The Circus
Released May 2022
On one continent, a special group of individuals exists. Although their appearance is no different from mankind beings, but their bodies contain great power. They are entrusted with a divine destiny and can only be freed after passing a trial.
65% positive · 129 reviews
Done
All announced content has been released
Medium confidence
Done
All announced content has been released
Medium confidence
Where to get it
Free on Steam
Evaluation
The Circus is a free-to-play horror RPG that launched on May 19, 2022. Its only paid DLC — an art book — was released on launch day. Post-launch, the developer released a free manga project in September 2022 expanding on character backstory, with the announcement post on September 24, 2022 and the first part published on September 30, 2022.
The August 2022 announcement mentioned plans for a Japanese language version and a new map update. However, these plans were never followed up with any further developer communication after September 30, 2022 — the last date any official post appeared. That is nearly four years of silence as of June 2026, far beyond any reasonable timeframe for the promised updates to materialize. No roadmap, release date, or subsequent news post was ever published regarding these features, and the store page still notes that Japanese subtitles are "not yet available" but will be added in a future update.
Given the complete absence of developer communication since September 30, 2022, the casual nature of the originally stated plans (no firm dates, no formal roadmap), and the extraordinary length of the silence, it is most reasonable to treat the game as having reached its completed state with the free manga release in September 2022. The promised Japanese localization and new map appear to have been quietly abandoned. There is no unreleased DLC on the store, no active roadmap, and no developer statements indicating ongoing work.
Evidence
Free manga project launched featuring the backstory of characters Edrona and Vasilia. This is the last official developer communication on record.
Announcement post noted that players who replay the game 'at the end of the year when the latest version releases' would have a different experience, suggesting an update was in progress.
Content
1 of 1 released · no outstanding content
Media
Details
Developer
Publisher
Team Shadow
Achievements
—
Platform
Windows
Controller
—
Steam Deck
Not rated
Players
Single-player
About this game
Please note that this game contains bloody and psychological horror.
Game Special Features
- Independent character voices
- Dynamic LIVE2D animated character models
Japanese subtitles are not yet available in the released version (1.0), will be added in the next version update.
About the game story
That day, children's laughter can be heard all across the orphanage, for the arrival of the famous circus: Chursey. In the midst of joy, a single child differs from all. It was a young girl with bright pink hair, cuddling in the corner with her attentive arms wrapped around her knees. She seemed to have something that isn't the shared joy all around her in mind......
"Come with us, you are the chosen one."
Before she lost her senses, she heard the words,
"Welcome to the circus Chursey."
How to play
As the protagonist, Nachelle, you wander about the circus, searching for clues and items, and find out why they were brought to this place, as you try your best to survive deep in this circus of unknown despair. Keep your eyes peeled! There might just be some hidden secrets waiting for you to discover.Try your best to survive in the unknown despair.
The game progresses in *days*, and divided into *day and night*. Nothing is certain, as everything changes as time goes on. Your health is indicated on the top left of the screen, the fate of perish or escape falls upon your ability to survive until the end.
You will die when the number of hearts on the upper left becomes zero.
When the night approaches, a bell can be heard. During the night, you can explore, trigger events, collect specific items or solve puzzles to accomplish missions. If you're lucky enough, even some special items.
Collect the forgotten "memory fragments" and discover the truth of the story.
Battle elements: fight with your own destiny
In the finale of the game, you must meet face your own fate head on. You, as Nachelle, will fight against the characters you meet along the way.Art Collections
Collect all the in-game CGs and check them out in the gallery!
The game contains different branching endings
Depending on the searched elements and the number of memory fragments, different types of endings can be achieved. Your daily exploration will influence the fate of Nachelle, the hidden stories of some detailed objects scattered across the game, and even reveal the past of the characters.
Are these done yet?
Last evaluated Jun 22, 2026
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