Vlad Circus: Descend Into Madness

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Vlad Circus: Descend Into Madness is a single player survival action adventure game with a horror theme. It was developed by Indiesruption and was released on October 16, 2023. It received positive reviews from players.

"Vlad Circus: Descend Into Madness" is a psychological horror game set in a creepy 1920s freak circus. Players follow the tormented Oliver Mills as he tries to escape a labyrinthine mansion filled with puzzles, survival mechanics, and twisted secrets. The game features stunning pixel art, a 2D lighting system, and an unforgettable ending.

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Single-Player

Vlad Circus: Descend Into Madness screenshot

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83%

Audience ScoreBased on 70 reviews

story29 positive mentions

grinding5 negative mentions

The game features a captivating story with unique characters and a strong narrative focus, effectively blending psychological horror with point-and-click adventure elements.
The pixel art and atmosphere are beautifully crafted, enhancing the overall experience and immersing players in the game's eerie setting.
Puzzles are engaging and rewarding, encouraging players to pay attention to details and explore the environment, despite some being unintuitive.

The game suffers from excessive backtracking and a limited inventory system, which can make navigation tedious and frustrating.
Many players found the ending disappointing and predictable, feeling that it undermined the buildup of the story and character development.
Combat mechanics are clunky and unresponsive, detracting from the overall gameplay experience and making encounters feel frustrating rather than engaging.

story
66 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
50%
6%
The story of "Vlad Circus: Descend into Madness" is a dark and twisted narrative that explores themes of tragedy and madness, featuring well-developed characters and an engaging plot that keeps players invested. While some found the story predictable or lacking in depth, many praised its emotional impact and immersive atmosphere, with a mix of surprising twists and a compelling backstory. Overall, the narrative is a standout aspect of the game, despite some criticisms regarding its pacing and conclusion.
- “The tragedy of Ollie's story was genuinely touching; his descent into madness was quite the journey that left me moved.”
- “The story of a former circus troupe meeting up again years after a shared tragedy keeps you wanting more, and the mysterious circus director combined with the main character’s mental state really pulls you in.”
- “Each character is deeply flawed and has their own tragic past, making the storyline emotionally engaging and psychologically thrilling.”
- “The story was a bit uninspired and predictable, and the characters did not really do much for me as far as making me care enough to feel engaged.”
- “The story wasn't really interesting at all and predictable from what I played.”
- “The story is alright but the ending is bad.”
gameplay
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
66%
10%
The gameplay in this title is a blend of point-and-click adventure and light survival horror, featuring unique mechanics like memory diving and resource management, which enhance the overall experience. While the narrative and atmosphere are praised, some players feel the gameplay can be slow and lacks challenge, with a desire for more engaging enemy encounters and difficulty options. Overall, it offers a solid mix of puzzles and survival elements, appealing to those who enjoy genre mashups, though it may not satisfy purists from either genre.
- “I liked the gameplay progression overall and the style is nice; characters are unique and well-developed from past and present.”
- “The gameplay is a mix of point-and-click adventure with survival horror elements.”
- “The game's simple yet engaging puzzles and survival mechanics add depth to the gameplay, making it a well-rounded and great experience.”
- “I would have absolutely loved a third difficulty in which the punches were not pulled - implementing save points instead of an autosave system, having enemies introduced earlier and used more liberally, entwining the gameplay elements a little more into the progression rather than spending more time being a story than being a game.”
- “It's got a great backstory, world, and tone - but the gameplay isn't that fun, and it takes too long to get going and plods along to a pretty predictable ending.”
- “The gameplay itself consisted of light survival elements (sharpening blades that get dull, collecting bullets, filling your lantern) which were fairly easily managed, and combat mechanics, which were fairly consistent and not overtly difficult until the end where it became mildly clunky when enemies approached at certain angles.”
atmosphere
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
65%
17%
18%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its stunning pixel art, haunting music, and immersive storytelling, creating a gripping and chilling experience. Reviewers highlight the unique blend of genres, with a focus on psychological horror and point-and-click elements, which enhances the overall ambiance. The game's ability to evoke a sense of unease and intrigue through its art and character design is consistently noted as a standout feature.
- “A high quality pixel art psychological horror game that blew my socks off with its presentation, atmosphere, music, art, and cast of characters.”
- “The atmosphere in the mansion, full of strange guys, locked doors and biting rats, is absolutely gripping.”
- “Intriguing horror experience with gripping atmosphere, gorgeous twisted art, and haunting characters - all beautifully written and executed.”
- “The atmosphere in the mansion, full of strange guys, locked doors, and biting rats, is absolutely gripping.”
- “Its enigmatic story, weird characters, and eerie atmosphere are its strongest assets.”
- “I really wish I could give it an all thumbs up, because I love the art style and the atmosphere.”
graphics
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
18%
27%
The graphics received high praise for their charming pixel art, effective use of light and shadow, and overall aesthetic that evokes nostalgia for classic point-and-click games. Reviewers highlighted the visuals as a key component of the game's atmosphere, complementing the intriguing story and engaging characters. Overall, the graphics are described as great, enhancing the gameplay experience with both beauty and intensity.
- “Intriguing story, great visuals, lovely characters, some intense scares, and even a really nice touch of humor.”
- “I really wish I could give it an all thumbs up, because I love the art style and the atmosphere.”
- “The visuals are comprised of charming (even when it shows gore) pixel art and a skillful play of light and shadow (that is also a big part of the gameplay – that damn kerosene lamp that keeps running out of fuel!).”
- “Absolutely a throwback to some of my favourite point and click, 8-bit graphic games growing up like Maniac Mansion or Discworld.”
- “I really wish I could give it an all thumbs up, because I love the art style, the atmosphere.”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The music in the game is generally praised for its atmospheric quality, enhancing the psychological horror experience with minimal yet effective soundscapes. While some players found the musical elements somewhat sparse, they appreciated how well it complemented the game's overall presentation and mood. Overall, the music is described as top-notch, contributing significantly to the game's immersive atmosphere.
- “A high quality pixel art psychological horror game that blew my socks off with its presentation, atmosphere, music, art, and cast of characters.”
- “Vlad Circus: Descend into Madness is firing on all cylinders, with strong pixel art, cutscenes, music, story, atmosphere, and a cast of characters that are well fleshed out.”
- “The music was somewhat sparse but used well when it popped up, with other sounds in the game mainly consisting of ominous, soft whispers and the pattering of rain upon the roofs, along with the occasional, disorienting groan of a creature.”
- “The musical component is appropriately minimal.”
- “The music was somewhat sparse but used well when it popped up; the other sounds in the game mainly consisted of ominous, soft whispers and the pattering of rain upon the roofs, with the occasional, disorienting groan of a creature.”
- “Music: decent”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
83%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and at times frustrating, particularly during certain puzzle sequences that can feel unintuitive. While the overall experience is enjoyable, the repetitive nature of grinding can detract from the game's enjoyment, leading some to take breaks or feel overwhelmed.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “A sequence at the end was tedious to the point where I left the game alone for over a week because I didn't want to go through it anymore.”
- “It was very tedious and almost ruined everything I experienced.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by Ollie's tragic story, which evokes genuine feelings of sadness and engagement. The flawed characters, each with their own tragic backgrounds, contribute to a psychologically thrilling narrative that resonates deeply with players.
- “The tragedy of Ollie's story was genuinely touching; his descent into madness was quite the journey that left me moved.”
- “Each character is deeply flawed and has their own tragic past, making the storyline emotionally engaging and psychologically thrilling.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers appreciate the humor in the game, noting that it complements the intriguing story and great visuals while adding depth to the characters and balancing the intense scares.
- “Intriguing story, great visuals, lovely characters, some intense scares, and even a really nice touch of humor.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users report that the game demonstrates strong stability, with no instances of bugs or crashes experienced during gameplay.

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Vlad Circus: Descend Into Madness is a survival action adventure game with horror theme.

Vlad Circus: Descend Into Madness is available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5 and others.

Vlad Circus: Descend Into Madness was released on October 16, 2023.

Vlad Circus: Descend Into Madness was developed by Indiesruption.

Vlad Circus: Descend Into Madness has received positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its music.

Vlad Circus: Descend Into Madness is a single player game.

Similar games include Tormented Souls, Lamentum, Evil Tonight, The Long Reach, Apsulov: End of Gods and others.

Vlad Circus: Descend Into Madness

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