Once Upon a Jester
- November 9, 2022
- Bonte Avond
- 5h median play time
Once upon a Jester is absolutely delightful from start to finish, packed with utterly charming characters and fabulous musical numbers.
Get on SteamTravel the kingdom as Jester with his best friend Sok to improvise theatre shows and perform on stages far and wide. Sing your hearts out, crack jokes and impress audiences to become the stars of the famous Royal Theatrical Spectacle! They embark on a grand adventure across a fantasy kingdom, meeting tons of wacky characters, performing improvised shows and singing their hearts out. Along the way…
Nintendo Switch
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game is filled with charming characters, hilarious voice acting, and catchy musical numbers that create a delightful experience.
- It offers a unique blend of improv gameplay and storytelling, allowing players to engage in creative performances with varied outcomes.
- The art style and overall presentation are adorable, showcasing the developers' passion and creativity, making it a heartwarming and enjoyable game.
- The game is relatively short, with some players feeling it lacks replayability and depth in its gameplay mechanics.
- Certain gameplay elements can feel repetitive, and the linear progression may limit exploration and player choice.
- Some technical issues, such as slow character movement and occasional voice acting mismatches, detract from the overall experience.
- music56 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in "Once Upon a Jester" is widely praised for its catchy, whimsical tunes that stick in players' heads long after playing. Reviewers highlight the delightful musical numbers, clever lyrics, and the overall charm that the soundtrack adds to the game's narrative and atmosphere. Many players express their enjoyment of the music, often listening to the soundtrack outside of the game, and appreciate the creativity and humor woven into the songs.
“Once upon a jester is such a unique, cozy, and fun game to play through; the art style is so cute, the songs are all bops, and the characters are all so funny!”
“The music, voice acting, dialogue, jokes, and characters are all 10/10!”
“Once upon a jester is absolutely delightful from start to finish, packed with utterly charming characters and fabulous musical numbers.”
“Let's be honest, it never was about the music.”
“The music was merely the vehicle that took you... there.”
“Once upon a jester oozes personality; it really feels like an indie music album imported to a video game form.”
- humor46 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in "Once Upon a Jester" is widely praised for its charm and creativity, featuring a mix of quirky, absurd, and heartfelt moments that keep players laughing throughout. The game's voice acting and well-written songs enhance its comedic appeal, with many players enjoying the improvisational style and memorable characters. Overall, it offers a cozy, whimsical experience that balances silliness with genuine emotion, making it a delightful choice for fans of lighthearted humor.
“A really cute and funny little game with some hilarious voice acting.”
“Once upon a jester is a hilarious, heartfelt experience with improvisational gameplay, excellent voice acting, and replayability.”
“The music is all top notch, the humor is laugh-out-loud funny, and there's so much genuine heart in the story.”
- story31 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The game's story is characterized by its quirky mechanics, charming characters, and a blend of humor and heart, making it an enjoyable experience. While some players found the narrative linear and occasionally cliché, many appreciated the engaging twists and the character-driven plot that encourages exploration and interaction. Overall, the storytelling is praised for its absurdity, wit, and the emotional depth it brings to the gameplay.
“The story itself is sometimes cliche, sometimes hilarious, mostly simply charming.”
“The characters are likable, and they all have their own motivations in the story!”
“This is a cute, character-driven story about finding yourself.”
“It's nice that there are a few different locations to explore, yet the game was very linear about moving through them; I couldn't choose the place to go because the plot fluency depends on the chronology of visiting places.”
“The unskippable plot was so annoying.”
“It's charming, but very focused on its singular path through the story.”
- emotional20 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its heartwarming and wholesome storytelling, blending humor with genuinely touching moments. Players appreciate the charming characters, catchy soundtrack, and the overall cozy experience that evokes feelings of friendship and joy. The game successfully balances silliness with heartfelt themes, making it a delightful and memorable experience.
“It includes many well-written songs, some being outright hilarious yet also having some very touching ones.”
“The ending felt like it tied everything nicely together on an emotional level, without abandoning the comedy aspect.”
“There are plenty of touching moments mixed in with the humor, which I wasn’t expecting.”
- gameplay14 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Once Upon a Jester" is characterized by its quirky mechanics, improvisational elements, and a blend of humor and heartwarming storytelling. While some players find it occasionally repetitive, the engaging characters, creative mini-games, and lively music contribute to a fun and unique experience that encourages exploration and replayability. Overall, the game is praised for its originality and the refreshing creative freedom displayed by its developers.
“Quirky mechanics, odd story, and ridiculous characters make this a super fun game.”
“It is rare for games to make me laugh like this one has, and it is refreshing to see a family-friendly game with a compelling central mechanic.”
“Once Upon a Jester is a hilarious, heartfelt experience with improvisational gameplay, excellent voice acting, and replayability.”
“Gameplay can feel a bit repetitive at times, but the story, jokes, and sometimes real-talk definitely make up for it :)!”
“The gameplay is fairly novel if somewhat bare-bones.”
“Gameplay wise, once upon a jester rewards mild observation and exploration - nothing that gets your heart racing (unless from copious laughter) but this isn't that sort of game.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers significant replayability due to its diverse choices and outcomes, complemented by quick, witty writing and engaging voice acting. However, some users noted concerns about its longevity, suggesting that while the experience is enjoyable, it may not sustain long-term replay value.
“Plenty of replayability with all the different choices and outcomes for the plays, and the writing is quick and witty; I was definitely laughing the whole way through!”
“Once Upon a Jester is a hilarious, heartfelt experience with improvisational gameplay, excellent voice acting, and replayability.”
“My only complaint is its lack of longevity and replay value.”
“And definite replay value.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Once Upon a Jester" are praised for their unique and cute art style, which complements the game's fun and cozy atmosphere. Reviewers highlight the excellent aesthetics and original approach, contributing to an engaging visual experience.
“Once Upon a Jester is such a unique, cozy, and fun game to play through. The art style is so cute, the songs are all bops, and the characters are all so funny!”
“I adored its crazy plot, excellent aesthetics, and original approach.”
“+ fantastic graphics.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game allows for enjoyable experimentation with character performances, which are short and straightforward, enabling players to unlock additional content as they progress.
“It's great to experiment with the theater performances you put on to see what silly things you can make the characters do.”
“The performances are also short.”
“The performances are not complex, and you unlock more as you go along.”
“The performance optimization is lacking, leading to frequent frame drops.”
“The game runs poorly on lower-end hardware, making it unplayable for some.”
“There are significant loading times that disrupt the overall experience.”
Critic Reviews
Once Upon a Jester Nintendo Switch Review
Smekdoodle this game is fun!
80%Once Upon a Jester Review
Once Upon a Jester is a hilarious, heartfelt experience with improvisational gameplay, excellent voice acting, and replayability. Though the shows can feel repetitive, branching dialogue and varied genres keep things interesting.
85%Once Upon a Jester (Switch) Review
Interactive Improv Improved
85%
