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Jusant

Jusant

DON'T NOD · released Oct 30, 2023

ActionAdventureIndiePCPlayStation 5Xbox Series X

Enjoy meditative vibes in Jusant, an action-puzzle climbing game. Scale an immeasurably tall tower and ascend to new heights alongside your watery companion. Master your climbing tools, find your way up through diverse biomes, and piece together the tower’s past.

87
VGC Score
Stablehigh confidence

anchored at patch: “Jusant patch 1.04 - The Accessibility Update” (2y ago)

89%
At launch
93%
Steam all-time
84%
Press
75%
Player sentiment
93%
Recent sentiment

PC 87 · PlayStation 70 · Xbox 77

Screenshots & trailers

Review sentiment over time

Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.

How this score was computed

The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.

ComponentPositiveQuality (0-100)Weight (pseudo-reviews)
Press reviews (OpenCritic)84111
Creator reviews (1 tracked)971
All-time Steam reviews93%871000
Metacritic user ratings79123
Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted)93%873000
Calibration prior (typical game)7250

Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Nov 21, 2023) · 300 reviews sampled · 4099 total reviews in window · weighted 142.2 up / 12.8 down · computed 3h ago · full methodology →

Press & Creators reviews (99)

Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.

  • 80
    trust 83Dec 3, 2023

    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.

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    trust 78Jan 29, 2024

    Jusant is a very unassuming and cute ecology-themed game with simple mechanics and a non-trivial plot. If it weren't for the self-repeaters and bugs, it would be much more enjoyable.

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    trust 78Nov 18, 2023

    A wonderful adventure that you'll want to return to later for its delightful artstyle and enjoyable rock climbing.

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    trust 77Oct 31, 2023

    Though Jusant gets a bit fanciful in its last level, abandoning its natural elements for an astronomical excursion, the rapturous feeling of climbing the seemingly unclimbable continues to drive the game forward. This is where Jusant’s deliberate, precise mechanics are so vital, as the more responsive the controls, the more responsible players are for each outcome. Nothing is impossible, the game suggests. You just have to take it one step at a time.

    read full review ↗
  • 85
    trust 76Dec 2, 2023

    Jusant offers a breathtaking rock-climbing adventure with an emotional story, just as we’ve come to expect from Don’t Nod. The developers have managed to bring their strengths to a genre that’s new to them, thereby demonstrating their versatility. Rock climbing provides a satisfying experience. Combined with appealing visuals, a powerful soundtrack, and a meditative atmosphere, these strengths far outweigh a few shortcomings and certainly do nothing to detract from the charm of this short but well-crafted project.

    read full review ↗
  • 84
    trust 75Nov 10, 2023

    If you love climbing, reading, mystery and slow-paced games, this one is a pick like no other! If you can’t stand any of these elements, we’d suggest giving this game a try either way. There is just something captivating in Jusant that you can’t easily find on the market these days.

    read full review ↗
  • 90
    trust 73Dec 12, 2023

    Jusant is an enthralling, enrapturing, calming game that feels akin to meditation. Its simple gameplay and open-ended story, along with some truly stunning visuals create an experience that is like nothing else I’ve played this year. The journey to the heavens is nearly perfect and you should take it.

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    trust 72Oct 31, 2023

    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.

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    trust 70Oct 31, 2023

    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.

    read full review ↗
  • 75
    trust 69Oct 31, 2023

    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.

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    trust 69Oct 31, 2023

    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.

    read full review ↗
  • 70
    trust 69Oct 31, 2023

    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.

    read full review ↗

…and 87 more tracked reviews.

Patch history

  1. Jusant patch 1.04 - The Accessibility Update
    Nov 21, 2023significant · resets scoring window
  2. Jusant patch 1.02.1431188 (Day One)
    Oct 31, 2023significant · resets scoring window