I generally find it quite frustrating how limited the gaming medium insists on being when it comes to engaging with a wide range of genres. One particular genre that its cinematic cousin uses frequently but is rarely seen in games is comedy. Sure, sometimes a game will attempt to tell a joke in a cutscene (most often failing (comedy is hard!)), but it’s rarely a genre mechanically. So I’m pretty excited to discover Send in the Clown, a turn-based RPG where you play as a clown who has to save a 12-year-old’s birthday party…and he only has one turn.
In Send in the Clown, you play as Pockets, a horribly sad name for a clown. He’s hired to perform at Miranda’s birthday party, but it’s ruined by her shitty brother, Tad. So your goal is to save the day by saving the party by fighting a kid! It’s Tad, to be clear. The problem is that Tad is a nasty trickster, and although you’re a literal adult, he’s not easy to take down. Your solution to this problem is to try to make friends with everyone and anyone at the party.
This involves playing a range of mini-games. There’s a single dad who wants to impress with his dance moves but has two left feet, so you teach him through a rhythm game. There’s an exhausted mom you’re helping give a “well-deserved break from parenting with Uncharted-style quick-time events.” And there’s a shy, awkward kid who needs to be exaggerated a bit to get him involved. After befriending them, they are essentially added to your party (RPG kind) and can be used to take out Tad; I especially love the mother’s incredibly powerful attack when she throws her newborn.
It’s not just about making friends, there are a whole host of secrets to unlock and discover that can help you defeat Tad. Eventually this all culminates in a single battle, and yes, an entire combat system was developed just for this one battle. That’s commitment! It’s just that most of the game is in the delightfully silly prep work you have to do. Better yet, it doesn’t try to overstay its welcome; The game is only an hour long, so it doesn’t seem like any grinding is necessary. I also really appreciate this note on the Steam page: “No artificial intelligence, or intelligence of any kind, was used in the making of this game.”
If any of these interest you, you can try a demo, or simply create a wishlist, on their website. Steam page.
