As clear as day, I still remember when I lost the childlike whimsy that comes with puppet theater. My mom told me that we were going on a safari, and I couldn’t have been more thrilled. We hopped into her 1991 Toyota Corolla and headed off to the local library, which was a bit of a weird location for a safari send off, but we’d probably be directed to an airport eventually, I thought. We headed into the library and sat down, severely lacking in the lug﷽gage department. No matter, let’s get this safari on the road.
The lights dimmed and out popped a couple of puppets from behind a miniature stage. They had all of the kids in the audience cracking up, and even I laughed at some of𓆏 the jokes. The puppets – along with a human “tour guide” – led us through a “safari” where we made animal noises with our mouths and running noises by patting our hands on our thighs. After what seemed like an eternity (which was probably more like 30 minutes), t✃he show ended and we were ushered out of the room. My mom and I made our way back to her car and headed home. I was ripe with disappointment and vowed never to be taken as a fool by a puppet again.
Fast forward almost thirty years later, and I’m now sitting here with near-glossy eyes and completely immersed in a game about puppets. A Juggler’s Tale – from indie developer kaleidoscube – take💎s you through a storybook landscape where all of the characters are puppets on strings, all the while pulling at your heart strings.
A Juggler’s Tale tells the tale of Abby, a young girl who yearns for freedom since she’s kept in a cage and only allowed out to perform a staged circus act. Abby is eventually able to escape, but faces a cold, harsh world while being chased by her captors, relying on her skills and strings to help her solve puzzles and find her freedom. The story is told by a narrator who is putting on a puppet show in a village tavern, complete with the warm rhyme scheme that yo💖u might expect from a children’s story.
The game features marionette-style puppets that are on strings, which plays into the puzzles that need to be solved along Abby’s journey. Abby and her strings are also “controlled” by the narrator, who more or less acts like an in𒅌visible wall until you’re able to solve each puzzle. In many instances, you’ll need to figure out how to get around an obstacle that is causing Abby’s strings to get hung up on. Sometimes you’ll need to use environmental aids, such as fire-lit torches, whereas other times you’ll rely on the help of wild (or captive) animals. In general, the puzzles themselves are enjoyable – not hard enough to be frustrating, but with enough challenge to make it worthwhile for puzzle genre fans.
Don’t be fooled by its storybook appearance, though. A Juggler’s Tale will pull at your heartstrings while you… well, pull on the literal strings of your character. Abby’s story is a sad one, which was something that I wasn’t expecting. It’s her, this little girl, against the world. Even in the earlier acts of the story, it feels like the narrator himself can’t be trusted. I didn’t expect any of this going in, admittedly due t🍸o the whimsical nature of the game’s art design (which reminds me of the Trine series’ beautiful 2.5D design). Yet even as I marveled at the gorgeous, picturesque backdrops, all I really cared about was getting Abby somewhere safe – far away from any of the dangers and sinister figures from her prior life.
I can’t help but feel like being a father in real life elevated that desire. Abby did nothing to deserve the captive life that she led. So, for a few hours, she became my “adopted” daughter while I attempted to guide her towards a good life. Would the game have been as impactful on me had I not been a father? Probably. The kaleidoscube team has taken a simple premise and turned it into an intricate and fun experience that an🦂yone can enjoy. It’s just that A Juggler’s Tale will hit a lot closer to home if you’re a parent.
So, I guess I’ll cut my mom some slack for🃏 the “safari” we went on. It turns out puppets do still have the ability to tell a grand and immersive story. A Juggler’s Tale is proof of that.
A PS5 code wa🦋s ℱprovided to TheGamer for this impressions piece.