A Juggler's Tale is a 3D platformer and puzzle-adventure developed by kaleidoscube, released in 2021 for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch. The game follows Abby, a performer held captive in a circus who escapes one day into a dangerous, war-torn medieval world drawn from the aesthetic of dark fairy tales. Narrated in lyrical rhymes by a puppet master named Jack, Abby's journey is framed as a puppet show — a conceit that extends directly into gameplay, where her physical strings become a central puzzle mechanic. Players must navigate raging rivers, bandit camps, and deadly traps while contending with a relentless pursuer named Tonda. The tension between Abby's literal strings and her pursuit of freedom forms the thematic core of the experience, weaving together environmental puzzles, stealth, and platforming within a visually stylized, grim storybook world.
"Ladies and Gentlemen! Come in, come in! In the mood for a story, are we?" Abby is an artiste held captive at a circus: She spends her days entertaining the audience and her nights in a cage, longing for freedom. One day, she escapes the circus and gets to explore a mystical world. Alas, freedom comes at a cost and Abby soon finds herself dragged into the dangers this world has to offer: In a war-torn, medieval fairytale, surrounded by ravaged, starving citizens and hunted by the relentless cut-throat Tonda, Abby has to cross raging rivers, make it through bandit camps and around traps. Her adventure is always accompanied by the lyrical rhymes of puppet master Jack, who is telling her story while holding the strings of his puppets firmly in his ever-helpful hands. Who can Abby trust? Can she find a way to truly break free? Despite dangling from her threads, will Abby learn that she can still influence her destiny? "Abby, can't you see? The strings holding you up also hold you back!"
