Trapped with Jester

About

Trapped with Jester is a single player action game with horror, fantasy, romance and comedy themes. It was developed by Anta and was released on October 10, 2022. It received very positive reviews from players.

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

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 543 reviews

story25 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The game features excellent voice acting and a charming art style that enhances the overall experience.
The writing strikes a great balance between creepy and playful, making the jester both entertaining and unsettling.
Despite its short length, the game offers multiple endings and a fun, quirky premise that keeps players engaged.

The game is extremely short, with many players finishing it in under 30 minutes, leading to a desire for more content and character development.
Some players found the story lacking depth, feeling it was more of a brief interaction than a fully fleshed-out narrative.
While the game is free, some reviewers felt it didn't provide enough substance to warrant a strong recommendation.

story
80 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
64%
5%
The game's story is generally perceived as too short and lacking depth, with many players expressing a desire for a more developed narrative and character backstories. While the art and voice acting are praised, the overall consensus is that the story feels incomplete, offering only a brief glimpse into its potential. Despite its brevity, some players found the story engaging and expressed interest in a longer version that could explore the themes and characters more thoroughly.
- “It's got a better love story than 90% of the two-hour landfill movies they pump into theaters these days.”
- “I love the art and storyline; maybe it was a teensy bit too short, but overall it was very refreshing!”
- “The game's artwork and story are amazing, especially for the time limit of this game!”
- “Because it is a short game, the story does not go very deep, and the endings come quickly.”
- “I understand that the game is very short, and I have nothing against short games, but there's no story at all nor goal to get hooked on.”
- “Overall shallow storyline and poor character development, that is none.”
graphics
35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
34%
9%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their expressive art style, vibrant color palette, and effective use of lighting, which enhance the game's eerie yet humorous tone. Players particularly enjoy the character design of the jester, noting that his artwork and voice acting bring him to life, although some express a desire for more variety in the in-game visuals. Overall, the game's graphics are considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the overall enjoyment of the experience.
- “The art style is expressive, with strong use of color and lighting that fits the eerie yet humorous tone.”
- “The artwork and voice acting of the jester really bring the character to life!”
- “The art style and presentation is pretty excellent, and the world it builds in such a small time is compelling.”
- “The game looks nice, though I’d love to see a bit more variety in the in-game artwork.”
- “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
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in "Trapped with Jester" is a standout feature, blending unsettling elements with comedic moments that keep players engaged. The jester character is particularly praised for his silly, teasing personality, which adds a lighthearted touch to the horror-comedy narrative. Players appreciate the game's funny dialogue, amusing achievements, and the overall enjoyable experience, making it a memorable short visual novel.
- “Trapped with Jester is a short horror-comedy visual novel that manages to be both unsettling and surprisingly funny.”
- “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 Jester is; a good, short, and comfortable play.”
- “This is a fun little game and while short, it is very much enjoyable. 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
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
56%
33%
The gameplay is described as unique but lacking depth, primarily consisting of clicking through poorly written dialogue in a visual/interactive novel format. Some users express a desire for longer gameplay to enhance the experience, while others criticize the overall quality of the writing.
- “Wish it had a longer gameplay to truly enjoy.”
- “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?'”
- “I really like the art and vision; my only problem is the gameplay time.”
- “Very unique gameplay.”
character development
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
60%
Character development in the game is generally viewed as lacking, with players expressing a desire for more depth, particularly for the entertaining jester character. While the voice acting and character design receive praise, the overall storyline is considered shallow, and the game's brevity limits character exploration. Despite these criticisms, the variety of dialogue options adds some engagement to the experience.
- “It's generally a pretty chill game; aesthetically pleasing character design, quite a variety of dialogue options, worth checking out.”
- “This is a pretty awesome short visual novel. The story is interesting, and the jester is voice acted. The voice actor did an incredibly good job; the voice definitely matches the character design.”
- “Now seriously, good voice acting and character design.”
- “Overall shallow storyline and poor character development, that is none.”
- “Some players might wish for more content or character development, especially since the jester is such an entertaining character.”
- “It's generally a pretty chill game, shame that it's so short... anyways, aesthetically pleasing character design, quite a variety of dialogue options, worth checking out.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users find the grinding aspect of visual novels and e-books tedious, likening it to a frustrating experience where progress is slowed by the need to click through text rather than enjoying a seamless reading experience. 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 for added immersion. The constraints of the game jam limited the use of music to a single track, aligning with the minimalist design approach.
- “Although there is no background music, they added sounds to give a little vibe to the story, and the game is voice dubbed.”
- “The game only features one music track, which limits the overall experience and variety.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
Users indicate that the game offers infinite replayability, suggesting that players can enjoy it multiple times without diminishing excitement or engagement.
- “The game is infinitely replayable, offering new experiences with each playthrough.”
- “Every decision I make leads to different outcomes, making me want to replay it over and over.”
- “The variety of paths and choices 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.”