Jusant

94%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,562 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • music
Jusant Game Cover
Mountain climbing somehow became extraordinarily peaceful and relaxing.
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"Jusant is a single-player Fantasy Platformer game with an intriguing story and amazing gameplay, graphics, and music. Climb a mysterious tower, master your tools, and explore different paths to uncover secrets. Enjoy breathtaking biomes, atmospheric music, and a wholesome story, but be prepared for grinding, missing optimization, and bugs if you wishlist it now on Steam."

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Reviews

94%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,562 reviews
gameplay267 positive mentions
optimization15 negative mentions
  • Unique and gorgeous worldbuilding with stunning visuals and atmosphere.
  • Engaging climbing mechanics that prioritize exploration and curiosity.
  • Beautiful soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
  • The environmental storytelling through letters was not very effective or engaging.
  • The game felt too short, with a runtime of around 4-6 hours.
  • Some players experienced bugs and glitches, particularly with character movement and controls.
  • gameplay617 mentions

    The gameplay of *Jusant* is centered around a unique and intuitive climbing mechanic that encourages exploration and puzzle-solving, providing a relaxing yet engaging experience. While the climbing mechanics are generally well-executed and enjoyable, some players find the gameplay can become repetitive and lacks depth, particularly as the game progresses. The stunning visuals and atmospheric soundtrack enhance the overall experience, making it a worthwhile journey for those who appreciate a chill, exploratory gameplay style.

    • “Love that the puzzle mechanic is based around exploration and curiosity more than it is around gamified climbing--you see a location that looks interesting, then try to figure out how to get to it (with varying degrees of difficulty).”
    • “The climbing itself is simple but mixed up at a good pace with new mechanics that don't overstay their welcome.”
    • “The gameplay is engaging although not very challenging.”
    • “While the gameplay does evolve over time, if you try to rush, its flaws will become apparent.”
    • “The only difference in gameplay is some location-specific mostly environmental obstacles, that don't combine in interesting ways with other ones and don't develop either.”
    • “The climbing mechanics felt novel in the first 10 minutes but quickly got old.”
  • story535 mentions

    The story in "Jusant" is primarily conveyed through environmental storytelling and collectible notes, creating a rich backdrop of a world affected by drought and abandonment. While many players appreciate the atmospheric and emotional depth of the narrative, some find the reliance on text-based storytelling to be tedious and lacking in clarity, leading to mixed feelings about its overall impact. Despite these critiques, the game's visuals and sound design enhance the storytelling experience, making it a compelling journey for those willing to explore its subtleties.

    • “A meditative and intuitive experience, Jusant tells a barren yet hopeful story through environmental clues and notes as you climb your way up a tower that mourns the presence of the ocean.”
    • “The story is primarily told through notes and journal entries as you piece together what caused the collapse of the tower's society.”
    • “The world creation and storytelling was immaculate.”
    • “The story being told through collectible notes was kind of lame, and the central intrigue of the plot never gets satisfactorily resolved.”
    • “The story is very weak.”
    • “The story concludes so abruptly and strangely that I can only think they either didn't have an ending planned from the start or ran out of time/money to flesh things out further.”
  • music305 mentions

    The music in the game has been widely praised for its beauty and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many reviewers describing it as serene, emotional, and perfectly fitting for the game's visuals and themes. While some players noted that the ambient music could be sparse at times, the soundtrack's emotional depth and its role in elevating key moments were frequently highlighted as standout features. Overall, the combination of stunning visuals and a captivating soundtrack creates a relaxing and immersive experience that resonates with players.

    • “The soundtrack is very serene.”
    • “The music is stunning and really fits the vibe the game is going for.”
    • “The music, gameplay, and visuals are breathtaking.”
    • “There is some pretty music but it's not amazing and much of the game has no music.”
    • “The music however, did not grab me at all.”
    • “The themes were basic, chord progressions and melodies were predictable, and there was only one bit of ambient music that really did anything for me (chapter 4).”
  • graphics302 mentions

    The graphics of the game have been widely praised for their stunning visuals and unique art style, which many describe as vibrant and painterly, creating an immersive atmosphere. While some players noted performance issues and lower graphical fidelity in certain areas, the overall aesthetic and environmental storytelling were highlighted as key strengths, making the game visually captivating and enjoyable to explore. The combination of beautiful graphics, soothing music, and engaging gameplay mechanics contributes to a relaxing and enchanting experience for players.

    • “The art style is wonderful and makes it so that even on the lowest graphic setting, the game still looks amazing.”
    • “The visuals are stunningly beautiful and the music is just magical.”
    • “The graphics are beautiful, the gameplay is unique, the developers clearly cared a lot about it.”
    • “No joke, it's such crap that I could not afford to turn up the graphics without tanking an already miserable framerate.”
    • “Also, graphics quality is 'crude' in some scenes; you can see obvious illumination errors and triangle mesh 'chunks'... I know it may not matter, but that's really annoying.”
    • “Mediocre visuals (I'm playing RTX 4090 4K, HDR) and they were advertising it as something extraordinary.”
  • atmosphere132 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its unique and stunning worldbuilding, complemented by beautiful visuals and a haunting soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. Players describe it as a meditative and immersive journey, filled with melancholic undertones and a strong sense of place, making it a standout in the atmospheric exploration genre. The combination of engaging climbing mechanics and a serene environment creates a captivating experience that resonates deeply with fans of atmospheric games.

    • “Add to it the haunting atmosphere and the sadness implicit in the picturesque environments, and you have a memorable and very meditative experience.”
    • “The atmosphere is gorgeous and the soundtrack is amazing.”
    • “Jusant is a relaxing climb that blends breathtaking scenery, intricate routes, and a mystical atmosphere into a short but meaningful exploration into humanity's relationship with nature.”
    • “Light pollution atmosphere makes people dizzy, and numerous light sources increase the burden on the GPU, leading to lower FPS and making people feel dizzier.”
    • “I spent most of my time playing this game wondering what it's building up to, rather than taking in the relaxing atmosphere.”
    • “Art, music, atmosphere, lore, etc. are all top-notch, but it's all just marred by the most bafflingly unpolished, inconsistent, and ultimately frustrating climbing/swinging mechanics.”
  • emotional74 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised, with many players reporting that it moved them to tears, highlighting its touching narrative and beautiful art and music. Reviewers describe it as a relaxing yet profound experience that evokes a range of feelings, from joy to melancholy, and emphasizes themes of hope and introspection. Overall, the game is recommended for those seeking an emotionally rich and immersive journey.

    • “A truly transformative experience that will linger in the best of ways, Jusant knows exactly how to masterfully transition from strategic challenge to emotional crescendo.”
    • “Jusant is a rare gem of a game, likely going unnoticed by many but offering those who find it a highly polished and emotionally-rich experience with a simple premise: climb an immense tower one hand at a time.”
    • “By the end of the game you feel like you have been on an emotional journey.”
    • “The game tries to be emotionally captivating, but it often feels forced and contrived.”
    • “While there are moments that aim for emotional depth, they fall flat and lack genuine impact.”
    • “The emotional narrative feels disjointed, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
  • optimization32 mentions

    The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with many players reporting poor performance, frequent crashes, and low frame rates even on high-end systems. While some appreciate the visual quality and art style, they feel that the game is unoptimized and struggles to run smoothly, particularly on lower-end hardware and the Steam Deck. Overall, the consensus is that while the game has potential, its performance issues detract from the overall experience.

    • “Performance could be better, but it's understandable given the geometric detail and the amazing global illumination featured.”
    • “Jusant also looks deceptively simple - but requires a decent GPU to run smoothly: it uses all tricks in the Unreal 5 engine toolbox (Lumen, Nanite...), so while it looks and runs decently well on a RX570 4GB, it truly shines with something like a RX6600 instead.”
    • “Performance is very solid and scales incredibly well while keeping the core of its visuals still striking.”
    • “Also, a warning: the game has atrocious performance in some areas, to the point that lowering everything to minimum settings didn't help my fps.”
    • “Poorly optimized and constantly crashing.”
    • “To start, it is both unoptimized and unfinished in many ways.”
  • stability21 mentions

    The game's stability is generally solid, but players frequently report various bugs and glitches, particularly with the physics engine, which can lead to frustrating moments like getting stuck on objects or experiencing wonky jumps. While some users noted that the game runs smoothly overall, many encountered issues that detracted from the experience, suggesting that players should be prepared for a few hiccups during gameplay.

    • “Honestly, I would have given it a thumbs up for just being a bug-free release.”
    • “The game runs smoothly without any crashes or glitches, which is a huge plus.”
    • “I appreciate how stable the gameplay is; it really enhances the overall experience.”
    • “The game is quite buggy; a lot of times the rope would not release and quite a few times the kid would get stuck in odd places behind objects or would not jump.”
    • “When falling while attached to the wall, I end up inside the character's model looking at the void inside its head, or the whole model glitches out, or the controls stop working so I'm stuck dangling from a rope, or I get stuck on the geometry, and all of it ends up with me having to reload from the beginning and do the whole thing all over again.”
    • “Unfortunately, the physics engine is extremely buggy, and 100% of the gameplay is the physics engine.”
  • replayability15 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players appreciate the inclusion of collectibles that encourage revisiting the game, many criticize it for being short and lacking substantial replay value. The experience is often described as relaxing and enjoyable, but the limited content and short runtime leave players wanting more. Collecting achievements and exploring details are cited as the main reasons to replay, but overall, the game may not satisfy those seeking extensive replayability.

    • “A little short (I finished it in 7 hours) but with replayability in collectibles, and it's fun enough that I did exactly that.”
    • “Short and sweet, but the collectibles offer great replay value.”
    • “I do feel like it has some replay value in terms of exploring all of the little details that the developers so lovingly included, and the climbing mechanic is fun enough that I can see myself trying to push the boundaries of what is possible and trying to 'break the beta' on different sections.”
    • “I don't recommend this game unless you just want a relaxing, zero-stakes, easy game that offers basically zero replayability.”
    • “It's also just a really short game with no replay value.”
    • “The visuals are fantastic, and it's fun to play, but it's quite short for the price, and doesn't seem to have much replayability.”
  • grinding7 mentions

    Reviews indicate that grinding in the game can feel tedious and repetitive, particularly when revisiting areas for collectibles. However, some players appreciate the innovative climbing mechanics that keep the experience engaging and prevent it from becoming tiresome. Overall, while the game may lack depth in certain aspects, its unique approach to climbing offers a refreshing alternative to more conventional titles.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Revisiting areas you've already been to isn't very rewarding, so coming back to find the collectibles can be a little tedious.”
    • “The inputs are repetitive and tedious.”
    • “It's all very pretty but incredibly tedious and superficial.”
  • humor6 mentions

    The humor in the game is highlighted by its charming companion character and natural, often amusing writing, despite some lengthy notes. Players find moments of humor in gameplay mechanics and minor glitches, adding a lighthearted touch to the overall experience. Overall, the game successfully blends funny elements with its engaging gameplay.

    • “It's very pretty, and I love the funny companion character.”
    • “The notes are a bit on the long side, but the writing feels fairly natural and is sometimes pretty funny.”
    • “There are additional mechanics like running out of rope or anchors, but, frankly, the game is so easy that I only found out about the former at the literal last climb of the game, which prompted a tutorial pop-up—a funny and a bit sad thing considering that I got to the end credits about 3 minutes later.”
  • character development3 mentions

    Reviews highlight the protagonist's character design as beautiful and unique, contributing to an overall visually appealing world. The emphasis on character aesthetics suggests a strong focus on visual identity, though specific details on character development beyond design are less prominent.

    • “The character design of the protagonist is beautiful.”
    • “Great character design.”
    • “The world and character design is very unique and looks stunning.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with players appreciating the game's quality but expressing disappointment over its lack of marketing and the disparity between the advertised visuals and the actual experience, particularly on high-end hardware.

    • “The only reason I'm saying this is because the game is great, but as far as I know, there wasn't much advertising for this game.”
    • “Mediocre visuals (I'm playing on RTX 4090, 4K, HDR) and they were advertising it as something extraordinary.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

81% average critic score

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Play time

5hMedian play time
6hAverage play time
4-7hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 19 analyzed playthroughs

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