It was almost exactly one year ago during the Game Developer’s Conference that I was introduced to Jump Ship, a four-player sci-fi PvE shooter that skillfully blends elements from Sea of Thieves, Left 4 Dead, and FTL. After recently playing the latest build with the developers, I'm more convinced than ever that if any indie game can make a big splash this year, Jump Ship is a strong contender. As it gears up for an Early Access launch this Summer, the game is more polished and enjoyable than ever before.
If Jump Ship is new to you, it's a non-grindy space adventure designed for up to four players. Importantly, it’s not just about multiplayer; Keepsake Games is actively working on features to make it enjoyable for solo players too. They're introducing narratively crafted AI assistants to help solo adventurers manage the ship, giving you a taste of this in the Prologue. This segment not only serves as a tutorial, introducing key gameplay mechanics like shooting, space suit flying, ship piloting, and combat, but also builds the game’s lore.
Jump Ship - Closed Beta Screenshots
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Jump Ship now enriches its core PvE gameplay with a compelling narrative. The storyline revolves around a malicious virus infecting machines across the galaxy, with you and your fellow Atirans tasked with stopping it at its source. You'll navigate through procedurally generated mission chains in each sector, which can vary from quick 10-minute tasks to more involved hour-long missions. The Jump Map helps you gauge the risk and reward of each mission through color-coded choices.
Aiding your journey is a non-infected AI named Iris, introduced in the Prologue, who serves as a narrator throughout your missions. This addition brings a welcome structure to the gameplay. The Hangar acts as your base of operations, where you can spend in-game currency on outfits, explore the Galaxy Map, and even enjoy a game of soccer during downtime.
The core four-player gameplay is where Jump Ship truly shines. Missions can get unpredictable: your ship might be attacked en route, requiring one player to pilot while another handles the ship's weapons. Meanwhile, others could be outside, magnetically attached to the hull, shooting at enemy ships. If damage occurs, players must rush inside to extinguish fires and repair the ship, ensuring everything from the pizza maker to the critical systems remains operational.
Jump ShipKeepsake Games Wishlist
Once you reach your destination, the team disembarks to tackle the challenges inside the structure housing your target loot. Teamwork is crucial as you face relentless, infected robots. Your grappling hook speeds up navigation, and securing the loot requires one player to carry it back to the ship while others provide cover.
My experiences with Jump Ship, both last year and recently, have been brief but exhilarating. These short sessions confirm that the game is enjoyable in quick bursts, without demanding a huge time commitment. However, I’m yet to fully explore the broader mission structure and the variety offered by its procedurally generated content to judge its replayability. Nonetheless, all signs point to Jump Ship having the potential to be a major hit. With all the right elements in place, I'm eagerly looking forward to diving deeper into this promising game.
