Want to know more about inXile’s upcoming RPG? Check out our complete dossier for Clockwork Revolution.
TL;DR - Key Highlights
- Time-Bending Theft: The latest trailer showcased a high-stakes heist gone wrong on the vault ship SS Avalon, introducing a variety of puzzle and combat mechanics.
- Meet the Hooligans: Players will be accompanied by the Rotten Row Hooligans, a colorful squad of companions with their own backgrounds and temperaments.
- Butterfly Effect Gameplay: Using your Chronometer gadget and new abilities like Displace, your choices in the past will instantly and radically reshape the dystopian metropolis of Avalon in the present.
- Launch Details: Clockwork Revolution is officially scheduled for a 2027 release on Xbox Series X|S and PC, launching day-one on Xbox Game Pass.
During the Xbox Games Showcase, we were treated to a brand-new trailer for the first-person RPG Clockwork Revolution, which immediately got us on the edge of our seats. While inXile provided us with a broad release window of 2027, they luckily also revealed a lot more about the mechanics powering this time-bending role-playing game.
Meet Your Crew: The Rotten Row Hooligans
Compelling characters are the lifeblood of any great RPG, and we just got a closer look at the colorful misfits who will aid you on your adventure. You play as the main character, Morgan Vanette. Aside from the name, your character is fully customizable, and the choices you make throughout your playthrough will heavily impact how your character's story and skills evolve.
The trailer heavily focused on the companions who help you pull off a massive heist. As fellow members of the Rotten Row Hooligans, these characters don't just mindlessly follow you around, but live their own lives, have deep backstories, and are integral to specific quests.
Here is a quick introduction to your gang members:
Clockwork Revolution - Ulysses character
- Ulysses: A smooth-talking magician who probably uses playing cards to pull off some deadly tricks during combat.
Clockwork Revolution - Nazim character
- Nazim: A robotic companion who has somehow mastered the human emotion of fear, resulting in a hilariously self-doubting personality.
Clockwork Revolution - Erasmus character
- Erasmus: The bulky muscle of the group who rocks a trendy bowler hat. He’s probably the guy you call when a door is locked and you don't have a locksmith.
Clockwork Revolution - Hazel character
- Hazel: Walking around with a vial of poison, we suspect she is your go-to companion for getting rid of guards in a quiet, subtle way.
Clockwork Revolution - Anne character
- Anne: Introduced as “Anne Fucking Darrow” while proudly raising a middle finger, she is incredibly foul-mouthed and her default state of mind is visibly irritated.
Not everyone is looking to play nice, though. Enter Lady Ironwood, the ruthless ruler of the metropolis of Avalon. She isn't shy about using time travel to maintain her tyrannical grip on the city. Think of it as a dark, steampunk twist on Back to the Future: Ironwood routinely travels back in time to rewrite history, reshaping the past just to guarantee a luxurious, undisputed future for herself.
Mechanical Companions and Automatons
Beyond your human crew, the trailer highlighted several mechanical helpers, known as automatons. The most prominent of these is Prentice, a flying automaton who serves as your guide early in the game. We saw her saving the main character from a fatal situation by rewinding time by 25 years.
Prentice will be an invaluable asset when navigating the game's complex timeline choices, helping you predict the devastating 'butterfly effects' of your actions. Even better? She comes equipped with her own unique abilities and a dedicated skill tree.
Eagle-eyed fans also spotted a mechanical pet dog, though its exact gameplay role remains a mystery. Finally, the ventriloquist doll (operating completely without a ventriloquist) called Duke Pomphrey made a return. Introduced as "The Pissed-Off Doll" in the previous trailer, this returning star is bound to play a bizarre role in the overarching story.
⚠️ SPOILER WARNING: The following section contains story and mission details regarding the opening act of Clockwork Revolution. Skip ahead to the gameplay section if you want to go in completely fresh!
Drowning in a Heist Gone Wrong
The meat of the trailer followed the Rotten Row Hooligans on an ambitious heist to rob the heavily guarded vault ship SS Vault Avalon (referred to by Ulysses as "Grizwick’s vault"). Despite months of careful planning - which involved lowering the ship via a massive crane and hacking a mechanical lift - things go south almost immediately.
As it turns out, Lady Ironwood was expecting you. She deploys her automated forces, including a terrifying, giant mechanical colossus, to wipe out your squad. The encounter seemingly points to a catastrophic failure, leading many to suspect that this heist serves as the explosive opening prologue of the game.
New Gameplay Details from the Trailer
Your primary tool for altering history is the Chronometer, and the trailer highlighted a powerful new ability called Displace. This skill allows you to telekinetically reposition heavy objects, such as hurling an explosive barrel directly into a group of enemies. While not explicitly shown in combat, Displace will also be used to open hidden pathways and solve environmental puzzles, adding a healthy dose of brainpower to the action.
We also caught a glimpse of the player utilizing a Chrono Terminal to drop a load of fish onto some unsuspecting creatures below. Interestingly, activating this specific environmental trap required a skill level labeled as "Clockwork 1", strongly hinting at a dedicated hacking or engineering attribute tree that players can invest points into.
Platforms and Exclusivity
Clockwork Revolution is officially set to release in 2027 for Xbox Series X|S and PC. True to Microsoft's first-party strategy, it will be a day-one release on Xbox Game Pass. PlayStation 5 players will unfortunately sit this one out, as Microsoft has firmly locked this down as an Xbox console exclusive.
This article was written by a human and edited by Gemini 1.5 Flash.
Disclaimer: All content is created with the help of AI. Be aware of possible hallucinations or factual errors. When in doubt, always check with official sources.
