I do recommend this game on sale--though if Steam allowed for a 'meh' option I would give it a solid 'meh'--but with a few caveats.

This is a game that does not hold your hand. There is no tutorial. You immediately have to go into the pause menu to check out the controls just to see what you're capable of (I got no prompt about how to use the first ability you get, so I went looking for how to use it). You have to sense your way around the map (which is also only viewable via pausing) and are not told where you are on it, though once you complete an area the first time, you will get some visual cues on said map about things you missed if you want to go get a few extra health or ability upgrades.

This is a proto-boss rush game where you have to go around collecting runes in order to get to said bosses, and there's even a mode after you beat it that appeared to be exactly a boss rush game. The areas you go around in weirdly feel fairly sparse, but also never particularly overstay their welcome as they are each relatively small and neither are the puzzles contained within those areas very difficult if you're paying the slightest bit of attention.

It's also by no means a hard game, and Thora/the story is very cool, but the gameplay is pretty methodical. You're never going to get to Hades level of hack-and-slash and neither do you have Curse of the Dead God's parry or anything. You're a lorge viking lady who swings her huge axe at the same speed that she recovers from her short dodge: slowly. Not to mention the fact that you're literally fighting giants, so you appropriately are chipping away at their ankles as they make a big telegraph for their next move.

That being said, the sound design/VOs and music is pretty fabulous and the hand-drawn aspects are beautiful.

Is it worth $15? I'm gonna say no. After putting it down a while back barely an hour into it, I downloaded it again and started over to beat it basically in one sitting in less than 5 hours (paused it periodically to get food etc) and I feel absolutely no desire to go through and get all the achievements because this is not a game that makes me want to play it more/keep playing it.

It's aight.

Jotun has souls-like elements such as maze-like level design and boss fights. It is a souls-like appetizer. Hand drawn visuals and narration of scandinavian mythology makes this game stand out. I couldn't help myself taking screenshots while playing, which is a thing I rarely do. Only negative points for me are the main character's turning animations and the map. It is a good short game unless you're a kind of gamer that strives to unlock every achievement.