Jusant is a scenic game that shows you the beauty of mountain climbing and the patience behind it.
Gaming is no longer just a means of entertainment; video games have started to become less action-packed sources of dopamine and have started to become more along the lines of interactive art. The technology such as the Unreal Engine 5 involved in video game development is ever-advancing. It allows us to do things we weren’t previously able to do and tell stories in a way that a film or painting simply can’t. To sum it all up, video games allow players to create experiences that are unique to themselves, and there is no better example than Jusant.
Jusant is an adventure title that was lovingly crafted by none other than DON’T NOD, who are responsible for other phenomenal titles such as Life is Strange 2 and Vampyr. These two very different games pushed the borders of what defines a game and what defines an experience. The studio is constantly pushing the boundaries, but sadly, many of their attempts have missed their marks.
Such was the case with Vampyr, which, aside from its clunky controls, felt that the game relied far too heavily on narrative and not enough on gameplay. However, their latest release, Jusant, shows that the studio has taken those criticisms to heart and has finally delivered on what they set out to make, and it is an absolute gem.
As you can probably tell, Jusant is not your typical release. You start your journey as an ambiguous character who we will call The Child. They are not alone on their journey as they also have an amorphous little blob creature who will be your adorable companion as you attempt to climb the towering mountain in front of you.
The game doesn’t give much for the player to go by, which is definitely an intentional choice, as seen with previous DON’T NOD releases. The only thing we know for sure is that we need to reach the top of the mountain, and all things will come together.
Now, Jusant is not your everyday game, but that doesn’t mean the game is complicated. Quite the opposite; in fact, both the game’s visuals and controls are incredibly simple and streamlined and don’t add anything it doesn’t need. There is no combat in Jusant, nor are there any puzzles, well, in a traditional sense. The only controls you have are for The Child and climbing now because the controls are simple.
It doesn’t mean they’re easy, as you will need to control each of The Child’s arms to pull themselves up as they climb the Tower. You will need to control where their hands will reach and try and figure out where you can and cannot climb onto, which is easier said than done, as you will probably be falling off a lot of walls if you don’t get a handle of the game’s rather unconventional controls.
However, if you fall off, don’t worry, The Child won’t immediately fall to their untimely demise, thanks to their trusty carabiners, which, if you don’t know those hooks and ropes that mountain climbers use to pull themselves up to, it is also your saving grace if you fall. Oftentimes, a well-placed carabiner is the difference between life and death.
Now, remember when I said that Jusant doesn’t have puzzles in a traditional sense, that’s because the whole Tower itself is a puzzle on its own. You will need to figure out how to get from point A to point B in the best way possible. Do keep this in mind, as when you decide to wing it, expect a lot of falling and a lot of going around in circles.
It should be noted another reason why you should avoid going around in circles, aside from wasting your time and patience, is because doing so wastes your stamina. Unlike in other games, which will feature your standard Health, Stamina, and Mana bar, Jusant does away with the other two and just leaves you with one mana bar that you will need to conserve while climbing.
The only other resource that you will need to manage is your pitons, which act as temporary save points that catch you if you fall. Now, these shouldn’t be abused as you only have three and should be used carefully, at least until you get to solid ground again.
If you do find yourself lost and looping around the same spot, have no fear, as your blobby little companion isn’t just the adorable mascot for the game but will also act as your guide. The Ballast, which is what your companion is, will show you roughly where to go but will also show you all the beautiful hidden things in Jusant’s environments you might have missed.
Jusant is one of those games you shouldn’t rush through, and it is packed with many little details that you will only see if you take your time. The game was made with passion, and it is the passion that should be appreciated at your own pace and never rushed through.
Now, Jusant doesn’t have a lot in terms of mechanics; you climb a tower, and that’s it. But as mentioned earlier, Jusant isn’t just a game; it’s a work of interactive art, and there’s no better way to show this off than with its gorgeous visuals. The game has a visual style that is incredibly simple and stylized, with everything usually being one solid color or having a gradient to them.
This allows the game to make everything stand out against one another and allows them to tell the story in a purely visual sense. Yeah, Jusant doesn’t have any voiceover whatsoever, so every piece of the game’s story is told either through visuals or through audio with the game’s gorgeous soundtrack.
Speaking of the soundtrack, Jusant is an absolute gem when it comes to music. Each piece of music is just as unique as the game’s environments, and usually acts as each chapter’s “theme” in a sense, and as a chapter comes to an end, you will be sent into complete auditory bliss.
However, this isn’t the only time Jusant’s audio shines through, as when you climb, you will be greeted with ambient sounds that will immerse you in the environments of Jusant and make you feel as if there really was a gusting wind blasting the side of your face.
Telling a story without the use of dialogue is no easy feat, but neither is scaling a mountain, but that’s beside the point. Despite how challenging this task is, Jusant has pulled it off beautifully, but because there’s no dialogue or backstory, you may find yourself being unable to put the game down.
You will be so invested in piecing the game’s phenomenal story together that you won’t realize that 4 hours have gone by and the credits have started to roll. Yes, Jusant is only 4 hours long, but it is a breathtaking 4 hours that will give you an experience like no other.
Overall, Jusant may be short, but it is truly unforgettable. It is definitely one of those games that will stay with you for years to come. The game truly shows how far DON’T NOD has come in terms of being a developer, and only time will tell what their next masterpiece will be. Jusant may be short, but it is well worth your time and is an absolute must-play.
