It was almost exactly one year ago that I walked into a meeting during the Game Developer's Conference and first got introduced to Jump Ship, a four-player sci-fi PvE shooter that skillfully blends elements from Sea of Thieves, Left 4 Dead, and FTL into an experience I believed was truly unique. Recently, I had the opportunity to dive into the latest build alongside some of the developers, and I'm convinced that if any indie game has the potential to make a big splash in a year already packed with major releases, Jump Ship is my top contender. As it gears up for an Early Access launch this Summer, the game is more polished and enjoyable than ever before.
If you're not yet acquainted with Jump Ship, let me introduce you to this non-grindy space adventure designed for up to four players. I deliberately avoid labeling it as strictly multiplayer because Keepsake Games has been responsive to player feedback and is crafting an innovative approach for solo players to enjoy the game. If you prefer to play alone, you'll be supported by narratively crafted AI assistants that help manage your ship. You get a glimpse of this in the Prologue, which not only serves as a tutorial—familiarizing you with shooting, space suit flying, ship operations, and combat—but also enriches the game's lore.
Jump Ship - Closed Beta Screenshots
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Jump Ship now enriches its core PvE gameplay with a much-appreciated narrative. A malicious virus has infected machines across the galaxy, and it's up to you and your fellow Atirans to journey to the galaxy's heart to eradicate it. You'll navigate through procedurally generated mission chains in each sector to reach your goal. Missions can last anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour, and the Jump Map's color-coded choices give you a sense of the risk involved. Naturally, higher risks come with greater rewards.
Assisting you on your quest is Iris, an uninfected AI you encounter in the Prologue, who serves as a narrator during your missions. This addition provides a structured narrative to complement the robust gameplay foundation of Jump Ship. The Hangar acts as your base of operations, where you can spend in-game currency on outfits, explore the Galaxy Map, and even play a bit of soccer in your downtime.
Let's talk about that core four-player gameplay—it's exhilarating! Missions rarely go as planned. Your ship might be attacked en route, requiring one player to pilot and use the ship's limited weapons, while another operates the ship's main weapon station with its 360-degree-pivoting cannon. Meanwhile, the other two might be mag-booted to the hull, engaging enemy ships. If your ship sustains damage, someone needs to rush inside, grab a fire extinguisher, navigate through vents, and douse the flames—after all, you need to keep that pineapple pizza-maker operational!
Jump ShipKeepsake Games Wishlist
Upon reaching your destination, all four players disembark and navigate through the structure to secure the loot. The relentless, infected robots require teamwork at every turn. Your grappling hook speeds up movement both on the ground and in space, and once you've obtained the valuable loot, one player must carry it back to the ship while the others provide cover.
Both my demo last year and the recent one were brief. On one hand, this demonstrates that Jump Ship is enjoyable in short bursts, so you won't need to dedicate endless hours to keep up. On the other hand, I haven't yet experienced the full scope of its mission structure and the variety promised by its procedurally generated content to determine if it can truly offer endless replayability. Nonetheless, everything I've seen so far suggests that Jump Ship has all the makings of a potential hit. With its unique blend of gameplay elements, I'm eagerly anticipating playing much more of it.
