Julian & Friends

About

Julian & Friends is a single player action game with a horror theme. It was developed by JacksonGameStudios and was released on January 3, 2025. It received positive reviews from players.

Join Julian and his friends in a quirky psychological horror point-and-click adventure where you help prepare a surprise birthday party for Julia. Explore diverse locations, assist various characters with their antics, and unlock different story outcomes by entering unique codes. Experience an interactive film with engaging cutscenes, dialogue, and minigames woven into a surreal, wacky journey.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

87%

Audience ScoreBased on 152 reviews

story14 positive mentions

stability3 negative mentions

The game offers a unique blend of charming visuals and unsettling horror elements, creating a memorable experience.
Players appreciate the engaging story, deep lore, and the clever use of ARG mechanics that encourage exploration and puzzle-solving.
The character designs and voice acting are well-received, adding to the overall enjoyment and nostalgia of the game.

Several players experienced technical issues, including crashes and concerns about the game accessing personal information like IP addresses.
The gameplay can feel repetitive and some minigames, particularly Darcy's, are considered overly difficult or frustrating.
The second half of the game is criticized for losing the initial charm and becoming less engaging, with some finding the horror elements clichéd and poorly executed.

story
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
47%
9%
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its unique tone and engaging mysteries, particularly the blend of childish visuals with darker themes. However, others found certain elements, like fourth wall breaks and the reliance on previous titles for context, to be confusing or unnecessary. Overall, while the narrative offers depth and encourages community-driven exploration, it can be elusive and requires significant effort to fully understand.
- “The contrast between the childish visuals and the darker discoveries gives the game a unique tone, one that fans of glitch horror and ARG-inspired storytelling will appreciate.”
- “Dedicated players have gone so far as to analyze audio spectrograms, hidden files, and cryptic in-game codes to uncover secrets, and this meta-layer of storytelling adds a sense of mystery and community-driven discovery.”
- “A great game with a very interesting and mysterious storyline.”
- “The story isn’t focused on enough to make up for the minimal gameplay, and it is not very scary.”
- “To try and understand the story, you have to fill in a lot of the blanks, and even when you do, the story is unclear to the average player.”
- “It requires digging, and that's not necessarily a bad thing, but it means you can't rely on the story to carry the game.”
gameplay
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
66%
17%
Gameplay in this title is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate its emotional depth and thematic resonance, others find the mechanics clunky and the gameplay minimal, often relying on the story and horror elements to maintain engagement. The puzzles and minigames can be frustrating, yet they contribute to an unsettling atmosphere that enhances the overall experience. Ultimately, the effectiveness of the gameplay seems to hinge on individual preferences regarding narrative versus interactive elements.
- “The story, atmosphere, and gameplay kept me hooked.”
- “I loved the gameplay and I love how it messes with my files, hehe.”
- “The lore, the story, the message, the gameplay, I loved it.”
- “While some minigames can feel unforgiving or mechanically clunky, they serve a larger purpose: they destabilize the player’s sense of comfort, echoing the game’s overall shift from innocent fun to uncanny horror.”
- “Tl;dr: the gameplay is minimal, and the story isn’t focused on enough to make up for it, and it is not very scary.”
- “In a game where the gameplay is so minimal, it really falls on the story and horror aspects of the game to be entertaining.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the bright visuals and nostalgic charm reminiscent of early 2000s point-and-click titles, while others criticize the inconsistent quality, noting that certain elements, like glitch effects and "deep fried" aesthetics, detract from the overall experience. Despite these criticisms, many find the unique blend of childlike visuals and darker themes to create an engaging atmosphere, particularly for fans of glitch horror. Overall, the graphics are seen as a notable aspect that contributes to the game's distinct tone, even if they occasionally undermine the intended tension.
- “With bright visuals, upbeat music, and a town full of eccentric characters, the early moments feel like a charming throwback to early 2000s point-and-click titles.”
- “The contrast between the childish visuals and the darker discoveries gives the game a unique tone, one that fans of glitch horror and ARG-inspired storytelling will appreciate.”
- “As a fellow Clickteam developer, this game was a big surprise to me both from its visuals, gameplay, and the limits it was able to go!”
- “Worst game I ever played; the story is bad and the graphics are terrible.”
- “The game corrupts its own aesthetic in clever ways—backgrounds flicker, characters briefly distort, and audio clips warp into dissonant noise.”
- “The game could create a great amount of tension through invasive mechanics and tone, but then it would throw in some deep-fried YouTube poop style graphics that pulled me out of it more than made it scary.”
emotional
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its emotional depth, as it explores themes of friendship and surprise through a heartfelt narrative centered on Julian's efforts for Julia's birthday. Despite some gameplay frustrations, players find the emotional payoff significant, often leading to a profound personal impact, including increased appreciation for family and a mix of humor and horror that resonates deeply. Overall, it is described as a wholesome experience that is particularly suitable for younger audiences.
- “Each playthrough offers pieces of a larger puzzle, and discovering all endings reveals how much emotional weight is hidden behind the birthday-party framework.”
- “While some of its mechanics may feel unpolished and certain minigames can be frustrating, the emotional payoff and thematic depth outweigh those bumps.”
- “Then they started singing as I cried.”
humor
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players finding it charming and funny, especially in the early stages. Characters like Princess Angelica and Darcy add to the comedic elements, blending humor with nostalgia and a darker narrative. However, some players noted that the humor diminishes as the game progresses, leading to a more cryptic and underwhelming experience.
- “Princess Angelica is very funny, and Darcy is super sweet!”
- “It blends humor, nostalgia, and colorful design with an underlying darkness that gradually consumes the narrative.”
- “This game is so funny!”
atmosphere
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The atmosphere of the game is described as a captivating blend of bright, cartoonish art that conceals a darker undertone, creating a welcoming yet unsettling experience. Players appreciate the gradual shift to a more sinister ambiance, particularly in the first half, although some feel the latter part does not maintain the same atmospheric tension. Overall, the game successfully combines elements of psychological horror with a sense of irony and absurdity.
- “The bright, cartoonish art creates a friendly, welcoming atmosphere that perfectly masks the darkness beneath.”
- “Overall, Julian & Friends succeeds as a compact yet deeply atmospheric psychological horror experience disguised as a harmless adventure game.”
- “The atmosphere steadily grows darker as you play, a transition that is helped along by the spooky moments that are peppered in the first half of the game.”
- “I think this game has a lot of potential, but unfortunately, in my opinion, the second half of the game fails to live up to the atmosphere and anticipation it builds up throughout the first half.”
- “Sometimes showing isn't as good at scaring people as atmosphere and tone.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in the game is praised for its upbeat and charming quality, reminiscent of early 2000s point-and-click titles, while also effectively contributing to the game's atmosphere with a mix of creepy vibes and engaging themes. Reviewers highlight the impressive soundtrack and voice acting, noting significant improvements over previous installments, which enhance the overall experience and storytelling. The incorporation of memorable songs, particularly in mini-games, adds to the game's value and enjoyment.
- “With bright visuals, upbeat music, and a town full of eccentric characters, the early moments feel like a charming throwback to early 2000s point-and-click titles.”
- “The overall feel of the animation and music were fantastic.”
- “The value for money is insane too; I loved how the story progressed, the game style, theme song, and all the little surprising elements added (plus lore).”
- “I also liked the effort in the music that gave that creepy vibe.”
- “I love the song, but some of the mini-games are frustrating; Darcy, I am looking at you!”
- “The game style, theme song, and all the little surprising elements added (plus lore) were enjoyable.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is marked by frequent visual glitches and unexpected dialogue, which contribute to an unsettling atmosphere but can detract from the overall experience. Players have reported significant issues, particularly with a specific minigame that is described as too buggy to complete, making 100% completion nearly impossible.
- “Even small failures often lead to odd visual glitches or unexpected dialogue that subtly hints at a deeper narrative thread.”
- “These glitches do not feel accidental; they reinforce the sense that the world itself is unstable or hiding something.”
- “The game is okay at best, but if you plan on completing it 100%, it's impossible. Darcy's minigame is too buggy to complete without an error; I don't know if it's just me, but I can't complete it for the life of me.”