Jusant

Jusant (2023) is a climbing traversal game where you take a challenging-yet-meditative climb to the top of a tall tower. You use the trigger buttons to hold on and the stick to jump and reach for the next position. In this way you methodically work your way up climbs using handholds and other tricks to get the grip you need. It stands out for taking the simple challenge of climbing and folding it into a game with deft controls and just the right amount of path-finding.

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Starting at the bottom of the climb, you need to find a good route that makes the best use of the available purchase points. At your own pace, you make your way up the climb and are steadily rewarded by increasingly breathtaking views. You brace yourself on arid, windy slopes, and seek refuge in tunnels lit only by bioluminescence. This takes you to different locations and the chance to stop off in the brutalist architecture and structures you find along the way.

As you progress you are helped by the mysterious creature Ballast, who guides you throughout your journey by magically waking nature along your path. It's a help for the climb but also reveals clues to piece together about the tower's past. Along with Ballast you learn to master your climbing tools and manage your stamina meter to find the many routes - both to progress as well as to find side quests for hidden clues.

The result is a game that balances an extreme challenge with the welcome of mediation. It can be tough if you want it to be, but without the ability to die (or inflict violence), it's also a game that can be taken at your own pace.

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Our examiner, Jo Robertson, first checked Jusant 10 months ago. It was re-examined by Ellen Robertson and updated 4 weeks ago.