Jump Ship Preview: A Perfect Blend of Sea of Thieves and Left 4 Dead, Even More Polished and Enjoyable Than Before
About a year ago, I attended a meeting at the Game Developer’s Conference where I first learned about a game called Jump Ship. This game is a four-player sci-fi shooter that brings together elements from popular games like Sea of Thieves, Left 4 Dead, and FTL. I found it to be really exciting and unique. Recently, I had the opportunity to try out the latest version of the game with some of its developers. With so many games set to release this year, I believe Jump Ship has a great chance to stand out. As it moves closer to its Early Access launch this Summer, it has become even more polished and enjoyable.
If you’re not familiar with Jump Ship, it’s an adventure game set in space, designed for up to four players. However, the developers at Keepsake Games have taken player feedback into account to create an experience that even solo players can enjoy. This means if you prefer to play alone, you’ll have AI companions to assist you in navigating the ship. You can get a glimpse of this in the Prologue, which acts as both a tutorial—teaching you about shooting, flying, and ship combat—and a way to set up the game’s story.
Jump Ship is built around an engaging narrative. You and your team will face missions that take you through a galaxy plagued by a harmful virus affecting machines. Your goal is to trace the virus to its source and stop it. The game features procedurally generated missions that can vary in length, with some taking about 10 minutes and others lasting an hour or more. As you choose missions on the Jump Map, you’ll see color codes indicating the level of danger associated with each choice. Of course, the more dangerous the mission, the better the rewards you can earn.
One of your key allies is an AI character named Iris, whom you meet during the Prologue. Iris serves as a guide during your missions, adding a structured layer to the gameplay. You also have a base called the Hangar, where you can spend in-game currency to customize your character, check out the bigger Galaxy Map, and even enjoy a little soccer during your breaks.
Now, let’s talk about the core gameplay with four players, which is incredibly fun! As you set out on missions, things can quickly become chaotic. Your ship may come under attack while you’re traveling, requiring one person to pilot the ship, another to operate a powerful weapon, and two others to battle enemies outside the ship. If your ship gets damaged, someone has to rush inside, grab a fire extinguisher, and put out any fires to keep your ship intact.
Once you reach your destination, all players must disembark and navigate through enemy territory to collect loot. You will face infected robots that pose a constant threat, so teamwork is crucial. You can use a grappling hook to move around quickly, and once you secure the valuable loot, one person must return it to the ship while the others defend them.
In my demonstrations of Jump Ship, both last year and recently, the play sessions were brief. On one hand, it showed that the game is fun and can be enjoyed in short bursts, making it easy to fit into everyday life. On the other hand, I still have questions about the larger mission structure and variety that the game promises. However, everything I’ve experienced so far highly suggests that Jump Ship has the potential to be a significant hit, and I’m excited to play even more in the future.
