Jusant

93%
Game Brain Score Based on 2,008 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."

  • PC
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Cloud
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
  • Xbox Game Pass
  • x_box_cloud_gaming
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

93%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,008 reviews
gameplay355 positive mentions
optimization18 negative mentions
  • Beautiful visuals and art style that create a captivating atmosphere.
  • Innovative climbing mechanics that feel intuitive and engaging.
  • A relaxing and meditative experience with a touching story told through environmental storytelling and collectibles.
  • The game is quite short, typically taking only 4-6 hours to complete, which may not justify the full price.
  • Some players experienced technical issues, including performance drops and glitches with character movement.
  • The narrative is primarily delivered through notes, which some players found tedious and uninteresting.
  • gameplay839 mentions

    The gameplay of "Jusant" is centered around a unique climbing mechanic that is both intuitive and satisfying, allowing players to explore beautifully crafted environments. While the climbing mechanics are engaging and evolve with new elements throughout the game, many players found the overall gameplay to be relatively simple and lacking in depth, leading to a sense of repetitiveness. The game is praised for its stunning visuals and relaxing atmosphere, making it a pleasant experience, though some players wished for more challenging gameplay and a deeper narrative.

    • “The climbing mechanics are intuitive and well-designed.”
    • “The gameplay is smooth and very satisfying, and the story is engaging.”
    • “The climbing mechanics are simple yet satisfying and combine in many different ways to get you up the wall.”
    • “The climbing mechanic, while interesting and unique, got boring really quickly because of how simple it was; because of how the mechanic is set up, it actually physically hurt my hands to do it for too long, so I would have to take breaks in between.”
    • “There is absolutely no puzzle mechanics in this game, or if they are there, it's extremely light.”
    • “The gameplay is relaxing but honestly too easy and forgiving.”
  • story714 mentions

    The story in *Jusant* is primarily conveyed through environmental storytelling and collectible notes, creating a minimalist narrative that encourages exploration. While some players appreciate the atmospheric and emotional depth of the story, others find it lacking in engagement and coherence, often feeling that the reliance on written text detracts from the overall experience. Overall, the game offers a unique blend of climbing mechanics and subtle storytelling, appealing to those who enjoy piecing together lore in a visually stunning world.

    • “The story is fantastic and is built in a way that encourages exploration. It's a super interesting concept behind the story, and it feels like the world was built before the idea for the game.”
    • “The game had potential with its visuals and music, but fell short in terms of engaging gameplay and storytelling. However, the story was surprisingly compelling with the way it makes you pick up the breadcrumbs.”
    • “The story unfolds through a series of journal entries you find along the way, creating a beautiful narrative that complements the climbing experience.”
    • “The story and worldbuilding is presented through notes which can be confusing; especially since you have no idea who wrote most of it.”
    • “The story is almost non-existent, and long text notes in an interactive game are some of the worst ways you can realize a story; the vast majority of people are simply going to skip those, because it doesn't gel well with the flow of the game.”
    • “There is basically no payoff to the story told through these notes, which was really disappointing, as the main story of our character is nothing to rave about either.”
  • music404 mentions

    The music in the game has been widely praised for its beauty and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, creating a hauntingly melancholic yet soothing experience. Reviewers noted that the soundtrack complements the stunning visuals and gameplay, often evoking strong emotions and immersing players in the game's world. Many described it as a standout feature, with some even considering it one of the best soundtracks in recent gaming history.

    • “The soundtrack is fantastic and fills the loneliness of the tower, absolutely beautiful.”
    • “It manages to create a beautiful but hauntingly melancholic atmosphere throughout the game with a perfect combination of light written narrative elements, focused background music, and deep environmental storytelling.”
    • “The music is a real highlight and I loved how it layered and changed throughout each level - very 'Stars of the Lid'-esque for anyone into ambient music.”
    • “The music, along with the final cutscene of the game, had me crying tears of mixed feelings, supported all by what I learned of the mountain's past, and the civilization long gone.”
    • “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).”
    • “This game is not mechanically complex as one might expect going into it but for trying to gamify climbing it does a good job, the art style and graphics together make the game beautiful where despite the fact you're most often staring at a wall which is objective you take breaks so soak up the game's environment, the only real critique I have is ambient music not playing enough and the story has more to be desired.”
  • graphics402 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning visuals and unique art style, often described as beautiful, vibrant, and reminiscent of a painted aesthetic. Many players appreciate the use of Unreal Engine 5, which enhances the game's lighting and environmental detail, creating immersive biomes that contribute to a serene and atmospheric experience. While some users noted performance issues and occasional graphical bugs, the overall consensus is that the visuals are a standout feature, elevating the gameplay and storytelling.

    • “The graphics were stunning, and the different biomes you explore are incredible.”
    • “Both the art style and individual execution of the graphics of each area are mind-blowing and whisk you away into the world, definitely the strongest point of the game.”
    • “The visuals are amazing, and the game has calm, peaceful vibes.”
    • “The framerate is also surprisingly low for a game that is just not that graphically intensive.”
    • “Like immediately the game couldn't hit more than 20 fps but that was because the game was on ultra graphics, but dude I immediately put the game on low and it couldn't hit 60?!”
    • “The graphics give everything a plastic feel, so we have neither a realistic image nor a stylized one that would suit the mood.”
  • atmosphere167 mentions

    The atmosphere of *Jusant* is widely praised for its haunting beauty and meditative quality, enhanced by stunning visuals, a captivating soundtrack, and deep environmental storytelling. Players appreciate the game's ability to evoke feelings of solitude and melancholy while exploring diverse biomes, making it a relaxing yet emotionally resonant experience. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered its greatest strength, drawing comparisons to other atmospheric titles like *Journey* and *Abzû*.

    • “It manages to create a beautiful but hauntingly melancholic atmosphere throughout the game with a perfect combination of light written narrative elements, focused background music, and deep environmental storytelling.”
    • “The greatest asset to Jusant is how excellent the sound design is; each level is littered with non-diegetic sounds filling the world you climb, which creates such a wondrous atmosphere, which is vital as your main character is the only human left.”
    • “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.”
    • “It's a journey full of abstract, cryptic symbols and magical lights that aim to elevate atmosphere without having much to say.”
    • “The atmosphere is one of solitude and desolation, enhancing the feeling of being in an empty world.”
    • “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.”
  • emotional101 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game has received mixed but generally positive feedback, with many players highlighting its ability to evoke strong feelings, including tears, through its touching narrative and beautiful visuals. While some found the emotional payoff lacking or the story underdeveloped, others praised it as a deeply moving experience that resonates with themes of hope and connection. Overall, the game is described as a heartwarming journey that effectively combines gameplay with an emotional narrative, making it a memorable experience for those seeking a calming and introspective adventure.

    • “A heartfelt thank you to everyone at the Don't Nod team for reminding me why I love games as a medium.”
    • “The ending, in particular, was deeply emotional and left a lasting impact.”
    • “Jusant is a game I might forget how to play, but I’ll never forget how it made me feel; this game had me reading every single note and feeling every single emotion that the loss of water would have on a community.”
    • “Weird climbing physics, glitchy movement, boring story, Unreal Engine traversal stutters.”
  • optimization45 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players experiencing significant performance issues even on decent hardware. While some users noted that the game runs adequately with adjustments like DLSS and lower settings, others reported persistent frame rate drops and crashes, particularly on platforms like the Steam Deck. Despite its visual appeal, the optimization is generally considered lacking, leading to a frustrating experience for many players.

    • “Optimization is great too, the game runs flawlessly even at high and ultra settings, with only minor glitches appearing under certain circumstances.”
    • “Performance is very solid and scales incredibly well while keeping the core of its visuals still striking.”
    • “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 not great, and you have to use the circus rendering method (DLSS quality + DLDSR supersample) if you're not on a 4K monitor to make the game less blurry.”
    • “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.”
    • “The optimization was lacking to say the least.”
  • stability24 mentions

    The game's stability is generally described as inconsistent, with players experiencing various bugs and glitches, particularly during climbing and jumping mechanics. While some users report minor issues that do not significantly detract from the overall enjoyment, others highlight more severe problems, such as characters getting stuck or physics behaving erratically. Overall, the game runs smoothly for many, but players should be prepared for occasional instability and collision issues.

    • “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 allows me to fully immerse myself in the experience.”
    • “The game is quite buggy; a lot of times the rope would not release and quite a few times the character 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 relies on the physics engine.”
  • replayability20 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is generally viewed as limited, with many players noting its short length and minimal incentives to replay beyond collecting achievements or exploring details. While some find enjoyment in the collectibles and the immersive experience, the consensus is that the game lacks substantial replay value, making it more suitable for those seeking a brief, relaxing experience rather than 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.”
  • grinding11 mentions

    Reviews highlight that grinding in the game can be excessively tedious and repetitive, with many players feeling that the effort required to collect all achievements is not rewarding. While some appreciate the innovative mechanics and beautiful environments, the overall sentiment leans towards grinding being a significant drawback, making the experience feel longer and less enjoyable than it should be.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “The inputs are repetitive and tedious.”
    • “It's all very pretty but incredibly tedious and superficial.”
  • humor8 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its lighthearted and whimsical elements, such as the amusing interactions with a quirky companion character and the comedic situations that arise from gameplay mechanics, like getting stuck in corners or the absurdity of tutorials appearing at the end. Players appreciate the natural and sometimes funny writing, which enhances the overall experience, making the game enjoyable and entertaining.

    • “The inability to jump out of such situations or simply take a step was honestly hilarious considering the nature of the entire game.”
    • “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.”
  • character development3 mentions

    Reviews highlight the protagonist's character design as beautiful and unique, contributing to an overall visually appealing world. The emphasis on aesthetic quality suggests that character development is closely tied to the game's artistic presentation.

    • “The character design of the protagonist is beautiful.”
    • “Great character design.”
    • “The world and character design are very unique and visually appealing.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    Reviewers note that while the game itself is enjoyable, its monetization strategy appears to be underwhelming, with limited advertising efforts and mediocre visuals that do not meet the high expectations set by its promotional materials.

    • “The monetization system feels overly aggressive, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending extra money.”
    • “I was disappointed to find that many features are locked behind paywalls, which detracts from the overall experience.”
    • “The game is fun, but the constant push for in-game purchases ruins the immersion and enjoyment.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

81% average critic score

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Play time

6hMedian play time
7hAverage play time
5-8hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 24 analyzed playthroughs

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