Orbitals, the latest offering from Hazelight Studios, attempts to capture the magic of games like It Takes Two and Split Fiction. While it boasts a charming aesthetic and endearing characters, it ultimately falls short of its predecessors.
A Tale of Two Clones
[[MEDIA_0: Maki and Omura, the game’s protagonists, have an adorable habit of saying goodbye to tools they leave behind. This is a nice character touch, especially considering their backstory. They first appear as infants in a beautifully hand-animated cinematic. Fifteen years later, not much has changed; they still run around their starship home, taunting each other. However, this seemingly innocent behavior contrasts sharply with the events that transpired just moments before: the two babies were placed in a machine that stored their consciousness and then incinerated them, only to be reborn as clones. Despite this traumatic experience, Maki and Omu remain cheerful and optimistic, always ready for an adventure. Their constant chatter and occasional songs add charm to the game, even when things take a darker turn.
The voice actors, Rebecca Wang and Stephen Fu, do a commendable job with the English script, but the characters’ incessant chatter is more tolerable in a language that most players don’t understand. My co-op partner initially stuck with the default English dub, and I could hear groans coming through the mic as Maki and Omu’s antics unfolded. However, it’s worth noting that the game allows you to play with different languages for each player.
Orbitals inherits many of the same tendencies as its Hazelight cousins. The game rambles its way through a tale that I’m not sure makes a huge amount of sense – though in fairness we were sometimes talking over it. It does fare better than its Hazelight cousins in a couple of areas, at least. For one, Maki and Omu are considerably less annoying than any characters Josef Fares has come up with since the speechless brothers from Brothers. And in cutscenes, they have the distinct advantage of being produced by Japanese animation house Studio Massket. They’re a real treat for the eyes, even if your ears are otherwise engaged.
A Toybox That Feels Empty
One of the things that makes Orbitals stand out is its attempt to create a unique gameplay experience. The game presents you with three Proton Pack-sized gadgets, hefty enough that each player can equip just one of them at time. These are all essentially variants on the same basic aim-and-shoot interaction, just firing different payloads. There’s the Liquid Launcher, a kind of weaponised hosepipe that can be used to extinguish fires or spin water wheels, in a constant stream of wet or (using the alt-fire mode) a single big splat. The Beam Cannon works very similarly, but with lasers. The Scrap Hook can grapple onto marked points then, with a pull of the other trigger, wrench open panels and doors.
These tools are central to the gameplay, but their abilities often feel repetitive and lack excitement. One room requires players to use the Scrap Hook to retrieve seeds, plant them in soil, and water them with the Liquid Launcher to create platforms. While this is a decent puzzle-platforming sequence, it feels familiar to anyone who has played It Takes Two.
One memorable moment involves a pink cetacean alien. The players climb aboard, ready for a grand set piece, perhaps something akin to Split Fiction’s sandfish surfing. However, before the words are even out, the game cuts to them disembarking. This abruptness is deflating and leaves players speculating over voice comms whether this was due to production re-scoping.
A Missed Opportunity in Space
One of Orbitals’ most intriguing features is the inclusion of spaceship sections where players take on the roles of pilot and gunner. This asymmetry creates opportunities for unique co-op experiences, but unfortunately, these moments feel underutilized. The pilot has limited control over the ship’s direction, which can lead to repetitive gameplay.
Despite its shortcomings, Orbitals offers a charming experience with its endearing characters and beautiful anime presentation. However, it ultimately falls short of its potential due to repetitive gameplay and missed opportunities. If you approach it with tempered expectations, Orbitals can be an enjoyable co-op adventure, but don’t expect it to reach the heights of its predecessors.
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