Circus Electrique | PS4 Review

Zen Studio's "Circus Electrique" is a delightfully diverse display of turn based tactics and tent-alizing talent. Featuring a ragtag group of circus performers, their devoted Grandmaster, and the Grandmaster's niece all those involved come together to combat the afflicted automated Bobbies who have succumb to a bloodthirsty maddening. An event timed just right to make the grandmaster's revival of of his curious Circus Electrique look suspicious. It is up to this band of misfits to set the record straight, and undo the affliction that is taking it's toll on London's civilian population. While making headlines, and becoming the heroes of the day.

On a 24 hour a day schedule the Circus Electric troupe is tasked with building up their repertoire while dealing with devilishly delinquent Bobbies who are out and about beating up the citizens of London. This includes performer management and recruitment, putting on shows, and embarking on a map laden mission to get to the bottom of what's going on. Each of said options building upon the others creating a circle of growth that allows for bigger and better things. Opening up new venues, access to more talented performers, and more efficient healing options back at the home base of operations. It is through battle, performances, and explorative encounters that the micromanagement therein will either pay off or end your run in failure.

First, and foremost are the talented individuals that make up the circus troupe of the infamous Circus Electrique. These recruits can be hired or tried for a fee using the local train station at the main hub of operations. The selection of performers, which are basically made of four base types, each have a unique name and set of skills. There's clown types for healing, ranged attack, and support. There's brute brawlers for upfront offense and buffs, and in the way of female casting we have the electric mystique type that does damage to multiple targets as well as a ranged female of color who deals fire damage in a variety of different ways. 

Whether on the road, in the show or in a battle you can only have 4 performers on your team. Their efficiency in combat is determined by a few different deciding factors. This includes weather conditions, their order placement, and their devotion status. Weather conditions effect the damage output of the performers, elementally. Things like rain will increase electric damage while the same rain will also dampen fire damage. Devotion, on the other hand, is what keeps the performers performing, and is represented by a gauge that depletes when that performer is afflicted in battle. The performers' placement in the formed line effects them as well, but based mainly on the range of their attacks and ability to defend. Brute melee focused performers are good for upfront positions whereas performers like the clowns, ladies of mystique, and the fire based performers are better suited for further back placement.

In the way of skills you'll find that performers have up to active six skills, and two passive skills. The six active skills are the skills you can select during your turn in battle. They offer everything from damage dealing options to party buffs, and healing. Alternatively passive skills can also help the troupe by gifting automatic buffs as requirements are met. Each performer, no matter the nature of the talent, is crucial for success sake. Whether it be putting on a show to increase clout, earn XP, or gain items to keep your show going. Tending to the performers at the base hub, which is a good option to partake of between the action, includes resting and healing at the sleep trailer, or leveling them up at the train station. Should you lose any to a decline in devotion status, or death you can recruit more using earned coin through your show efforts, and embarked upon outings. Long lived performers can also be leveled up to improve upon skills, and show performance. Making them a valuable asset when trying to please the audience.

As you play you will open up more show venues wherein talent, entertainment, and complexity measure the payout of your troupes performances. By allotting stars to either talent, entertainment or complexity you up your chances at a better payout. Beyond that team synergy is key, and the synergy here plays into the card game nature of the performers ID's. Each performer has a specific alignment indicated by a pointing colored arrow symbol on their card. They also have skill indicator tags in red and green that when paired in a triangle or squared placement of cards will either light up the connections with green, orange, or red. Indicating their failure or success at synergy. Green being the successful outcome, and red and orange the least desirable. Thus it is good to recruit performers with this in mind. When the show is done you will reap the rewards accordingly. This includes upgrade items, and currencies. 

Outside of the show, and troupe management hub lies the mapped out streets of England. Filled with various points of interest that you can take troupes of four on to loot, battle, and reach story point progression situations. You'll find loot boxes filled with upgrade items, and currency as well as encounter battles of varying degrees. This includes battles with lesser Bobbies, and boss battles too. Points that progress the plot on this map of events are marked with pulsing location options. Of course how you get there is determined by the path you take. There are multiple branching paths with different points to engage. The path of least resistance will get you from point A to point B more quickly, but sometimes the more lucrative path will take going a roundabout and risky way. Maintaining performer health is crucial in these excursions, and you can only make it so far in the given 24 hour span, but made progress will remain. Making it possible for you to heal up the damaged troupe members while you assign others to the shows or take some out again to embark on your continued adventure. What you do with your day is up to you, and it all boils down to proper management. That and well played turn based tactics. Rewarding you in kind with ecstatically narrated newspaper headlines, and bonuses for that day's dealings.

The Verdict ...

Circus Electrique can definitely be a bit overwhelming at first. They throw a lot of technical tutorial details onscreen hoping they stick, but realize in doing so that some people will need to go back to the reference menu for help in understanding something. While it is complex, and deals with micromanagement within a given timeframe the game is surprisingly complimentary in all of it's conjoined elements. Once it clicks you'll be drawn in by the inspired turn based battles, and will find the rest stops as a mere means to keep things going. Leveling up your troupe, and circus will take time, but if managed well it will pay off. There's certainly a lot of fun to be had here, and the game has that Zen Studios charm about it. Complete with century related visual filters, and audio of the period. Attention to detail was not lost on the developers. Even more so their ability to make everything make sense despite it's complexities was a true achievement. All in all I enjoyed the time I spent playing Circus Electrique, and I kind of knew I would. I sought this game out for review, because I saw it's potential, and in that regards it did not disappoint. Don't miss out on this one!!!