"Jump Ship Preview: Sea of Thieves and Left 4 Dead Blend, Now More Polished and Fun"

It was nearly a year ago that I stepped into a meeting at the Game Developer’s Conference and was introduced to Jump Ship, a captivating four-player sci-fi PvE shooter that skillfully integrates elements from Sea of Thieves, Left 4 Dead, and FTL. Recently, I had the opportunity to experience the latest build alongside some of the developers, and if there's any indie game poised to make a splash in this 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 is more polished and enjoyable than ever before.

If you're not yet familiar with Jump Ship, it's a non-grindy space adventure designed for up to four players. Notably, the team at Keepsake Games is responding to player feedback by developing innovative ways for solo players to enjoy the game. If you prefer a single-player experience, you'll be accompanied by narratively crafted AI assistants to help manage the ship. You get a taste of this setup in the Prologue, which serves as both a tutorial—introducing you to mechanics like shooting, flying in your space suit, operating and piloting the ship, and engaging in ship combat—and a lore-building experience.

Jump Ship - Closed Beta Screenshots

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Jump Ship now boasts a compelling narrative that enriches its core PvE gameplay. The storyline revolves around a malevolent virus infecting machines across the galaxy, with you and your fellow Atirans tasked with stopping it at the galaxy's heart. To achieve this, you'll navigate through procedurally generated mission chains in each sector. 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. Naturally, higher risk comes with greater rewards.

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

The core four-player gameplay is where Jump Ship truly shines. Missions rarely go as planned; en route to your destination, your ship might come under attack, requiring one player to pilot the ship and use the pilot’s chair weapons, while another operates the ship's more powerful, 360-degree-pivoting cannon. Meanwhile, the other two players might be mag-booted to the ship’s exterior, taking shots at enemy ships. If your ship sustains damage, you'll need to rush inside, grab a fire extinguisher, and navigate through vents to put out fires—ensuring the pineapple pizza-maker remains operational!

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Once you reach your destination, all four players disembark and navigate the structure housing your target loot. You'll face relentless waves of infected robots, making teamwork crucial at every step. Your grappling hook allows swift movement both on the ground and in space, and after securing the loot, one player must transport it back to the ship while the others provide cover.

Both my demo last year and the latest one were brief, highlighting Jump Ship's ability to deliver fun in short bursts without demanding a significant time commitment. However, I haven't yet explored the larger mission structure and the variety offered by procedural generation enough to confirm its promise of endless replayability. Nonetheless, everything I've experienced so far suggests that Jump Ship has the potential to be a major hit. With all the right elements in place, I eagerly anticipate diving deeper into this promising game.