Platform: PC
Developer: Thunder Lotus Games
Publisher: Thunder Lotus Games
Release Date: September 29th, 2015
Genre: Action / Adventure / Indie
Nerd Rating: 7 out of 10
Reviewed by Kikopaff
Giant tree tentacles sprouting from the soil. Screaming, brawl-thirsty dwarves. Hurdles of rock and lava falling from the sky. Jotun: Valhalla Edition is a magnificent sight for sore eyes, showcasing the power and beauty of nature’s forces. Its idyllic paradises teem with natural perils and precious runes waiting for you to unlock and receive the formidable strength of the gods. This indie goodie from developers Thunder Lotus Games will entice you to wield the weapons of war and experience the mythical treats of Norse mythology. However, after about six or seven hours of navigating through Jotun’s earthquakes, enduring winter blizzards and just overall trying to impress the gods, Jotun has some in-game mechanics that could use a little more tweaking.
Set in Norse mythology, Jotun spans sprawling regions of various weather types, landscapes and architecture. You play as Thora, a Viking warrior who dies an inglorious death and gets a second chance to prove her might to the gods and enter Valhalla, the equivalent of Norse heaven. In your quest to achieve the thumbs up from the gods, you search for hidden runes across the game to awaken the five Jotuns, giant Norse elementals, in which you battle for glory. If you enjoy Norse mythology or mediums that implement this rich history, then Jotun will feel like your childhood dream coming to life. Voiceovers are spoken in Icelandic, allowing your experience as Thora to feel richly authentic and vibrant.
Navigating through Jotun is an absolutely gorgeous expedition. You enter Yggdrasil, the connector of the nine worlds, aka the nine zones, in which you spend your journey exploring. The hand-drawn animations are incredibly detailed, from Thora’s cloak waving behind as you run around, to the top-down view of the environment below. Every detail is executed with finesse and is seamlessly attractive to watch; like little screen shakes as Thora smashes her axe to the ground or subtle flashes when a Jotun receives damage. Each of the nine worlds feels distinct and unique, able to hold its own beauty. I enjoyed running through lush twigs and giant mushrooms, or carefully tiptoeing around glowing red cracks that bubbled with lava underneath. There is always something new to discover in Jotun‘s rich world and is worth staring at with awe. These subtle details also stress urgency when highly stressful situations arise; like a shadow looming from the thin ice below and suddenly, a giant sea serpent smashes through the ice. Shadows are also cleverly used throughout Jotun to indicate safe zones or the size and width of the Jotun’s attack, making combat especially easier to plan. As you wander around, I notice that Thora is very small in scale in comparison to the rest of her world. This reminds me that there is a universe far bigger than ourselves. It’s refreshing to be able to surrender your control to the forces of nature. Plus, Jotun does a great job of adding the David versus Goliath element throughout your gameplay.
She would give them order. She would create constellations.
But despite its attention to visual detail and its smooth animations, I struggled with Jotun‘s lack of clear level objectives. Yes, searching for the hidden runes are made known thanks to the early narration in the game, but even as I marvel at the world around me, each zone feels slow and unmotivating. This could be due to a very obtuse map, which took me a couple of zones to figure out what each legend means and where my location corresponds with the map’s design. I spent most of Jotun aimlessly running around trying to find a landmark that would indicate some vague idea of my whereabouts. Thankfully, you can explore each of the nine worlds in any order you choose, so I was able to leave and enter as I pleased. It made my exploration feel a little less repetitive, and if one zone felt too tedious, I could easily access another zone. One of the major landmarks to locate are statues dedicated to different Norse gods, and when discovered, you gain a special ability or a ‘blessing’ to use in your brawls against the Jotuns. There are also golden apples lying around that when consumed, extends your health bar. Despite such bait for upgrades, Jotun feels like a sluggish tenth round of hide-and-seek and takes some time to get used to.
Uhhh… where am I?
However, the combat is genuinely immersive. Timing is crucial for success, and Jotun requires a level head and the ability to not storm off in frustration (although trust me, you may encounter this rage at least once). Battling against the Jotun requires some level of strategy. You might be able to get away with DPS (damage per second) bursts, but this will usually result in early death. Instead, your best chances may be luring each Jotun to attack at a specific spot, come from behind and take the opponent down for a few precious seconds. Every battle feels stressful, desperate and exciting as you try to dodge lightning bolts, poisonous gases or giant shields speeding towards you. As Thora, you have access to special abilities like healing or extra speed. You also have a heavy attack which deals a little more damage than your regular basic attack, but the price is a delay in releasing the attack, making timing even more critical. It took me a few tries against some bosses than others and can feel frustrating when you die thanks to a silly error or not activating your powers quick enough.
This is what happens when you don’t take care of your plants.
Some bosses appear to increase in difficulty as well but aren’t impossible to complete. Jotun will reward the patient thinker who can navigate through each Jotun’s strengths and weaknesses strategically. As you conquer the battle, the rush of victory is truly satisfying and is what makes Jotun an exciting action game. Jotun is a very replayable game, thanks to its new Valhalla mode exclusive to the Valhalla Edition. If you haven’t already defeated each Jotun, Valhalla mode enables you to fight against the Jotuns once more, but with increased difficulty and faster sequences. It’s an opportunity to whet that Viking, bloodthirsty appetite and prove once more to the gods just how badass you are at slaying the giants. If you enjoy the combat from games like Monster Hunter: World or boss battles from Shadow of the Colossus, then you won’t be disappointed.
Jotun‘s soundtrack also sounds marvellous. Aside from its Norse-like inspired score and soothing guitar melodies, every interaction with the environment sounds crisp and clear. As you run, footsteps along the dirt crunch and stomp. Birds caw and crickets chirp in the distance. Lava gurgles in a hot stream and metal clashes against metal. There is nothing in Jotun‘s environment that doesn’t make you want to go outside and listen to nature yourself.
Jotun is a visual masterpiece, flaunting its fluidity through humble hand-drawn animations and sweeping palettes. If you enjoy breathtaking views and worlds like Ori and the Blind Forest or Child of Light, you must add Jotun to your collection of best-looking-games-ever. Its combat is one of the most exciting I’ve played through, leaving me with memorable victories and a sense of pride that’s sure to last. Jotun poetically combines the rich and ancient history of Norse mythology and the creativity of somehow allowing this mythology to be your own. Despite some issues with pacing and an unclear map, Jotun offers players a satisfying journey, a call to impress the gods and enter Valhalla for yourself – an achievement worth dying for.
Written by Kikopaff
Kikopaff is an avid fan of comics, slurps many bowls of ramen, and lives in the Land Down Under. When she’s not writing about video games, she is playing Sid Meier’s Civilization VI or buried in a Terry Pratchett book. She also loves cooking up a storm in her kitchen.
