It was almost exactly one year ago that I walked into a meeting at the Game Developer’s Conference and was introduced to Jump Ship, a four-player sci-fi PvE shooter that ingeniously blends elements from Sea of Thieves, Left 4 Dead, and FTL into a unique experience that immediately caught my attention. Recently, I had the opportunity to dive into the latest build with some of the developers, and I'm convinced that if any indie game is set to make a big splash in what's already a packed year of game releases, it's Jump Ship. As it gears up for an Early Access launch this Summer, the game is more refined and enjoyable than ever before.
If Jump Ship is new to you, let me introduce you to this non-grindy space adventure designed for up to four players. And I'm not just saying multiplayer because Keepsake Games has responded to player feedback by developing a way for solo players to enjoy the game too. If you prefer playing alone, you can rely on narratively crafted AI assistants to help you manage the ship. You get a taste of this in the Prologue, which serves as both a tutorial—introducing mechanics like shooting, space suit flying, ship piloting, and combat—and a lore-builder.
Jump Ship - Closed Beta Screenshots
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Jump Ship now boasts a compelling story that enriches its core PvE gameplay. A malicious virus has infected machines across the galaxy, and it's up to you and your fellow Atirans to trace it back to its source at the galaxy's heart and stop 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 danger you're about to face. Remember, the higher the risk, the greater the reward.
Aiding you on your journey is Iris, a non-infected AI you meet in the Prologue, who serves as a narrator during your missions. This adds a welcome layer of structure to the robust gameplay foundation that Jump Ship offers. 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 during your downtime.
Let's talk about that core four-player gameplay—it's a blast! Missions rarely go as planned. Your ship might be attacked en route, requiring one player to pilot and use the pilot's chair weapons, while another operates the ship's 360-degree-pivoting cannon. Meanwhile, the other two could be mag-booted to the hull, shooting at passing ships. If your ship gets damaged, someone needs to rush inside, grab a fire extinguisher, crawl through vents, and put out the flames. After all, you need to keep that pineapple pizza-maker in working order!
Jump ShipKeepsake Games Wishlist
Once you reach your destination, all four players disembark and navigate the structure to retrieve the loot. You'll face relentless, infected robots that demand teamwork at every turn. Your grappling hook speeds up movement both on the ground and in space, and once you've secured the big prize, 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, proving that Jump Ship is fun even in short bursts, so you won't need to quit your job to keep up. However, I haven't seen enough of the larger mission structure and the variety of procedurally generated content to fully assess its replayability. But everything I've experienced so far points to Jump Ship having the potential to be a major hit. It has all the right elements to become something truly special, and I'm eager to play much more.
