PAX 2008: Jumpgate Evolution Hands-On

By Sophia Tong, GameSpotPosted Aug 30, 2008 8:13 pm PT

We take a quick tour in space with NetDevil's upcoming MMO.

We've had a couple of chances to meet with NetDevil, the developer of Jumpgate Evolution, at this year's E3 and Game Developer's Conference, but this is the first time that the game is playable. At the Penny Arcade Expo 2008, we had a chance to sit down with the game, which still has a ways to go in terms of a release date, but so far the visuals are very impressive.

Jumpgate is similar to other space action combat games except it's in a massively multiplayer online setting. You can upgrade your ship, buy new parts, and sell items that you find at an auction house in a player-driven economy. The core focus of the game is the combat, whether it's against computer AI or other players. We were promised that, by the time the game is complete, there will be a battleground for those who want to duke it out in space at any time.

Those who are familiar with space combat games should have no issues picking up the controls. We piloted our ship and completed one of the first missions to get a feel for the game mechanics. Using the WASD keys you can move forward, backward, left, and right, and the mouse is used to guide your ship in that particular direction. The shift key will give you a boost to get you through space a little faster. To make this game more accessible, there are many joystick configurations as well, so you can play with your most comfortable style.

The areas that we were shown were amazing. The graphics were almost complete, so what we saw was fairly close to the finished product. The environments themselves may feel large, but you never seem to be flying aimlessly in space. You can zoom out so that your ship becomes a small dot to take in the grandeur of your surroundings. There are structures on asteroids that you can fly into and check out, and if you love science fiction and everything to do with space, the ability to navigate through these beautiful locations is a real treat. One area that we checked out was fairly bright, which made it easy to spot floating space debris and other ships. Another area was mostly red and black, but still well lit, which meant that we weren't flying around blind.

We look forward to spending more time in space, so check back soon for more information. Jumpgate Evolution still has some time to evolve, given that it's scheduled for a spring 2009 release.

19 Comments

  • blue_francis14

    Posted Feb 23, 2009 6:19 pm PT

    i wonder if there will be a demand for cool joysticks

  • SpunkyB0B

    Posted Feb 15, 2009 2:24 pm PT

    I want this game....

  • downloadthefile

    Posted Feb 8, 2009 5:40 pm PT

    why doesnt someone make an mmo that takes place in current times? its always either around 500 years in the past or 500 years in the future.

  • Ixpha

    Posted Feb 7, 2009 5:57 am PT

    well, since Eve online is one of the most newbie unfriendly mmo game out there a new sci fi flight game would seem fun.

  • Sarcerok

    Posted Sep 14, 2008 9:21 am PT

    Given that Eve Online took many elements from the original Jumpgate, but made a much larger game in the process, I would like to know what seperates JE from the original Jumpgate. I get the sense that it will still be a less ambitious project than Eve but it wouldn't take much work to at least make it a more balanced pvp environment than what you see in Eve.

  • kaygee2

    Posted Sep 14, 2008 4:29 am PT

    sounds like a mix of eve-online and x3-reunion. kaygee2

  • samsungx360

    Posted Sep 12, 2008 11:43 pm PT

    another single mmo? ... hope it will not dissapoint me.

  • Gruug

    Posted Sep 4, 2008 6:29 am PT

    This is a prereview? There is no "meat" here. Might as well just sum it up with one sentence "The game looks pretty." Think this has to be the laziest review I have seen to date!

  • dead_devil_66

    Posted Sep 3, 2008 11:19 am PT

    @ SrTVBR

    i think that you dont know Infinity: Quest for Earth

    *rolleyes*

  • SrTVBR

    Posted Sep 2, 2008 3:45 pm PT

    Better then EVE Online? It´s gonna be very difficult job.

  • ray4594

    Posted Sep 1, 2008 1:33 pm PT

    its gonna be a great game.

  • WhiteInferno

    Posted Sep 1, 2008 11:44 am PT

    I just want to know why he used the WASD keys... =P

    Anyways, sounds awesome so far... though I see nothing about a cockpit view.

  • ravagerXI

    Posted Aug 31, 2008 1:07 pm PT

    From the gameplay videos,dogfights dont seem that fun,they are pretty slow (much slower then freelancer). But anyway,im intrested in the game,if it isnt what im looking for il just play X3 and wait for a truly violent and fast paced space dog fighting game.

  • Eltanan23

    Posted Aug 31, 2008 10:13 am PT

    Hopefully this'll be something like EVE crossed with Freelancer. If they can pull that off, combined with much less of the inane PvP focus that EVE has, then I'll be jumping right in.

  • CrysisGamer

    Posted Aug 31, 2008 4:19 am PT

    Only problem is that i think it could be come addictive lol. I like the look. Fingers cross can get in on the beta

  • Zee666

    Posted Aug 31, 2008 2:18 am PT

    sounds like eve with cooler combat ands less of everything else, humm maybe. The graphics sure are pretty though.

  • darfvader

    Posted Aug 31, 2008 1:39 am PT

    w00t

  • FrozenLiquid

    Posted Aug 31, 2008 1:38 am PT

    Sounds awesome. I would like to see an alternative to EVE online.

  • Sprozelth

    Posted Aug 30, 2008 8:59 pm PT

    Shhhweet!!

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