Released on Sept. 19, Jump Space is proving to be one of the most interesting games I’ve played this year. With great combat, a straightforward structure, and a pretty fun gameplay loop, I have to say I’m surprised to the utmost, and its launch numbers show me I’m not alone.
Jump Space came seemingly out of nowhere on Sept. 19, getting massive numbers on Steam as soon as it dropped. It didn’t launch in a full capacity, instead going first into Steam Early Access as the developers continue to work on and expand it. That didn’t deter people, though, as SteamDB shows a 21,000 peak concurrent player count a day after its release, alongside 2,000 reviews, of which 90 percent are positive.
Now that’s a response you don’t see often for an indie game that isn’t Silksong or other well-established series. It’s also developer Keepsake Games’ first project, adding another layer to Jump Space‘s surprise indie hit vibes. But I’ve been blabbering about numbers long enough, so what was it that truly captivated me about Jump Space and led me to write up this piece?
Well, first and foremost, Jump Space is one of the most responsive games I’ve played in 2025. Movement feels smooth at high fps, the aiming is snappy and intuitive, and the combat has more feedback than I could ever want. Clicking a clanker’s head is accompanied by visceral audio effects, while using any weapon feels weighted, impactful, and powerful. This is all one could want out of a game, but Jump Space, as the name implies, goes to infinity and beyond with its overarching story and missions.
The game is structured in a way reminiscent of Armored Core 6. You pick a mission, set assignments and goals, and venture out into the deep cold of space to search for scrap, new technologies, or follow the storyline. Each mission has several levels for you to play, either in space itself or on the ground. Transitioning from one location to the other is fast and easy, while ship controls are some of the best I’ve ever had the pleasure of using.
Unlike other space-faring games like No Man’s Sky, Jump Space doesn’t really let you explore space and play as a cosmic adventurer. Departing a planet manually leads to radiation blasting your ship, ultimately destroying it if you do not turn back. Traversing huge distances on your own is also borderline impossible, as the game requires you to use jump drives to go from level to level.
This is by no means a bad thing, since cutscenes and loading are as rare as they get, with every level being completely seamless for its entire duration. Levels are big enough to have several locations for you to explore to gather more loot, so you shouldn’t feel like you’re stuck within small mission boxes.
The ship combat is also amazing. You can pilot the thing yourself, or sit aside and control weaponry while another player flies the ship. Or, if you’re playing solo, a robot companion will control some of the weapons while you’re in control of maneuvers. It’s a great co-op or solo experience, the former being much more fun.
If you do prefer to venture out alone, don’t worry. Though you have a mouth, no one in space can hear you scream, but your robot buddy I’ve mentioned above will accompany you through thick and thin, transporting cargo back to the ship, helping during enemy encounters, and overall supporting you by lessening your sense of isolation and loneliness, and breaking the monotony.
Ships can be customized, retrofitted, expanded, improved, upgraded, you name it. There’s also a lot of character customization, while missions and looting runs feel satisfying and give you a great sense of accomplishment, prompting you to embark again.
Going into the game based on its numbers, I have to say I didn’t know what I was getting into. Thankfully, I was pleasantly surprised by what I found, and I will certainly be sticking around until I’ve exhausted all the early access content Keepsake Games has put into the game, which is as vast as you’d ever need, and certainly worth the $20 asking price.
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