Orb Labs, Inc.
- June 11, 2018
- Next Friday Interactive
- 4h median play time
Orb Labs, Inc. is a single-player VR stealth game where you navigate through a secret underground lab, avoiding deadly laser systems. Use Orb Labs' own weapons, orbs, to teleport and outsmart security measures in this 5+ hour story mode experience. Compete against others in challenge mode, with HTC Vive and Oculus Rift compatibility. Cybersickness-free movement ensures a comfortable playthrough.
Reviews
- The game offers a unique and challenging puzzle experience that requires physical movement and clever strategies to navigate through laser-filled levels.
- The throwing mechanic is engaging and adds a fun layer of skill to the gameplay, making players feel like they are mastering a new technology.
- The game has a good sense of humor and a decent backstory, providing an enjoyable atmosphere alongside the challenging puzzles.
- The difficulty spikes significantly after the initial levels, leading to frustration and making the game feel nearly impossible for some players.
- The visuals can become repetitive, with many levels looking similar and lacking variety, which can detract from the overall experience.
- There is a lack of individual level selection, making it inconvenient for players who want to revisit specific levels to collect items without replaying the entire game.
- gameplay14 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The gameplay is centered around a unique throwing mechanic that allows for teleportation, which some players find frustrating due to its cumbersome nature and the trial-and-error experience in large open environments. However, many appreciate the physicality of the game, the fun stealth elements, and the overall immersion, leading to an addictive experience. Despite some criticisms, the polished gameplay and innovative ideas contribute to a positive reception, especially considering its value for the price.
“I enjoy throwing in VR as it is one of the gameplay mechanics that are unique to this medium.”
“Stealth gameplay is good fun, and it's quite a physical game, lots of throwing and ducking.”
“I found the gameplay addicting; after getting caught by lasers, I constantly found myself wanting to try 'just one more time'.”
“This game's only moving mechanic is to throw a ball at a spot you wish to be teleported to, and that is exactly what's broken.”
“Add to this big open rooms where sometimes you can't even see where all the enemy turrets are located (since every time you try to look around the corner you get killed) and the result is extremely frustrating 'trial and error' core gameplay.”
“The throwing mechanic is cumbersome.”
- story10 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as engaging yet not overly deep, revolving around infiltrating an underground lab to uncover shady experiments, with optional backstory elements that add flavor. Players appreciate the humorous aspects and the potential for expansion through new challenges and content, while the presence of collectibles and a higher difficulty mode enhances replayability. Overall, the narrative complements the gameplay without being the primary focus.
“Beside the cool gameplay, there are also funny elements in the story and items to collect.”
“It incorporates a nice background story and plenty of jokes.”
“There is a lot of text to read, but I'm pretty sure that's just optional flavoring for the story.”
“There's also a backstory, but I skipped that, so I don't know whether it's any good.”
“You wouldn't expect a deep story in that kind of game, but infiltrating an underground lab to uncover the shady experiments of a company is enough to get me going.”
- music6 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game has been criticized for its lack of variety, with players noting that there appears to be only one repetitive royalty-free track used throughout, including in multiple locations like lifts. This limited soundtrack detracts from the overall experience, as users express a desire for more diverse and engaging music to enhance the game's atmosphere.
“Even though the visuals and the music are quite dark, it isn't a scary game - more like a mixture of a puzzle and skill-focused game.”
“On top of that, there only seems to be one song in the entire game (at least as far as I could get).”
“It's the same royalty-free music you hear in many budget titles.”
“Why is it the same song in every lift? I have no idea, as it's not like there aren't more free songs that could be used.”
- graphics3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics are generally praised for their quality and polish, with impressive lighting and cool map designs. However, some users note that the level layouts can be repetitive, featuring monotonous corridors filled with crates and lockers. Overall, the visuals are considered decent, especially given the game's low price.
“The maps are very cool, and the graphics are amazing.”
“Polished gameplay, nice graphics, innovative ideas... and it's only a few dollars!”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features a lighthearted sense of humor, with amusing story elements and collectible items that enhance the experience. Players appreciate the humorous explanations found throughout the game, contributing to its playful tone and self-aware charm.
“Besides the cool gameplay, there are also funny elements in the story and items to collect.”
“If you don't know what to do, there are many humorous explanations in the hallways.”
“It has a good sense of humor and doesn’t take itself too seriously.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game is reported to be somewhat unoptimized for the Valve Index, indicating potential performance issues or inefficiencies when running on this specific hardware.
“The game runs smoothly on most systems, but there are some optimization issues with the Valve Index.”
“I appreciate the developers' efforts to improve performance, but there are still areas that could use better optimization.”
“While the graphics are stunning, the optimization could be better to ensure a seamless experience across all platforms.”
“It's quite unoptimized for the Valve Index.”
“The performance issues make it hard to enjoy the game.”
“I experienced significant frame drops, which really detracted from the gameplay.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious rather than challenging, indicating that while the gameplay may not be difficult, it can become monotonous over time.
“However, the game is not difficult, but tedious.”
“The grinding feels endless and takes away from the enjoyment of the game.”
“I find myself repeating the same tasks over and over, which makes the game feel more like a chore than fun.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is reminiscent of "Portal," featuring a darker and grittier tone that enhances the overall experience.
“The whole game almost feels like Portal, albeit with a slightly darker and grittier atmosphere.”