Independent studio Mad Herons has unveiled Send in the Clown, a roughly hour-long comedy-driven role-playing adventure debuting at indie game showcase The MIX. The game puts players in the shoes of Pockets, a birthday entertainer tasked with saving a 12-year-old girl named Miranda’s party from her troublesome brother, Tad, through minigames, puzzles, and a single turn-based RPG battle.
The Bottom Line on Pockets’ Birthday Rescue
- The Core Conflict: Players control a clown named Pockets who must defeat a bratty child named Tad in a single, dedicated turn-based RPG battle after prepping through party minigames.
- Hollywood Roots: The studio behind the game was founded by Los Angeles improv comedy veterans Jacques Mouledoux, Karen Park, and Nick Park, with contributions from industry talent like Tyler Hutchison and Courtney Vineys.
- No AI Guarantee: The game’s Steam page explicitly states that no artificial intelligence, or intelligence of any kind, was used in its creation.
From Improv Stages to Indie Development
Announced on September 4, 2026, Mad Herons was founded by Los Angeles improv comedy veterans Jacques Mouledoux, Karen Park, and Nick Park. The team brings together professional backgrounds spanning television writing, engineering, academia, and live comedy. The concept itself originated during the 2024 Global Game Jam, where Mouledoux, Nick Park, and Conner McCabe put together the initial prototype. Over the subsequent two years, the project expanded into a larger collaborative production rooted in the Los Angeles independent gaming scene.
The studio enlisted recognizable talent from across the industry to build out the project. Tyler Hutchison, director of Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator, contributed facial animations for Pockets. Meanwhile, performer Courtney Vineys, whose credits include Hades and Hades II, contributes to the project alongside other improv comedians and voice actors.
Minigames, Mechanics, and Befriending Party Guests
Rather than relying on traditional fantasy weapons and spells, Pockets develops an assortment of clown-themed abilities. Players can gain experience points while mastering tricks that span everything from handling stacks of questionable hot dogs to operating water-spraying flowers. The bulk of the gameplay involves interacting with party guests, each presenting distinct problems that require minigames, puzzles, and branching dialogue choices to resolve.
One sequence requires players to teach a struggling single father how to dance using a rhythm game inspired by the format popularized by Guitar Hero. Another scenario helps an exhausted mother take a break from parenting through quick-time events reminiscent of cinematic action-adventure titles like Uncharted. Users are likewise given the option to encourage a timid youngster or strive to eclipse a child’s best score within America Shoots Guns At The World, a retro-styled arcade shoot-’em-up drawing cues from enduring touchstones like Space Invaders.
| Game Element | Inspiration or Mechanic | In-Game Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Single Father | Rhythm gameplay format | Leads a dance-troupe attack in the final battle |
| Exhausted Mother | Uncharted-style quick time events | Performs a powerful attack involving her newborn baby |
| Arcade Machine | Space Invaders shoot-’em-up style | Beating the high score unlocks secrets and aids progression |
Building Allies for the Final Confrontation
As Pockets moves through the suburban birthday party, the narrative tension builds around Tad, the sibling responsible for ruining Miranda’s celebration. Despite Pockets being a literal adult, Tad acts as a dirty trickster who proves difficult to take down. The entire game culminates in a single, highly focused turn-based RPG battle.
The relationships forged during the party’s prep work dictate the strategy for this final showdown. Guests who were successfully helped can join the player’s party. For instance, a single father who learned to dance can lead a synchronized dance-troupe attack against Tad, while other characters can directly interfere with Tad’s turn during combat. Beyond the core mechanics, the developers maintain a strict stance on human-made art, noting on the game’s Steam page that no artificial intelligence, or intelligence of any kind, was used in its creation.
