Trapped with Jester

About

You wake up in a carriage with an annoying stranger...

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 509 reviews

story23 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

The game features charming art and excellent voice acting, particularly for the character of Jester, which enhances the overall experience.
Despite its short length, the game offers multiple endings and an intriguing premise that keeps players engaged.
It's a free game made for a game jam, showcasing impressive creativity and effort within a limited timeframe.

The game is extremely short, with most players completing it in under 20 minutes, leaving many wanting more content and story depth.
Some players feel that the dialogue and character development are lacking, making the experience feel incomplete.
While the game is entertaining, it has been criticized for not providing enough gameplay or substantial narrative to justify its classification as a visual novel.

story
72 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
64%
4%
The game's story is generally perceived as intriguing but notably short, leaving players wanting more depth and context. While the art and character design receive praise, many reviewers express a desire for a longer narrative that explores the backstory and expands on the existing plot. Overall, the game serves as a fun, brief experience, but it lacks the substance for a fully developed storyline.
- “I love the art and storyline; maybe it was a teensy weensy too short, haha! I would love a bit more details or context of the lead character, but overall it was very refreshing!”
- “The game's artwork and story are amazing, especially for the time limit of this game!”
- “I would totally buy a longer version of this story just going into more detail about both people and the world.”
- “Definitely way too short, this game would be a huge blast to play as a fully developed story!”
- “Far too short and there really isn't a storyline beyond the bare bones.”
- “Not enough content, no storyline, and overall pretty disappointing.”
graphics
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
31%
7%
The graphics of the game have received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with many users praising the beautiful artwork and charming art style that brings the characters, particularly the jester, to life. The voice acting complements the visuals well, enhancing the overall experience. Despite being a game jam submission with limitations, the game's presentation and artistic quality are considered excellent and engaging.
- “I really enjoyed the art style of the game and the character; I hope there will be a longer version at some point with more story!”
- “The artwork is nicely done.”
- “The art style and presentation is pretty excellent, and the world it builds in such a small time is compelling.”
- “For a game jam submission that put so many restrictions on what could be done with the story and graphics, I love how this little visual novel came out!”
- “graphics don't matter for this game”
humor
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised, with many players finding the jester character particularly amusing and endearing. Achievements and dialogue often elicit laughter, contributing to a lighthearted and enjoyable experience. Overall, the game is described as a short, funny visual novel that successfully blends humor with engaging gameplay.
- “The narrative is simple and on point; sometimes the game can be funny or even make you giggle and kick your feet at how stupid the jester is; a good, short, and comfortable play.”
- “Short and fun visual novel with a funny clown demon.”
- “This is a fun little game and while short, it is very much enjoyable. The jester is a funny little man, perhaps holding some inclination towards murder, but that's okay; he has a lot of personality and it's really nice to see honestly.”
gameplay
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
72%
14%
The gameplay in this visual/interactive novel is criticized for being minimal and primarily consists of clicking through poorly written dialogue, leading to questions about its quality and publication. Some users express a desire for longer gameplay to enhance the experience. Overall, the gameplay lacks depth and engagement.
- “As a visual/interactive novel, this doesn't feature any notable gameplay; it's just a lot of clicking through badly written dialogue that would never have been accepted or published in print, which poses the question, 'how did something this badly written end up on Steam?'”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
Character development in the game is generally viewed as shallow, with some reviewers noting a lack of depth in the storyline and character arcs. However, the voice acting and character design receive praise, contributing to an aesthetically pleasing experience, while the variety of dialogue options adds some engagement. Overall, while the game is enjoyable and visually appealing, it falls short in delivering robust character development.
- “The voice acting and character design are really impressive.”
- “The character design is aesthetically pleasing, and there is quite a variety of dialogue options, making it worth checking out.”
- “This is a pretty awesome short visual novel; the story is interesting, and the jester is voice acted exceptionally well, with a voice that perfectly matches the character design.”
- “Overall shallow storyline and poor character development, which is virtually nonexistent.”
- “It's generally a pretty chill game, shame that it's so short... anyways, aesthetically pleasing character design, but the character development feels lacking.”
- “While the story is interesting and the jester is well-voiced, the character development leaves much to be desired.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users find the grinding aspect of visual novels and e-books tedious, likening it to a frustratingly slow reading experience where progress is hindered by the need to click through text. Many express that the time investment required for grinding feels excessive, suggesting that it could take a "second life" to fully engage with the content.
- “Visual novels/e-books are tedious at best... imagine the best novel you ever read, be that Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy or 2001: A Space Odyssey or Twilight (if you have terrible taste in literature), but then translate that to a format where the words dribble out and you have to click your mouse every time you want to read the next sentence, instead of just turning the pages.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the emotional aspect of the game impactful, with one user describing it as the "best 30 minutes of my life" due to its wholesome nature and the feelings it evokes. However, there is a sense of disappointment regarding the limited playtime and the absence of a dating scene with the character Jester, which could have deepened the emotional experience.
- “And the 'so he likes that, huh...' ending made me feel a certain way... best 30 minutes of my life.”
- “Jester made me feel things I shouldn't.”
- “This game is honestly really wholesome - kinda bummed I didn't get a dating scene with Jester :(”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features no background music but incorporates sound effects to enhance the storytelling experience, along with voice dubbing. The design constraints of the game include a limit of 1,000 words, one sprite, one background, and one music track, which influences its overall audio presentation.
- “Although there is no background music, they added sounds to give a little vibe to the story, and the game is voice dubbed.”
- “Okay, now I know that the rules of the jam were that the novel should only have 1000 words or less, also there's a challenge to use only 1 sprite, 1 background, and 1 music track.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
Users indicate that the game offers high replayability, with some describing it as "infinitely replayable," suggesting a strong incentive to revisit the game multiple times.
- “The game is infinitely replayable, offering new experiences with each playthrough.”
- “Every run feels fresh and exciting, making it a game I can return to time and time again.”
- “The variety of choices and outcomes ensures that no two playthroughs are ever the same.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users report that the game exhibits excellent stability, with no bugs or glitches affecting gameplay or achievements.
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is noted for its strong atmosphere, despite its brevity, creating an engaging and intriguing experience for players.
- “This is a very short but atmospheric and interesting little game.”

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