Steam Next Fest is upon us, giving us access to a slew of demos for upcoming games. It’s a good idea to check it out if you’re curious about what’s bubbling in the PC gaming world. One of the demos present in the fest is Jusant, which is an odd title by Life is Strange developer Don’t Nod.
Jusant gets a lot of things right. It sets a quiet, meditative atmosphere without boring you to sleep. The gameplay is also constantly engaging while not overwhelming you with stimuli. It’s not a perfect game by any measure, but it is a pleasant indication that Don’t Nod is experimenting in the right direction.
What is Jusant?
It’s hard to shove the game into a single genre. It could be called a climbing sim, but there are too many arcadey elements for that to feel accurate. There are environmental puzzles, but they aren’t presented in the typical manner. It’s also got adventure elements, and despite not pushing the graphical envelope, you’re treated to some gorgeous scenery.
Much like Death Stranding, your main opponent is the terrain though this time you’re a climber traversing a treacherous tower. The tower throws several obstacles your way, and you’ll have to use your brains and available tools to help you overcome the challenges.
In the demo, you’re given a climbing rope that saves your life in case you ever fall. You can also place pitons to pin the rope to the tower at several points, and these points serve as checkpoints that reduce the amount of work you’ll have to redo if you lose your grip.
Your left and right triggers control the protagonist’s left and right arms respectively, and you use them to ascend rocks and ladders. You can also leap to reach nearby ledges, though you have a limited reserve of stamina so you have to do this wisely.
It’s a clever game that makes the most of very simple elements. The route forward isn’t always obvious, forcing you to do a little thinking and exploration to figure out how to progress. Sometimes, to go up, you have to go down first.
Jusant isn’t entirely relaxed either. Even in the demo, there were some heart-stopping moments, such as when I had to do a wall run to get from one ledge to the next.
Jusant demo kicks off a mystery
Jusant doesn’t rely on dialog to tell its story. Instead, you’re left to piece together the tale through environmental storytelling and occasional notes you find lying around. Though the plot isn’t in the foreground, there is enough there to keep you curious as you climb.
You shouldn’t be fooled into thinking Jusant is entirely unique. It’s not the first game to have you battling against the environment primarily, and its “show don’t tell” style of revealing its plot is reminiscent of cryptic games such as Journey. Jusant‘s meditative atmosphere is also part of the increasingly oversaturated “wholesome” subgenre meant to take the stress out of gaming.
Despite this, Jusant does feel special, and you certainly don’t need to reinvent the wheel to craft an amazing game. It’s not for everyone, and those seeking an action-packed gaming experience will find themselves bored. If you’re looking for something mellower, however, Jusant might just put a smile on your face.
Jusant is slated to release on October 31 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
