Developer Mad Herons is developing Send in the Clown, a turn-based RPG that offers a comedic take on the genre. The game centers on a clown named Pockets hired to perform at a 12-year-old's birthday party, which is being ruined by the birthday girl's "shitty brother" Tad. The primary objective is to save the party by defeating Tad, though he is described as a "dirty trickster" who is difficult to best despite Pockets being an adult.
The core gameplay loop involves Pockets attempting to befriend the other party guests, who then join his "party" in an RPG sense. These friendships are forged through a variety of minigames. For example, players can teach a single dad dance moves in a rhythm game, help an exhausted mother with Uncharted-style quick time events to give her a break, and encourage a shy child. Once befriended, these characters can be used in the RPG-style party to help confront Tad, with one notable attack mentioned involving the mother throwing her newborn.
Beyond making friends, players can uncover secrets that will assist in the final confrontation. This culminates in a single boss battle against Tad, for which the entire battle system was reportedly developed. The majority of the game's length is dedicated to the preparatory "delightfully silly" tasks. Send in the Clown is designed to be a brief experience, lasting only an hour, which the developer notes means no grinding will be necessary. A statement on the game's Steam page also humorously asserts that "No artificial intelligence, or intelligence of any kind, was used in the making of this game."
A demo for Send in the Clown is available, and players can wishlist the game on its Steam page.