Jotun: Valhalla Edition

Game with beautiful graphics and top view. The soundtrack is also excellent. The gameplay is repetitive but the bosses are downright difficult and if you love a bit of a challenge then this game is for you. Recommended 8/10 my rating

very beautiful and easy to understand in terms of gameplay and story 10/10

Jotun: Valhalla Edition is an action-adventure game developed and published by Thunder Lotus Games. The game is set in Norse mythology and follows the story of Thora, a Viking warrior who must prove her worth to the gods to gain entry to Valhalla.
One of the standout features of Jotun: Valhalla Edition is its hand-drawn graphics. The game features stunning and detailed animations that bring the world of Norse mythology to life. The game's environments are vast and varied, ranging from icy tundras to fiery lava pits.
The game's soundtrack is also noteworthy. The game features an epic and immersive score that adds to the overall atmosphere of the game. The game's sound design is also well-done, with the sounds of combat and the environment helping to immerse players in the world of the game.
The game's combat is challenging but rewarding. The game features a mix of melee combat and puzzle-solving, with players needing to use strategy and timing to take down the game's massive bosses. The game's difficulty can be punishing at times, but the game's checkpoint system helps to keep things fair.
The game's story is engaging and well-told. The game features a mix of cutscenes and in-game dialogue that help to flesh out the game's world and characters. The game's story is also well-paced, with new challenges and revelations coming at a steady pace.
One potential downside of the game is its length. The game can be completed in a relatively short amount of time, with only a handful of bosses to defeat. However, the game's replay value helps to offset this, as players can try out different strategies and explore different areas to find hidden secrets.
Overall, Jotun: Valhalla Edition is a beautifully crafted action-adventure game that immerses players in the world of Norse mythology. The game's hand-drawn graphics, epic soundtrack, challenging combat, and engaging story make it a must-play for fans of the genre. If you're looking for a game that is both visually stunning and engaging, Jotun: Valhalla Edition is definitely worth checking out.

A fun game that takes about 6 hours.
You explore two levels per world, and then fight a boss. Levels have good variety and are mostly exploration focused, while bosses are huge and mostly about pattern recognition and timing your attacks. Your axe is huge and slow, forcing you to plan your attacks. If you just run in swinging, you'll lose.
Art direction is good. Unique. Looks like cel animation with pencils. Music is good and fits appropriately.
Currently priced at 15 dollars. If you like no-hit runs or other challenges, this game is worth the full 15. If you think you'll play it once, 7 or 8 dollars feels more reasonable.

Be patient. Animations take time, but are stunning. The artwork is the game’s main selling point, for sure, with an almost Studio Ghibli aesthetic. Everything is hand drawn and painted, and it shows. There is no slow down, and the reams of enemies stay on screen even once defeated, thanks to it being an animation rather than physics. The quality is outstanding, and coupled with the contemporary yet historically appropriate music, the whole game is an utter joy for the senses.
Gameplay wise, those of us who enjoy fast-paced combat might start off a little frustrated with how slow things move. The first boss can be a chore, until you figure out your pattern and stick to it. The heavy axe chop attack takes a long three seconds to charge, so use it wisely.
There isn’t much in the way of a tutorial, but it’s not really necessary. The mechanics and items that are important to know about are explained in the story, and combat buttons are simple. As I said, it’s all about exploration and making sure you’ve covered the map. The five levels are all part of the larger story, and there’s an overworld of sorts, meaning you can choose which order you’d like to complete the levels. There are also maps of each area, detailing the discoveries you have made, and the ones you are yet to find.
Coming into this game, I was aware that it would be a serious take on the story, and it’s evident that great care and love has gone into making it believable and enthralling. Part of the way Thunder Lotus Games has done this is to have the voice acting done in Icelandic, despite their roots lying in Canada. It’s a pretty bold move – reading subtitles might put some people off – but it only adds to the feel of the whole game. It’s hard to find Old Norse speakers who can also deliver lines with the emotion and beauty that Jotun has; though I can’t state that for a fact, as I’ve never tried to find someone who can speak Old Norse in such a good way. Icelandic or Faroese is the closest language to Old Norse according to Wikipedia, but regardless of citation, it sounds wonderful. It’s almost like a hand drawn Shadow of the Colossus. It manages to feel as epic whilst being a 2D top-down affair, and draws me in in just the same way.

It's a fun little game about Norse mythology. Beautiful audio and visuals. This is why I love indie games.

Very beautiful game, nice mix of puzzle and action.