Fool!

Choice of Games LLC

Contains adsIn-app purchases

About this game

Jest your way from obscurity to royal acclaim as the King’s pet, beloved by all! As a talented young court fool with dreams of fame, scrabble with other young jesters to secure prestigious positions in the courts of Brenton's nobility. In a royal court humming with intrigue, keep them smiling as spies, assassins, blackmailers, ambitious nobles and a reluctant Heir wait in the wings.

"Fool!" is a 420,000-word interactive fantasy novel by Ben Rovik. It's entirely text-based, without graphics or sound effects, and fueled by the vast, unstoppable power of your imagination.

Dive-roll into the tightrope world of Brenton's courtly entertainers, where your jests can see you seated at the right hand of power, or set down to the gallows.

What manner of fool are you: the shrewd knave ever ready with a venomous quip? The renowned artiste at pains to stay above the political fray? The bawdy buffoon known as much for off-stage antics as on-stage mirth? Or the clever counselor whose real audience is the noble ear they whisper into? Face unruly audiences onstage and skulduggerous schemers in the wings! Can you sling keen jests and still evade the whipping-post and assassin's blade? The kingdom itself will be shaped by your choices!

• Play as male, female, non-binary; gay, straight, bi or ace.
• Evade tossed produce, whippings, assassins and the stocks with your wit and quick feet!
• Battle a lifelong rival for artistic glory within a secret society of writers and gadflys!
• Train your pet ape to master prodigious feats, or at least to stop biting you!
• Mediate between nobles to forge compromise; or stir them up to your own advantage!
• Partner with fellow thespians to win friends, or upstage them to win glory!
• Balance your passion for the limelight with your passion for ...passion!

When the Master calls, you'd do well to come running—with bells on!

Ratings and reviews

One of the most unique experiences that CoG has to offer. The Age of Kings and Peasants has been well-trod in CYOAs, but few like this, what with the Middle English, use of humors, and choosing a topic not many have tried and which can easily be done poorly. It does ask a lot of the reader, with use of Middle Age themes, some subtle choices, and less romance focus than most( though done well when it appears). If given the chance, though, Fool! makes the Jester's hat quite comfortable to wear.

What happens in-game changes dramatically based upon your choices. The plot is interesting and moves quickly. Things that I didnt like so much were the ending being a bit abrupt and the language being somewhat elevated so be prepared to see words you have never seen before. Unfortunately once you leave the family farm you never see your family again. (SAD) There are lots of stat checks, more than usual for a choice game: so its important to be weary about your choices. Excellent replayability.

This was a nice read, though somewhat challenging to understand what the prose is trying to say sometimes. (English lessons where art thou?) The beginning starts with more environment interactions, and part after where the demo cuts off gets more character interactions. Wish some interactions were more fleshed out, but it was entertaining all in all.

What's new

Bug fixes. If you enjoy "Fool!", please leave us a written review. It really helps!