Taking a break from my regularly scheduled doomscrolling through social media, I stumbled upon something that immediately caught my eye. A dark world, with an adorably bright little protagonist. I figured that this may be a puzzle game or something like that, given the art direction and the general vibe. Then, I watched this little creature start whooping up on some dark demons, and I was immediately sold. Nightmare Circus may look adorable at first, but this action/adventure game is anything but. Sure, the main character may be an adorable little puppet, but they’re ready to kick butt and take names. After falling further into the roguelike trap this year, this is one I’m keeping an eye on.
Puppets? Check. Magical Powers? Double Check. Everything About ‘Nightmare Circus’ Is Hitting All the Right Notes in My Book
Not to be confused with the Mega Drive game of the same name, Nightmare Circus is shaping up to be something special. The aesthetic is wonderful and very kind to the eyes. Plus, the thought of beating up enemies as a little puppet is incredibly enticing. But most importantly, the ability to use the Puppeteer Sticks on our back for additional attacks is what intrigues me the most. Using the two sticks on our back, we can use these to string, both literally and figuratively, together combos and deliver devastating attacks. After playing far too much Lost in Random: The Eternal Die, the thought of using outside forces to our advantage is infinitely more appealing to me.
The Puppetering Sticks can be used for a variety of purposes. You can bash foes with them, turn them into a grappling hook of sorts, and use the strings to tie up enemies before unleashing a brutal combo on them. The combat here looks stellar, and I’m already fully sold on the premise and world. Plus, with a planned release on all consoles, including the Switch 2? I’m even more interested. This is the type of game that screams portability. Being able to take it on the road would be a dream come true. At this point, Nightmare Circus looks like it could easily become my new roguelike obsession rather quickly. I’m ready to take on my new role as the master Puppeteer.
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