Your Head Is on the Line in Jester Under Pressure
Orca Martian Games and Viridian Software have announced Jester Under Pressure, a fantasy visual novel heading to Steam. Set in a Filipino-inspired archipelago, the game puts players in the shoes of a jester whose performances could literally mean the difference between life and death.
In the game, players take control of Diskarte, a nonbinary jester tasked with entertaining Queen Bahaghari, the ruler of seven kingdoms. From puppet shows to interpretive dances, every performance carries a deadly risk, as the queen has no patience for failure. And she can execute subjects by exploding their heads.
When Diskarte isn’t performing, players can explore the royal court, pursue romances, and become involved in the complicated struggle surrounding the Seven Heirs. Romantic options include Sana, the castle’s current knight commander, and Yugto, the castle cook and Sana’s predecessor. The game also introduces players to more than 60 Filipino words through an in-game glossary. With seven different endings and eight possible ways to die, players will have plenty of reasons to replay their journey.
Jester Under Pressure originally began as a project for the NaNoRenO visual novel game jam and will arrive on Steam with new music, routes, and endings.
Fans of games like Slay the Princess, Long Live the Queen, and Butterfly Soup may find plenty to enjoy here. If nothing else, staying alive should make every performance interesting.