Jotun: Valhalla Edition

Without a doubt the highlight of Jotun is also its raison d’etre: spectacularly epic boss fights against gargantuan Gods.

My impressions of Jotun: Valhalla Edition are overwhelmingly positive. While I feel the levels are sparsely populated, the boss battles more than make up for the slow-paced path. The game controlled and ran perfectly on the system. The beautiful art style and amazing sound design built an incredible world that should not be overlooked.

Those that haven’t played Jotun before are in for a real treat.

Jotun is a short game, and good players can probably plow through it in about 3 or 4 hours, but even with the ending behind me, I find myself dying to witness some images again and wanting to try different strategies. I want to hear Thora tell her tale again. Any good bedtime story that makes you want to hear it again right after it’s over is one for the ages.

Jotun isn’t a long game by any means, but it packs in a lot. The diverse environments are beautiful, the boss fights are expertly designed, and Norse mythology is just cool. It also tells a personal story that makes the ride all the more enjoyable.

A beautiful, but sometimes shallow, crash course in Norse mythology that shines in its boss fights’ designs and overall presentation. And while Valhalla Mode isn’t much of an incentive to jump back in for returning players, it adds tremendous challenge to the already difficult core experience.

It's heavy going at times, but the imposing sweep of Jotun's world is Asgard as it gets. [Nov 2016, p.79]

A visually awesome experience with fascinating landscapes and great animations, but a little bit on the boring side gameplay-wise. More variety in the combat mechanics and some more care on camera and map design would have greatly benefited the game.

It's a pity that Thunder Lotus Games didn't get the chance to work on those aspects that keep Jotun from excellence, such as too much trial and error and boring exploration, because the art style and the fights with the titular giants would deserve a better vote. The unlockable Valhalla Mode is a welcome addition but it's not enough to recommend this game wholeheartedly.

Jotun: Valhalla Edition feels like the product of ambitious artists and sound designers who had a vision for their world and executed it nigh-flawlessly. Unfortunately, this simply serves to drive home just how mundane the gameplay is. In essence, Jotun as a video game feels more like a vehicle to deliver the artistic talents of its developers. Every element is passable, but the memorable moments all come from artistic achievements, not strong gameplay design.

The game is rather short one clocking in at around six hours but it's a fun experience.