Starting with Journey, and possibly long before that, game developers have tapped into the endless cinematic potential of putting a location on the horizon, preferably something breathtaking, and letting Curiosity do the rest. Here, mountains, like those in Journey, or even The Elder Scrolls V: Throat of the World in Skyrim, work well.
But in Don’t Nod’s upcoming Jusant, physically ascend the mythical position and beat it, vertically by meter by meter – well, that’s the whole game. It’s a game about rock climbing, and while there isn’t much else to it, it’s working pretty well so far.
Jusant means “low tide” because the tide has gone out. This is exactly what happened in this world, which was almost completely dried up many years ago. Now, the remains of civilization must frantically search for the last realm that will provide a resource that is now very, very precious and essential.
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Like Journey, Inside and Abzu, the narrative is vague, leaving only fragments of information in the sloping, dilapidated buildings of the mysterious tower/mountain – small pieces of paper telling of breakdowns, unrequited love and unwavering optimism doctrine story.
It’s hard to determine why you’re here at first, but you’ll soon realize it. Your little buddy Ballast, a water sprite that lives in a pouch on your belt, is not only used as supernatural climbing gear, but he/she can revitalize these abandoned, dead, and arid regions. So that’s why you climb, and climb, and climb.
Mechanically, Jusant is pretty simple, and it’s clear that Don’t Nod relies heavily on atmospheric music, graphics, and cinematography rather than complex systems. You can grab with your left or right hand using the corresponding trigger button, and by creating flow you can overcome one vertical wall after another. At the same time, you have to make decisions on the fly by placing “pistons” or peaks on the wall, which can find new momentum when energy is low.
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It’s not like Jusant is reinventing anything here, but the mechanics that exist are relatively satisfying, and I’m pretty sure the game will keep adding more challenges to the seemingly modest amount of playtime (my preview build lasted over two Hour).
Still, Justant is good looking. Its look is all about style, a bit like Journey and Abzu, especially the scenery, the details and the overall picture being painted is what you want to explore. Still, it has to be said that by now, I wish the Jusant had a system or two to complement your pure climbing excursions. Maybe a little progress here and there? Maybe you can gather some resources to make the journey easier? Maybe there are some strategic considerations here and there? I don’t mind simple. I mean, Celeste is also about climbing mountains, and it’s great precisely because it drops all the meta-systems that we’re begging bigger publishers to cut. But in Jusant, I wish there were more options for interacting with the world, because even though it’s a beautiful canvas that I move around, it’s still 2D because it doesn’t allow you to interact with it.
That said, I was looking forward to Jusant, and it was clear from the first minute that Don’t Nod was on to something here. Whether it’s been kept alive, well, that’s another matter.
