Overview

Hive Jump 2: Survivors is a solid time for those looking to kill bugs, but I don't think it's something I will see to 100%. In my hours of play I found the game enjoyable but quite small. With limited level selection, an upgrade system that locks you to three options, and a progression path that can be frustrating to complete, it begins to add up. This sequel to the 2017 original Hive Jump follows you as a captain who has been sent on a mission that has gone awry. You are left to defend yourself against the Ordovician Hive, a race of alien enemies whose sole purpose is to kill you. Along the way you will find new weapons, utility items, and relics to improve your jumper and your run. Will the rogue-like elements be your greatest strength or your ultimate downfall?

Gameplay

Hive Jump 2: Survivors starts with a simple tutorial that introduces your basic inputs: walk forward, backwards, left, right, jump, and fire your weapon. The game uses an auto-attack system, so there's no need to worry about being in the exact position to lay fire to your enemies. However, there is a manual attack option that the game fails to show you unless you look at your key binds in the settings menu. The tutorial also gets you familiar with your currencies of amber and goo. At the end of the tutorial, the game introduces the relic system. The relic system is your main way of upgrading your character for each run.

Each mission, or run, starts with a message that says explains that your plan backfired and everyone is now dead with an extraction on the way. Now, with your selected jumper (character), you have to survive 15 waves of enemies that grow in difficulty. As you kill enemies, they will drop goo, the main currency, and your experience orbs, for lack of a better term. As you level up, you will be given the chance to get a new relic. Relics are random stat modifiers that upgrade aspects of your character like weapon speed, damage, critical chance, and health. Each time you level up, you are given a choice between three options, with the option to re-roll your choices and get new ones.

The other way to upgrade your character mid-run is through loadout options that appear when you complete a wave. After every wave completion you are given the chance to purchase new weapons or utility items or upgrade the ones you already own to improve your loadout. These use the same goo as your level-up screen and work in the same way. The main catch here is that you can only have three options. So if you are building a shotgun build with two other weapons, you have to hope that the gods give you one of those weapons. Otherwise you are left wasting your goo re-rolling trying to get something you like. There were countless times when I would roll more than six times trying to find something useful only for me to run out of goo. It doesn't help that the first half of your run can be painfully slow in this department, as I often had my loadout by round four, searching for pieces to upgrade my existing items.

As a whole the gameplay loop was fun, if a bit frustrating. They do have side objectives to get you to explore the map with some pretty nice amounts of goodies, but they will test your survival skills. On easier difficulties you are often just running around for minutes, looking at the wave clock, hoping that the next wave starts and lets you get closer to the end. On harder difficulties you are getting swarmed by enemies faster than you are when you have the equivalent of a peashooter. This is alleviated by choosing permanent upgrades, but those require the collection of amber in the game. After a certain point I began playing amber simulator, where my main goal was to just create a set path to collect as much amber as possible in a run and hope I don't die. It can be fun in its own right, but I wish there was a quicker way to progress through each level.

Jumpers

Jumpers are your character that you pick before starting a run. These can vary from soldiers who start with an extra grenade to having increased jetpack efficiency. While you can change your build depending on what items pop up during your run, these options give you an extra leg at the start of the game. Not everyone works immediately, and you won't vibe with certain ones, but the ones that click for you are sure to make the experience that much more enjoyable. I personally really enjoyed the aerial jumper, which gave me a boost to my jetpack. I was able to traverse the map much quicker and have a safer exit when things got dicey. While some jumpers are unlocked by completing challenges like using a fully upgraded weapon, others are unlocked via the upgrades menu. You can unlock an additional jumper by reaching the milestones of purchasing 5, 25, 45, 75, and 95 upgrades.

Upgrades

While the game is a rogue-like, it does allow for permanent progression options. These upgrades make a meaningful change in simplifying runs and allowing you to handle the higher difficulties. Each of the upgrades unlocks after completing certain tasks in the game like destroying 500 eggs in a run or killing 1,000 enemies with the poison grenades. Upgrades will use the amber you find in game, so be sure to collect as much as you can each run. I made the mistake of not prioritizing these upgrades until much later in the game and felt the consequences. It often felt like my jumpers of choice could get easily overwhelmed, but once I got upgrades to my critical damage and speed, there was a noticeable change.

Levels

The game has four maps currently, with six difficult modes. Each one comes with its own handcrafted design, music, and challenges to face. The difference in these levels versus something like Vampire Survivors is that these arenas are much tighter and compact. The maps are made to challenge your directional inputs as well as your strategy. One map could see you dodging lava pits, while the next is full of corners that trap you in. All of this comes together due to the added mobility option of a jetpack. This is honestly what hooked me the most, as it allowed for me to get out of a sticky situation at a moment's notice. The jetpack doesn't have the greatest mobility at the start, but as you upgrade it with relics, or via other jumpers, you can really begin to bob and weave your way through the hordes of enemies.

Artist Direction

Music and Sound Design

The audio design does a good job of making you want to keep playing. Despite only having one main track for each level, the music never felt overbearing or annoying. These runs can last upwards of 40 minutes, so to have music that does not get on my nerves is quite the accomplishment. I wouldn't say I am downloading these songs on Spotify, but they got the job done while I was in game.

The other audio aspect is the sound design of the game. Praise has to be given to a game that can tell you exactly what is happening just by the noises in your ear. Weapons sound distinct and punchy, making sure I know when I land a hit. On the flip side of that, the enemies hit indicators are clear with a crunch, like you sat on your bag of chips at school. I never was lost on the fact that I was taking damage, and those cues allowed me to change my immediate thinking to go find some health. Leveling and upgrading mid-run also sound great. Each time the shop would open, I was ready to make my purchases and continue on to the rest of the game.

Art Direction

The game has a nice-looking art style, emulating the looks of 32-bit video games. The enemy creature design is well done as well. I could tell exactly which enemies were going to attack me and how I should react to them. Environments are varied if a bit basic. You have your classic snowy area and lava-invested battlefield, as well as caves and mushroom forests. While I think the map design could have used some work, the aesthetic is strong. The colors are vibrant, and most parts are distinct enough to not get lost. There were a couple times where I thought I could jetpack over a gap, only to get stopped by a wall and eaten by these nasty bugs.

Final Verdict

While Hive Jump 2: Survivors is fine, I wish it was great. I think there is fun to be had here if the aesthetic of killing bugs interests you post Helldivers 2. The gameplay is solid, and after you begin your permanent upgrades, the game begins to shine, but I wish I found those things out earlier. You can purchase Hive Jump 2: Survivors on Steam or on GOG for $7.99 USD.

Disclosure: We received a free review copy of this product.