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All is not well in the Kingdom of Theater and you find yourself exiled to the Understage, a shadowy world where threats lurk in the darkness and try to bring your show to a premature conclusion. As seen during the Future Games Show Spring Showcase, you need to work together as both puppeteer and puppet to safely make your way back to the Frontstage above.
In Once Upon a Puppet you play the dual role of Nieve the Stagehand and Drev the Puppet, who have been bonded together and brought to life by a magical thread. While this thread symbolizes the connection between the two characters, it also forms one of the core gameplay mechanics as it's used to interact with props you find on your journey, manipulate elements of the environment around you, and open up hidden pathways to help you proceed.
As Nieve and Drev work together, combining their abilities to solve puzzles and explore via platforming, they'll gradually rebuild the dilapidated old theatrical sets to reveal forgotten tales from the past and the mysteries of the Understage. As you piece together the story you'll begin to learn more about the Stagehand and Puppet too, shedding light on how their fates became intertwined.
As can be seen in the trailer, the presentation of Once Upon a Puppet really encapsulates the theatrical aesthetic, with dynamic sets and moving backdrops setting the scene for the story to play out on. Add in an atmospheric musical score that captures the dramatic flair of the action unfolding both on and off stage, and you've got all the makings of a great show.
Once Upon a Puppet releases for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch on April 23, 2025, but you can download the demo on Steam now to try it yourself.
If you’re looking for more excellent games from today's Future Games Show, have a look at our official Steam page.
