[Introduction]

[Negatives]

[Gameplay]

[Story]

[Graphics]

[Music]

[music.maxll.ca]

[Conclusion]

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Jotun is one of those indie games that you tend to ignore at first since very few people actually talked about it, but once you finally play it you are instantly drawn in by the beauty that this game truly is. It’s been lying around in my library for at least five months, and after playing it I was shocked that I hadn’t touched it earlier. I was hesitant thinking all it had to offer was a couple of really hard bosses, but oh my god, I couldn't have been more wrong...These are my own experiences and opinions, please consider reading my other reviews too!Let’s begin with the things that bothered me so we can get to the good stuff.The mini map doesn't show your current position which can get confusing in more twisted areas of the game. It’s good for orientation, but constantly having to keep track of my current position, I often found myself going back to the entrance to start over and get my bearings. Continuing the game after closing it, accidentally or because you want to take a break, makes you respawn in a hub-area, which means you’ll have to travel through the larger areas again from scratch; it’s a bit frustrating. Background textures seem pixelated in certain areas, though it was rarely noticeable.Jotun has a stylized hub-area which shows you the complete map of each area, along with what you’ve discovered and have yet to find. Secrets are only shown after you’ve either discovered them, or after the area boss is defeated.There are nine different areas to explore, each with its own boss, enemies, and environmental hazards, as well as different means to traverse the twisted landscapes, making each area vastly distinct from the next. The often huge areas can feel very linear, but do offer some hidden paths that uncover secrets and upgrades that really help when it’s time to fight the boss. This game makes you feel small and weak thanks to clever use of the camera zooming in and out. You are a measly human compared to the immense nordic gods, but you have the power to prove them wrong.The tools that you have at your disposal are two attacks, a dodge roll, and a few skills. Quick attacks do little damage, but your strong attack hits like a truck and needs to be charged for a few seconds, locking your movement, during which you can aim in the direction you want the attack to go. The core focus is the combat, and it can be pretty harsh. Watch your enemy's movement until you’ve learned their attack patterns, plan accordingly, only to be then crushed as each boss changes their moveset as their fights progress. There are a few things to make your journey easier but they can also be avoided completely for the hardcore players out there. 6 limited skills can be used during each bossfight to bring some relief; use a timed shield that blocks all incoming attacks, speed up your movement and attack speed for some seconds or just increase your strong attacks attack power to make every hit a devastating blow. Shadows of incoming attacks show you where they will land, giving you enough time to move away to avoid getting hit in the face. There are also hidden health upgrades which can be tricky to find.Dieing an inglorious death, the protagonist Thora get's a second chance to change her fate to get into Valhalla by proving herself to the gods in fighting hostile norse elementals.Jotuns story is completely based on norse mythology and is as close to the real thing as possible, which is really neat. Many names will be familiar if you ever played games that used said mythology. The story is told in a minimalistic way and you get to learn why the protagonist is the way she is in a believable way. After defeating each boss you get a bit of her past as a reward which is a great way of taking a break after you finally defeated those tough creatures and you just stand there and listen to her beautiful voice. The narration is fully voiced in old norse(old viking style) with subtitles in english and even though i can’t understand a word of it, it was so amazingly fitting for every situation which made me craving for more.I really had my doubts about the graphics since the hand drawn yet minimalistic boss designs, looked like a child drew them, but I was wrong again. The art works really well once you see it in motion, and they really did an incredible job with the animations overall. The background is very clean but more detailed, and works nicely together nicely with the "amateurish" drawings of objects, bosses and enemies. Once you feel the music, sounds and animations in action, you’ll realize the devs knew what they were doing, it just works!Orchestrated, appropriately epic music fitting every situation is also one of the strong points of the game. One special thing I like to mention is the dynamic presentation of music increasing in volume and variety while the camera zooms out to show you upcoming areas or just objectives you have accomplished. I just stood there and let the atmosphere sink in while listening to the well made music.Don’t let the minimalistic graphics fool you, this is an excellent game for those who enjoy good boss fights and challenging gameplay. While the game is only about four to six hours long, the boss rush mode will keep you occupied for even longer. I recommend it to anyone who enjoyed similar games like Shadow of the Colossus, Titan Souls, or Furi. Fans of norse mythology will also find great value in this game as it’s world filled with legends and mythological beings.