There’s no denying that this approach may be a little too slowly paced for some, especially seeing as the game immediately adopts this structure from its first stage. This very effectively illustrates the sense of isolation that Thora has to overcome in her quest to impress the Gods, and often shows that the land itself can be just as unforgiving as the Jotun. For example, the blizzards in Niflheim can be treacherous, but as you traverse the howling gales you’ll notice that there are large rocks with a buildup of ice and snow on one side. The game even provides subtle clues as to how to survive. These puzzles are presented without fanfare, which is much more organic than a scripted introduction. Instead of standard enemies, Thora has to contend with environmental puzzles. There are very few enemies in these stages, and Thora will often find herself alone in an environment steeped in graveyard stillness, with only the occasional crow for company. These sections are relatively slow-paced, peaceful, and contemplative, emphasising diligent exploration over combat. The levels are very exploration focussed, with Thora having to rely on a rather minimalist map screen and her own navigation instincts to search the area for the rune, along with other secrets. Jotun’s gameplay style is perhaps best described as having two very distinct sections: the rune-collecting levels, and the boss fights with the Jotun. Once both of an area’s runes have been collected, the seal to the boss door is broken, and you’re free to declare war on that area’s Jotun in a climactic battle full of unfeasibly large swords and probably explosions. This hub has five different areas, each with two levels apiece, and the goal is to explore each of these levels for the ancient rune that dwells within. The structure is quite simple, really, with Ginnungagap acting as a sort of hub world between the levels. If the story, graphics, and music set up the nail, it’s up to the gameplay to Mjölnir it home. Admittedly, I’m a bit of a language nerd, but I could honestly listen to Thora speak all day. It’s a piece of detail that I never would have expected going into Jotun for the first time, but it does absolute wonders for creating an immersive atmosphere, and the game would really suffer without it. Moreover, the narration is delivered in Icelandic and is subtitled in English, which is just brilliant. It’s a difficult balance to achieve, but Jotun does it brilliantly. It’s an impressively staggered approach to storytelling, with the narration never lasting so long as to be irritating, while also appearing often enough that the player never feels in the dark. Whenever the player first arrives in an area, a brief bit of narration fills them in on the background context of the area, and when Thora successfully defeats one of the Jotun, she offers us another glimpse into her own backstory. The story is revealed piecemeal through snatches of narration, either from Thora herself or by someone who is presumably the overseer of the void. The Jotun are not to be taken lightly, what with them being literal giants and everything, so Thora’s quest to impress the Gods will be filled with peril, and dodge-rolling. In order to prove her worth, and finally enter Valhalla, Thora must explore the realms of the abyss and vanquish the titular Jotun that dwell within. A warrior essentially raised from birth with a driving motivation to impress her clan-chief father, Thora suffered an inglorious death and so was banished to The Void, or Ginnungagap if you want to give your tongue a workout. Which is a good thing, really, seeing as the story follows a young viking named Thora as she journeys through the afterlife. A mix of mellow music and subtle sound cues combine seemingly effortlessly with the charming visual design to give the game an enchanting, otherworldly quality. Not to be outdone, the soundtrack supports the visuals perfectly. The art is hand-drawn, with frame-by-frame animation, allowing for intricate and nuanced character design alongside beautifully coloured environments. Not to give away my opinion early on or anything, but Jotun really is a lovely game. On the much more restrained end of the spectrum, though, we have Jotun: Valhalla Edition on Nintendo Switch. Thankfully, April 2018 has been The Month of the Viking, with God of War arising to prove itself the grand, big-budget masterpiece we all hoped it would be. In the grand scheme of gaming pop culture icons, vikings are often shunned to make room for more zombies, ninjas, and even pirates. It had felt like ages since we’d had games with Norse themes. Developer: Thunder Lotus Games Publisher: Thunder Lotus Games Platform(s): PS4, XB1, PC, Wii U, Switch (new release)
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