Jest (N64, 1997)

Jest is a fairly obscure unreleased N64 game. I rarely see it mentioned, which surprises me considering how good it looks and how cool the concept of the game sounds. Always hoped out of all the unreleased games, that this would resurface.

(Source: Unseen 64)

Spoiler: Screenshots

Screenshots

Spoiler: Footage

 

More pictures:

 

That does look good. I'd never even heard of it before, so thanks for posting it here, and it would be wonderful if it were found and made available for us N64 fans.

 

The name in title only is so familiar, probably from all the gaming magazines I read back in the day. I don't recall seeing images back then though.

 

That is a cool looking game, definitely has lots of character. We can only hope this surfaces some day!

 

it is always a pleasure to see n64 games appear.
do we know how complete was it before cancellation?

 

It certainly seems like quite a bit was done on this. It wasn't towards the end of the life cycle or anything so I'm curious what caused the cancellation.

 

I'm just glad to see someone else passionate about this game besides yours truly. I've done a lot of searching on the internet but unfortunately nothing has come up, in terms of prototypes. However, I noticed something. This was originally to be published by Infogrames, right? So Infogrames was also working in-house on its own 3D platformer, called Starshot: Space Circus, which would release late in 1998. Part of me wonders if they cancelled Jest because they already had a 3D platformer lined-up for a 1998 release, one they were making themselves, no less. It's just speculation on my part. Regardless, I hope nothing more than for this game to be discovered somewhere. It certainly looks like it was near completion and it's a damned shame it never saw a release.

 

I freaked out a little when I saw your post! Thought someone had finally found it haha

 

I wish! Yeah, hoping this could turn up eventually. I remember reading about it in a magazine and instantly wanting it, then a few years later I looked it up and found out it was cancelled, it always felt like a part of my childhood that was missing.

 

I can understand why you felt that way. I wish it weren't so, my man. The game looks cooler than almost anything that actually caame out that gen. I still dont understand what they mean by "something went wrong in the development process and they had to shut down." What does that mean?

Where did you find these pictures? I don't think I've seen them before.

 

Official UK Nintendo Magazine

 

Someone should get in contact with the team members (if you can find out who they were) and see if they have anything related backed up somewhere.

 

Found a list of former directors:
https://www.nexok.co.uk/company/01079671/curved-logic-limited/directors-secretaries

 

It's interesting that four of them resigned on June 30th 1997. Three of them joined in October 95, one Feb 96.
Marc Frans Johan Sevenans
Adrianus Cornelis Martinus Wagemakers
Hugo Barthold Sakkers
Avtar Singh Kang
This dude resigned in November of that year, but joined on, you guessed it, June 30th 97.
Oliver Goulay

There's actually a few more that joined on June 30th, does anyone know when this game was last seen in magazines?

 

the game look rad !

 

According to Unseen 64, it was seen as late as February 1998 https://archive.org/stream/N64_Magazine_Issue_012_1998-02_Future_Publishing_GB#page/n23/mode/1up
This potentially supports my thesis that it was planned for release until Infogrames got well into producing Starshot.

 

I spoke with Jean-Marie Dura, who served as Director from 1997 to 1999. He was one of the nicest guys I've ever talked with. He told me that he never worked for Curved Logic and had heard of Jest but knew nothing of its whereabouts. So, it turns out this is a list of former Inforgrames directors, not Curved Logic directors. That's why it says the company closed in 2009. That's when Infogrames closed.

 

Lame, but at least it's good to know.