April 21, 2022
LAB132

orbit.industries

If you’re looking for an endless outer space toy box to play in (and there are options to play without a scenario goal or with unlimited funds), then orbit.industries is a fun diversion. Learn, and fail, and start again on your way to the stars. Just don’t forget about the interest rates.

68%Game Brain Score

story, graphics

gameplay, atmosphere

64% User Score Based on 78 reviews

Critic Score 77%Based on 3 reviews

Platforms

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About

orbit.industries is a single player strategy game with business and science fiction themes. It was developed by LAB132 and was released on April 21, 2022. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

Orbit.Industries is a space-themed simulation game where you build and manage a space station using Unreal Engine 4's stunning visuals. As Captain, you'll monitor and set up production cycles, install and redesign your station in a 3D view, and immerse yourself in realistic star constellations, nebulas, and planets. The game's focus on abstract systems and 360-degree views enhances the building and management experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

+12

Skip User Reviews

64%

Audience ScoreBased on 78 reviews

story4 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The game offers a unique blend of resource management and station building, providing hours of engaging gameplay.
Players appreciate the abstract wiring mechanics and the ability to customize their space station layout, which adds depth to the experience.
Despite some issues, many find the game relaxing and enjoyable, with potential for improvement through updates.

The game suffers from significant technical issues, including crashes and missing files, rendering it unplayable for many users.
There is a lack of clear instructions and tutorials, leading to confusion and frustration for new players trying to understand the mechanics.
The economic balance is criticized, with contracts often being unmanageable and leading to financial failure, which detracts from the overall enjoyment.

story
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
77%
10%
The story aspect of the game is generally considered underwhelming, with players noting a lack of direction in mission progression and a simplistic narrative that doesn't significantly enhance the gameplay experience. While the scenario missions are interesting and the unique visual style adds some charm, the storytelling is often conveyed through stilted text, making it feel less engaging. Overall, the game focuses more on resource management and building mechanics than on delivering a compelling story.
- “The scenario missions are pretty interesting, and I loved the ending of the starter scenario.”
- “At one point, you need other modules to do the research for the storyline, and you have to dig through the research to find them and their support research too.”
- “While I might've clocked in only one hour in the game, the unique visual style and much of the short-form storytelling is great and more than justifies the fundamentally simple resource management game loop.”
- “You see, there is no direction to unlock modules needed to move on in the mission story; it's get lucky or move on and restart.”
- “Sadly, this is because you did not wish to fix some major production attention to detail errors, especially in the first 'semi-tutorial-like' mission.”
- “Story is not much to write home about.”
graphics
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
25%
15%
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their aesthetic beauty and innovative design, featuring a unique combination of 3D construction and abstract module wiring layers that allow for creative station building. However, some users noted issues with graphic organization and interface color coding, suggesting that these elements could benefit from an overhaul to enhance user experience. Overall, while the visuals are appealing, they are somewhat overshadowed by frustrations with gameplay mechanics.
- “All in all this is an aesthetically beautiful game from a visual standpoint.”
- “The six is from beautiful artwork and programming with nice GUI flow.”
- “I imagine it's easier to win if you're not worried about the aesthetics of the station.”
- “Color codes from one interface don't align with color codes on another interface; the graphic organization to the user is just a mess and needs an overhaul.”
- “Game seems balanced, graphics are pleasing, UI works.”
gameplay
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
65%
21%
The gameplay is centered around building and managing a station, where players must balance resource generation with mission contracts to progress. While the building mechanics are enjoyable and offer a degree of creativity, some players find the contract income to be unbalanced, making it challenging to advance. Additionally, certain mechanics, like crossing pipelines, lack meaningful impact, which detracts from the overall experience.
- “I actually really enjoyed this game and found the mechanics relaxing.”
- “The building mechanics are sweet, and it is up to you to choose how your station is laid out.”
- “I've invested quite a bit of time trying to figure the game mechanics out, and my conclusion at this moment is that the 'contracts' are just too far out of balance with the income.”
- “The gameplay loop is basically that you build station modules to have enough resources to do missions, which gives you money to build more station modules to accept more complex missions, research new modules with which you can accept even more complex missions.”
- “Crossing energy and water pipelines has zero gameplay impact for something that the player will likely do by accident, so I'd hardly call it a joke, much less an achievement.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The atmosphere in the game is intricately tied to resource management, requiring players to establish dedicated systems for power and atmosphere in their habitats. High-quality environments not only necessitate atmospheric control but also demand additional resources, such as replicators, which must be sourced from other locations.
- “A top-tier habitat doesn't just require atmosphere; it demands other resources like 'replicator' which themselves have to be produced elsewhere.”
- “A top-tier habitat doesn't just require atmosphere, it demands other resources like 'replicator' which themselves have to be produced elsewhere.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its excellent optimization, offering a smooth gameplay experience with high frame rates and minimal system demands during the initial playtime. Players feel confident that they can invest significant time into the game without performance issues.
- “Very good development optimization balance, and FPS with no high demands in our initial one hour of play.”
- “The game plays great and runs smoothly, and I can see myself spending a heck of a lot more time playing this.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music, along with AI voices and visuals, creates a calming atmosphere that can be soothing, but ultimately, many users find it more frustrating than enjoyable, leading to a lack of engagement.
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is hit-or-miss, with some players finding it genuinely funny while others feel it falls flat. Overall, the comedic elements vary in effectiveness, leading to mixed reactions among users.