What Does Jusant Mean?
From the first 10 seconds, the game defines Jusant means. It is a French nautical term for receding tides. You see a world devoid of water, boats piled up on sand dunes, and one big ol’ mountain to climb! Jusant is brought to us by the fine folks of Don’t Nod, makers of such awesome games as: Life is Strange 1 & 2 and Tell Me Why
Moving On Up
Jusant doesn’t start with some Star Wars-esque title card crawl explaining what is going on. We start with a lone character and his squishy creature friend (who I have referred to as Squishy, I know I know) as they climb this big peak to possibley bring nature back to their world. Each portion of the peak is broken up into chapters. So far I am in early days (up to about Chapter 4). They are all diverse and have a charm of their own. As you climb you see what once was a civilization long passed. You see tools unused, cups and plates tossed aside. All wondering what happened to former inhabitants of the mountain. Also as you climb, you find notes and letters from the lost ones, talking about everything from last words for posterity to who ate that cinnamon roll. Seeing little scuttling creature being spooked by your presence. It has this delightful emptiness that is just something to behold. Almost haunting.
The art style is gorgeous! You see dry husks of barnacles and coral. The design of the climber I really like and gives you sense that they designed them around a typical mountain climber. Many a time I would just stop to look at that gorgeous skybox. I would also get a little vertigo from looking down, it is just that immersive.
Grip Strength
The thing that Jusant really truly sets itself apart is the controls. How you climb is using the trigger buttons. You use the left stick to guide your hand holds. This makes every single hold, every climb that more engaging. After playing for 2 hours, my fingers were sore but in a good way. I felt like I was climbing. You have to plan your climbing carefully. Let’s talk about best blob, Squishy!
Squishy is what the game calls a Ballast, a creature made entirely of water. Squishy can help you find your next objective and activating its Echo powers to unlock different ways to traverse the mountain. Yes you can pet and play with him!! Squishy mostly stays in their little pot shaped carry-on but over time, they can be seen perched on your shoulder.
My Overall Thoughts
Jusant has a charm and vibes all of its own. Does a great job telling a story with very few words at all. It lets me draw my own conclusions. With its environmental storytelling, I was checking every single nook and cranny for hidden secrets and objects. Now the question is should you check it out. Though I am only 2 hours in, I say yes, you should check it out. As of this writing, Jusant is available on GamePass for PC, Console and xCloud. It is also available on Steam and Playstation 5.
