In space, no one can hear you scream. Unless you’re on a Discord call with friends, in which case, they really want you to stop. This is Jump Space, a Player-verse-Environment (PvE) game that mixes in roguelike elements with an extraction-shooter like mechanics developed by Keepsake Games. How does Jump Space fair in Early Access? Well, I was pleasantly surprised to say the least! My time with a closed test was short lived for my case, but it gave me a ton of hope for this team-based space shooter.
Science Fiction Goodness
Jump Space is a unique title, one that I always wanted. It takes a lot of different elements and throws them together to create a cosmic gumbo of concepts. It has the customizable character that can be outfitted with various weapons and gear that you unlock as you progress. You get a ship that you and your squadmates get to traverse around and take care of like it’s a baby that is equipped with space lasers. And there is a mechanic where you can upgrade said ship that is awfully reminiscent of Resident Evil 4’s suitcase inventory system, but in a different way.
You can run and gun with pure bombastic pleasure whether you are in the vastness of space or treading upon mysterious ground. You can launch yourself off your ship like a cannon ball and use your grappling hook to embark on enemy controlled ships as well as derelict locations like abandoned space stations. I must say, being blasted off your ship into a specific location never gets old. It is one small element that really gives Jump Space an identity.
As the player that is gravitating in space, you find weapons, gear, and scrap which is used to upgrade your ship. Despite hating the phrase, “gameplay loop” it is quite the loop here in a literal sense. You drift off into space on your ship and choose a pathway that feels like any roguelike game. Locations are split off and each selection you make locks out the other. Destinations have various loot and rewards that push you to make a decision based on how well you’re doing in that moment. To say the least, it plays very much like a greed simulator.
The Greed Simulation
Sometimes you’ll encounter enemy ships which you must choose to engage with or not. Upon wrecking havoc against your foes, you can then exit the ship to gather what they left behind. Sometimes enemies will surprise you and jump into your sector without you knowing. It creates a thrilling experience where you are always testing the bounds. It’s a constant back and forth of emotions that is rather bland when alone, but a ton of fun to talk through when you’re playing with friends. The risk/reward factor at heart really embodies the ideals that both roguelikes and extraction shooters share.
This becomes ever so prevalent when your ship is under fire and repairs must be made. Running around the hull, embracing the chaos that is managing a ship can be stressful but its fun! Everyone can take a role within the ship as well, assisting with taking down enemies and keeping the team together. Various decisions can be made and you’re not tied into performing a specific pattern of tactics. You’re always on your toes and that push and pull gameplay element makes Jump Space a memorable experience. It can easily become the water cooler game of your office, especially if you like to use video games as a team-building exercise.
Friend in Me
Jump Space is like a pizza: best shared with friends. While solo, you do have a robot companion, Jump Space is ultimately a social game. You can get by but the gameplay is rather slow, boring, and it loses its luster quite quickly. When you are playing with friends though, Jump Space shines.
Playing with others adds more variables to the gameplay elements. A level of uncontrolled chaos is always prevalent, especially when one part of your team becomes overzealous, breaking the team contingency and roughing it on their own. Not the best thing to do as every member of the team is equally important. You need to work together to overcome the alien foes and space pirates that want to ransack your ship and strip it for parts. Cohesion is absolutely key but there is ample room for error here.
Early Access
I don’t want to get too into the space weeds here; my time with Jump Ship was fun! I did find a decent amount of repetition but that is to be expected from a game like this. I think for a studio like Keepsake Games, they made a continuous effort to deliver a unique experience that feeds into the “dad-life” structure of going into space, finding stuff, and then going home. It’s an imaginative Home Depot trip for a job that will never be fully complete, and that is attractive to a lot of people.
Keepsake Games does have plans to drop additional content with their rather robust roadmap. As it currently stands, there is plenty of content here to keep your friend group happy for some time. With new weapons, hanger vendors, weapons, and way more, Jump Ship could become the next major game that transforms traditional styles into something fun and unique.
Jump Space is now in Early Access on Steam and will have a price of $19.99 USD.
