Orion: A Sci-Fi Visual Novel
- September 27, 2015
- Cylight Studios
A science-fiction visual novel centered on the implications of time travel, artificial intelligence, and humanity's ascent to the stars.
Reviews
- The artwork is beautiful and well-executed, enhancing the overall visual experience.
- The voice acting is above average, with characters like Virgil standing out for their engaging performances.
- The game features an interesting concept with multiple endings that encourage replayability, allowing players to explore different narrative paths.
- The writing is poorly executed, with weak dialogue and underdeveloped characters that fail to engage the player.
- The game is too short and lacks depth, leaving many plot points and character arcs unresolved or rushed.
- Many choices feel inconsequential, leading to a sense of frustration as players navigate through the story without clear impacts from their decisions.
- story41 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The story of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing its rushed pacing, lack of character development, and incoherent plot that fails to effectively utilize its sci-fi theme. While some appreciate the intriguing concepts and multiple endings, others feel that the execution is poor, leading to a disjointed experience where players struggle to connect with the characters or understand the narrative. Overall, the game shows potential but ultimately falls short in delivering a satisfying and engaging story.
“The plot is overall interesting and the game took me about 4.5 hours to complete fully.”
“Great story, loved the ending.”
“The storytelling and concepts the game portrays are very interesting and pulled me in immediately.”
“The plot is very rushed, barely giving you the time to get to know any of the characters or the politics of Orion at all, before launching you headfirst into a convoluted story where all of the side characters refuse to properly explain anything at all.”
“Whatever story this game does have is half-assed and sloppily executed.”
“You make decisions but you have no idea what this is actually about, and it doesn't feel like a coherent story at all.”
- graphics9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game feature a mix of anime-style illustrations and unique watercolor artworks that unlock as players progress, creating a visually intriguing experience reminiscent of 80s neon aesthetics. However, the inconsistency between character sprites and CGs leads to a distracting disparity in character appearance, detracting from the overall presentation. While some users appreciate the unique artistic direction, others find it forced and uneven.
“The more bizarre element about this game is the artwork you unlock as you progress and replay the game.”
“The game's normal presentation is the anime-style illustrations, but as you unlock scenes, you find these watercolor-painted style artworks which glow and bloom, like it's meant to be an 80s neon wash render of Logan's Run, which seems to be the reward for playing the game and seeing the different endings.”
“Orion has an interesting concept (a genuinely unique concept actually) and amazing artwork.”
“The game has a normal presentation with anime-style illustrations, but as you unlock scenes, you find these watercolor-painted artworks that glow and bloom, resembling an 80s neon wash render of Logan's Run. This seems to be the reward for playing the game and seeing the different endings.”
“Mari's sprites make her eyes look really weird due to the art style.”
“The differing art styles between the sprites and CGs are much more distracting than anything else.”
- music9 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received high praise for its quality and emotional impact, with many reviewers highlighting the impressive soundtrack and sound design that enhance immersion. The ending song and overall composition are particularly noted, with some players expressing a desire for the soundtrack to be available for purchase. Overall, the music contributes significantly to the game's atmosphere and storytelling, earning it a strong 10/10 rating from some players.
“The art is beautiful as is the soundtrack (I actually bought it from the creators' site after finishing the game). The voices are amazing, and I actually felt like the main characters had genuine emotions.”
“Furthermore, the sound design in this game is very nice, which made reading this visual novel even better. I found myself enjoying the music more than I realized because it fit the mood so well of what I was reading.”
“Pity the soundtrack isn't up for sale.”
“The music wasn't half-bad either and that ending song was pretty good.”
“Voice acting, sound, and music give a premium feel that really go the extra step for immersion.”
- gameplay3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this visual/interactive novel is criticized for being minimal, primarily consisting of clicking through poorly written dialogue, which detracts from the overall experience. Many users question the quality of the writing and how it was deemed suitable for release on platforms like Steam.
“Now to the gameplay/replay.”
“If you guys would like to watch some gameplay before playing this yourself, here!”
“As a visual/interactive novel, this doesn't feature any notable gameplay; it's just a lot of clicking through badly written dialogue that would never have been accepted or published in print, which poses the question, 'how did something this badly written end up on Steam?'”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is well-received, with players finding it genuinely funny, particularly enjoying the character Virgil, whose sassy remarks consistently elicit laughter. Overall, the comedic elements contribute significantly to the game's appeal.
“The line 'Keep eating.' had myself and most of the folks in the room chuckling.”
“My favorite character was Virgil; his sass made me laugh out loud so many times.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users find the grinding aspect of visual novels and e-books tedious, likening the experience to a frustratingly slow reading process where each sentence requires a click to advance, detracting from the enjoyment of the narrative.
“Visual novels and e-books can be tedious at best. Imagine the best novel you've ever read, whether it's 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy', '2001: A Space Odyssey', or even 'Twilight' (if you have terrible taste in literature). Now, translate that into a format where the words dribble out, and you have to click your mouse every time you want to read the next sentence, instead of just turning the pages.”
“The grinding in this game feels endless and monotonous, making it hard to stay engaged. It often feels like I'm just going through the motions without any real sense of progress.”
“I find the grinding aspect to be incredibly frustrating. It seems like the game is designed to stretch out playtime rather than provide meaningful content.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Reviewers feel that the game has significant untapped potential for deeper character development and additional subplots, suggesting that the existing narrative could benefit from more varied endings and richer character arcs.
“There was so much potential for more endings and character development, as well as subplots.”
“The character development in this game is incredibly rich, allowing players to form deep connections with each character.”
“I loved how the characters evolved throughout the story, making their journeys feel authentic and engaging.”
“There was so much more potential for additional endings and character development, as well as subplots.”
“The character arcs felt rushed and underdeveloped, leaving me wanting more depth.”
“I expected a richer exploration of the characters' backgrounds, but it fell flat.”