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 blends mechanics from Sea of Thieves, Left 4 Dead, and FTL into something I thought was extremely special. I recently had the opportunity to play the latest build with a few of the developers, and let me tell you, if any indie game can break out big in what’s already an absolutely stacked year of releases, I’d put my money on Jump Ship. As it heads towards an Early Access launch this Summer, it’s more polished and more fun than ever.
If you aren’t familiar with Jump Ship yet, it’s a non-grindy space adventure designed for up to four players. Notably, the team at Keepsake Games has responded to feedback and is developing a clever way for solo players to enjoy the game. They’re introducing narratively constructed AI assistants that help you manage the ship, allowing you to experience Jump Ship as a single-player game. You get a taste of this feature in the Prologue, which acts as both a tutorial—introducing you to gameplay mechanics like shooting, flying in your space suit, manning and piloting the ship, and engaging in ship combat—and a lore-builder.
Jump Ship - Closed Beta Screenshots
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Jump Ship now boasts a much-appreciated story behind its core PvE gameplay. A malicious virus has infected machines throughout the galaxy, and it’s up to you and your fellow Atirans to reach the heart of the galaxy and stop it. You’ll navigate through procedurally generated mission chains in each sector to achieve this goal. Missions can last anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour, and the Jump Map’s color-coded branching choices give you a sense of the danger level you’re choosing to face. Remember, the greater the danger, the greater the reward.
Jump Ship now has a much-appreciated story behind its core PvE gameplay. Aiding you is a non-infected AI you discover in the Prologue called Iris, who acts as a narrator during your missions. This adds a welcome structure to the solid gameplay foundation Jump Ship offers. The Hangar serves as your base of operations, where you can spend in-game currency to buy and customize outfits, explore the greater Galaxy Map, and even play a bit of soccer during your downtime.
But let’s dive back into that core four-player gameplay. It’s incredibly fun! As you embark on your mission, things won’t always go according to plan. Your ship might get attacked en route to your destination, requiring one player to pilot the ship and use the pilot’s chair weapons, while another operates the ship’s main weapon station, wielding a 360-degree-pivoting cannon against any threats. Meanwhile, the other two players might be mag-booted to the ship’s hull, taking shots at passing ships. That is, until an enemy vessel damages your ship, forcing one or more of you to rush inside, grab a fire extinguisher, crawl into a vent, and put out the flames. After all, you need to keep that pineapple pizza-maker in full working order!
Jump ShipKeepsake Games WishlistOnce you reach your destination, all four players disembark and navigate on foot inside the structure housing the loot you’re after. These evil, infected robots won’t play nice, so teamwork is crucial at every step of the mission. Your grappling hook helps you move quickly around areas both on the ground and in outer space, and once you’ve secured the big loot, one player must get it back aboard the ship while the others protect them, as they’re defenseless with their arms full.
