REVIEW: ‘Orbitals’ Shines On The Shoulders Of Anime Giants

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and puzzle-adventure game Orbitals certainly seems intent on flattering anime of the late 80s and 90s. Developed by Shapefarm, Orbitals merges cooperative gameplay with visuals that so faithfully recreate 2D animation that you’ll forget your objective just to watch your character run in circles or do the running man. Published by Kepler Interactive, this adventure will linger in your mind long after the credits roll, like your favorite 20-episode anime of the late 1900s. In short, Orbitals is a uniquely special experience, reminding us that art can take any form and that it’s worth the struggle.

Years after a space storm ravages their space station, youngsters Maki and Omura are finally old enough to pilot a ship, allowing them to retrieve a trio of cassettes that will ensure everyone’s safety from future storms. Mysterious MacGuffins aside, Orbitals keeps its players focused on a few goals, and it doesn’t pad your playtime by drawing out these ventures. That’s not to say that they are quick and easy trips to find the narratively significant items, but each chapter of the story feels meticulously designed to maximize the players’ enjoyment and bow out before they’ve overstayed their welcome.

This design philosophy is upheld by the game in every sense, from the various puzzles you’ll work together to solve, to the strange creatures you’ll encounter, and even the overarching story. In fact, the only real complaint about Orbitals is that it isn’t longer. Much like your Cowboys Bebop and your Neon Genesis Evangelions, Orbitals burns brilliantly for a short time, and before you know it, you’re rolling credits on the final episode, or chapter in Orbitals’ case. Though, given the developer’s expertise, it’s probably for the best, lest they draw out the story unnecessarily and risk diminishing its quality or memorability.

Orbitals requires a second player to play, but doesn’t lock its characters into specific roles.

Since Orbitals features dual protagonists, it follows that the game requires two people to play it. One person plays as the impulsive and clever girl Maki, while the other takes the role of Omura, a blue-skinned boy with horns who tries to come off as serious. Like other ‘forced co-op’ games in recent years, you’ll only require one copy of Orbitals to facilitate gameplay, since Nintendo Switch 2’s free Friend Pass allows the other player to join. After starting the story, you and your partner can swap characters upon resuming the game, but this doesn’t impact the gameplay, since neither character is tied to a specific gameplay role.

Unlike other games with a similar premise, Orbitals allows the dual protagonists to swap roles in puzzles and when controlling their ship. Either Maki or Omura can pilot the ship or control the ship’s weapons, but if their players feel like their role is too difficult or unfun, or they simply want to change things up, the characters can just swap spots on the ship.

The same applies to puzzles; the pair pick up a variety of tools and their accompanying rigs, giving them access to a fluid launcher, a laser cannon, a hook, and more. This gives players the freedom to play who they want without locking them into a specific role down the line. This also gives players a chance to play through the story a second time, since the gameplay and some dialogue will be different with the roles reversed.

The feeling of victory is almost equaled by the glee of trying and failing.

Orbitals’ puzzles are something of an enigma. Many of them do little to reinvent the wheel, though there are several that feel unique. Instead, they focus on creatively depicting the challenge, such as following a ghost’s lead to complete a rhythm game, or highlighting the cooperative aspect to increase the two players’ dependence on one another. It’s executed with such deftness and delivered in such a unique style that it’s hard to be upset when you fail.

Maki and Omura will lightheartedly lament if they were burnt to a crisp or shredded to bits, events which are depicted with equally humorous animations. Along with the growing camaraderie between you and your game partner, it’s hard not to laugh about it, and then fail another two or three times because you can’t stop laughing. Eventually you’ll succeed, and the feeling of victory is almost equaled by the glee of trying and failing, which is especially true on some of the longer puzzles that require a full minute of concentration and cooperation.

Orbitals tells a thoughtful story and provides many fun puzzles that will test your ability to cooperate with your gameplay partner. It triumphs handily in making its gaming aspects fun. As a game, Orbitals already stands above the standard, but it isn’t just the gameplay. What elevates Orbitals is its presentation.

Orbitals’ character models are a complete marvel.

From the title screen, you’re treated to an anime opening complete with blaring horns and wailing guitar, and Japanese lyrics with the occasional English word or two thrown in. The opening cutscene showcases the gorgeous animation used for the story’s bigger narrative moments, with a softness and graininess that emulates 90s anime like no other.

My gameplay partner and I marveled at the characters’ models, turning the camera as if daring the three-dimensional characters to stop looking like 2D art painstakingly drawn from every possible angle. We would often pause to simply admire the stellar background art before rocketing the ship across the open spaces.

And it’s not just Orbitals’ appearance that shines; the game’s soundtrack and writing feel like they’ve been sealed away for thirty years, waiting for Shapefarm to find it and share it with the world. The protagonists banter as they search for the cassettes, and solving puzzles usually has one or both of them coming up with puns or little celebratory jingles; the small flourishes that make them relatable.

Orbitals is a must-play for lovers of 90s anime.

Growing up a 90s kid, I watched anime in three languages: English, Spanish, and Japanese (with subtitles). It was a pleasant surprise to see Orbitals features voice acting in these and several other languages, so I got to switch between the three I was most familiar with. All three languages carried the air of past anime.

I can’t speak decisively on the Japanese voice acting, but the English and Spanish dubs felt incredibly familiar, both in writing and in tone. In addition to localized dialogue, including jokes between the protagonists, both the English and Spanish voice acting includes lightly stilted or awkward delivery, though it feels deliberate, coming off as homage instead of poor voice acting.

Its gameplay and themes can appeal to anybody, but those with a deep love for 90s anime should absolutely play Orbitals. It’s a fun, funny, and heartfelt journey that will leave your jaw on the floor more than once. Whether it’s due to the visuals, a puzzle’s solution, or from bumping into a screaming alien creature, Orbitals is awe-inspiring. And best of all, you share these moments with a friend. It wears its influences on its sleeve, and it shines as a result.

Orbitals is available now for purchase on Nintendo Switch 2.