The Fabulous Fear Machine Reviews
The Fabulous Fear Machine features a unique pulp art style and some straightforward ideas that make it a wonderfully addictive strategy title.
The Fabulous Fear Machine must have been hatched by some really sadistic people, because it is one of the creepiest games you will find around, despite being a simplified 4X with a board game structure. The concept of spreading fake news to fuel panic is portrayed with a lot of sarcasm and a graphic depiction that recalls the old horror comic books of the 1950s. Like all games of this type, it becomes repetitive in the long run despite attempts to add new features to each mission, but the particularly engaging story will motivate you to continue.
Review in Italian | Read full review
The Fabulous Fear Machine from developer Fictiorama Studios is a test of skill as much as it is a test of patience. It’s a complicated game that is RISK-like and presents a wickedly good time in classic horror comic book form.
The Fabulous Fear Machine is a metaphor, but not really. The propaganda machine that shapes society is very real, and it's used to tell us what to believe, what to buy, who to hate, and how to behave, all to benefit and enrich those of us who deserve it the least. The titular Fear Machine is based in power dynamics, class consciousness, and the susceptibility of society at large, but after playing, I’m not sure if Fictiorama Studios understood how its own machine actually works.
The Fabulous Fear Machine does provide a unique take on the strategy genre as a whole. Instead of being the good guy everyone wants all the time, filling the masses with conspiracies and rumors to exploit them can also be great fun. It is recommended to check out the title if you are looking for an exquisite strategy game with its own personality and charm.
I enjoyed my time with The Fabulous Fear Machine as it delivered a fresh take on horror video games and had an interesting story. I really liked how it leaned into the pulp horror and Tales from the Crypt style both in theme and visual and audio design. The design and satire & dark humour couldn’t keep the mechanics from feeling repetitive and stale. Perhaps if more content or DLC comes I will give it another go.
The Fabulous Fear Machine is a rather unique title. The idea of a machine capable of offering control over the world through propaganda, fear and conspiracy was very well executed and proves to be a solid example of speculative horror literature, although the plots of the main campaigns left a little to be desired. Additionally, the game system in its raw form is quite functional and manages to fulfill its purpose of using elements from a strategy game to tell its story. However, it remains very limited as a representative of the genre it tries to fit in. If the game had invested more in improving its systems, the superficiality and even the stereotyping of the stories could have gone unnoticed. Likewise, more elaborate and engaging stories could alleviate the linearity of the gameplay.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
The Fabulous Fear Machine is the perfect game for the spooky season. Beautiful art, satisfying gameplay, and an engrossing story. Put a quarter in the slot and let’s make mischief happen!
While not without issues—the worst offender still being the inadequate tutorials—The Fabulous Fear Machine is an incredibly refreshing spin on the real-time strategy genre. With unexpectedly detailed, if at times slightly questionable, narratives underpinning each of its three campaigns and an art style that looks and feels like nothing else in the genre, The Fabulous Fear Machine does the impossible and makes being evil a whole lot of fun through its fresh gameplay loops and devilishly delightful assortment of legends. If you’ve got a mean streak and have always wanted a safe environment in which to find out what it feels like to have people unquestionably devote themselves to you and your cause, well, firstly, you should be on a watch list somewhere, and secondly, you should absolutely check out The Fabulous Fear Machine.
The Fabulous Fear Machine is a phenomenal narrative-driven strategy game that should hook you on its stories and keep you interested with its brain-stimulating gameplay. The phenomenal art compliments every aspect of the game, from its uniquely presented levels to its fantastic writing. Give into your desire for power and spread a little fear with this rare and fantastic title.