Jusant is a game that caught me completely by surprise. I hadn't even heard of this game until I was browsing game pass and decided to try it on a whim, and I'm very glad that I did.
Being a fan of Don't Nod's Life is Strange, I kind of expected this game to be another narrative adventure title, but Jusant is something very different. The best comparison I could draw is maybe Journey. The game is a beautiful and mysterious journey through a strange, broken world.
The main gameplay loop revolves around mountain climbing up this massive tower. Along the way you find letters, journal entries and other items that tell a story of a long gone civilization dealing with a slow motion catastrophe. The climbing itself is very satisfying, bringing to mind Grow Home. You control the grips of each hand individually and have to manage your stamina and pitons as you make it from one safe space to the next. The climbing is engaging as you try to find a path up, utilizing the various environmental abilities and effects. You're never just pressing up and moving with no challenge. Assassins Creed climbing this is not.
The writing is entirely contained in the journal entries that you find. The writing itself is good despite this style of storytelling being nothing new.
Visually I found the game quite stunning -- the big chunky textures and fantastic lighting hit a very nice balance between realism and a more stylized presentation. Each new 'biome' had something to marvel at, like the sun-baked landscape of the desert biome or the soft glow mushrooms and plants deep within the tower.
I did run into some technical hiccups while playing. Occasionally my character would briefly become unresponsive, and I had some issues with getting stuck on the geometry. But considering the complex way you traverse the environment I think it's understandable.
Jusant is a fantastic game that I'd highly recommend. The beautiful, relaxed gameplay kept me entertained throughout, and much like Journey I know it's something I will come back to multiple times when I want a chill, low stakes experience.
Being a fan of Don't Nod's Life is Strange, I kind of expected this game to be another narrative adventure title, but Jusant is something very different. The best comparison I could draw is maybe Journey. The game is a beautiful and mysterious journey through a strange, broken world.
The main gameplay loop revolves around mountain climbing up this massive tower. Along the way you find letters, journal entries and other items that tell a story of a long gone civilization dealing with a slow motion catastrophe. The climbing itself is very satisfying, bringing to mind Grow Home. You control the grips of each hand individually and have to manage your stamina and pitons as you make it from one safe space to the next. The climbing is engaging as you try to find a path up, utilizing the various environmental abilities and effects. You're never just pressing up and moving with no challenge. Assassins Creed climbing this is not.
The writing is entirely contained in the journal entries that you find. The writing itself is good despite this style of storytelling being nothing new.
Visually I found the game quite stunning -- the big chunky textures and fantastic lighting hit a very nice balance between realism and a more stylized presentation. Each new 'biome' had something to marvel at, like the sun-baked landscape of the desert biome or the soft glow mushrooms and plants deep within the tower.
I did run into some technical hiccups while playing. Occasionally my character would briefly become unresponsive, and I had some issues with getting stuck on the geometry. But considering the complex way you traverse the environment I think it's understandable.
Jusant is a fantastic game that I'd highly recommend. The beautiful, relaxed gameplay kept me entertained throughout, and much like Journey I know it's something I will come back to multiple times when I want a chill, low stakes experience.