| Developer: | DON’T NOD |
| Publisher: | DON’T NOD |
| Release Date: | October 31, 2023 |
| Genre: | Action-Adventure Puzzle |
| Price: | USD 24.99 |
| Platforms: | PC PS5 Xbox Series X/S |
| Where to Buy | Steam PlayStation Store Xbox Marketplace |
When the developer DON’T NOD, approached us at the Daily Gamepad to write an article for their new game Jusant, I was really excited to provide coverage for it. I have been a huge fan of DON’T NOD since I played Life Is Strange back on my Xbox One in 2015, and I can remember waiting anxiously for the next episode to drop for the game. 8 years later, and now DON’T NOD is not only developing games but also publishing games. So before I begin to write this review for Jusant, I would like to take the time to thank DON’T NOD for reaching out to us at the Daily Gamepad and providing us with a free copy of the game to play on Steam so that I could write this review.
Jusant is an action-puzzle-climbing game that provides calming sensations. You scale an immeasurable cliff and soar to new heights with your watery friend. Master your climbing equipment, progress through several biomes, and piece together the tower’s history. The game is truly breathtaking, but it is also very rage-inducing at the same time. Jusant, although very atmospheric, reminds me of the games “Jump King” and “Getting Over It” were merged. As stated before, you will ascend a cliff and learn the history of the mountain or cliff you are climbing. I do like that the game really does simulate climbing, and dare I say it, I think that the game could also do well on VR as well.
The game does not have any voiceover, and as you ascend the mountainside, you find things such as letters that fill you in on the history of the mountain. The game uses either a keyboard or controller as its controls. When I played the game, I chose to use the controller because it felt natural to use it, especially with the controls being that you use the LT and RT to climb, and as I said before, it simulates climbing. This means you have to hold the other while using the other to climb, and you alternate between the two buttons to climb. The controls can be a little confusing at first. I even struggled with them for a moment, which caused me to fall down the mountain and almost made me stop playing, but once you get used to it, it feels pretty natural.
If you are someone who enjoys achievement hunting, the game does feature achievements that you can obtain. Steam shows that the game has 21 different achievements that you can gather. Just know that the game is one of those games that you can’t simply rush when you first play it, which is why I felt that DON’T NOD made this game. DON’T NOD has some fantastic storytelling, and I feel that you should take your time with this game so that you can get yourself involved in the story and the history of the mountain. If you are looking for a story-driven game that provides a challenge, then I highly recommend you give Jusant a try; you will not be disappointed at all. If you would like to play Jusant, the game is available on Steam, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S for USD 24.99.
