14 DAY TRIAL // Sharpy the clown is an urban legend about a terrifying presence, deployed in a city to create fear, which in turn can be extracted to prepare and launch even more terror-filled stories. In time, each of them can be upgraded, scarring even more people, with the ultimate goal being to implant a specific agenda into the now primed public opinion.
The Fabulous Fear Machine is developed by Fictiorama Studios, with publishing handled by AMC Games. It is set to arrive during the summer of this year, delivering a story-driven boardgame-inspired experience centered on how fear can allow unscrupulous actors to remake the world.
The campaign I played for the preview is called Double Bind and focuses on a scientist ready to use the supernatural powers of the machine to rise to the top of her company while also making it the biggest drug supplier in the United Kingdom. The writing manages to walk the fine line between information, parody, and irony.
Gameplay is driven by agents and urban legend cards. Regions have cities, which in turn have districts. Players can slot a fear-generating story into each. Agents can extract oleum from special pumps, to allow for more fear spreading, mine essences to upgrade the cards, and investigate other events. Rivals pop up and the player needs to use agents and resources to counter their actions.
Once a sufficient level of fear is reached the player can broadcast their message and achieve goals. Each area is susceptible to various urban legends and the player needs to strategically use agents, cards, and resources to reach their goals. The core loop is enjoyable if a little repetitive.
The Fabulous Fear Machine has an old-school comic book influenced presentation that serves the theme well. I like the way the story is presented but I feel like it can become a little tiring after a while. The sound design is pretty basic, aiming for spooky and unsettling, but does not add to the immersion significantly.
Conclusion
The biggest problem with the title seems to be variety. Once you slot in legends and start mining specific fear essences to upgrade them only the machinations of rivals add some spice to the action. But the core concept has plenty of potential and I look forward to seeing what the full version of The Fabulous Fear Machine adds to the formula.
