JETT: The Far Shore, the latest game from Superbrothers, the team behind the acclaimed Sword and Sworcery, as well as Pine Scented Software, piqued my interest ever since its reveal at June 2020’s PS5 showcase. But even as we’ve seen more from the space adventure, I’ll admit that my interest was mixed with uncertainty - I didn’t quite get what JETT would be like.
But after a few hours with a PC build of the soon-to-be-released console exclusive for PS4 and PS5, as well as a PC launch, I came away genuinely enraptured by the world(s) the developers are creating. It’s a serene and awe-inspiring adventure of exploration, discovery, and the mysteries waiting for us in the stars. JETT manages to capture all of that, at least so far in its opening hours, while giving players enough structure and goals to give the journey shape beyond its story setup. It’s big and ambitious, and while I had some minor quibbles with its more granular aspects, I’m fascinated by the mysteries the far shore holds.
During my few hours with JETT, there were a handful of first-person scenes that broke up the action, but primarily I was in control of a jet… well, a jett with two T’s. JETT’s characters are, as far as I can tell, human, but the development of their species has seemingly been built on a science-meets-religion venture to leave their home, explore space, and find the source of something known as the Hymnwave for salvation. The promise of a life beyond the surface of their planet drives this collective human race, and JETT surprisingly cuts to the core of how enticing yet sad that pursuit has been. Generations have worked, essentially, to get to this moment when players, as a character named Mei, will finally venture into space and find an answer to their lingering life questions.
But all that work is described as a sacrifice - these people are almost singularly directed by the goal of finding the Hymnwave, and while JETT’s opening, which sees Mei and her co-pilot flying across their ocean shores one last time on the way to a rocket liftoff site, captures a grand majesty and excitement for what’s to come, it’s mingled with an endearing sadness for what has seemingly been lost.
I’d be lying if I said my initial reaction to this sequence was anything but wonder and awe, though. Piloting this miniature jett just above the surface of the water, or of any surface, is a consistent thrill and, thankfully, core to JETT’s gameplay. The vehicle starts fairly simple, with only the ability to turn its thrusters on or off, the latter being for moments of more fine-tuned, small movements, though it seems you’ll primarily be relying on the faster movement speed. While having your engines fully activated, your jett’s abilities to speed up, dodge roll, pulse the area around it, or hop into the air are all tied to a meter that needs to be monitored so you don’t overheat the vehicle and temporarily short-circuit it.
That meter doesn’t really feel like a hindrance over time, especially as, when we finally reached another planet’s shores, vapor in this new atmosphere would temporarily cool the meter, allowing me to chain more speedy moves together without much worry. It’s the one bit of maintenance I’ve found so far to be conducted as you fly, but otherwise skimming the surface is pure bliss. Superbrothers has nailed a certain feel to the speed and movement of the jett that makes gliding along the open seas or through alien fields a zenlike experience that I couldn’t get enough of. Pulling on the left trigger while playing with a controller allows you to take sharper turns while going at full speed, and the hop ability lets you quickly transition from zooming through a bog to skirting along its treetops.
The movement system is singularly thrilling in a way I haven’t encountered in a game in some time. I appreciated additions as they were made, like a scanning system to obtain data of the new flora and fauna you encounter or a grapple that lets Mei pull in an alien seed and use its explosive qualities to clear out a new path. But the thrill of gliding along, grabbing vapor as you go to chain together a lengthy run, feels like some wizardry that adapts the joy of a successful Tony Hawk or Skate run and applies it to an otherworldly space ride.
The thrill of grabbing along takes the joy of a great Skate run and applies it to an otherworldly space ride.
Those extra abilities do become key to actually giving JETT structure, as much as I wouldn’t say no to a purely “free ride” mode. Without spoiling JETT’s early story too much, Mei and the rest of the team do, eventually, arrive on an alien planet as they chase the Hymnwave’s signal, and players are, essentially, the first line of exploration. The early hours teach you the basics of scanning the environment, learning how to deal with friendly and aggressive local animal species, and the more treacherous side of trying to make a new planet home, like the fact that, as twilight starts, your ship’s shield will be damaged by the changing light unless you seek shadow.
I’m fascinated to spend more time exploring this new world - not only for how fun JETT’s jett is to fly, but because learning about everything from fascinating creatures like the massive flying kolos or the ways certain plants can be used to shake the nagging Hectors (bird-like enemies) off your tail. JETT’s exploration really only falters when you need to make extremely finessed movements. With its engines off, the jett moves quite slowly, but you can turn what way it faces much more quickly, and finding the right balance out of, say, a crevice in the rocks, can be a bit of a hassle. But it’s, thankfully so far, a relatively small aspect of JETT’s overall impressive gameplay.
As I mentioned earlier, interspersed among the exploration are a number of first-person sequences taking place on solid ground, or in indoor locations. They could come off as lore dumps, but JETT largely doesn’t spend its time sitting you down for history lessons of its people and their culture. There are places to learn, like in Mei’s data archives or by interacting with certain people or objects during these scenes, but it’s only there for you if you want to seek it out. And I very much wanted to do just that, in part because of the impressive mix of emotions I mentioned about JETT’s opening that feels pervasive to the entire story. The mission players are embarking on is the culmination of centuries of work for this civilization - there is pressure to that, and certain expectations, and seeing how Mei and her fellow explorers grapple with that, while also appreciating the wonder and thrills of that actual work, is fascinating to see unfold. Getting to spend a bit more time with the wider crew allowed me to appreciate the significance of this story.
Mei’s part in it is unique to the others on the trip – she’s dubbed a “mystic” by her people – and in that vaulted status, JETT can at times feel, purposefully, lonely. Particularly when you’re out in the jett - yes, Mei has a partner with her on these outings, but Superbrothers’ beautiful scenery and its muted color palette evokes such a sensation that you are merely a small part of something much more grand. There is so much more at work on these new, far shores from home. It can be equal parts scary and exciting to be so away from home in space and time but also completing a mission of massive importance to your people. JETT captures that in its grandeur while out in the ship, and these more story-driven moments reinforce that with face-to-face conversations.
The combination of it all leaves me absolutely fascinated to see where JETT’s story goes next. The thrill and exhilaration of space travel, and the unknown dangers it presents as well, are a mixture of feelings pop culture has often tried to capture. JETT is taking a somewhat surprising minimalist approach to it, but in doing so maximizes the emotions it’s attempting to evoke. As Mei, I set out into the stars of JETT not quite knowing what to expect, but what I found surprised and delighted me in ways few games have recently.
Jonathon Dornbush is IGN's Senior Features Editor, PlayStation Lead, and host of Podcast Beyond! He's the proud dog father of a BOY named Loki. Talk to him on Twitter @jmdornbush.
Continue reading...
But after a few hours with a PC build of the soon-to-be-released console exclusive for PS4 and PS5, as well as a PC launch, I came away genuinely enraptured by the world(s) the developers are creating. It’s a serene and awe-inspiring adventure of exploration, discovery, and the mysteries waiting for us in the stars. JETT manages to capture all of that, at least so far in its opening hours, while giving players enough structure and goals to give the journey shape beyond its story setup. It’s big and ambitious, and while I had some minor quibbles with its more granular aspects, I’m fascinated by the mysteries the far shore holds.
We’ll Go for a Ride in the Sky
During my few hours with JETT, there were a handful of first-person scenes that broke up the action, but primarily I was in control of a jet… well, a jett with two T’s. JETT’s characters are, as far as I can tell, human, but the development of their species has seemingly been built on a science-meets-religion venture to leave their home, explore space, and find the source of something known as the Hymnwave for salvation. The promise of a life beyond the surface of their planet drives this collective human race, and JETT surprisingly cuts to the core of how enticing yet sad that pursuit has been. Generations have worked, essentially, to get to this moment when players, as a character named Mei, will finally venture into space and find an answer to their lingering life questions.
But all that work is described as a sacrifice - these people are almost singularly directed by the goal of finding the Hymnwave, and while JETT’s opening, which sees Mei and her co-pilot flying across their ocean shores one last time on the way to a rocket liftoff site, captures a grand majesty and excitement for what’s to come, it’s mingled with an endearing sadness for what has seemingly been lost.
I’d be lying if I said my initial reaction to this sequence was anything but wonder and awe, though. Piloting this miniature jett just above the surface of the water, or of any surface, is a consistent thrill and, thankfully, core to JETT’s gameplay. The vehicle starts fairly simple, with only the ability to turn its thrusters on or off, the latter being for moments of more fine-tuned, small movements, though it seems you’ll primarily be relying on the faster movement speed. While having your engines fully activated, your jett’s abilities to speed up, dodge roll, pulse the area around it, or hop into the air are all tied to a meter that needs to be monitored so you don’t overheat the vehicle and temporarily short-circuit it.
That meter doesn’t really feel like a hindrance over time, especially as, when we finally reached another planet’s shores, vapor in this new atmosphere would temporarily cool the meter, allowing me to chain more speedy moves together without much worry. It’s the one bit of maintenance I’ve found so far to be conducted as you fly, but otherwise skimming the surface is pure bliss. Superbrothers has nailed a certain feel to the speed and movement of the jett that makes gliding along the open seas or through alien fields a zenlike experience that I couldn’t get enough of. Pulling on the left trigger while playing with a controller allows you to take sharper turns while going at full speed, and the hop ability lets you quickly transition from zooming through a bog to skirting along its treetops.
The movement system is singularly thrilling in a way I haven’t encountered in a game in some time. I appreciated additions as they were made, like a scanning system to obtain data of the new flora and fauna you encounter or a grapple that lets Mei pull in an alien seed and use its explosive qualities to clear out a new path. But the thrill of gliding along, grabbing vapor as you go to chain together a lengthy run, feels like some wizardry that adapts the joy of a successful Tony Hawk or Skate run and applies it to an otherworldly space ride.
The thrill of grabbing along takes the joy of a great Skate run and applies it to an otherworldly space ride.
Those extra abilities do become key to actually giving JETT structure, as much as I wouldn’t say no to a purely “free ride” mode. Without spoiling JETT’s early story too much, Mei and the rest of the team do, eventually, arrive on an alien planet as they chase the Hymnwave’s signal, and players are, essentially, the first line of exploration. The early hours teach you the basics of scanning the environment, learning how to deal with friendly and aggressive local animal species, and the more treacherous side of trying to make a new planet home, like the fact that, as twilight starts, your ship’s shield will be damaged by the changing light unless you seek shadow.
I’m fascinated to spend more time exploring this new world - not only for how fun JETT’s jett is to fly, but because learning about everything from fascinating creatures like the massive flying kolos or the ways certain plants can be used to shake the nagging Hectors (bird-like enemies) off your tail. JETT’s exploration really only falters when you need to make extremely finessed movements. With its engines off, the jett moves quite slowly, but you can turn what way it faces much more quickly, and finding the right balance out of, say, a crevice in the rocks, can be a bit of a hassle. But it’s, thankfully so far, a relatively small aspect of JETT’s overall impressive gameplay.
I Thought the Only Lonely Place Was on the Moon
As I mentioned earlier, interspersed among the exploration are a number of first-person sequences taking place on solid ground, or in indoor locations. They could come off as lore dumps, but JETT largely doesn’t spend its time sitting you down for history lessons of its people and their culture. There are places to learn, like in Mei’s data archives or by interacting with certain people or objects during these scenes, but it’s only there for you if you want to seek it out. And I very much wanted to do just that, in part because of the impressive mix of emotions I mentioned about JETT’s opening that feels pervasive to the entire story. The mission players are embarking on is the culmination of centuries of work for this civilization - there is pressure to that, and certain expectations, and seeing how Mei and her fellow explorers grapple with that, while also appreciating the wonder and thrills of that actual work, is fascinating to see unfold. Getting to spend a bit more time with the wider crew allowed me to appreciate the significance of this story.
Mei’s part in it is unique to the others on the trip – she’s dubbed a “mystic” by her people – and in that vaulted status, JETT can at times feel, purposefully, lonely. Particularly when you’re out in the jett - yes, Mei has a partner with her on these outings, but Superbrothers’ beautiful scenery and its muted color palette evokes such a sensation that you are merely a small part of something much more grand. There is so much more at work on these new, far shores from home. It can be equal parts scary and exciting to be so away from home in space and time but also completing a mission of massive importance to your people. JETT captures that in its grandeur while out in the ship, and these more story-driven moments reinforce that with face-to-face conversations.
The combination of it all leaves me absolutely fascinated to see where JETT’s story goes next. The thrill and exhilaration of space travel, and the unknown dangers it presents as well, are a mixture of feelings pop culture has often tried to capture. JETT is taking a somewhat surprising minimalist approach to it, but in doing so maximizes the emotions it’s attempting to evoke. As Mei, I set out into the stars of JETT not quite knowing what to expect, but what I found surprised and delighted me in ways few games have recently.
Jonathon Dornbush is IGN's Senior Features Editor, PlayStation Lead, and host of Podcast Beyond! He's the proud dog father of a BOY named Loki. Talk to him on Twitter @jmdornbush.
Continue reading...