ORION: Prelude

About

ORION: Prelude is a single player and multiplayer role playing shooter game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by DANKIE and was released on April 16, 2013. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

"ORION: Prelude" is a sci-fi shooter game that features intense combat and cinematic battles, with support for up to 10 players in various game modes. Players can use futuristic weaponry and vehicles while fighting against dinosaurs and other players in objective-based and free-for-all modes. The game also includes cooperative modes such as Conquest, Vital, Free-For-All, Elimination, King of the Hill, Gun Game, and Instagib. Join the official ORION Discord for rewards, progression, and behind-the-scenes content.

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Play Modes

+29

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78%

Audience ScoreBased on 23,041 reviews

graphics679 positive mentions

stability704 negative mentions

graphics
1,853 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
42%
21%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that they are outdated and lack polish, often describing them as mediocre or reminiscent of older titles. While some appreciate the vibrant visuals and decent effects, others criticize the low-resolution textures and poor animations, leading to a generally underwhelming visual experience. Despite these shortcomings, many players find the gameplay enjoyable enough to overlook the graphics, especially given the game's low price point.
- “The graphics are like you are in 24k VR with a completely real surrounding.”
- “The graphics are old, but serviceable; the game is a little rough to control at times but it is not terrible, music is solid, gameplay is fun but can feel samey at times.”
- “The graphics are very good, the gameplay is very good, and the design is very nice.”
- “Furthermore, the game's graphics are outdated and unimpressive, with low-resolution textures and uninspired design choices.”
- “I'm sure that it had been a great multiplayer game when it was released, but unfortunately the outdated graphics and controls makes it all but unplayable currently.”
- “The graphics are so bad the models for the dinosaurs are laughable and they didn't even bother to leave actual bullets.”
gameplay
1,536 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
47%
16%
The gameplay of "Orion: Prelude" is a mixed bag, with many players noting its fun and engaging aspects, particularly in cooperative modes where shooting dinosaurs can be enjoyable. However, it suffers from clunky mechanics, repetitive gameplay, and technical issues that detract from the overall experience. While some find it a guilty pleasure, others criticize it for being outdated and lacking depth, making it a hit-or-miss title depending on player expectations and preferences.
- “Very satisfying and relaxing and non-complicated gameplay loop.”
- “Not everyone will find the gameplay captivating, but those who do will discover a very enjoyable and addicting experience that can be played casually with friends or alone for a good challenge.”
- “The gameplay was fast and the graphics were great.”
- “It's a shame that it seems a lot of effort went into all the extraneous elements of this game, because I felt tired of the moment-to-moment gameplay after about five minutes.”
- “The game just simply isn't worth your time, the gameplay just feels very badly designed and it has horrendous level design.”
- “With its clunky controls, repetitive gameplay, technical issues, and uninspired graphics, there are far better first-person shooter games available on the market that are worth your time and money.”
stability
724 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
1%
97%
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and crashes that significantly hinder the gameplay experience. While some players find humor and enjoyment in the chaotic nature of these issues, many others describe the game as unplayable or frustratingly broken. Overall, it appears that despite ongoing updates, the game remains in a rough state, often feeling more like an early access title than a polished product.
- “It runs great on GTX 760, no FPS problems.”
- “Hosting works fine and the game runs great, even on a potato.”
- “The gameplay is pretty solid, bug-free, and fun with some mates.”
- “The game's technical issues, such as frequent crashes and glitches, further add to the frustration and make it difficult to enjoy the game.”
- “Don't buy this buggy piece of crap from these shady devs, it's not even worth the trading cards.”
- “This is an unplayably buggy piece of trash.”
humor
489 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
1%
The humor in this game is a standout feature, with players frequently highlighting the hilarity of chaotic multiplayer moments, absurd glitches, and over-the-top scenarios involving dinosaurs. Many reviews emphasize that the game is best enjoyed with friends, as shared laughter over ridiculous situations—like being dropped by pterodactyls or witnessing comical ragdoll physics—creates memorable experiences. Overall, while the game may be technically flawed, its unintentional humor and lighthearted fun make it a worthwhile purchase, especially at its low price point.
- “I have vivid memories of sitting with a crew of friends, all playing this together and laughing our asses off at the chaos.”
- “The jeep is smashed, all three of us die, I get an achievement, 'teammate from hell: drive a vehicle full of buddies to their deaths.' We all can't stop laughing.”
- “It's incredibly fun co-op with lots of funny things happening often.”
- “Wtf, I purchased it and it's telling me I didn't. I hate this game; that's not funny nor fair.”
- “☐ funny bugs”
- “Multiplayer is lots of fun on here, but it's never funny seeing your friend get mauled by a horde of dinos as you both fail at securing your objective.”
story
337 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
63%
21%
The game's story is largely criticized for its absence, with many players noting that there is no coherent plot or single-player campaign, resulting in repetitive gameplay focused solely on killing waves of dinosaurs. While some find enjoyment in the action and multiplayer aspects, the lack of a meaningful narrative detracts from the overall experience, leaving many feeling that the game could benefit significantly from a structured storyline. Overall, it is seen as a fun but shallow experience, primarily appealing to those who prioritize gameplay over story depth.
- “Although not much in the way of a story in the game (no single player after all), there is quite a tale on how Orion came to be the game it is today...”
- “It puts you and your friends together into intense, cinematic battles using some of the most incredible weaponry and amazing vehicles in which you must work or compete against one another to accomplish mission objectives, explore giant worlds, and survive the devastating dinosaur horde.”
- “Never before has a game captured such a riveting and deep storyline, complete with a top-of-the-line combat system that even Dark Souls can't compete with.”
- “There's no storyline in this game, you just land on a planet and apparently have to defend yourself against hordes of dinosaurs.”
- “As for the game itself, it's fun enough for about a half hour... but then you realize there is no campaign, no story mode, no depth.... it's just 'survive x number of waves'.... over and over.”
- “I do not recommend this game due to the fact that it literally has no story at all and the gameplay and graphics are not as good as I expected.”
optimization
313 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
32%
47%
The game's optimization is widely criticized, with many players reporting severe performance issues, including low frame rates and frequent crashes, even on systems that meet or exceed the recommended specifications. Despite some improvements over time, the overall consensus is that the game remains poorly optimized, plagued by bugs and stuttering, making it difficult to enjoy the gameplay experience. While a few users noted that it runs smoothly on lower settings, the majority agree that significant optimization work is still needed.
- “Great game, great coop, addicting, runs smoothly, = amazing game worth your money.”
- “The game is easy to get into, has nice graphics, is well optimized and most importantly, it is damn fun!”
- “Balancing patches, as well as optimization patches have been implemented and the game now runs like butter on my computer.”
- “This game is poorly optimized, pass the recommended system requirements but still got around 20 fps even on the lowest settings.”
- “The optimization in this game is utterly terrible.”
- “It's a shitfest of bugs and stuttering ranging from 5 to 30 fps; you can't even play it because it is so poorly optimized that when you move, you don't move normally, you teleport from one place to the other.”
music
187 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
41%
12%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising its epic orchestral tracks that enhance the gameplay experience, while others criticize it for being repetitive and lacking diversity. Some players find the soundtrack to be catchy and immersive, contributing positively to the atmosphere, while others suggest it can become annoying over time. Overall, the music is generally regarded as a strong point, though it could benefit from more variety and better volume controls.
- “The music on this game is brilliant and is just so catchy.”
- “Fantastic game just through the music and weather effects alone have I fallen in love with the game.”
- “The soundtrack is excellent.”
- “Also, the 'music' volume slider does absolutely nothing and the 'game' volume slider actually turns down the music.”
- “Very annoying and repetitive soundtrack and bad optimization (especially if you play online).”
- “The graphics are pretty, but the sounds and music are utterly forgettable, the level design is generic and repetitive, and the waypoints the game sets for you are way too far away.”
replayability
111 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
40%
7%
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with many players praising its strong replay value due to various game modes, cooperative gameplay, and the fun of leveling up. However, some users note that once the maps are completed, the experience can become repetitive, leading to a decline in replayability. Overall, while many find it highly enjoyable and worth the low price, others feel it lacks long-term engagement.
- “It is great value ($1!), has strong replayability and the focused, balanced gameplay offers a truly fun and intense, dino-killing co-operative survival experience!”
- “I've never gotten tired of playing a map and there is an insane amount of replayability with the different game modes, difficulty, and maps.”
- “This game is massive, beautiful, and has a high replayability value, and the open world mode is just mind-blowing.”
- “However, once you've completed the maps (which are not that hard), then the replayability ends.”
- “The replay value is bad, as it gets boring killing dinosaurs and occasionally boss dinosaurs over and over.”
- “However, it was slightly repetitive, and for me, it didn't really have any replay value.”
monetization
98 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
77%
12%
The monetization strategy of the game has drawn significant criticism, with many players feeling that the presence of cosmetic microtransactions undermines the value of the initial purchase. While some reviews note that these microtransactions do not affect gameplay and are largely avoidable, the sentiment remains that charging for cosmetics in a paid game feels exploitative. Overall, the game is perceived as a cash grab, with many players suggesting it should have been free-to-play instead.
- “In-game purchases are only for cosmetic items; everything else is just getting credits mid-game.”
- “The game's price point is average for a multiplayer-only game in my opinion, but Spiral has kept the in-game purchases limited to cosmetic items and their pricing isn't too hard on the wallet.”
- “It's really fun, and even though there are in-game purchases, they are only cosmetic and don't really affect gameplay.”
- “It's pretty bad, unfinished and full of microtransactions (not pay to win, only cosmetic).”
- “The biggest drawback to the game, though, has to be the fact that there are in-game purchases for real money.”
- “This is by far one of the worst games I have had the horrible misfortune of playing. Sure, the devs seem to be making a vague attempt to make it playable, but with its dead servers and bad gameplay, along with a dash of microtransactions, this game is a slap in the face to the gaming community and hardworking devs who produce top-quality games.”
grinding
56 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
4%
3%
93%
The grinding aspect of the game is frequently described as tedious and repetitive, with many players noting that achieving progress often requires significant time investment in grinding kills or experience points. While some find enjoyment in the grind, especially in co-op play, others feel it detracts from the overall experience, making the game feel unpolished and overly reliant on repetitive tasks. Overall, the grind can be a double-edged sword, offering both a sense of achievement and a source of frustration.
- “It can be a bit grindy sometimes.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “This has painful grindy achievements.”
- “The game is quite grindy.”
- “Gets very tedious very quickly.”
atmosphere
56 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
50%
7%
The atmosphere in the game is generally praised for its impressive landscapes, lighting effects, and immersive conditions, creating a unique and engaging experience, especially in night settings. However, some players feel it lacks the depth and sophistication found in similar titles, with certain gameplay elements detracting from the overall ambiance. Despite these criticisms, the game's lighthearted tone and humor contribute positively to its atmosphere, making it enjoyable for casual play.
- “Couple this with excellent lighting effects through what seems to be a thicker atmosphere and the results can sometimes be spectacular!”
- “The devs have taken a great deal of time into making the maps fair and the atmosphere immersive.”
- “Great soundtracks too, perfect to the sci-fi atmosphere of the entire gameplay.”
- “Good premise, could have been fun, but the priorities are all wrong - a very pretty frag-fest with no atmosphere and nothing to hold the game together except scoring points.”
- “The dinos tend to path in a completely linear fashion towards the player which makes 'dino horde' feel more like 'dino queue', which really brings the atmosphere in the game to extinction.”
- “It is simply such a derp game in terms of atmosphere (storyline and background); simply because it is minimalistic.”
emotional
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game has resonated deeply with players, eliciting strong feelings ranging from tears of joy to profound sadness. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to evoke intense emotional responses through its storytelling, sound design, and themes of survival and courage, with some players reporting that it left them in tears for extended periods. However, there are also criticisms regarding the developer's perceived lack of integrity, which adds a complex layer to the emotional experience.
- “A great graphic novel, honestly made me cry...”
- “Tears welled up in his eyes when he realized what exactly was at stake.”
- “A true emotional thriller, bringing out the deepest reserves of the audience's primal urges in an acute reflection of modern societies, trying teamwork, testing courage, and pushing those who take the challenge to limits they never have dreamed.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Character development in the game is criticized for its lack of originality, with many elements, including character designs and vehicles, being compared unfavorably to Halo. Reviewers note that the player characters are bland, although the dinosaur designs receive some praise. Overall, the character development is seen as uninspired and visually unappealing.
- “The graphics suck and the character designs for the player are bland, but at least the dinosaurs look good.”
- “The weapons, vehicles, and character designs all seem like a blatant rip-off of Halo, especially the vehicles.”