Once Upon a Jester

by Bonte Avond, Crunching Koalas

The Developer Says...

Travel 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!

Players Like...

❤ Narrative and Storytelling

The story follows Jester and his best friend Sok as they hatch a plan to steal the Royal Diamond by entering a theatrical competition. The narrative arc sees the pair unintentionally discovering their passion for musical theatre, leading to an emotionally resonant ending.
The dialogues are written with a sharp, sarcastic wit, capturing a sense of spontaneity, as if the characters are improvising their lines. For example, the Wendingo character randomly bursts into song about his love for a tree, which then gets a witty retort from the tree itself.
The game features a cast of quirky and memorable characters, such as a blob of pesto and a tree searching for its roots, all of whom are fully voiced, adding to the sense of personality and depth.

❤ Gameplay and Mechanics

The core gameplay loop revolves around putting on improvised theatre shows, where players must choose the genre (romance, drama, music, etc.) based on the audience's preferences to earn bouquets and advance in the competition. This allows for a high degree of player agency in shaping the direction of the performances.
The poster-making minigame tasks players with arranging stickers collected throughout the adventure to create enticing promotional materials for their shows, adding a layer of creativity and customization.
The game offers easy, medium, and hard difficulty modes for the theatre performances, catering to players with different skill levels and preferences.

❤ Audio and Music

The original soundtrack, composed and performed by the game's developers, is a highlight, featuring a collection of catchy, quirky tunes that often play off each other, such as the three versions of the same song from a bizarre love triangle.
The fully voiced dialogues occasionally contain outtakes and improvisational moments, adding to the game's charm and sense of authenticity. For instance, a character might accidentally stumble over a line, then giggle before continuing the conversation.
The music and vocals, while sometimes exhibiting a "semi-improvised feel," manage to convey a warmth and genuine quality that complement the game's lighthearted and humorous tone.

Copyright ©2024 by Totally Human Media