"Jump Ship Preview: Sea of Thieves and Left 4 Dead Merge into a More Polished, Fun Experience"

It was nearly a year ago at the Game Developer’s Conference that I first encountered Jump Ship, a captivating four-player sci-fi PvE shooter that seamlessly blends elements from Sea of Thieves, Left 4 Dead, and FTL. After recently playing the latest build alongside some of the developers, I'm convinced that if any indie game is poised to make a significant impact in an already crowded year of game releases, Jump Ship is my top pick. As it gears up for an Early Access launch this Summer, the game has become even more polished and engaging than before.

For those unfamiliar with Jump Ship, it's a non-grindy space adventure designed for up to four players. However, Keepsake Games has been responsive to feedback and is crafting an experience that also caters to solo players. They're introducing narratively driven AI assistants to help manage the ship, allowing you to enjoy Jump Ship as a single-player game. The Prologue not only serves as a tutorial, acquainting you with key mechanics like shooting, space suit flying, ship piloting, and combat, but also enriches the game's lore.

Jump Ship - Closed Beta Screenshots

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Jump Ship now boasts a compelling narrative woven into its core PvE gameplay. The story revolves around a malicious virus that has spread across the galaxy's machines, tasking you and your fellow Atirans with reaching its source at the galaxy's core to stop it. You'll navigate through procedurally generated mission chains in each sector, with mission durations varying from 10 minutes to an hour. The Jump Map's color-coded branching choices give you a sense of the risks involved, with higher risks promising greater rewards.

Aiding you on your mission is Iris, an uninfected AI you meet in the Prologue, who serves as a narrative guide. This adds a structured layer to the robust gameplay foundation. The Hangar acts as your base of operations, where you can spend in-game currency on customizing outfits, exploring the Galaxy Map, and even playing a bit of soccer during your downtime.

The core four-player gameplay is incredibly fun. Missions rarely go as planned, and you'll need to adapt quickly. One player might 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. Meanwhile, the other two could be outside, mag-booted to the hull, engaging enemy ships. If your ship takes damage, someone must rush inside, grab a fire extinguisher, and crawl through vents to extinguish the flames, ensuring the ship—and its quirky pineapple pizza-maker—remains operational!

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Once you reach your destination, all four players disembark and navigate through structures to retrieve the loot, facing relentless waves of infected robots. Teamwork is crucial, and your grappling hook is invaluable for swift movement both on foot and in space. After securing the loot, one player must carry it back to the ship while the others provide cover.

Both my demo from last year and the recent one were brief, demonstrating that Jump Ship can be enjoyed in short bursts without demanding a significant time investment. However, I haven't yet experienced enough of the larger mission structure and the variety offered by procedural generation to fully assess its replayability. Nevertheless, everything I've seen so far points to Jump Ship having the potential to be a major hit. With all the right elements in place, I eagerly anticipate playing much more of this promising game.