Space For Improvement

The first time I saw footage of Orbitals, the anime-themed co-op game from Shapefarm, it was love at first sight. But the more I got to know it, the more I realized good relationships are built on more than appearances. Orbitals is a stunningly beautiful sci-fi adventure with decent gameplay and a disappointing story. Despite my criticisms, Orbitals is kind of like a misbehaving puppy; any gripe I have is immediately softened by its charming appearance, and I left the experience more positive than negative.

By far, Orbitals' greatest feature is its presentation. Cutscenes are animated in a gorgeous retro anime style, gameplay has a similarly pleasing 3D-rendered aesthetic, and the soundtrack (especially the title theme) is an electrifying throwback. Whimsy is off the charts, with fun banter, animal-like aliens to interact with in each level, and inspired cassette futurism environmental designs.

Players control Maki and Omura, two young adults living in an isolated space station. Their home is in danger of being overrun by a deadly storm, and the only way to protect the community is to gather three reactor cassettes. The duo ventures out in their ship to explore abandoned and run-down space stations in hopes of finding the parts they need. The premise is decent enough to propel most of the game, which prioritizes gameplay over the overarching narrative.

That focus shifts in the last half hour or so, however, dumping a ton of story content on the player all at once. The resulting finale is rushed and unsatisfying, and snuck up on me after Orbitals' mostly slow pace. Ultimately, the story concludes with moments that lacked enough setup to make the emotional payoff worthwhile. Because of this, I wish the game focused more specifically on Maki and Omura's connections to their community rather than a MacGuffin-motivated mission. While I conceptually understood the duo loved the people back home, those relationships were talked about more than I experienced them in-game, and I never cared about most characters the way the protagonists did.

Maki and Omura, on the other hand, are (inter)stellar leads. While it's never properly established, they have a fun sibling dynamic, and clearly enjoy each other's company, speaking in sync, making puns, and singing silly songs. It's oddly refreshing after playing similar games where the player characters are constantly butting heads – I like the person I'm playing this game with, and it's nice to have our respective avatars feel the same way.

Gameplay is co-op only, and almost always asymmetrical, save for some minigames and occasions when Maki and Omura don't have tools equipped. The bulk of the gameplay has each player wield a different piece of tech – usually some combination of a laser, grappling hook, and water cannon – and work together to solve puzzles. No two sections felt the same, and I was impressed by Orbitals' sheer puzzle variety, finding new ways to use each tool.

Some felt unsatisfying and too simple; solutions were reduced to "player 1 uses a tool, then player 2 uses a tool, and vice versa until the level is complete," with little critical thinking or coordination required. That said, the whimsical vibes help a lot, elevating middling gameplay with fun concepts. Shooting platforms at a wall for my partner to jump on wasn't particularly exciting or novel, but when those platforms are bright blooming flower petals I'm blasting into a wall of soil, I don't mind as much.

To travel between stations, you team up to pilot a home base spaceship that evolves over the course of the game with new critters and minigames. When you're ready to take off, one player sits in the pilot's chair and the other controls the guns. It's an engaging way to solve puzzles, with one of us moving obstacles and flipping switches and the other maneuvering, but I was regularly frustrated by the space combat. Dodging fast homing missiles was a consistently uncomfortable affair, and one late-game sequence was downright overwhelming. 

Orbitals doesn't quite crash and burn, but its execution leaves a bit to be desired. That said, even after a lukewarm ending, returning to the game to hear the title theme and see the smiling protagonists once more makes me undeniably sentimental. I wish I connected more to Orbitals' story and systems, but I can't deny its playful, cozy vibes.