When I saw that Jotun had updated in Steam, I greeted it as I would a nemesis or old friend. “At last, we meet again,” I drawled, clicking eagerly on the icon. My trials in Jotun’s alpha release taught me the cost of overconfidence, and so I set my jaw, hefted my metaphorical axe, and braced myself for a challenge.
Thunder Lotus Games’ inaugural title focuses on Thora, a Viking warrior who must make up for an inglorious death by slaying jotun. Felling these gigantic foes is her only way to gain entry to Valhalla, and that path is neither straight nor easy. Each jotun can only be reached after finding the necessary runes. Combat with these behemoths is nigh impossible without first receiving the blessing of Norse gods at their altars, which grant Thora additional abilities. My encounter with the first jotun in the alpha build left me equal parts salty and enamored with the game. It’s hard out there for a Viking warrior.
While I had been sharpening my reflexes and reinforcing my will, it seems that Thunder Lotus Games had also been spending time with the proverbial whet stone, honing and refining what few complaints they received from the alpha version. I had an axe to grind with the jotun’s damage collider in my last preview. Thunder Lotus adjusted Isa’s shadow to indicate more clearly where damage will be dealt. I was frustrated with the perspective, which was fluctuated between being too close to Thora and too far out during boss fights. Developers refined Thora herself, making her a little faster and allowing players to cancel attacks with a dodge. On general levels, they pulled the camera out further, thus giving a better view of the scenery. Jotun may be all about pleasing the Norse gods, but I suspect that these fixes will go a long way to please its players.
Such mindfulness is equally apparent in the beta’s new content. As before, players must conquer two levels and find two runes before they can challenge the area’s jotun. Rather than icy heights, this version plunges Thora into Nidavellir—a realm of darkness, caverns, and hidden treasures. This new area is not just diverse from the alpha aesthetically; each level offers a unique twist on the core gameplay. Yggdrasil’s roots act as a maze, forcing players to choose their paths wisely. If they linger too long, they will have to dodge debris dislodged by Nidhogg, the legendary dragon who also dwells in those depths. Brokkr’s Forge is staffed by hordes of dwarves who will protect their treasure with their hammers and lives. Round a corner too recklessly, and players can quickly find themselves overwhelmed by a mob. Thora’s heightened speed and responsiveness suit these environments well, as does the wider perspective.
There is no greater test than that which is presented by Fé, Nidavellir’s jotun boss. With her massive shield and hordes of loyal subjects at her disposal, she makes an intimidating and capable opponent. Ousting her admittedly took a few attempts, but the challenge was less of a cold shock to my system than icy Isa. As with the last jotun, paying close attention to the rhythm of combat and the environment around Thora will help ensure the Viking’s victory—and put her one step closer to regaining the Norse god’s favor.
Though I felt more like a seasoned warrior with this playthrough, I am unconvinced that all of Jotun’s visibility issues are fixed. Keeping track of Thora in a horde of similarly-sized dwarves was occasionally frustrating—a feeling that was magnified when I had to simultaneously keep tabs on Thora’s location amidst hordes of dwarves and Fé’s onslaught of attacks. A few similar environmental tweaks may be in order, too. A pause-screen map is crucial when navigating Brokkr’s Forge and the Roots of Yggdrasil, but I found that key stairways were still easily lost in the environment. This is a shame when so many other correct paths are marked by vividly hued and visible landmarks.
That said, I remain impressed with Jotun. It had piqued my interest (and spiked my blood pressure) with its alpha build, and the beta further honed what I admired about the game. A few thoughtful tweaks go a long way in making Jotun’s challenges seem fair rather than arbitrary. The cycle of finding runes, discovering altars, and fighting jotun will never become dull if Thunder Lotus Games continues to enrich their levels with creative lore representations and varying gameplay elements. Already, I am chomping at the bit to face the next jotun Hagalaz, who rules the realm of the Sun and Moon. Thunder Lotus’s teaser trailer suggests that this fight will be as unique as the previous encounters, and so it reaffirms my faith that the finished product will be as sharp and polished as a Viking’s axe.
Thora will be able to fight her way out of Viking Purgatory in September 2015, and the wait is bound to feel like a purgatory of an entirely different nature. Jotun will be available on Steam for Windows, Mac, and Linux.
A steam code was provided by the developer for the purpose of this preview.
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