Jett: the Far Shore review: a breathtaking journey on an alien planet

I don’t work well under pressure. So when my parents and teachers told me that I am my people’s last hope, I was prepared to be quite stressed about the next steps. Then a couple of hours later, I’m chasing a pink light known as a wisp of brine over beautiful crystal clear waters, making donuts over the ocean as I play with this new way of life.

Jett: the far shore he delights in these contrasts.

We have all been in space before; I personally love to dabble in (and occasionally die horribly) in games like Nobody’s heaven and Harsh space ship destroyer. But while other games focus on the danger or adventure of interstellar travel, Jett puts all its emphasis on the haunting, jaw-dropping, and utterly bizarre beauty in it all. Jett: the far shore it is not comforting; sometimes, it is sad and even gloomy. But it is a wonderful trip that is worth the time regardless, despite some drawbacks.

On JettI play as Mei, an explorer and mystic, and one of the last hopes for the people of my Soviet-inspired homeworld, who is threatened by an unknown and impending oblivion. Me and a small group of fellow researchers have to follow a “hymn wave” to a new planet and a new future out of this cursed world. So there is no pressure.

Image: Superbrothers / Pine Scented

Mei flies a Jett, which is a nimble little ship with a few tools to switch. I can load things onto my boat, turn on the headlights, roll to the side, or push myself up in a vertical arc. This is where the game really sings; like Mei, I slowly trudged. As a Jett pilot, I turn and ride the waves with ease. I also have a co-pilot named Isao.

My ship is tough enough to handle high tides and the occasional rough flight, yet delicate enough to dodge any impact and see how much pressure I’m putting on the engines. I am a scout ship, not a fighter plane, but I feel like a trained pilot exercising dominance over my ship. On the PlayStation 5, I slowly raise the speed of my ship and make sharp turns with the trigger buttons, and the Jett controls like a dream – a light touch always works.

If I blow up my engines right on top of a specific plant, I could explode and deter hostile beasts that are chasing me. Certain waves of steam cool my engines, giving me more time to perform some sick tricks. The new world is full of useful plants and flora, as well as terrifying fauna, and I learn everything and take advantage of it.

Jett it’s beautiful, and there are times when I just tune out and smell the space roses. Then there are times when the game wants to slow down and examine things, and these mandatory breaks are a little too structured. Isao also spends much of the early game holding my hand through tasks that I could easily understand on my own.

At one point, a storm front looming over the horizon forces me to slow down and explore a small island, and it’s an organic premise for a pause in the action. But the fact that a timer is literally displayed in the UI makes the effort feel a little less magical.

The best moments are those in which I have something like the above, but without my copilot chattering with me or without the UI prompting me to do it all. I love finding the sandbars and sliding down them, or searching the ocean for a salvage. There is great tranquility just watching the Jett leap forward through the waves, moving towards a target. When I move and enjoy the trip, I have a great time.

Image: Superbrothers / Pine Scented

But the playfulness of the Jett is also contrasted by some gloomy visuals that made the moments of light stand out even more clearly. At one point, Mei and Isao are putting the Jett to the test, jumping over the freighters on their home planet. Isao points out that the freighters have completed their job building the Jetts, and will now be shot down to save them. I say goodbye to my family and head to the launch pad, and I turn around to see a crowd of thousands of people staring at me. I cannot distinguish any individual, but I can hear their voices intertwine in pain and hope.

What’s more, it takes a thousand years just to reach the far shore, and Mei embarks with Isao knowing that they will never see her family and home again. It’s a powerful narrative that makes the light moments of chasing a wisp of brine or discovering a new stretch of land that much sweeter.

Jett: the far shore It is a simple, but beautiful game, and it is well worth your time. May It’s a bit scary of space, without going overboard, and strikes a great balance between saccharin and grimdark. The far shore It’s a journey I was glad to take, even when the company got too talkative.

Jett: the far shore will be released on October 5 at the Playstation 4, PlayStation 5 and Epic Games Store. The game was reviewed on PlayStation 5 through a code from Superbrothers and Pine Scented. You can find Additional information on Polygon’s ethics policy here. Vox Media has affiliate associations. These do not influence editorial content, although Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased through affiliate links.