# Harlequinade

> A time-loop horror romance: escape a carnival that resets each time you die.

Harlequinade is a time-loop horror romance visual novel by Crystal Game Works about a college student trapped in a carnival that resets every time they die, with two clowns, the Harlequin and the Pierrot, as the love interests. The demo runs about an hour, lets you pick from two protagonist looks with a custom name and pronouns, and plays free in the browser, pay what you want, ahead of a full release planned for early 2027.

## Key facts

- Developer: Crystal Game Works: https://unfoundgames.in/studios/crystal-game-works
- Released: Jun 19, 2026
- Genre: Adventure and Horror
- Tags: Story-Rich, Emotional
- Platforms: Web Browser, Windows, macOS, Linux
- Price: Free (Pay what you want)
- Session: about 1 hour
- Players: Single-player
- Engine: Ren'Py
- Languages: English
- Unfound score: not scored yet (we score a game only after a full playtest)
- Play in browser: https://crystalgameworks.itch.io/harlequinade
- itch: https://crystalgameworks.itch.io/harlequinade

## Why Harlequinade is on Unfound

A 4.8 average from 30 ratings on itch.io for the demo, entries in Otome Jam 2026 and Josei Jam 2026, and a steady devlog leading towards a full release in early 2027.

What players say:
- 4.8 from 30 ratings on itch.io: https://crystalgameworks.itch.io/harlequinade

Highlights:
- Time-loop structure: the carnival resets every time you die
- Two love interests, the Harlequin and the Pierrot, and a customisable protagonist
- Roughly an hour of demo, refreshed by an October 2026 update

Keep in mind:
- Content warnings: murder and death in many forms, including suicide, though not shown graphically; the developers recommend it for older teens and up
- This is a demo covering the start of the story; the full game is due January to February 2027

## About Harlequinade

What starts as a night out becomes a loop: your character dies, the carnival night begins again, and you have to work out whether the clowns can be trusted to help you reach morning. The demo covers the opening of the story, introduces both love interests and, by the developers' own count, kills you several times along the way. It is a Ren'Py visual novel, so play is reading and choosing.

Commenters praise the opening animation, the art and the music, particularly the Pierrot's music-box theme. It is for players who like otome and josei romance with a dark edge; the developers say the full game will not be 18+ and plan at least two endings per route plus several dead ends. The title refers to the commedia dell'arte plays built around the Harlequin character.

## FAQ

### Is Harlequinade free?

Yes. The demo plays free in your browser on itch.io, and the download is name-your-own-price with a free option.

### When does the full Harlequinade release?

The developers list January to February 2027. The game has a Steam page, and a Kickstarter to fund it is planned.

### Is Harlequinade 18+?

No. The developers say the full game will not be NSFW or 18+, but because it features death, including suicide, they advise it for older teens and up.

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Source: https://unfoundgames.in/games/harlequinade. Checked by Unfound Editors, last checked 2026-10-23.