Orbitals Reviews
Immaculate anime stylings aside, Orbitals doesn't bring an awful lot to the post-It Takes Two co-op renaissance, but switch to Japanese and it's never a bad hang.
While Orbitals loses some momentum toward the end, it's a strong co-op adventure that nails the feeling of a playable ‘90s anime.
The creativity and visuals are stunning, the characters have a ton of heart, the soundtrack is an absolute banger, and the atmosphere immediately transported me to the cozy feel of an ’80s–’90s anime. If this is only the beginning for Shapefarm, the future of co-op games is bright.
Orbitals wears its co-op inspirations on its sleeve, but it still stands out with its gorgeous art and likable heroes.
Orbitals set out to do something very specific: deliver an action-packed co-operative game while building a new world inspired by anime classics. On those two notes, it smashes it out of the park. The puzzles not only last just the right amount of time, but my friend and I were consistently delighted by the clever ways the strict set of tools were utilised, and the many fun ways you interact with this fantastically realised anime world.My main complaint is that I wanted much more of it, and while the gameplay itself feels perfectly paced, the somewhat abrupt ending only reminded me that I wished we had spent a little more time establishing the stakes and motivations of the story. Ultimately, Orbitals is a truly phenomenal co-operative title and one of the best ways to spend an evening with a friend this year. With its phenomenal visuals, thrilling mechanics, and the brilliant characters and story, this is the new high bar for co-op games.
My partner and I had a really nice time with Orbitals, and while it doesn’t quite reach the couch co-op excellence tier that Hazelight has set for the rest of the genre, it’s still a journey worth embarking on.
Orbitals pulls a lot of interesting and familiar elements into a tidy package with a charming pair of heroes and a lengthy array of challenges to put their friendship to the test.
Orbitals has become one of the greatest recent delights for the Switch 2 and is further proof that nothing beats a handcrafted game. You can tell when a game is made with love and with the player in mind, and in that sense, this experience is in a league of its own.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Stunningly beautiful in its recreation of 80s and 90s anime, Orbitals is a fun co-op adventure that doesn't quite match the best of the genre thanks to its more constrained gameplay.
Orbitals is a game that wants to do well, there's no doubt about it. While Shapefarm excels in its graphics, the studio clearly aims to offer fresh co-op gameplay, even if it struggles to fully captivate us.
Review in French | Read full review
In an era where many video game experiences seem to want to convince us of their greatness through expansive worlds, increasingly complex systems, and endless amounts of content, Orbitals decides to take a completely different, more intimate path: it takes two people by the hand, places them in front of the same screen, and reminds them that, sometimes, the most memorable adventure isn't the one you experience alone, but the one that happens when two players turn to each other and, with a nod of understanding, realize they've experienced something that today, practically, almost no longer exists.
Review in Italian | Read full review
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Review in French | Read full review
Orbitals is a great bite-sized adventure that lures you in with nostalgic anime and then captures you with a wide variety of puzzle-solving gameplay.
Orbitals is a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive that takes inspiration from the foundation laid out by Hazelight Studios, elevating the resurgence of co-op-based experiences to new and exciting heights.
Orbitals is a fantastic game that uses its inspirations to the highest degree. The art design and aesthetic are a true triumph. Interlacing the cooperative video game genre with the themes of 80s and 90s mecha anime series is executed well.
Orbitals is a brisk, enjoyable interstellar romp that will perhaps, at the end of the day, be more fondly remembered for its authentic approach to vintage Japanese animation than its ability to bring friends together. That's not to say it doesn't succeed as a co-op puzzler-it does-although I think it falls a hair short of its contemporaries in terms of chaotic creativity and scope.
Orbitals is visually distinctive and plays a lot like It Takes Two. While it still falls some way short of the genre's greats, it is nevertheless a very solid two-player co-op game.
Review in Chinese | Read full review
Orbitals is a thoroughly enjoyable co-op adventure which, rather than constantly bombarding players with new mechanics, places greater emphasis on puzzles, communication and working together to find solutions. The gameplay is simpler and less varied than in It Takes Two or Split Fiction, but the ability to swap roles freely, the brilliant world design and the inventive use of the available tools mean that two players can have a really good time together. It’s just a shame that the adventure ends so quickly and doesn’t offer much in the way of replay value, as Shapefarm has created a very solid offering for fans of co-op games.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Playing Orbitals is like stepping into a classic anime, packed full of the soft tones and expressiveness of the era. With strong animation credentials and traditional processes behind the concept, there's a genuine heart and authenticity to this world. Clever co-operative play, fun set pieces and a curious mystery at the heart of the story tie this sci-fi tale together well. Slightly rushed and occasionally fiddly at times, but certainly worth blasting through to discover the fate of these new protagonists. Grab a friend, pop the TV on and live out those Saturday morning shows in style together.
Orbitals is a charming co-op adventure that stands out thanks to its stunning retro-anime aesthetic and a great variety of puzzles that steadily increase in difficulty. While its story isn't quite as compelling as it could have been, it delivers a polished, carefully crafted experience that proves you don't have to reinvent an entire genre to make something genuinely good.
Review in Spanish | Read full review