From clanking chains to dismal dungeons, medieval castles offer plenty of terrors, in Jester: A Foolish Ritual, the new co-op horror game by Fire Foot Studios, one terror stands apart. Perhaps it's the long black nails or the ghoulish white face, but this jester screams "nightmare fuel." It giggles it, actually, from the long shadows. By unsettling the player with its every movement and sound, the jester seeks to join horror icons the likes of Bendy and Huggy Wuggy. Players can experience the terror for themselves on October 31 when Jester: A Foolish Ritual releases on Steam.
What's better than running face-first into a demonic jester in the bowels of a castle forgotten to time? Watching your friend do it while you run for your life. Jester's 4-player co-op horror plays with some reliable formulas, but it's a recipe that can work, when done well. Puzzle-solving, stealth, and running in stark terror are all key to survival. The locations of keys and ancient runes shifts between runs, meaning each journey into the dark should provide a novel experience. Between the adaptive AI and proximity chat, these crypts and corridors won't stay silent for long.
Is that Invisibility Potion enough to keep the jester from spotting you? Does that treasure chest contain actual treasure or a terrifying Jack-in-the-Box? Like other co-op games of its kind, Jester relies on randomization and emergent gameplay for its core gameplay loop. The jester's moony monster face is good for its share of screams, but co-op is likely to do the heavy-lifting. Equipped with low-poly lanterns and an Indiana Jones-like enthusiasm for robbing sacred sites, players are their own worst enemies within the castle's depths.
Jester: A Foolish ritual release date trailer holds Halloween frights:
Players take on the role of fallen knights. Though already reduced to skeletons in suits of armor, things can still get worse. IRL coughing, nervous laughter, and terrified screams can all draw the monster's attention. In Jester: A Foolish Ritual, sound might be your ally when it comes to coordinating with your friends, but it's your enemy when the jester gets involved. Enemies that can track players through mic input are always good for a jumpscare or three, especially amid the chaos of a horror game. This cursed clown is putting in work.
How Jester will tie it all together remains to be seen. Thankfully, players don't have long to wait. With its Halloween drop date fast approaching, it won't be long before this haunting puppet springs from its box. Then it's just the matter of rummaging up some friends to keep you company. Keep an open ear and a watchful eye. The jester's sharp of tooth and sly. Jester: A Foolish Ritual releases on Steam on October 31.