Jusantis an upcoming action-puzzle game that melds climbing mechanics with meditative, relaxing vibes. Coming from Don’t Nod, the studio behind the originalLife is Strangegames,Jusantputs players into the shoes of a young protagonist with a cute, watery critter for company, as they attempt to reach the top of a tower. Yet, it quickly becomes apparent thatJusanthas a deeper story to tell, but it’s one rather different from whatLife is Strangefans might expect.
On one hand,Jusantseemscompletely different fromLife is Strangeand a total genre shift from the developer’s usual narrative, choice-driven gameplay, set against a backdrop of recent popular vertical platforming games likeOnly Up!That said, telling a meaningful story is something that still seems to be important inJusant. Recently, Game Rant played a few hours ofJusantin a hands-on preview, including the first 2 chapters of gameplay. After a challenging climb with the top of the tower still nowhere in sight, it’s clear thatJusantis more than just a climbing simulator, but a game with an intriguing and allegorical story to tell connected to life, nature, and humanity.
RELATED:Jusant Looks Like An Exploration Game Team Ico Fans Should Keep An Eye On
Without going into spoiler territory,Jusantsets up an intriguing premise for its story. The game begins with an unnamed protagonist approaching and beginning to climb a tall, rocky tower in the middle of a desert wasteland. The only signs of life are the scuttling of crabs across the sand and the seaweed-adorned residue of life from a time when water once thrived. A civilization without water seems unimaginable, setting up an intriguing premise forJusant’s story and posing big questions like what happened to water and the tower’s mysterious civilization? It’s a question that’s part of thepuzzle platforming game experiencethatJusantpresents, as players must climb to figure out what happened, while working out where to go via many different pathways. After a short cutscene, players begin Chapter 1 near the bottom, and the only way is up.
At first,Jusant’s climbing controls can take a bit of getting used to, as players use anindependent control of hands systemsimilar to games likeGrow Home, using the mouse if playing on PC, combined with WASD to reach up, down, left, or right. Although the game tells players to use a controller for the best experience, it’s not essential, as climbing quickly feels like a satisfying, intuitive dance. There’s also a surprising number of ways to climb or move around the terrain, as players can descend cliffs in a rappel-like movement by pressing F or pulling themselves back up with R.
There are also moments where players might need to swing out far and wide, running alongside wallsPrince of Persia-styleto reach new areas inJusant’s stunning level design. Further along, players can encounter other mechanisms like rope swings to swing higher and further, as well as zip lines. AccentuatingJusant’s level design is the immeasurable scale of the vast tower and its sandy, unusual domains. It can also be a pretty quiet climb except for the sounds of the wind and the occasional spot of wildlife surviving the tower’s dried-out, nautical vibes. That’s until its peaceful and melodic music steps in when players discover something significant or make notable progress.
As well as scaling the tower’s exterior, players venture into caverns within the structure, moving in and out to discover collectible letters or notes that reveal more about the story. This approach really complementsJusant’s environmental storytelling. Although players can adjust their gamma settings, some darker cave-like areas could benefit from a torch or potential illumination from the water Ballast companion. However, it seems that lightning in darker areas is something the developers could address, so hopefully, minor fixes will make darker areas more approachable.
Players get to see more of what their charming andvideo game companionmade of water can do upon finishing Chapter 1. It acts as a tool to help players find their way by revealing hidden pathways, such as climbable vines, when not adorably rolling on its back. When it comes to the puzzle side of things, it largely revolves around finding the way forward, making the Ballast’s abilities invaluable. There are occasional visual markers in the landscape that indicate where players might move next, like the presence of a wall piston, but it’s essentially up to players to freely figure out where to climb.
Sometimes, it might mean placing additional wall pistons to get a better angle or a launching point to jump up to reach a wooden ledge. Other times, it might mean using the companion to locate clues or secrets. As players progress,Jusant’s vertical climbing mechanicshave some increasingly challenging moments, and there’s a real sense of achievement and reward when players reach the top of the next ledge after a struggle. Stamina also plays a big part. Although players cannot fall and die with the game’s rope attachment tool, it’s possible to slip and fall when stamina reaches too low. However, players can briefly rest to rebuild it and add up to 3 pistons to support their climb.
From a technical standpoint,Jusantperforms very well, considering players can climb or attach onto almost any, but not every, surface in a way that’s comparable toZelda: Breath of the Wild’s climbing mechanics. It was possible to drop too far and potentially get partially stuck in a crevice while trying to find the way to go, but on the plus, the game still enables players to jump out of odd positions to continue. At large, we only encountered one minor bug that prevented us from exiting a cutscene, but it was easily fixable by reloading the previous checkpoint. No doubt minor issues like this will get ironed out once the game is finished.
Jusant’s pace is pretty slow, but that’s deliberately so for players to climb at their pace. Climbing higher also gives a sense of wanting to find out more as each Chapter unfolds, challenging players to see how high they can go and whether they might reach the clouds or beyond. There’s also anintriguing sense of mysteryaround the tower and Ballast’s origins, supplemented by the environment. During the climb, collectibles might sometimes feel sparse for those who like receiving regular rewards, and certain interactions might seem tricky to make sense of. However, there’s clearly more to unfold, and equally, the climbing experience is all part of a rewarding sense of achievement, especially when getting past testing terrain.
Overall,Jusantmeditatively drip-feeds players intriguing lore that may leave them wondering and wanting to know more. The pacing might not be for everyone, but for those who enjoy non-hand-holding games with environmental storytelling, a mysterious story, and a cute companion,Jusantcould make it a worthwhile venture.
Jusantis set to be released in Fall 2023 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
MORE:Life Of Strange Developer Don’t Nod Has 8 Games In Development
