A Jugglers Tale

84%
Game Brain Score Based on 298 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
A Jugglers Tale Game Cover
Can’t you see? The strings that hold you up, also hold you back!
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Lead Abby the string puppet through a bruised, but beautiful world in this poetic 3D adventure. Solve riddles, evade traps, and shake off pursuers on your way to find freedom. Can Abby take control of her own fate and make a difference with all the strings attached?

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

84%
Audience ScoreBased on 298 reviews
story94 positive mentions
stability5 negative mentions
  • Beautiful art style and charming visuals that create an enchanting atmosphere.
  • Engaging storytelling with a unique narrative style, enhanced by a whimsical narrator.
  • Simple yet enjoyable puzzles that incorporate the puppet mechanics effectively.
  • Very short gameplay, typically completed in 2-3 hours, which may not justify the price for some players.
  • Some puzzles can feel overly simplistic or repetitive, lacking challenge for experienced players.
  • Occasional bugs and glitches that can disrupt the gameplay experience.
  • story186 mentions

    The story of "A Juggler's Tale" is a charming and thought-provoking narrative centered around a puppet named Abby who seeks freedom from her constraints, blending whimsical storytelling with deeper themes of autonomy and self-discovery. While the game is short, typically taking around two hours to complete, it features engaging narration and beautiful visuals that enhance the overall experience, though some players noted inconsistencies in plot coherence and pacing. Overall, the storytelling is praised for its creativity and emotional depth, making it a delightful, albeit brief, adventure.

    • “The story of fighting for freedom also makes us think whether we are living a life with free will, or just a puppet with strings of views of others, family and social responsibilities, and if any of us are brave enough to live a life without any strings.”
    • “A juggler's tale is a story-centric platformer and puzzle game centered around a puppet girl who seeks freedom.”
    • “The story is dark and very compelling, and the narrator is amazing.”
    • “Nothing makes sense in this game (story-wise).”
    • “The story is at first a bit plain and then takes some turns.”
    • “As this game was so short, and as the plot just sometimes kinda broke the immersion for me, I wasn't getting that 'blown away' feeling at the end.”
  • graphics76 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful art style, vibrant color palette, and charming aesthetics, which contribute significantly to the overall experience. While many reviewers highlight the stunning visuals and unique design, some note that character animations could be improved. Overall, the game's graphics are considered a standout feature, enhancing its storytelling and immersive atmosphere.

    • “Really amazing game with one of the most beautiful art styles I've ever seen.”
    • “The game is irresistibly charming from the get-go, with jaw-dropping visuals (among the best I've seen for a puzzle platformer), great narration, and a gripping story.”
    • “The aesthetics are stunning, the color schemes used are dreamy and look beautiful all throughout the game.”
    • “Decent music and graphics are okay, but characters could use some polishing up, even as wooden puppet characters.”
    • “The concept is awesome, but I can't help but wonder why they tried to fuse common video game graphics with the cardboard puppet show theme?”
    • “… but after a short while, the puzzles begin to feel repetitive, visuals are undeniably downgraded on the Switch, could be a tad short for some.”
  • gameplay58 mentions

    The gameplay of "A Juggler's Tale" is characterized by its unique puppet mechanics and simple platforming elements, offering a mix of puzzles and chase sequences that, while visually appealing, may feel underutilized and familiar to fans of similar titles like "Limbo" and "Inside." Players appreciate the relaxing nature of infinite lives and frequent checkpoints, but some find the gameplay lacking in depth and innovation, with occasional glitches and a short runtime of about 2-3 hours. Overall, it provides a charming experience with beautiful visuals and a poetic narrative, though it may not justify its price for all players.

    • “Gameplay: in dangerous scenes it feels like little nightmares, very thrilling.”
    • “Great little puzzle platformer, fun gameplay, nice environments and music.”
    • “Gameplay makes good use of the string mechanic and it beautifully blends with the story (which by the way is laid on the player by excellent narration and a script).”
    • “I'm not a huge fan of cinematic platformers as the gameplay is usually very limited and there's too much reliance on art direction.”
    • “The creators have tried to create puzzles through the ropes that restrained Abby in the form of a puppet, but this does not help A Juggler's Tale much in terms of gameplay, and in this sense, the player will be disappointed.”
    • “In terms of gameplay, it offers nothing new; therefore, none of the puzzles are hard to solve.”
  • music56 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its beautiful composition and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many reviewers highlighting the charming folk-inspired soundtrack and excellent narration. While some noted that the variety of musical pieces could be more distinct, the majority found the music to be a standout feature that complements the game's visuals and storytelling effectively. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a key element that contributes to the game's artistic and emotional impact.

    • “It's a well-made artsy piece with a beautiful color palette, cheerful background music, and a pleasant old man's voice telling rhyming bedtime stories.”
    • “The soundtrack is astonishing; the rhythm, the vibes, and the atmosphere—everything is enjoyable and characteristic.”
    • “An absolutely gorgeous game, with some unique gameplay mechanics and beautiful music and storyline—extremely well put together.”
    • “The variety of pieces seems appropriate, but the rhythms of the pieces are very similar to each other, and the audience who struggles with solving the puzzles may not notice the changes in the background music.”
    • “Music is understated and accompanies the game well.”
    • “However, the music helps the picture well in the critical moments and keeps the beat up well in the chase sequences.”
  • atmosphere19 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its unique artistic style, reminiscent of live theater, and its enchanting music that enhances the storytelling experience. Players appreciate the immersive environments and the overall aesthetic, which diverges from typical action games, inviting exploration and reflection. While the graphics are not realistic, the combination of beautiful visuals, folk-inspired sound design, and engaging narrative creates a captivating atmosphere that many find enjoyable and memorable.

    • “The visual style is reminiscent of live theatrical performances with paper dolls, which creates a unique and attractive atmosphere.”
    • “The soundtrack is astonishing; the rhythm, the vibes, and the atmosphere—everything is enjoyable and characteristic.”
    • “The storytelling is incredible, and the atmosphere is unique.”
    • “If you are looking for realistic graphics, this game cannot be recommended; but if you intend to stay away from the usual atmosphere of skirmish games and wander a little in fantasy worlds, this title will be a good option.”
    • “Understanding the space and atmosphere, the composer decided to choose the folk genre to implement his thoughts; a right decision that ended up in favor of the game.”
    • “But that's nothing bad for me since I like that kind of gameplay and the art style and atmosphere of 'A Juggler's Tale' are still very unique in itself.”
  • emotional14 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its heartwarming and wholesome narrative, which captivates players with a charming story and beautiful visuals. While many reviewers found the plot to be touching and engaging, evoking a strong emotional investment, some felt a lack of personal connection to the story. Overall, the game is praised for its ability to evoke nostalgia and deliver an unexpectedly poignant experience.

    • “The plot of the game is truly exciting and emotional.”
    • “Overall, Juggler's Tale is a great game that combines addictive gameplay, beautiful visual style, and an emotional story.”
    • “I really became emotionally invested, and had to play all the way to the end to see what happened to my character.”
  • optimization7 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is generally solid, with good performance on low to mid-level systems and minimal stuttering or crashing reported by some users. While there are occasional performance drops, they are not significantly disruptive, allowing players to enjoy the unique visual style and strong voice acting without major issues.

    • “Performance was fine in general.”
    • “Performance dropped here and there, but overall, it wasn't too noticeable.”
    • “Everything runs great on my low/mid-level gaming laptop, no stuttering at all, and more importantly, no crashing (unlike what other people have been experiencing so it seems - I suspect that the game was updated to fix this).”
  • stability7 mentions

    The game's stability is mixed, with some players experiencing minor glitches and clunky controls, while others report smooth performance without crashes. Although there are occasional bugs, features like chapter select help mitigate issues, and recent updates seem to have improved stability for some users. Overall, while the game is visually appealing, potential players may want to wait for further patches if they are concerned about stability.

    • “This game is gorgeous, and I didn't have to look up any of the puzzles. Movement was easy, with no glitches.”
    • “Everything runs great on my low/mid-level gaming laptop. There's no stuttering at all, and more importantly, no crashing (unlike what other people have been experiencing, so it seems - I suspect that the game was updated to fix this).”
    • “Glitches, clunky controls, and the long loading time after death make it a frustrating experience rather than an enjoyable one.”
    • “With a very short play time and a fair amount of bugs/glitches, if you haven't got spare cash, maybe wait a bit for more patches to be released.”
    • “Despite the game being short and occasional glitches, I give A Juggler's Tale a 7.75 out of 10.”
  • character development3 mentions

    Character development is noted for its good design, featuring simple yet charming characters that enhance the gameplay experience. The immersive sound design and varied musical score contribute positively to the overall atmosphere, reminiscent of a condensed version of "Inside."

    • “The sound design is immersive, the character designs are simple, but cute, and the score by Jordan Toms is absolutely fantastic, with a lot of different themes.”
    • “Good character design.”
    • “In terms of gameplay and character design, it actually felt like a shortened version of Inside.”
    • “The character development feels rushed and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with anyone in the story.”
    • “I was disappointed by how one-dimensional the characters are; they don't evolve or grow throughout the game.”
    • “The lack of meaningful choices in character development left me feeling disconnected from the narrative.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    The game offers limited replayability, primarily due to its short duration of a couple of hours and minimal incentives to revisit after completion, aside from collecting achievements. While enjoyable, players may find the steep price unjustified for the lack of content to explore again.

    • “Alas, the price is very steep for what it offers, given how short the game is - a couple of hours - and the lack of replayability once completed.”
    • “It was an enjoyable experience, but don't expect much replay value except to collect achievements.”
  • humor2 mentions

    The humor in "A Juggler's Tale" is characterized by its intriguing brevity, with Abby's interactions with the environment and the narrator's witty remarks contributing significantly to the game's charm and appeal throughout.

    • “Very short, but intriguing and humorous.”
    • “Abby's actions with the environment and the narrator's funny jokes are among the strengths of 'A Juggler's Tale', which will not diminish its charm until the last moment.”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game is perceived as tedious and frustrating, with players expressing confusion and dissatisfaction regarding its mechanics.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

73% average critic score

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Play time

2hMedian play time
3hAverage play time
2-3hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 8 analyzed playthroughs

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