It’s been a decade since the mesmeric Sword & Sworcery introduced the world to a bold new talent. Now its creator is finally ready to reveal its next game. Jett: The Far Shore has been developed by Superbrothers (aka Craig D Adams) in conjunction with Pine-Scented Software, and the latest issue of Edge has the world’s first hands-on with this captivating sci-fi adventure.
The game has been something of an enigma since its debut trailer at PS5’s reveal event last year, and Edge reveals plenty of details on how it plays, having spent more than five hours with the game. A spine-tingling prologue sets the scene, as a group of pioneers launch into space, following an interstellar radio signal to an inhabitable planet – the ‘far shore’ of the title.
You explore this mysterious place in your Jett, a nimble craft that can harvest vapour to cool down its scramjets, letting you maintain top speed. It’s a mechanic inspired by Motorstorm: Pacific Rift, Adams says, where you could drive through water to cool down your engine. Indeed, Jett was originally conceived as an alternative racing game of sorts, albeit with more of a narrative focus. “You don’t often see a videogame with those kind of vehicular action chops going after a Fumito Ueda type of action-adventure experience,” Adams explains.
This unconventional, narrative-focused game flits between genres (and perspectives, too – playing as inquisitive pilot Mei, you can alight from your Jett at certain points and view this beautiful world through her eyes). As you discover the planet isn’t as welcoming as it first seems, Jett introduces stealth, puzzle and action elements. Co-creator Patrick McAllister describes these shifts as “horizon breaks” – in other words, “that feeling when a game turns out to be more than you’re expecting it to be.”
With a comprehensive look at how Jett was put together, from Andrew ‘Scntfc’ Rohrmann’s extraordinary soundtrack to its in-game language (Space-Bulgarian, if you’re asking) and how the pioneers’ ground-control base was designed, you’ll find everything you need in Edge’s 16-page special.
And if you want more Superbrothers, you’ll find it in E360: alongside the Jett feature is an oral history of Sword & Sworcery, in which Capybara Games’ Kris Piotrowski and Nathan Vella reflect on this seminal game’s development alongside Adams and composer Jim Guthrie.
Elsewhere, we explore how a new wave of Chinese games is cracking the western triple-A market for the first time. We talk to Michel Ziegler about the hand-drawn horrors of Mundaun. And we dive into Rusty Lake, telling the story of how two developers built their own expanded universe. We also deliver our verdict on the likes of Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Subnautica: Below Zero, and the delightful Chicory: A Colorful Tale. Find out why we think it’s one of 2021’s very best games in E360, on sale now.
Edge 360 is in UK shops now, and can also be ordered for delivery via Magazines Direct. To buy the issue digitally, head to Apple’s App Store or PocketMags.
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