American history is all about being in constant motion, being on the road...
In the early 19th Century, the United States was a new, developing country with settlers steadily pushing the American frontier… The US history is full of stories related to iconic trails and roads people had to follow to pursue happiness, fortune, or whatever dream they had. Sometimes they just run from their past. We all heard about The Pony Express Trail, where young men on horseback once carried the nation’s mail across the country from 1860-1861. Later, those ‘trails’ took the form of iconic routes like the legendary Road 66, glorified in countless songs, books, and movies.
To reach their public at the time, Circus showmen had little choice but to travel light and fast. In The Amazing American Circus, 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! In a way, The Amazing American Circus is a gaming answer to the classic ‘road movies’ genre. Emerge from the South West and reach the progressive North East while seeking fame, glory, and fortune! What’s more, ‘American’ than that?
In The Amazing American Circus, the game map will is e divided into 4 regions. Northeast and West being the permanent element of the game’s walkthrough, and Midwest and South being optional routes to take. -You will choose which direction he or she wants to follow during narrative events.
Each region will bring a unique value and vibe both gameplay-wise and in the narrative:
- West will be ‘Wild’ indeed with a narrative focus on Native Americans’ mythology and system of beliefs. West part of the USA was the last to be fully colonized and a very tough turf for Circus performers as the audience here will be demanding and often unforgiving. To make things even worse, you will start there!
- You will immediately notice that you have entered the Midwest thanks to the lower temperatures and lots of weird-looking trappers all around you;). You will also encounter miners, tough folk, and even a stricter type of audience. Entertain them, and you can call yourself a Circus pro!
- South is all about folklore, voodoo, and swamps. Expect the unexpected here. Not everything you see here is real!
- Northeast - New England and neighboring territories. In theory, this is a modern America you want to be a part of, with a stylish audience spending heck of a lot of money! But in reality? It is a brutal battleground between the key Circus players and a place where the final Circus fight with P.T Barnum himself awaits you…
Initially, the US map is covered by a ‘fog of war’ and, besides the narrative events and milestones, you are relatively free to choose your path. Your main goal is to give performances in various towns, but you may perform a lot of other activities on the map. The type of settlement will somewhat indicate what kind of action or adventure may await you there. As for the types of settlements, we distinguish the following:
- Small Town
- Farming Village
- Mining Settlement
- Modern industrial City
- State Capitals
- Military Camps
- Indian Reservations
Each type of settlement will also feature different crowds. It does not mean that you will only meet miner folk in mining settlements, but you may, of course, expect to encounter miners while visiting the mine:)
Before you hit the road, you need to choose the desired destination and the type of food resources for the planned trip (we will tell you more about Food in one of the upcoming blogs). What is essential, you may assign specific types of food to individual artists to ensure they gain definite perks, which add some depth into planning and tactics. What’s more, some narrative events may affect your trip’s speed, so it is wise to gather more supplies as it may turn out that you need more Food to reach the selected destination. If you ignore the supply chain’s preparation, you can still travel, but your Artists will suffer from many negative perks and debuff effects…
During your travels on the map screen, you will notice time passing by, symbolized by a Circus wagon moving on an animated background. If you have played Banner Saga, you probably remember the caravan traveling through the land. It looks pretty similar in The Amazing American Circus.
On this screen, it is also possible to activate random narrative events. You may meet some strangers or even hire new performers! You may also chat with the so-called legendary artists employed in your troupe during your adventures. Some of them will have something exciting or useful to say in certain regions.
So, while The Amazing American Circus is mostly a strategy, simulation, and a card game, this ‘road movie’ feeling is heavily present in the gameplay’s backbone. We do hope you will enjoy traveling across weird America!