Circus Electric introduces a steampunk take on 1890s London in which two ringmasters compete for the public’s attention using a series of mechanical marvels, even as the citizens and police of the era fall into a state of increasing insanity. Amelia, a fearless reporter with close ties to key stakeholders, assembles an army of circus performers to ensure peace and unmask the mastermind responsible for the chaos.
Gameplay spans multiple genres, combining strategic combat, exploration, and resource management, while underpinning a mystery supported by themes of family and redemption. Even at the lowest difficulty setting, the adventure requires players to quickly come to terms with the intricate systems and offer generous rewards to those who take on the challenge.
An in-game day in Circus Electric follows a comfortable routine. First, players prepare their crew in the circus camp. If they haven’t planned a multi-day spectacle yet, they may be planning a performance under the big top by assigning desired roles to crew members, which will generate precious resources once the show is over. Then they go to a map and go through nodes to participate in special events. Finally, they reach a battle node and fight an army of “vicious” enemies. When that conflict is over, they return home to receive their rewards and read about their escapades in the daily newspaper. Then it’s time to get started the next day, or perhaps consult a handy online beginner’s guide to find out what just went wrong.
The camp menu doesn’t offer many options at first; a few limited available “buildings” prove hopelessly inefficient. As players gain experience in battles, events, and as a reward for delivering dazzling achievements, the camp will be expanded with new buildings with greater potential. Players then invest their limited resources to improve their situation. For example, they can upgrade the train that allows them to recruit new types of performers, or the sleeping tent where exhausted allies regain their strength between excursions.
Circus performances are optional; however, they provide essential resources. Better shows offer the best rewards, but come with stricter requirements. They can require players to assign, for example, a strongman, a clown, a fire breather, and an illusionist. One clown is not the other either; a clown with a downward pointing arrow on his profile portrait may contribute less to a performance than one with an arrow pointing left or right. The rules may change next time. Players must plan carefully and recruit only the most versatile performers, paying attention not only to an artist’s martial arts and skills, but also their ability to amaze crowds when sitting on the couch.
Now that preparations are complete, players take to the streets. They can freely view the entire map of a region, including all known paths connecting nodes. One trip through a branch area isn’t enough to access everything, meaning players have to choose which route to take and hope they’ve mapped out a trail that secures the most immediately usable gear and items. Later, they can “reset” a region and go through it again along alternate routes, but the associated costs are high at first and it slows down progress through the story.
Special events on the map fall into different categories, usually involving games of chance or moderate skills. Players encounter roaming gangs of street boys who challenge them to toss coins, or spin a wheel to determine if character attributes earn them a prize, or shop at a traveling merchant, among other distractions. Sometimes they just have to choose between dialogue options, which can lead to additional resources or a punch. Familiarity allows players to recognize in advance what they may encounter, but the “?” nodes are a mystery. Eventually a fight takes place.
Despite effective window dressing and vital diversions that suggest otherwise, the battle is with Circus Electric‘s heart. With few exceptions, a confrontation pits four player characters against an equal enemy force. The winning team overcomes or chases away all members of the opposing force. However, the player has not really “won” when friendly circus performers fall, because the game has the fire emblem approach and remove those who fall in battle. It is possible to recruit replacements from the train back to base camp, but the costs are sometimes prohibitive.
Combat is turn-based, with the character initiative determining who acts when. Abilities available to a character depend on the sustained “dedication” meter, as well as placement. A character can occupy any of the four slots and has six active skills, along with one or two passive ones. Position determines which skills are currently accessible, as well as which enemy or friendly units they affect. Since placement is vital during combat, different abilities shake up characters. Characters can also spend a turn moving from one position to another.
Another factor to consider is the composition of the battlefield. Smog, weather, time of day and even the size of a watching crowd affect how hard attacks strike. A fire breather strikes harder at night, but loses that spark when it rains. Environments also lead to other effects, such as improved efficiency with electricity or ranged attacks, or a loss of HP or dedication at the end of each round. The amount of dedication a player possesses also plays an important role. It can prompt a character to enter a heightened mood that leads to more powerful attacks and buffs, or cause the same character to take damage or miss their targets more easily instead.
While the complexity of combat turns most early encounters into harrowing experiences, players who persevere may find that the conflict eventually spirals out of control. The same few classes are useful for much of the campaign, even as more dynamic options emerge. Experimentation, while tempting, feels expensive because the cost of failure can be multiple dead signs and expensive recruiting costs. A test tent in the camp facilitates more experimentation, but in general there is little reason to deviate far from a proven roster and sufficient reason not to.
Sometimes, Circus Electric just feels too complex for its own good. Screens are full of icons and data that are not thoroughly explained (if mentioned at all). In-game prompts remind players to refer to the codex if they need a refresher, and it’s entirely possible. There is a lot of data to analyze and balance as you progress through the campaign. Seemingly minor mistakes, made by impatience or ignorance, add up quickly. The player can find themselves in an untenable position that makes any path forward feel like a mistake.
While those criticisms may seem hard to overcome, the game has a charming plot that forces a person to keep playing only a few battles at a time to learn more about Amelia and her tragic past, and the quirky characters she calls family and friends. friends. The aesthetic is pleasing too, with faded newspaper graphics and era-appropriate music that cracks and pops like a vinyl record. There are also some clever jokes in dialogues and in the menus to reward observant players who appreciate dry humor. On a more practical level, it’s very satisfying to watch favorite artists grow more deadly in battle as they master their skills. The sheer number of characters in the mix means there’s always something new just around the corner.
While it will likely dislodge those who are easily frustrated by complex systems, Circus Electric offers more than enough surprises to keep players entertained for the few dozen hours they’ll likely spend clearing the entire campaign. Relentless combat and the constant need to keep an eye on resources demand the player’s attention, while the unique mix of genres rewards them with inventive new experiences. Juggling everything at once may be a little more than some people are ready for, but there’s a circus for that.
Circus Electric is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Game Rant has been given a Switch code for this review.
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