I’ve performed plenty of completely different RPGs throughout my forty-plus years of gaming. I’m a large fan of the style and thought I’d seen all of it. That was till I performed Circus Electrique, a recreation that has an intriguing story, steam-punk art work, and unimaginable voice appearing. And did I point out that circus performers make up your crew? Whereas it doesn’t at all times land in all points, it’s an attention-grabbing idea, and the story carries the sport.
The narrative takes place in London through the late Eighteen Eighties and follows a newspaper reporter named Amelia. She’s investigating one thing generally known as The Maddening, which is inflicting the individuals of London to assault each other. Amelia’s backstory is fascinating. Her mom was a circus performer who died in a horrible accident ten years earlier than the present occasions within the recreation, inflicting the circus to shut. Nevertheless, her uncle, the ringmaster, not too long ago introduced the present again. Amelia doesn’t belief her uncle and suspects he’s in some way concerned within the latest occasions. He insists she takes a bunch of performers along with her as she digs into the story. The whole recreation is voice-acted, and the appearing is effectively finished.
One other energy is the art work. Because the recreation takes place in Victorian London, the combo of the background scenes and the steampunk vibe is vibrant and visually interesting. As well as, the circus performers in your crew are each charming and creepy trying, particularly the clowns. Certainly, they appear extra menacing than enemies.
So much is occurring on this recreation. Whereas there’s a tutorial, a welcomed codex is offered, which you’ll be able to entry when you’ve gotten questions. A singular side throughout fight is devotion, a separate meter figuring out the character’s success. The upper the devotion, the extra injury you’ll do. Completely different expertise additionally have an effect on this stat. As an example, my clown may cheer up my celebration, growing the crew’s total devotion. Conversely, my strongman’s intimidation means lowered the opponent’s stats.
One other characteristic is the Amazemeter, which solely unlocks after you beat the primary boss. Utilizing a personality’s expertise fills up the gauge and permits you to unleash some highly effective assaults or heal. You possibly can improve the Amazemeter and experiment with it by placing skills into completely different slots.
The gameplay is a mixture of each turn-based battles and circus administration. The administration side has you drafting and inserting performers into the present. Each gig has completely different slots with the popular efficiency sorts. Every crew member has a card indicating their finest placement within the manufacturing and a chemistry icon that exhibits with whom they work finest. The upper the chemistry, the higher the result, assembly or exceeding the group’s expectations.
There are some things that forestall the sport from sticking the touchdown. The circus administration is neat however interrupts the sport’s total circulation. After every battle, you’ll have to arrange one other present. Due to this, I used to be usually pulled out of the story after I simply needed to progress.
One other draw back is the print and icons for every character, that are small and laborious to see in handheld mode. Taking part in on a big TV works however is difficult to play handheld. Nevertheless, these criticisms didn’t take away from my total enjoyment of the sport.
