Jusant

Review

Developed by Dontnod, better known for story-driven games like Remember Me, Life is Strange and Vampyr, Jusant is a unique action-puzzle that makes you climb a never ending tower along with a small cute creature. Personally I have enjoyed almost every Dontnod’s game, but this one was really a pleasant surprise for me and brought to my memory games like Journey, Rime and even the more recent Death Stranding. Jusant is a French word that means ebb tide, the phase during which the sea level retires and reveals the foreshore. That’s exactly the state of the world at the beginning of the game, which provides a melancholic atmosphere that perfectly blends with the absence of spoken words. The plot is narrated in a very minimalistic way, mostly through written letters that need to be collected. Taking some time to read these is important because not only can they be quite emotional, but they can give you a clear idea of what happened on the tower before your arrival. Even if you never meet the tower’s previous residents, by reading their messages you start to care about their fate, particularly about Bianca, a climber who previously ascended the Tower looking for answers (just like what you are doing now). While the narrative is sometimes open to the player’s interpretation, Jusant also seems to promote a very important message about climate change, but doesn’t make it predominant throughout its storytelling.

Gameplay-wise, this is not like Assassin’s Creed where climbing is almost automatic, but it’s also not overly complicated. While the game perfectly supports mouse and keyboard, using a controller is recommended because of the tactile feeling and vibration. Each trigger on your controller corresponds to the left and right hand, so you need to press them alternatively in order to grab the edges and climb. You also need to keep an eye on your stamina, but you can recover it anytime by simply pressing a button, so it’s not a big deal. Sometimes you can find alternative paths where to climb, which is interesting because it requires looking above your head and throughout the environment. There are also multiple collectables to discover, so exploring each part of the Tower (both outside and inside) is fundamental if you want to fully complete the game. Fortunately, you can easily climb down to previously explored areas if you missed a few collectables and there is also a chapter selection that gets unlocked after you complete the whole story, so don’t stress yourself too much if you missed anything. Jusant doesn’t want to be challenging, but a relaxing, intimate and almost spiritual experience. Though each movement of your hands is manual and requires a bit of practice and coordination, there is no real punishment for your mistakes. You can’t even fall down because there is an invisible wall that protects you from falling. That said, even without any risk of losing, the gameplay is very satisfying because it really feels like climbing. There is a great sense of progression as you continuously move through more complex puzzles and platform sections while discovering new biomes and learning more about the population that once lived in the tower. Through the journey, you are also followed by a little water-creature named Ballast, who constantly squeaks on your shoulder and can be used to interact with certain objects through his powers, awakening the nature around you and making climbing more accessible.

Jusant’s art style is simply gorgeous. The game features some truly remarkable visuals and despite taking place on the same tower, there is great variety of environments. As you move higher and higher, you also unlock additional cutscenes showcasing breathtaking landscapes and unexpected creatures. The wonderful soundtrack is so subtle that you barely hear it when climbing, while other times it becomes quite emotional, like when you successfully manage to reach a new area of the tower. Optimization is great too, the game runs flawlessly even at high and ultra settings, with only minor glitches appearing under certain circumstances.

Jusant is a game that only gets better as you reach the top of the tower. It’s a peaceful and cozy adventure that doesn’t take too long to complete, but it’s a memorable one. Through its subtle storytelling, it delivers a strong message and through its smooth gameplay it provides a really satisfying climbing experience. Easily one of the most unique indie titles I have played in recent years. Highly recommended to anyone who is looking to dive into a memorable and delightful journey.

Review written by Sonic Punk for Zeepond.com

Jusant Steam Store Page