Jusant: The Meditative Climbing Adventure That Will Take Your Breath Away

Some games are about saving the world. Some are about defeating evil. And some are just about climbing a really, really tall tower.

Jusant is the third kind. And honestly? It is one of the most refreshing gaming experiences I have had in a long time.

No combat. No enemies trying to kill you. No stressful countdown timers. Just you, your rope, and a mysterious tower stretching up into the clouds. The French studio Don’t Nod, best known for games like Life is Strange, decided to make something completely different. And they absolutely nailed it.

Let me tell you everything you need to know about this beautiful little game.

Quick Info Table

Category	Details
Publisher	Don’t Nod
Developer	Don’t Nod
Release Date	October 31, 2023
Genre	Puzzle / Platformer / Climbing Adventure
Platforms	PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

Detailed Game Description

Let me start by explaining what Jusant actually is. The word “Jusant” is a French maritime term that refers to ebbing tides. Think of the water pulling back from the shore, revealing what was hidden beneath. That is exactly what this game is about .

You play as a lone wanderer, a young person with a backpack and a whole lot of determination. Your goal is simple. Climb a massive, abandoned tower. That is it. No villain to defeat. No treasure to find. Just the journey to the top.

But as you climb, you uncover the story of a civilization that lived here long ago. The sea has dried up. The people have disappeared. All that remains are their letters, their tools, and the echoes of their lives preserved in strange conch shells .

The Developer Pedigree

Don’t Nod is a French studio based in Paris and Montreal. They are famous for narrative-driven games like Life is Strange, Remember Me, and Tell Me Why .

Jusant is a major departure for them. No dialogue choices. No branching narratives. Just pure, meditative gameplay. The directors, Mathieu Beaudelin and Kevin Poupard, wanted to create something that felt like a breath of fresh air in an industry full of violence and chaos .

They succeeded.

The Gameplay

Now let me talk about how the game actually plays. This is the most important part. And it is brilliant.

The climbing mechanic is something I have never experienced before. If you play with a controller (which I strongly recommend), you control each hand separately. The left trigger controls the left hand. The right trigger controls the right hand .

You have to actually think about your climbing. You cannot just hold up on the joystick and watch your character magically scale walls. You have to reach for the next handhold. You have to time your jumps. You have to manage your stamina because if you run out, you fall.

And yes, you can fall. And when you fall, you lose progress. But the game is generous. You can place pitons on the wall. These act like checkpoints. If you fall, you respawn at your last piton instead of the bottom of the tower .

As you climb, you unlock new abilities. You get a rope that lets you rappel down or swing across gaps. You can do wall runs. You can use your rope to create ziplines. And about an hour into the game, you meet your companion. A little blob of water that lives in your backpack .

This little guy is adorable. And helpful. He can make flowers bloom that act as platforms. He can summon fireflies that carry you across gaps. He is your silent partner on this journey.

The World and Story

Here is what makes Jusant special. The game has no dialogue. No voice acting. No text boxes explaining the plot. Everything is told through the environment .

You find letters scattered throughout the tower. These are written by the people who used to live here. A father writing to his daughter. A scientist documenting the dying sea. A child dreaming of the top of the tower. The writing is simple, sometimes even cliche. But it works .

The best storytelling comes from the conch shells. These are hidden collectibles scattered around the tower. When you find one, you hold it to your ear, and you hear a sound from the past. The chatter of a busy restaurant. The clinking of glasses. A guitar playing in the corner. And then the shell fades away, its memory preserved for just a moment .

It is beautiful. And sad. And hopeful all at once.

The environments themselves tell a story too. You start at the bottom of the tower, in a desert of dried seabed. There are coral fossils and barnacles on the rocks, hinting that this was once underwater. As you climb higher, you find abandoned houses, windmills, factories, libraries, and temples. Each area has its own personality .

My favorite area is Chapter 4, which takes place mostly indoors. There are fireflies everywhere. The lighting is magical. It feels like walking through a dream .

The Visuals and Sound

Jusant runs on Unreal Engine 5, and it shows . The game has a painterly, stylized art style. Everything looks soft and rounded, like a children’s book illustration. But the lighting is spectacular. Sunsets paint the tower in warm oranges and pinks. Storms roll in and make the climb tense and dramatic .

The sound design is minimal but effective. Most of the time, you hear nothing but the wind and your own breathing. The footsteps of your character. The grunt of effort when you pull yourself up a ledge. The whistle of the breeze through ancient windows .

And then there is the music. Guillaume Ferran composed the soundtrack, and it is beautiful. The music swells at just the right moments, making you feel the weight of the history around you. You can buy the soundtrack separately on Steam or other digital platforms .

How Long Is the Game?

Jusant is not a long game. A normal playthrough takes about 5 to 6 hours .

Some people might see this as a negative. I see it as a positive. The game respects your time. It does not pad itself with repetitive sections or unnecessary backtracking. Every climb, every puzzle, every area feels purposeful.

For the price of $24.99, you are getting a tightly crafted experience that you can finish in a weekend. That is fine by me. I would rather play a brilliant 5-hour game than a mediocre 50-hour game.

Accessibility Features

Here is something that impressed me. The developers added a significant accessibility patch shortly after launch. If you find the climbing too challenging or stressful, you can turn on features like :

• No Stamina: Removes the stamina mechanic entirely. You can climb forever without resting.
• Simplified Climbing: You only need to use the joystick to climb. No trigger controls.
• Jump Assistance: The game automatically grabs holds for you.
• Simplified Interactions: No need to hold down buttons for cranks and mechanisms.
• Colorblind Mode: Three different color filters for different types of colorblindness.

This means that almost anyone can play Jusant, regardless of skill level or physical ability. That is good game design.

Commercial Performance

I should mention that Jusant was not a commercial success for Don’t Nod. The studio has publicly stated that the game underperformed financially .

That is a shame. Because the game is excellent. But in a market dominated by big-budget sequels and live-service games, a quiet, meditative climbing game was always going to have a hard time finding an audience.

Do not let that stop you. The best games are not always the best-selling games.

Performance Issues

I have to be honest about one thing. The performance is not perfect.

During my playthrough on an RTX 3060 at 1440p with max settings, I experienced frame drops in more visually dense areas . The game typically runs at 60 FPS, but it stutters when there is a lot going on.

The developers have acknowledged this and released patches. But if you have a mid-range PC, you might need to lower some settings. On the Steam Deck, the game runs at a solid 30 FPS on high settings . So it is not unplayable by any means. Just not perfectly optimized.

What is the System Requirement for Jusant?

Now let me talk about the technical side. Jusant is not a very demanding game. But the system requirements are a little confusing because different sources list slightly different numbers.

I have gathered the official requirements from the developer’s support page and from Steam. Here is what you need to know .

Minimum System Requirements

If you want to play the game on lower settings, here is what you need:

• Operating System: Windows 10 (64-bit)
• Processor (CPU): Intel Core i5-7400 / Core i7-6700 or AMD Ryzen 3 1300X / Ryzen 5 1500X
• Memory (RAM): 8 GB
• Graphics Card (GPU): NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti (4 GB) or GTX 1060 (3 GB), or AMD Radeon RX 570 (4 GB) / RX 480 (4 GB)
• Storage: 15 GB to 20 GB available space (depending on source)
• DirectX: Version 12

My advice: The GTX 1050 Ti is a budget card from 2016. If you have a PC that is about 7 to 8 years old, you can run this game on minimum settings. The 8 GB RAM requirement is very modest.

Recommended System Requirements

For a smoother experience with higher graphics settings, aim for this configuration:

• Operating System: Windows 10 (64-bit)
• Processor (CPU): Intel Core i7-6700 or i7-10700, or AMD Ryzen 7 3700X
• Memory (RAM): 16 GB (though some sources say 8 GB is enough for recommended)
• Graphics Card (GPU): NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 (8 GB) or RTX 2060 Super (6 GB), or AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT (6 GB) / RX 5700 (8 GB)
• Storage: 15 GB to 20 GB available space
• DirectX: Version 12

Can My PC Run Jusant?

The honest answer is probably yes. Even the recommended requirements are not very high by modern standards. The GTX 1080 is a flagship card from 2016. The RTX 2060 Super is from 2019. Most gaming PCs from the last five to six years will run this game without any issues.

One thing to note. The game requires a graphics card that supports DirectX 12 with Shader Model 6.6 . This is a very specific requirement. Most modern GPUs support this, but if you have a very old card, you might run into problems.

Also, the game is only 15 to 20 GB in size. You do not need to clear out your hard drive.

Console Performance

Jusant runs on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. The performance is generally good, though some reviewers have noted frame drops in dense areas even on consoles .

The game is also available on Xbox Game Pass for cloud, console, and PC . So if you have a Game Pass subscription, you can try it without buying it.

Controller vs Keyboard and Mouse

The developers have been very clear about this. The game was designed with a controller in mind . You control each hand with the left and right triggers. This feels natural and immersive.

You can play with keyboard and mouse. But I strongly recommend using a controller if you have one. The experience is much better.

Steam Deck Compatibility

Jusant runs well on the Steam Deck. One reviewer managed to play at high settings with a solid 30 FPS . If you have a Steam Deck, this is a perfect game for it. The short play sessions and pick-up-and-play nature work well on a handheld.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

These are the questions people ask most often about Jusant. I have gathered them from forums, reviews, and the developer’s support page.

1. Is Jusant a hard game?

The difficulty is moderate. The climbing mechanics take some getting used to. You have to manage your stamina and think about your route. But the game is forgiving. You can place pitons as checkpoints. And if you find it too hard, you can turn on the accessibility features like No Stamina or Simplified Climbing .

It is not a punishing game. It is a meditative game with some challenge.

2. How long does it take to beat Jusant?

About 5 to 6 hours for a normal playthrough . If you want to find all the collectibles and secrets, you are looking at 8 to 10 hours.

3. Does Jusant have combat?

No. There are no enemies. No one is trying to kill you. The only challenge is the environment and your own stamina management .

4. Is there any dialogue or story?

The game has no voice acting. The story is told through environmental details, letters you find, and the conch shells that play audio memories. It is a very subtle, hands-off approach to storytelling .

5. Do I need to know how to climb to play?

Not at all. The game teaches you everything. The climbing mechanics are intuitive even if you have never climbed in real life .

6. Is Jusant worth full price?

Jusant costs $24.99. For a 5 to 6 hour experience, some people might feel it is expensive. But the quality is extremely high. The visuals, the music, the unique climbing mechanics, and the emotional storytelling make it worth the price in my opinion.

If you are unsure, play it on Game Pass first. Then decide if you want to buy it.

7. Can I play Jusant on Nintendo Switch?

No. Jusant is only available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S . There is no Switch version announced.

8. Is there a demo?

Yes, there was a demo available on Steam before launch. The progress from the demo does not carry over to the full game .

9. Does the game have a physical release?

As of now, Jusant is digital only. You can buy it on Steam, the Microsoft Store, and the PlayStation Store.

10. What is the “Ballast”?

Ballast is the name of your little water blob companion. He lives in your backpack and helps you by activating certain environmental elements like flowers and fireflies .

11. Is Jusant connected to Don’t Nod’s other games?

No. Jusant is a completely new IP. It has no connection to Life is Strange, Remember Me, or any of their other games .

12. Are there multiple endings?

No. The story is linear. There is one ending. But the journey matters more than the destination.

13. What are the conch shells for?

The conch shells are collectibles. Each one plays a short audio memory from the past. They are not required to finish the game, but they add a lot of emotional depth to the story .

14. Is the soundtrack available?

Yes. You can buy the soundtrack on Steam or on other digital platforms like Spotify and Apple Music .

15. Why is my game stuttering or dropping frames?

Jusant has some performance issues, especially in visually dense areas . Try lowering the graphics settings, especially shadows and post-processing. Also, make sure your graphics drivers are updated. The developers have released patches, so make sure you are on the latest version.

If you are on PC, try switching between DirectX 11 and DirectX 12. Some players report better performance on one or the other.

Final Verdict: Should You Buy Jusant?

Let me be direct with you. Jusant is not a game for everyone.

If you need action, explosions, and high-stakes combat, skip it. You will be bored.

If you need a complex, branching narrative with dialogue choices and multiple endings, skip it. That is not what this is.

But if you want a game that calms you down instead of stressing you out. If you want to experience something unique and beautiful. If you want to feel the satisfaction of pulling yourself up one handhold at a time, reaching a new ledge, and just stopping to look at the view. Then buy Jusant.

The climbing mechanics are innovative and satisfying. The visuals are stunning. The music is beautiful. The story, told without a single word, will stay with you long after you reach the top.

It is a game about solitude. About perseverance. About the echoes of lives that came before. And about the simple joy of looking out at the world from a great height.

For $24.99, or free on Game Pass, it is an easy recommendation.

Play it with headphones. Play it in a dark room. Take your time. Look at the view. Read the letters. Listen to the conch shells.

And when you finally reach the top, take a moment to appreciate the climb.