Jusant Review- Doesn’t Climb Quite High Enough
Jusant is a game about climbing. Before you head into this beautiful adventure, that’s all you really need to know. In a concise four hours, Jusant leads you through a few distinct environments on the way to the top of a mountainside. You’re not really given a reason why you need to climb. In fact, Jusant offers almost no clear story at all in quite a typical arty-indie way. Thankfully, the innovative climbing mechanics and distinct environments do keep the game mostly fun and engaging throughout- even if it can get repetitive at times. With Jusant, DON’T NOD haven’t missed the mark of making a good game but, unfortunately, they have when it comes to making a memorable one.
Image by DON’T NOD
Story
Why are you climbing? Where is everyone? How old are all these notes you’re finding? That’s all up to your interpretation. Whilst a lot of games do indeed benefit from the air of mystery and loneliness that a lack of characters offers, this doesn’t work quite as well in Jusant. All the story in the game is portrayed through notes and letters scattered around the six chapters. The notes quickly become confusing with a dozen character names that don’t give you a reason to learn them. On top of this, the lack of any real knowledge about when these notes were written- even in relation to each other- makes them feel disconnected and, unfortunately, skippable.
Jusant’s narrative is very artsy in a way that can often be frustrating. While it is interesting to see a story that you must unravel to understand, hiding this in long, drawn out notes that aren’t interesting to read isn’t very fun. Of course, the more you take the time to read and understand what’s happening, the more you’ll enjoy the game Unfortunately, even with this knowledge, the ending of the climb feels underwhelming- and it’s not really clear what your goal (or that of your cute climbing mascot companion) was for the last few hours. Its best to go into Jusant with the mindset that the story doesn’t really matter. The climbing is the biggest draw here- and that would likely be true even with a stronger narrative.
Image by DON’T NOD
Gameplay
With Jusant, what you see is almost always what you get. If you’ve seen a clip or trailer of this game anywhere, you’ve seen most of what Jusant will give you. That’s not to say that this is bad, however. In fact, Jusant’s best aspect is its climbing mechanic, which sees you gripping the right and left triggers in a way that mimics how you would climb a rockface. Although I played this on an Xbox Series X, the best console by a longshot to experience Jusant would be the PlayStation 5. With adaptive triggers making you push down harder to climb, Jusant is one of the best showcases for the feature.
Of course, gameplay is not limited to just climbing up. You can swing from your rope to reach new heights and platforms, and there are also short exploration sections which see you walking around hauntingly empty towns that seem to have been long abandoned. These aren’t the most compelling parts of the game, and I often found myself rushing to the next climbing section rather than searching for any secrets, which had no real impact on the game for me- even narratively. You can place your own rocks on little rock towers or uncover ancient murals, but without a strong gameplay or narrative reason to, most of the time, its far more rewarding to push on to greater heights above.
Much of Jusant’s climbing stays the same throughout the game, which isn’t all bad, but the small additions to the gameplay loop fail to keep it 100% engaging- especially towards the final couple of chapters. Small abilities that let you grow flowers or jump with the wind are fun, but the brevity of them left me wanting more, and this is a trend that continues all the way until the end. If these mechanics were more fleshed out or explored with more creativity, it would have made for far more of a memorable experience. Sadly, however, this just isn’t the case.
Image by DON’T NOD
Presentation
Jusant’s art style is one of the strongest factors of the game. With a beautiful cell-shaded look to every environment, the climb towards the top of the tower seems serene and dream like at times. With six distinct environments too, you can clearly visualise how high you’re getting and, in equal parts, how far you’ve come. Looking down onto a world without water is fascinating as much as it is scary, and as the world below fades with you climbing higher and higher, you start to feel an isolation that is quite rare in games. Despite being fleeting, its still a feeling spurred on by the game’s environments and art style.
This is only improved upon by the game’s excellent sound design. From the sound of rushing winds hitting the cliffs to small rock creatures scuttling about, Jusant knows just when to use its sound effects and music to make you feel triumphant while also never really removing that sense of loneliness. DON’T NOD managed to capture the atmosphere of a lone rock climber perfectly here, and, alongside the climbing itself, its easily the game’s most impressive aspect.
Image by DON’T NOD
Conclusion
If you go in expecting anything more than the trailers show off, Jusant is bound to disappoint. But keep your expectations in check and take your time with the climbing mechanics, and you’re sure to have a relaxing time. If only Jusant could have reached higher with newer areas, more interesting mechanics, and more of a reason to explore, it would be more memorable than it is now, sadly. While great for a relaxing few hours, it’s unlikely that the game will leave any lasting impact on you- even if you do go out of your way to decipher the numerous letters and notes. Jusant is a game that you’ll either love for its environments and peaceful climbing or hate for its confusing level design and dull worldbuilding. While still good, it’s still disappointing considering the potential that was just out of reach.
