If there was a video game series that I played a lot on the NES, I would say it was Contra. The game was unlike anything I had played before. The run and gun action, one hit kills, and the three lives to finish it were definitely a good challenge. It was even more so when you beat the game with just the three lives (or the 30 lives cheat code). Fast forward several years and many games have tried to bring the same run and gun action. Some have failed and others have succeeded. Hive Jump is a game that I feel that has succeeded in bringing fast-paced, sweat palming on the edge run and gun action, but that also adds a strategy layer not seen in other games,. I feel that this gives Hive Jump their own identity, adding roguelite elements that keep the action fresh and challenging.
The game is set in the distant future, and alien bugs are invading with the sole objective of wiping humans from the face of the galaxy (it’s always bugs). As humanity’s last stand, you are part of the proud corps called Jumpers. With an advanced suit and payload, you tackle the enemy Hives, and “jump” in them,kill everything in sight, and collect Goo (bug goo) that is used as prime material for humanity’s sustenance. This is the story in a nutshell, so as a Jumper, your job is to defend the human settlements from the bug’s invasion.
In order to jump into the action, at the beginning of each stage you play a turn-based strategy mini game of sorts. You are shown the map, and you can upgrade each settlement to give it a fighting chance against the bugs. This is depending on the amount of Goo points you possess. Once you take all of your actions, end the turn, and it’s the Hive’s turn. Then, a small video plays of your jumpers playing against the bugs. If you strengthened the settlement well, you win the encounter, and a new phase starts in which you can “jump” into the Hive.
Here is where the game style changes to a 2D run and gun adventure, like Contra or Metal Slug. When you dive into the hive, you can customize your jumper, selecting the main weapon to use, sub weapon and utility, as well as color and emblem. However, due to the game’s roguelite nature, you shouldn’t get attached to Sgt. Bricks since he will die a honorable death, and he won’t come back. Let me tell you that Hive Jump even in the easiest difficulty is hard (as it should be; gamers nowadays are to spoiled with easy games). You will lose a lot of Jumpers because Jumpers are expendable, but your backpack payload is gold as long as it doesn’t get destroyed. Each time you die, you respawn with a new Jumper (but with the same weapons and equipment you chosen before) and continue onward to victory. However, bugs–as vicious as they are–will continue attacking the backpack. Luckily, you can move the backpack from harms way using the left stick. It isn’t the fastest backpack in the world, but it helps.
The more enemies you kill the more Goo you collect. As mentioned before, this is useful to upgrade your weapons and unlock more. Believe me, you want more. There are several weapons to choose from, but personally, I like the Plasma Gun, since you can charge a shot and fire a la Metroid or Mega Man. When you look on the codex, they had a “mega” hard time creating that weapon (*wink wink*).
When you are exploring the Hive, you can come across caves that you can enter. Inside these caves, if you die you cannot respawn, and therefore lose the ability to access it again. However, they compensate this raise in difficulty because if you can traverse the cave and get all the way till the end, you can find a survivor that leaves with some witty comments and refills your grenades. Also, you can find a box that contains tons of goo and a really important item that makes your mission a little easier: Relics.
Relics are nifty artifacts that give a more detailed story about their background and the victims against the Ordovicians (the bugs). However, they also carry some passive bonuses. For example, the Valiant Shield increases your health and that can be stacked up to 4X, so it helps in the gruesome fight. There are several to find, and they increase your chances of survival. While you can play the game solo, co-op is where it is more fun, since you can help each other, especially during hive swarming. During this time, enemies get more aggressive, and their numbers can be overwhelming but nothing teamwork can handle, right?
Graphically, the game looks great. It may sound biased, but I love pixel art. This game is particularly great. I like how well-detailed the areas are, and the different environments you can find on the hives you jump into. Some are green with plants on it. Some are hot with lava pools. Some even have ice.
Due to the roguelite nature of the game, if you die (that is to say that your backpack is destroyed), you start over from the last interaction before jumping into the hive. However, when you jump again, it’s not the same layout or appearance as the previous time. This helps keep the game fresh and keep you on your toes, since you never know what you will encounter.
Another thing to praise is the enemy AI. Each enemy you encounter has different patterns, and you need to be on top of them. For me, this keeps the game interesting, even more so depending on your starting weapon. The hive can be a breeze or a walk through broken glass.
The music is really good, and I never felt that it was boring or repetitive. It goes well with the theme of the game.
Bottom Line: I really liked Hive Jump. I like that it tried to walk its own path in bringing a mix-up of genres consolidated in one game. The strategy mini game (as I see it) feels refreshing, and the difficulty is out there in the run and gun sections. The four player co-op game feels like a blast from the past, while playing Contra: The Alien Wars on my SNES. If you are looking for a run and gun game different than the rest, the Jumpers are waiting for you to join them.
A copy of this game was provided for review purposes.