Huge, but quiet, lands build from dwarven forges, snow blown rivers and poisonous forests. The word painterly comes to mind when discussing the visuals in this title. When you do fell one of these foul beasts nothing but pride will overwhelm you there are few games that have set piece battles as gratifying as Jotun. It can be a little grating, but it is a learning experience. You will die often and be greeted by a message saying you haven't impressed the gods. There's a lot of trial-and-error involved patience is key. Just as you think you've pegged their patterns, they change them up is surprising ways or add a new wrinkle to the madness. You'll need to be three steps ahead, as dodging their attacks and trying to compensate for their range is paramount. You must wear them down bit by bit, watching for tells on their attack patterns and taking advantage of what small and few openings you have. They almost feel like battles of attrition. They aren't to be taken lightly, but they aren't as impossible as you'd think at first blush. They are quick to finish you off, often taking a quarter or third of your health in one fell swoop. They are some of the most imposing things ever seen in a video game, the type of boss that'll have your jaw dropping to the floor and filling you with dread and fear. Five in all (six, including the final boss), the Jotun are immense, evil, almost godlike creatures that fill the entire screen and block your path to a better existence. Overcoming these elemental obstacles and persevering by finding the runes (and hopefully the life bar raising apples of Ithun!) is supremely satisfying, but they are but an appetizer to the main course: your battles with the Jotun. To further drill the point home, there are moments where the camera pans out so far that Thora is but a blip on the screen, just to give the player a reminder of the world's scale and how you are next to nothing compared to it. Jotun sets the world up around you in a way that makes you realize this is an adventure you are definitely going on solo, and the sense of desolation and solitude are magnified. It's in these moments, listening to the wind breeze across enormous frozen lakes or the cracking of thunder after a close lightning bolt hits the ground beside you, that you feel so very alone. The lands of Giggungagap are harsh, foreboding places meant to deter all but the heartiest of warriors. Your opposition isn't your typical horde of axe fodder, rather it's the environment. With a couple of exceptions the lands you travel through are sparse. As a bonus for Wii U players they can all be accessed via the GamePad touch screen, handily arranged by your right thumb. Thor raises your strength, Freya increases your speed and a handful more provide you with perks that, although they can be optional, are actually essential in your battle against the mighty Jotun. Loki allows you to spring a trap on enemies in the form of a dummy that'll explode after a short time. As you travel through the exotic lands of Giggungagap, you'll come across shrines that bestow the power of the gods upon you. She has an attack that can be combined into a solid one-two combo, a stronger attack that has a charge to it, and a dodge maneuver that is invaluable to her coming trials and tribulations. In the beginning, Thora's move set remains simple but stalwart. At times these disparate modes of play seem at odds, when in reality they play off of each other in a way that you'll end up appreciating one because of the other. Then you can tackle boss encounters that are extraordinary in scale. You must first travel through various realms, searching for runes that open the doors to them. It's not as easy as simply sauntering into their domains and challenging them. Jotun: Valhalla Edition follows a Viking warrior named Thora who, after drowning unceremoniously, is given the chance to ascend to Valhalla…so long as she proves her worth by defeating elemental giants in the Norse version of Purgatory.
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