Sometimes there are games that speak to you. Once Upon a Jester is that game for me. I laughed out loud at the humor. I found myself humming along with the song. I was dedicated to putting on a good show for the crowd. And finally, the story moved me.
You play as Jester, a member of an impromptu troupe of two people who plan a grand heist to steal diamonds from a royal family. Their big break came with the announcement of a competition called the Royal Theater Spectacle. In three cities he won 15 bouquets, the first act to land a gig at a royal event. Of course, to do so, you have to beat the crowd.
The story is beautiful. If you think you are going in one direction, you are going in another direction. A classic hero in which two adventurers search for treasure in his quest, but in the end the real loot is friendship and what they learned about themselves on their journey.
There are two distinct segments when it comes to gameplay. First, walk around town, interact with townspeople, listen to their conversations, and get an idea of what type of show they want. You will need to put stickers on to create a poster for the play. You can earn additional stickers that you can use by talking to various characters. Assembling the sign was satisfying and fun.
Choose an option for dialogue when you start the show, choosing spiders for horror, hearts for romance, swords for action, and drama faces for dramatic scenes. Again, the clues you collect from your citizens will help you decide which option to choose. Then take action through a simple quicktime event. If you make the right choices and follow the steps correctly, you will get more flowers.
But the real magic of Once Upon a Jester is its humor. I’ve never laughed so much while playing a game. The writing is quirky, silly, and entirely voice-acted. And the line delivery is perfect. I don’t want to reveal plot details or scenes because everyone has to experience it for themselves, but the comedic beats are well done.
Of course, music is also a highlight. There are moments when the song is as ridiculous as it is humor. For example, the song that plays when you meet the mayor of the city of Stadt is his heavy rock number that shows how great he is. The next scene is a completely different story and is my favorite scene in the game. But there are times when music sets up heartwarming moments. The music is full of emotion and builds the atmosphere the game seeks to create. It’s a story about two of his friends who grow together through their adventures. The best part is that you can listen to the entire soundtrack on Spotify. This has been playing since I first started playing this game.
