Vlad Circus: Curse of Asmodeus – August 25th
Can you imagine a sequel and prequel at the same time in one single title? Okay, here’s the thing: Indiesruption and Blowfish Studios will launch this August 25th their new graphic adventure Vlad Circus: Curse of Asmodeus, which will officially be both prequel AND sequel to Vlad Circus: Descend Into Madness, a title released in 2023 by the same studios. Back then, the first game offered us a mystery story set in the 1920s, which featured gameplay filled with subtle puzzles and survival touches, all balanced just right to capture the player’s attention.
“Curse of Asmodeus drags you into a sordid world of mirrors and shadows where the demon lurks…”
Now, in Vlad Circus: Curse of Asmodeus, we will explore two parallel timelines, as we traverse this macabre journey of horror and madness with captivating and very well-crafted pixel-art graphics. This new title continues the gameplay line proposed by its predecessor, also being a graphic adventure with puzzles, exploration and a particularly immersive narrative, which, despite its peculiar artistic style, has no problem conveying unease, insecurity and horror at just the right moments. Below, you can see the Official Release Date Trailer for Vlad Circus: Curse of Asmodeus, brought to you by GameTrailers:
Through a Sordid World of Mirrors and Shadows
The game will place us in the shoes of Josef Petrescu, a man marked by tragedy, who will wake up terribly burned, voiceless and without memory. Josef, brother of Vlad Petrescu and co-heir of Vlad Circus, will embark on a harrowing journey to discover the truth behind his horrible past. Curse of Asmodeus sets out to drive the narrative of horror games by using its mechanic of navigating parallel timelines, crossing through mirrors to alternate between fragmented memories. Each temporal shift will reveal new layers of the story, allowing us to deconstruct Josef’s life and the macabre secret hidden in the old quarter of San Reno.
As in every good graphic adventure, there will be a multitude of peculiar characters we’ll be able to interact with, from the inhabitants of the dime museum, to the terrifying dwellers of the catacombs, each encounter will bring us steadily closer to the truth. And of course, as we go on and delve deeper into the story, we will have to face increasingly difficult challenges, that will test our wit and survival skills. If you’ve paid attention to the title, you’ll understand that behind all this nightmare lies Asmodeus, the biblical demon reimagined as a hellish parasite that will feed on nothing less than human sanity, and will be intimately tied to the agonizing body that he inhabits… can you imagine who it is?
Despite its “retro” look, Vlad Circus: Curse of Asmodeus promises to be much more than just a game. Its proposal is a journey to the heart of tragedy and madness, which challenges us to face our own demons, without losing sight of our goal to discover the truth hidden in the dark corners of Josef’s tortured mind… “Prepare for a macabre horror adventure that will challenge your perceptions and test your resolve.” …Do you think you’re ready?
So…
In its Steam description, its mechanic of navigating parallel timelines is described as “unique.” Okay, maybe my problem in some cases is having too much memory, but this mechanic, maybe you know it too, is anything but “unique.” Personally, it doesn’t take me much effort to remember its excessive and even exaggerated use in games like Maniac Mansion 2: Day of the Tentacle, that very fun graphic adventure by LucasArts from 1993, which received a remaster in 2016. It wasn’t the only title that used this feature, of course, but just to name one that had everything described here, in that super fun game, the characters traveled and communicated across different timelines through toilets… remember it? XD
Now then, just as you may have judged from its trailer, I also have to say that Vlad Circus: Curse of Asmodeus does have, as I’ve mentioned so often lately, a personal and yes, unique identity. This, of course, I applaud in any title, no matter the similarities it may have with previous games. Curse of Asmodeus will be released this August 25th, in just three weeks! You should go to its Steam page right now and add it to your Wishlist, and once you do, come back here and tell us what you think about this proposal! Are you a fan of pixel-art aesthetic games? And of horror graphic adventures? And what if this title combines all of that? Come on, tell us what you think. You know gamer, we’ll be reading you! 🙂
Images Source: GameTrailers Official YouTube Channel, Vlad Circus: Curse of Asmodeus on Steam
