Jusant Reviews
A beautiful world of exhilarating gameplay that wants no more than to burst out with originality and excitement, which is marred by a want to rush to empty platitudes without thinking of the ripple effect it has on everything else.
Justant is where ideas looks good on paper, but when it comes to execution, they somewhat disappoint. It has some sporadic interesting moments but those aside, Jusant is struggling with many issues regarding level design and platforming mechanisms.
Review in Persian | Read full review
For as satisfying as Jusant’s core gameplay loop can be, its narrative and important message becomes lost in the background of a world's history which I otherwise wanted to be entranced by, beyond just its striking visuals.
Despite one or two missteps, Jusant hangs together thanks to a well-realised, unique location and, more importantly, a fun and engaging way to interact with it. The climbing at its core is wonderfully tactile and finds a balance between complexity and accessibility. The spire of rock you're ascending is an interesting place to explore, gradually shifting into new environments as you ascend. We're not totally sold on the story, and the animation and camera can be clumsy every so often, but the game remains a solid, meditative adventure throughout.
While Don’t Nod is no stranger to titles that focus more on exploration and emotional pull, they rarely do so with such Annapurna levels of “indie”. Yet that is exactly what Jusant is: a silent, emotional, walking sim where the true puzzles are collecting all the remnants of the civilization that has been lost, and the mystery of what exactly happened. In this, Jusant is as beautifully presented and told as any before it, but I just couldn’t escape the feeling that I have already played this game, five other times, every year.
Jusant shows its best when it shows the past. As you climb through a ghost civilization, you see and hear what was left behind and why. Don’t Nod’s biggest accomplishment revolves around water, or lack thereof. They show that water is life’s most important resource. When the water disappears, or when a jusant comes, life leaves too. It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s still a pleasant, cozy, afternoon experience.
Jusant offers a therapeutic and heart-warming narrative about hope, struggle, reclamation and beginning anew conveyed through immersive and non-disruptive gameplay moments. The core gameplay is simple and fun thanks to the fluid controls and well-made animations. The lack of any sort of challenge and extremely basic puzzles does affect the catharsis, but Jusant is more than the sum of its parts and has enough substance, making it the perfect Gamepass material.
When Jusant works as intended, it’s a calming, peaceful experience that’s occasionally let down by some somewhat underwhelming functionality.
If there is any criticism to be made of Jusant, it's that developer Don't Nod – no stranger to over-egging the narrative pudding at times – couldn't hold its tongue, filling the beautifully spartan climb with diaries, logs, and otherwise unnecessary lore. But the game's focus on its core climbing mechanics, and some of the finest art direction we've yet seen, still make this an essential journey.
Despite its flaws, Jusant is a decent production that not only brings a lot of fun, but also takes your breath away with its audio-visual side. It's an amazing adventure for 2-3 hours, which I will certainly return to more than once. If you are looking for something different, more subdued, but bringing an amazing experience for winter evenings, then Jusant is for you.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Jusant is a fun mountain climbing adventure and if you're a fan of non-violent video games, it shouldn't disappoint.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
Seeing Jusant to the end felt like returning from a brisk walk in the woods, your lungs full of fresh air, and your mind alert from a cool breeze – which is an astute achievement for a game with such deep connections to the natural environment, and the act of physical human movement. You come away feeling sated, satisfied, and refreshed, the sense of achievement and clarity of thought it offers clearing your headspace for whatever challenge comes next.
If you’re looking for a short, relaxing exploration game to wind down from a difficult day or week, or a palette cleanser between more intense games, I can wholeheartedly recommend Jusant. If you’re generally a fan of Don’t Nod’s work, you also can’t go wrong picking this up. It’s a short and sweet experience that can be taken at whatever pace you’d like. I do wish there was a bit more of it as I was sad for it to come to an end, but I will be going back in soon to finish up the collectibles anyway.
One of the most enjoyable indie games of 2023. Don't Nod succeeded in providing a relaxing experience with a stunning visual design that made me wish this adventure would never end. It is the perfect meditation for anyone looking for a calm night after a long day of work.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
One of the most unique and lovely games of the year.
Jusant is not a game for everyone, but if you expect it to be one you’ll appreciate, it probably will be. Its noteworthy climbing mechanics are kept fresh throughout the adventure by asking you to utilize them in different ways, its ponderous atmosphere is top notch, and the environmental storytelling within its detailed world really gets your imagination going to a degree I hadn’t remotely expected. But it isn’t perfect. It’s more traditional storytelling elements are weaker, it doesn’t challenge the player very much, and it runs short at about six or so hours long. These detractions end up being minor disappointments in the face of a very successful adventure game, but they’re still there all the same, and it’s a shame Jusant doesn’t eschew them to become something even more special than it already is.
Jusant is undoubtedly one of the best surprises of 2023. Unveiled to gamers just a few months ago, DON'T NOD's title offers an unusual experience. The gameplay perfectly transcribes the movements of the climber, while the environment provides a dose of difficulty throughout the adventure. Although the experience is fairly short, and you sometimes feel a little lost in your progress, it's easy to immerse yourself in this adventure. I would, of course, have liked a little more, but I think the developers stopped at just the right moment to avoid the impression of doing the same thing over and over again. In short, a little nugget that I'd recommend to gamers looking for a slightly different experience.
Review in French | Read full review
Jusant is a gorgeous and relaxing puzzler with well-design climbing mechanics that evolve over the course of a very tight five-hour runtime.
Jusant is a celebration of climbing that makes full use of its premise. It offers a relaxed experience that allows you to go at your own pace while offering enough challenge that rewards mastery of its mechanics. Its excellent art direction, paired with a soothing soundtrack elevates the climbing adventure even if the worldbuilding suffers from excessive use of text to tell stories. Jusant is a hike worth taking, that's rewarding, memorable, and full of heart.
Jusant is a gem to see and play; coherent, delicate, thoughtful. The splendid art direction, coupled with a fascinating and magnetic world building, clashes with a limited gameplay layering and a short overall length, but if you love narrative adventures and poetic and inspired game worlds, you will definitely want to play it.
Review in Italian | Read full review