A journey larger than life.
In my very first moments of Jotun, I was immediately overtaken by the wondrous mood of Thunder Lotus Games’ impressive world. This journey through the legends of Norse mythology is supported by utterly beautiful hand-drawn animation and a rousing soundtrack that all comes together to create a place steeped in mysticism and reverence.
As Thora, the battle-hardened viking warrior who unceremoniously drowns one stormy night at sea, you’re given a second chance to prove your courage to the gods. And even while the larger story of a battle against elemental giants called Jotuns unfolds, Thora’s backstory and stoic personality shine through in her narration, fantastically delivered in her strong voice and native language.
We want to hear it.
Each themed level of the Jotun realms is spectacular, not only for the beautiful atmosphere, sweeping backdrops and vistas, and environmental dangers, but for the thoughtful inclusion of mythology ingrained in their design.
Jotun is a slow experience, to be sure … best appreciated and savored for its artistry.
You’ll engage lightning-pylon puzzles in the clouds to recreate constellations and connect sky bridges of light. You’ll slide down the roots and climb the branches of Yggdrasil, the world-connecting tree. You’ll travel through vignettes to learn the Norse myth of creation, and evade attacks from Jormungar, the colossal sea serpent that encircles the entire world.
And though actually moving through these levels isn’t particularly difficult, exploring them for hidden items like the life-bar extending Apples of Ithunn, braving the occasional enemy, and collecting the runes from each region never felt boring or unengaging. Jotun is a slow experience, to be sure, but its roughly 10 hours are best appreciated and savored for its artistry, rather than completed as quickly as possible.
We want to hear it.
That is until you confront each realm’s Jotun, where the priority becomes memorizing complex attack patterns in the erupting chaos of the colossal encounters. And they are colossal. Jotun’s amazing use of scale successfully instills the feeling of insignificance against the hugeness of the Norse world.
Defeating the titanic Jotuns is the fast-paced, action-heavy storm to the calm of exploration that precedes them.
Defeating the titanic Jotuns is the fast-paced, action-heavy storm to the calm of exploration that precedes them. Thora’s arsenal is modest by comparison – an axe with a light and heavy attack, and a dodge. And though you do earn the blessings of the Norse pantheon by discovering each deity’s shrine – Thor’s power increases your heavy-attack damage, Freya augments your speed, Heimdall lends you his protective shield and Frigg bestows upon you her gift of healing – you’re limited in the number of times you can rely on these abilities.
Each encounter sparks a hectic dance of avoiding massive attacks while navigating environmental pitfalls. Picking the right moment to strike back is almost always a tough challenge. And though much of the fights revolve around memorizing their attack patterns, do to their sheer size and prowess, avoiding the barrage of elemental death is still a complex proposition.
At the end of my journey through Jotun, I was left wanting more of the excellent mythological world to explore and experience. Despite very minor frame rate dips and the occasional glitchy element, the beauty and wonder of Jotun unfolds like a storybook and deserves attention.
