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Hive Jump

Interesting run and gun action saves a somewhat middling roguelike.
66%Game Brain Score
gameplay, music
stability, replayability
69% User Score Based on 275 reviews
Critic Score 63%Based on 6 reviews

Platforms

PCPCXboxXboxWii UWii UWindowsWindowsNintendo SwitchNintendo SwitchLinuxLinuxMac OSMac OSXbox OneXbox OneWiiWii

About

Hive Jump is a fast-paced, action-platformer where you play as a brave space marine tasked with eradicating alien hives. Use a variety of weapons and equipment to navigate through procedurally generated levels, and work together with your team in local or online co-op. Fight challenging bosses, collect resources, and upgrade your gear to save humanity from the alien threat.

Hive Jump screenshot
Hive Jump screenshot
Hive Jump screenshot
Hive Jump screenshot
Hive Jump screenshot
Hive Jump screenshot
Hive Jump screenshot
Hive Jump screenshot
Hive Jump screenshot
Hive Jump screenshot
Hive Jump screenshot
+2

69%
Audience ScoreBased on 281 reviews
gameplay34 positive mentions
stability11 negative mentions

  • The pixel art is well done, with neat animations and cool explosions, creating an engaging visual experience.
  • The game offers fun co-op gameplay, making it enjoyable to play with friends, and the mechanics allow for strategic combinations of weapons and utilities.
  • The backpack respawn system is forgiving, allowing players to continue the action without significant setbacks, which adds to the overall enjoyment.
  • The game feels unfinished and lacks essential features, such as the ability to rebind keybinds, which can hinder the experience for some players.
  • Gameplay can become repetitive quickly, with limited enemy variety and procedural generation leading to a lack of fresh content over time.
  • Technical issues, such as laggy online multiplayer and desynchronization problems, detract from the overall experience, making it frustrating to play with friends.
  • gameplay
    87 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Gameplay in this title is characterized by a fast-paced, run-and-gun style that can be enjoyable, especially with its unique respawn mechanics and weapon variety. However, many players find the experience marred by repetitiveness, a lack of enemy and level diversity, and occasional bugs that detract from the overall enjoyment. While the core mechanics are solid and the game offers a fun multiplayer experience, the execution leaves room for improvement, particularly in terms of content variety and level design.

    • “The backpack health system is really cool, and helps make the brutal kill-you-quick gameplay feel fair.”
    • “On the bright side, the game's playing mechanics are pretty cool, the customization is also pretty cool (but could be expanded on), and the gameplay is just a delight, murdering a crowd of alien insects never felt so good.”
    • “Fast action, tight gameplay, an excellent jet pack, a nice level of polish, a true gamer's game.”
    • “Unfortunately, it hasn't changed much since then - they've added tons of content but the core gameplay remains just as buggy as ever.”
    • “Gameplay gets old real fast, partly due to the lack of enemy diversity but more importantly the level design.”
    • “Repetitive gameplay, disappointing performance, and ho-hum presentation make this a game that’s 'ok' at best.”
  • music
    47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its catchy chiptune soundtrack that complements the retro aesthetic and enhances the gameplay experience. While some players noted that the repetitive nature of the tracks could become tiresome, the overall consensus is that the soundtrack is a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal. Composed by notable artists like biggiantcircles, the music is described as infectious and energizing, making it a highlight for many players.

    • “Everything, from the crisp pixel art, the energized background music, sound effects, and style is top notch.”
    • “The music is as infectious as the venomous insectoid lifeforms your team will be mowing down.”
    • “The soundtrack is just all around a beaut.”
    • “Same enemies, same bosses, same short music loop.”
    • “Replay value is very low and even the soundtrack gets boring really quick.”
    • “The chiptune soundtrack can get a bit repetitive at times but also fits the aesthetic well.”
  • graphics
    43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the vibrant pixel art style and detailed visuals that evoke a nostalgic 80s aesthetic. While some players appreciate the unique art direction and effective use of lighting, others criticize the lack of resolution options and the potential for visual confusion due to similar-looking elements. Overall, the graphics are generally seen as a strong point, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere despite some limitations.

    • “Amazing gameplay and constant action with a very cool concept & art style.”
    • “The visuals are a wild and neon ballet of bright bullets and colorful insect plasma.”
    • “Great graphics—I'm a total sucker for really gorgeous pixel art.”
    • “A choice was made to use obsolete, decades-old retro pixel 'art' as a substitute for contemporary PC graphics.”
    • “There's no option to change the resolution and no useful graphics tweaks.”
    • “Graphics options are limited to resolution and screen mode, as well as toggle switches for lighting and particles.”
  • story
    33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is largely centered around a repetitive mission structure focused on combat, with players tasked to infiltrate alien hives and eliminate enemies, often feeling like a backdrop to the action rather than a driving narrative. While there are elements of humor and pop culture references, the overall plot lacks depth and variation, leading to a mixed reception; some players enjoy the thrill of the gameplay despite the simplistic story, while others find it lacking in detail and engagement. The inclusion of rogue-lite mechanics and cooperative play adds some depth, but many reviewers feel that the story could benefit from more creativity and uniqueness to enhance the overall experience.

    • “A fun, challenging, four-player-coop rogue-lite run-and-gun game, with a surprising amount of backstory that reminds one of the best parts of classic space-marines-vs-bugs stories.”
    • “The story was also fun and a bit snarky/sassy at times.”
    • “If you put in the time there is a storyline that you can play with friends.”
    • “The game features no proper level design or game/story flow/plot, as they opted to try to use samey repetitive procedural generation algorithms as a substitute for adding such content to the game, to avoid doing the important job of level/map design.”
    • “The story is just lacking detail as well.”
    • “There isn't much variation between each mission; it's basically 'hey we need you to go here and kill these enemies and explore their hive and get to the bottom of it and kill whatever boss is down there.'”
  • stability
    11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is a significant concern, with numerous users reporting persistent bugs, glitches, and performance issues, particularly in multiplayer mode. Players experience lag during intense moments, frequent desyncs, and game-ending glitches, which detract from the overall enjoyment. While some acknowledge the game's potential, the core gameplay remains plagued by instability, making it frustrating for many.

    • “Unfortunately, it hasn't changed much since then - they've added tons of content but the core gameplay remains just as buggy as ever.”
    • “The online co-op mode is very buggy and demands that you play at 30 fps.”
    • “It's a really neat game, and I'll likely keep playing for a time to come, despite some interesting glitches such as falling out of the map and having enemies phase through the level.”
  • replayability
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players find it lacking due to repetitive elements and low novelty, others appreciate the random upgrades, diverse weapons, and the inclusion of daily and weekly challenges that enhance replay value. Overall, those who enjoy randomized gameplay and challenges report a satisfying level of replayability, while others feel it falls short.

    • “Difficult and the replayability is great with all the random upgrades you can get.”
    • “There's certainly no shortage of replay value here and even the easy campaign difficulty gets challenging later.”
    • “The game also includes daily and weekly challenges that differ from the normal game mode and can only be attempted once in each time period, which are a nice idea to increase replayability beyond the standard game mode.”
    • “This game is the antonym of replayability.”
    • “Replay value is very low and even the soundtrack gets boring really quick.”
    • “Would have increased the novelty of the rooms and replayability.”
  • humor
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's humor is highlighted as a strong point, with funny campaign features and engaging banter in the overworld that adds to the overall experience. While many players appreciate the wit and comedic elements, opinions on the humor may vary, making it a potentially divisive aspect for some. Overall, the humor is seen as a charming addition that enhances the game's appeal.

    • “The campaign feature is funny.”
    • “The overworld is also where most of the narrative dialogue takes place; the banter can be pretty funny at times.”
    • “Additionally, it's got a nice sense of humor, which is like a neat little bow tied around the game for me.”
  • optimization
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the synergy of a well-planned loadout, while others criticize it for poor performance, limited frame rates (capped at 30 fps), and a lack of significant upgrades. Overall, the repetitive gameplay and subpar presentation contribute to a generally disappointing experience.

    • “It's a great feeling when a good plan and an optimized loadout come together in a particular run.”
    • “The optimization really enhances the gameplay experience, making each run feel more rewarding.”
    • “The balance between strategy and optimization keeps the gameplay engaging and dynamic.”
    • “Very poorly optimized, with 30 fps being the maximum you can get.”
    • “Upgrades do not feel significant, gameplay really only hits a few notes, and there are some performance issues.”
    • “Repetitive gameplay, disappointing performance, and ho-hum presentation make this a game that’s 'ok' at best.”
  • grinding
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect to be tedious rather than challenging, as repetitive levels can lead to frustration, especially when facing bosses with predictable attack patterns. While the game successfully captures the nostalgic aesthetic of its era, it lacks some of the more frustrating elements commonly found in older titles.

    • “It's not very difficult, but is often just tedious as the repetitive levels wear down your health, and then bosses finish you off with repetitive attack patterns.”
    • “The grinding feels excessive and detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
    • “The repetitive nature of the tasks makes it feel more like a chore than a fun gaming experience.”
  • character development
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is criticized for lacking depth and creativity, with both monster and character designs described as unremarkable and visually blending into the backgrounds, leading to a less engaging experience.

  • atmosphere
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of Hive Jump is praised for its engaging blend of Contra and Helldivers gameplay, evoking a strong sense of excitement reminiscent of the Starship Troopers movie. Players appreciate the immersive environment that enhances the overall gaming experience.

    • “Hive Jump is an awesome mix of Contra and Helldivers, with a Starship Troopers atmosphere constantly surrounding you.”

Buy Hive Jump

18h Median play time
15h Average play time
10-20h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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