Publisher and developer Klabater and developer Juggler Games have announced The Amazing American Circus, a blend of card game, tycoon, and adventure game coming to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC via Steam in 2021.
“At Klabater, we are fascinated by history,” said Klabater CEO Michal Gembicki in a press release. “We develop and publish narrative-driven games that depict vital and thought-provoking moments in life. We are currently focusing on the turbulent times of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Amazing American Circus marks a bold third chapter in our ambitious project of games that combine captivating narratives from that era with eye-catching art and compelling gameplay. The best-selling games We. The Revolution and Help Will Come Tomorrow were the first two chapters.”
Here is an overview of the game, via its Steam page:
About
Your worst fear is the audience’s indifference. Your best weapon is a dazzling amusement. Your artists are your army. Behold, the circus came to town!
The Amazing American Circus tells a story of the most iconic entertainment in American history. The U.S.A., during the Gilded Age, is a turbulent place. On the East Coast springs up a modern metropolis, while in the west, cowboys and robber barons fight for their business. The new era is coming, and this is the last right moment for the circus to flourish!
This is a place and time where you will have to write your own story and build a circus empire. You take the role of an impoverished owner of a traveling Circus. Through your personal and multithreaded story, The Amazing American Circus reveals mysteries behind a uniquely American form of entertainment, full of bizarre folklore, brutal crime, and social inequality as it depicts a story of a struggle between a newcomer and an industry giant—P.T. Barnum.
Travel Across the U.S.A.
The United States was a new, developing country with settlers steadily pushing the American frontier… To reach their public at the time, showmen had little choice but to travel light and fast. You will visit legendary places and meet real historical characters being a part of the American circus heritage. You will plan your trip and adapt your artistic offer to different groups of spectators in a constant struggle to provide hard-working Americans with the entertainment they deserve! The Amazing American Circus is a classic ‘travel’ game. Emerge from the South West and reach the progressive North East while seeking fame, glory, and fortune.
Entertain the Audience
Deliver a perfect show in a special card duel between you and the audience. Their boredom is your enemy, and your performances and tricks are the best weapons. Choose your cards wisely and try to figure out the mood of the crowd. What’s attractive in the deep South won’t necessarily work in the industrialized North!
Hire Your Own Troupe
As the traveling Circus owner, you desperately need to look for new troupe members while competing with other circuses. You will gather an exotic crew of strange individuals who will perform for you, but can you deliver the best shows around while traveling from coast to coast? And remember, you will not become a Circus giant with a bunch of few selected performers. You will continuously have to replace entertainers to make your show attractive for different audiences.
RPG, A Card Game, and a Tycoon
The Amazing American Circus brings a unique blend of RPG, tycoon, and a card game. Build a strong deck of cards, improve your troupe’s stats, and manage your circus camp.
Narrative Dime-Novel Game
Unique story, love affairs, and hateful enemies, magnificent shows with challenging audiences and quests, all of this wrapped up in a writing style of the dime novels from the turn of the 20th century—that’s what The Amazing American Circus offers.
Key Features
- Become a legend! Save a run-down circus, gather a troupe of performers, and dare to defy the greatest showman on earth—P.T Barnum himself.
- Indulge in a dramatic story set in the turbulent times of the Industrial Revolution and the dusk of the Wild West era, and dive into the beautiful and grim world of the American folklore.
- Rediscover the spirit of dime-novels! Unravel incredible stories and dialogues recreating the style of the classic tall-tales from the past.
- 100-plus real historical and legendary characters from the verge of the 19th and 20th century to encounter, such as John D. Rockefeller, Susan B. Anthony, or Nikola Tesla…
- Gather a group of extraordinary artists and twisted individuals, each with their own story to tell, and venture on a journey across the 19th century the United States.
- Experience an epic soundtrack inspired by classical circus music.
Watch the announcement trailer below. View the first screenshots at the gallery. Visit the official website here.
