Circus Empire review

Not quite as fun as a late night Carny party

GamesRadar+ Verdict

Pros

  • +

    Tons of options

  • +

    Keeps you on your toes

  • +

    Can speed through days

Cons

  • -

    Shows not worth watching

  • -

    Requires grinding stats

  • -

    Hidden inner workings

Why you can trust GamesRadar+ Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about our reviews policy.

Part of us hoped that Circus Empire was some kind of steampunk fantasia where someone managed to weaponise Barnum & Bailey’s circus in the 1800s, which then carved out a dominion in North America before taking on the might of Her Majesty Victoria’s forces. It’s Carny-carnage! Alas, it was not to be. The devs have taken the more traditional management route. And, despite the obvious low budget, they capture more of the fun of the fair than you might expect.

Avoiding the traveling circus side of things, this is essentially a game of timetabling and choreography. You’re able to put on two shows a day, which are arranged by selecting acts and specific tricks you want to show, as well as whatever lighting and music you’ve purchased. The real strategy comes in managing your talent’s energy and stress levels, which can lead to show-ruining failure if you’ve got them doing two shows a day plus learning new tricks in the morning. Neatly, each act has its own abilities, meaning you can’t treat them all interchangeably. Looking after the pissed-up, burnt-out old clown is a greater challenge than the resilient young warhorse. While you can watch the acts, in practice you fast forward through each day in a handful of seconds, adjust the timetabling and the show, and repeat. With many options - clothes, pay, rewards, housing - to balance, that’s useful. For a relatively casual game, there’s a lot of actual game here.

The game tends to hide some of its depth: it’s unclear how an act will go down with an audience for instance, and the shows aren’t worth watching for anything other than accidental comedy. But Circus Empire’s real problems are more to do with the basic grind, when you’re given a mission which requires you to improve a character massively until they gain a specific skill. The repetitiveness is what grinds you down. There’s a lot to juggle but - as the game teaches you - there’s more to games than juggling.

More info

GenreSimulation
DescriptionIt's a game with depth that will keep you on your toes. There's more to this game than just juggling.
Platform"PC"
US censor rating"Everyone 10+"
UK censor rating""
Release date1 January 1970 (US), 1 January 1970 (UK)
More
CATEGORIES
Latest in Simulation
Witchbrook screenshot of a library in the magical college with witches flying on brooms
Witchbrook: Everything we know so far about Chucklefish's magical new life sim
A screenshot from Witchbrook.
Gorgeous pixel art life sim Witchbrook blends Stardew Valley and Hogwarts Legacy, as the wizard school RPG arrives later this year
InZOI Money
How to get more money in InZOI
InZOI Cheats
InZOI cheats and codes for money and more
InZOI Starter Guide
How to get started in InZOI
A woman chasing a shining butterfly with a leaping cat on her shoulder in InZOI
InZoi has a long way to go before it can actually rival The Sims as its director says EA's "spent decades perfecting" the formula
Latest in Reviews
Razer Monitor Stand Chroma on desk with blue lighting reflecting off surface and Alienware gaming monitor on top.
Razer Monitor Stand Chroma review: “a pretty but flawed premium RGB riser for your gaming desk”
Image of the Corsair Virtuoso Max wireless headset sitting on top of a gaming PC case taken by writer Rosalie Newcombe.
Corsair Virtuoso Max Wireless review - a PC headset tour de force
Zombicide box featuring stylized art of survivors fighting zombies
Zombicide 2nd Edition review: "Like a zombie flick brought to tabletop"
Razer Handheld Dock with Steam Deck sitting on cradle, pink and yellow RGB lighting on, and Alienware monitor in background with Tomb Raider Trilogy gameplay on screen.
Razer Handheld Dock review: “Your Steam Deck will ride shiny and Chroma"
Photographs of the Agricola board game in play
Agricola review: "Accurate representation of the highly competitive and often unstable world of agriculture"
Photos taken by writer Rosalie Newcombe of the Shure MV7i microphone, within a pink and white themed room.
Shure MV7i review - convenience and excellence rolled into one superb sounding package