The Jester

About

The Jester is a single player survival simulation game with horror, mystery and thriller themes. It was developed by Psycho and was released on March 27, 2025. It received positive reviews from players.

The Jester is a first-person horror walking simulator that immerses you in a tense, atmospheric world enhanced by VHS effects and photo-realistic graphics. As you explore, an unseen entity feeds on your growing fear, deepening the paranoia. With high-quality sounds and two possible endings, the game challenges you to confront what lurks in the darkness.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

85%

Audience ScoreBased on 20 reviews

atmosphere3 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

The game features a creepy atmosphere and effective jump scares that enhance the horror experience.
It offers a short but engaging gameplay with multiple endings and a few original puzzles.
The VHS-style aesthetic adds a unique charm to the game, making it enjoyable for horror fans.

The game lacks a coherent story and explanation, leaving players confused about the plot and characters.
Some puzzles, particularly the marble puzzle, are frustratingly difficult and detract from the overall experience.
Graphical issues, including excessive filters and optimization problems, can hinder gameplay and strain the eyes.

atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The atmosphere of the game is consistently praised for its creepiness and effective use of jump scares, which initially surprise players but become predictable over time. The VHS filter enhances the overall tone, contributing to a well-crafted experience despite the lack of dialogue and story. Overall, it is recognized as a refined indie horror game that stands out in its genre.
- “The atmosphere sets the tone nicely, and the jump scares hit at first; though after a while, you can start to predict when they’re coming.”
- “I enjoyed the VHS filter, and the atmosphere was creepy.”
- “A really well-made indie horror game; the atmosphere was creepy, and the jump scares were on point.”
- “Its a short and sweet game with no dialogue and seemingly no story, but with a well-crafted atmosphere and jumpscares, this game still stood out to me.”
- “A really well-made indie horror game; the atmosphere was creepy and the jumpscares were on point.”
story
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
20%
60%
The game's story is largely absent, with players noting a lack of narrative, dialogue, and motivation, which leaves them feeling thrown into the action without context. Despite this, some appreciate the atmospheric elements and jumpscares, suggesting that the gameplay experience can still be enjoyable even without a traditional storyline.
- “There is not much else to the game; it just throws you right into the fire without any story or explanation.”
- “There is no real story.”
- “Because there is no story, no explanation, no motivation (well, I had one - to finish it quickly).”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization of the game is viewed positively, as players appreciate its quality and craftsmanship, distinguishing it from typical cash grabs in the horror genre.
- “The monetization in this game feels excessive and detracts from the overall experience.”
- “I was disappointed to find that many features are locked behind paywalls, making it hard to enjoy the game fully without spending extra money.”
- “It seems like the developers prioritized profit over player experience, with constant prompts to purchase in-game items.”
graphics
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's graphics feature an unnerving and disturbing aesthetic that enhances its atmosphere, but the excessive use of filters has been criticized for causing visual strain and discomfort.
- “The game has an unnerving and disturbing aesthetic throughout.”
- “There are way too many filters going on graphically; it hurts and strains the eyes.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
100%
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with issues such as a problematic adjustable field of view and low default graphics settings that do not significantly improve frame rates when adjusted. However, it is noted that, despite these shortcomings, the game performs better than many other poorly optimized Unreal Engine 5 titles.
- “That is pretty disappointing for a Unity game, honestly, but compared to all of the terribly optimized UE5 games out there, this ran quite well.”
- “The adjustable FOV was all sorts of messed up, and the default graphics quality settings were all low. Changing them to max basically made no change to FPS, so the optimization isn't great in that regard.”
- “That is pretty disappointing for a Unity game, honestly. But compared to all of the terribly optimized UE5 games out there, this ran quite well.”
gameplay
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The gameplay is engaging and enjoyable, offering a mix of fun and excitement despite some technical shortcomings. Players appreciate the realistic VHS-style horror elements and the entertaining challenges presented throughout the game.
- “A fabulous, realistic VHS-styled horror game with incredible gestures, scary levels, and really fun, exciting gameplay. It's truly amazing and funny, really cool!”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features a unique blend of horror and humor, with players praising its entertaining jesters and engaging gameplay that elicits genuine laughter. The VHS-style aesthetic adds to the overall charm, making the experience both thrilling and amusing.
- “A fabulous, realistic VHS-styled horror game with incredible jesters, scary levels, and really fun, exciting gameplay. It's really amazing and funny, really cool!”