JETT: The Far Shore

JETT - The Far Shore is an adventure that, at its best, conveys a sense of absolute freedom to the player in the exploration of an alien planet. The setting is full of ideas ... and it is a pity that many of these are not fully developed during the story. From a stylistic point of view, the contrast between the minimal graphic style and the orchestral soundtrack is excellent and gives a unique character to the work.

Impactful and unique, JETT The Far Shore is an interesting space adventure, contemplative and thoroughly unique.

JETT: The Far Shore provides a solid experience with fantastic flying mechanics, interesting world lore and a keen grasp of the spectacle of space exploration.

Jett: The Far Shore is a stylish, fascinating, and challenging work of art that may inspire you to say some very naughty words. While it sometimes succeeds as a chill exploratory experience, iffy controls, poor navigational tools, and overly convoluted missions often harsh the game’s vibe. That said, if you’re the type that can appreciate a game for its world and message, despite some issues with its minute-to-minute gameplay, feel free to join the Jett set.

JETT reaches for the stars, and it is tantalising to watch it do so. It’s a shame that the camera cuts away just as it looks like it’s going to get there.

JETT: The Far Shore is home to a compelling cast of characters and a narrative worth playing and paying attention to, but it ultimately misses its mark and the less than compelling gameplay only further drags it down to an experience that overall feels just okay, and potentially downright boring if you're not gripped by the narrative.

What you will have to take note of, is the totally inconsistence frame rate. The game often chugs and gets choppy at certain points for no discernible reason, with some of the bigger set piece moments running fine, while regular exploration at high speeds can really have an impact on performance. I wouldn’t say it’s terrible, but definitely noticeable when they’re often unexpected, and happen often enough that you never truly forget about them.

It wasn't clear before release what Jett: The Far Shore wanted to be, which was as alien as its setting. Unfortunately it is not even now. It is a not at all veiled reference to the intuitions of No Man's Sky, but having adapted that playful structure to a narrative that exists and also has not indifferent apexes. The problem is almost entirely in the gameplay, which together with unresponsive controls transforms even the simplest of activities into a grueling struggle with the game system. A real shame, unfortunately, since the game was intended as a placid and relaxing experience.

JETT: The Far Shore is an ambitious game that is unrelenting in its vision. Placing peaceful exploration at the forefront, missions lack direction and purpose. Although great when flying long distances, the Jett encounters many issues in compact areas. With stiff movement, dull missions and frustrating enemies, JETT: The Far Shore falls short of its ambitious goal.

Creating a game about making a home on foreign land was never going to be easy, and JETT had boldly sought to subvert the themes of colonialism that are so inherent to tales like these. But upon putting down the controller, I mostly felt let down by how little it had to say on the subject. While it touches on other topics, such as the terrifyingly big expanse of space, versus our miniscule existence in the greater scheme of things, these weren’t enough to make up for its flaws. In the end, I just wish JETT had the confidence to pursue what I know it wants to be: to subvert expectations on the well-trodden ground of survival stories.

JETT: The Far Shore makes a good first impression with its retro sci-fi visual design and expressive flight model. But it’s difficult to connect with its story and your team when you have limited scope to make discoveries and supposedly dangerous events prove trivial to deal with. Only in the final stages does it let you spread your wings a little, and feels more powerful as a result.

While it presents itself well and has some neat ideas, Jett: The Far Shore never launches into the stars. Flying around, soaking in the atmosphere, and gathering info on a foreign planet is relaxing fun, but it's scuppered by messy combat scenarios and a story that falls flat. You may get some enjoyment from this, as does have its moments — just don't expect it to hit the stratosphere.

Jett: The Far Shore is a frustrating jaunt through space, with a stunning world and narrative let down by clunky, awkward controls.

JETT: The Far Shore is a space opera with a soundtrack so outstanding, an art compartment so beautiful, and a narrative premise so compelling that in the end it really hurts to find out that it's just an old-fashioned, “normal” video game. This team can and will create something a lot more compelling.

JETT: The Far Shore has moments of brilliance, but they're buried under an overload of mechanics that aren't enjoyable and a general lack of polish. Similarly any philosophical value in its narrative ideas is ruined by needlessly obfuscated dialogue. There's something to be discovered here, but it's just not worth the trip.

Jett: The Far Shore depends on the illogical design choices. Unfortunately, that sucks all the fun out of an otherwise unique space adventure.

Beautiful and elegant though it may seem on the outside, the game too often lets its stylistic tics drag the experience into varying degrees of frustration.