Home - The Story - Gameplay - Game Type - How to play - Controls - Troubleshooting - slow performance - Backup Files - Tips - Support / Get in touch
The Story
The Fall of Earth
Over three centuries ago, Earth was invaded by a ruthless alien force. Humanity stood united in its final hour, but their resistance was crushed.
The invaders seized the planet, leaving civilization in ruins and humanity on the brink of extinction.
A handful of survivors escaped deep underground, constructing a hidden shelter sealed off from the surface. Generations passed.
The horrors of the invasion faded into myth. Life continued in the shadows. Quiet, isolated, and forgotten.
But the humans weren’t alone. Another alien race, enemies of the invaders, had also taken refuge in the shelter. Though unable to turn the tide of war, they shared advanced technology that helped the survivors endure. Together, they built a fragile peace beneath the earth. Now, after 300 years, that peace is crumbling.
A World on the BrinkThe shelter’s systems are failing. Food is scarce. Water is dwindling. Medical supplies, educational materials, and even entertainment are desperately needed to keep the community
alive—physically and mentally.
You are chosen to venture into the surrounding cave networks, where remnants of the old world and scattered wartime caches still lie hidden.
Hope stirs. Many believe the invaders have long since abandoned Earth. Whispers of reclaiming the surface grow louder. It’s time to rise, rebuild, and forge a future for the generations to come. But one final obstacle remains.
The Sealed GateThe shelter is locked behind a massive security door. To open it, five ancient keys must be found - keys lost to time, buried somewhere in the vast, treacherous cave system.
Your mission: recover the keys, restore vital resources, and lead your people back to the surface.
Gameplay
Descend into a vast network of forgotten caves—twisting corridors, ancient ruins, and undiscovered terrain. As the last hope of humanity, you’ll carve your own path by building and demolishing blocks,
battling hostile creatures, and scavenging vital resources.
Teleporters link you to the underground shelter, home to the final remnants of humankind.
Your mission: recover five lost keys hidden deep within the caves. Only then can the shelter’s sealed gate be unlocked, allowing your people to return to the surface and begin a new chapter.
But survival isn’t just about unlocking the future. Along the way, you must support the shelter by gathering essential supplies. Clean water, nourishing food, medical gear, books,
and even entertainment (games) to keep spirits alive.
Face deadly enemies, encounter mysterious NPCs, and overcome environmental challenges as you uncover the secrets buried beneath the earth.
The surface awaits. But first, you must earn it.
Game Type/Category
The game is a vast open-world exploration/adventure experience with action elements. Emphasis is on exploring and uncovering secrets, digging your way through sprawling cave systems, and discovering the many hidden paths scattered across this huge world.
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Guide / How To Play
Follow the in-game tutorial for instructions.
To get started:
You start at some point in the caves. When you just started, not all teleporters will be available. You can however teleport to the shelter (press T or use the teleport button).
There you can hear out the NPC's. Once you teleported out of the shelter, you can start exploring.
You can walk through the caves, dig, build, place bombs, attack, or use your ladder when needed.
Use the map (press M or the magnifier) to navigate.
Keep track of the shelter stats. If reources run low, you'll need to teleport to the shelter to refill them. You can always teleport back to the place you teleported from.
On your way you'll find the needed resources.
During your exploration you'll have to find five keys. You'll also need diamonds and golden coins.
During the game you'll get more guidance.
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Controls
| Action | Keys / Mouse | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Up | W, I, Up Arrow | when on ladder |
| Left | A, J, Left Arrow | |
| Down | S, K, Down Arrow | when on ladder |
| Right | D, L, Right Arrow | |
| Jump | Space | |
| Double Jump | Space | press Space twice to double jump |
| Place Ladder | F, H, numpad 2 | |
| Place Bomb | B, numpad 4 | |
| Attack Mode | Q, U, numpad 0 | Or use the scroll wheel on your mouse |
| Build Mode | E, O, numpad 1 | Or use the scroll wheel on your mouse |
| Attack | Left Mouse Button | When in attack mode |
| Build | Left Mouse Button | When in build mode, withing a small range from the player |
| Demolish | Right Mouse Button | When in build mode, withing a small range from the player |
| Interact | Left or Right Mouse Button | Use on NPC's or resouce storage points, withing a small range from the player |
| Shortcut Settings Menu | Escape | |
| Shortcut Teleporter Menu | T | |
| Shortcut Map View | M | Use M or Escape to exit map view |
| Map View Zoom | Z and X, or Mouse Wheel |
Attack mode is activated automatically when attacked by an enemy.
If you have an extra weapon, use the Attack Mode key to switch weapons (Q, U or numpad 0)
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Troubleshooting - slow performance
On some older computers the game can be very slow, with a low frame rate. This happens when Windows does not handle the game as a an actual game. For power saving reasons the GPU is not used.
You can solve this by telling windows to use the GPU by following these steps:
- Right click you desktop
- Go to display settings
- Go to Graphic settings
- Select "Add desktop app
- Select the "justaman.exe" file. If you installed in the default loacation, this can be found in C:\Program Files (x86)\Just A Man And His Ladder\justaman.exe
The game will run snoothly now.
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Backup files
Game files can be found in your local appdata folder:
%localAppData%\justamanandhisladder\Settings
You can backup the settings folder if needed. Normally there is no need to do so as the files are stored in the Steam-cloud.
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Tips
- Use double jump often (press space twice), it will become a second nature in the game, enabling you to move faster.
- If you're low on health and find no other way, you can always teleport to the shelter and wait there until your health has increased.
- Use a combination of buidling, demolishing and placing ladders to reach difficult places.
- You'll need strenght to defeat bosses. You can train strength by killing weaker enemies.
- Handle bombs with care. They explode. That hurts.
- In the settings menu (the gear at the right bottom of the screen, or hit Escape) you can toggle the left and right mouse button.
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SUPPORT / CONTACT / MORE INFO
I you have any questions, need suppor, found a bugt or have anything else to tell, please use the contact below. Or you can send an email directly to martin@justamanandhisladder.com. Feedback is much appreciated!