Sep
26
2022
0

Circus Electrique Quick Time Review

Developer: Zen Studios

Publisher: Saber Interactive

Available on: PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S (reviewed)

Release date: September 6, 2022

Circus Electrique is both a frustrating and a unique experience. The circus sim side can prove interesting as you stage shows and upgrade buildings. The turn based battle system, which is very reminiscent to that found in Darkest Dungeon, can be very hit or miss, with some battles being easy enough and others having huge difficulty spikes. Complicating this issue is there is no real way to grind to build your team up. Choose your options wrongly, and you can end up faced with a no win scenario with no way to progress. I’ve hit this four times, and my only option was to restart and hope I chose better. It’s a shame really, as the circus sim side is very unique and the story and characters are fairly well done.

Pros

  • Unique scenario
  • Circus sim can be engaging
  • Good characters and story
  • Nice art style

Cons

  • Hit or miss turn based combat
  • No way to grind
  • Making wrong choices can lead to no way to progress
  • Big difficulty spikes

In the end, while Circus Electrique is a unique experience with its circus sim, the turn based combat isn’t always up to snuff. No way to grind, difficulty spikes, and cheap deaths can make this a hard game to recommend. In that it is a shame, as the story and characters are worth experiencing. Those looking to give this a shot may do well to wait for a sale and not pay full price.

7/10 stars