worlds typically associated with the genre.
The game is being developed by indie studio Dinosaur Bytes, and proudly wears its 3D collectathon influences on its sleeve. With recent releases such as A Hat in Time and Yooka-Laylee being so well received, and Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 4 coming to Switch soon, the genre is experiencing something of a renaissance. Clive ‘N’ Wrench is set to see the duo travel through time and space in a fridge with the aim to stop the evil Doctor Dorkus, in-keeping with the genre’s tropes.
In their 8-minute gameplay reveal, the developers also give commentary about the inspiration, plot, and mechanics of the game. Putting emphasis on control, the video claims that the feeling of controlling the duo should place the experience among other classic titles. The in-depth movement mechanics feel reminiscent of the various ways to explore levels in the supremely designed Mario Odyssey.
Similar to classics such as Donkey Kong 64 and Crash Bandicoot 3, Clive ‘N’ Wrench will take off on their journey from a hub-world, unlocking more parts as the game progresses. Further similar to the classics, Clive ‘N’ Wrench will be replete with a variety of collectables, promising to unlock more, and perhaps even reveal some secrets. The team has even considered the increase in attention to the speedrunning community by including an in-game speedrun timer. As the duo explore the various worlds one question that is left to be unanswered is the quality of humor on show.
Classic 3D platformers typically have some great family-friendly humor to add extra texture to the experience, and Clive ‘N’ Wrench is set to follow this pattern too. Bosses named Vlad the Impala and Cleo Catra, and the titles A Grave Mistake and The Chimp, the Bag, and the Bunny for the horror-themed and western-themed levels respectively, imply that Clive ‘N’ Wrench is set to come with a few laughs. The video also teases some cameo appearances including Trowzer from Yooka-Laylee. Yooka-Laylee also recently saw a crossover with Kao the Kangaroo.
With the game releasing February 24, 2023, the game will have to fight off some stiff competition as that’s just two weeks after the release of Hogwarts Legacy. While the games differ greatly, they both have a lot of nostalgia driving them, and are appealing to families and typical “90s kids.” With that said, players won’t have to wait long to see if Clive ‘N’ Wrench matches that of the all-time great 3D platformers.
Clive 'N' Wrench will release on February 24, 2023, for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and Switch.