Orion Trail
- October 12, 2015
- Schell Games
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Get on itch.io Store"Orion Trail" is a humorously written, high-stakes space journey filled with random encounters and dangerous locales. Name your crew after friends and manage resources such as food, fuel, and hull strength while facing bizarre creatures and challenges. Away missions offer rewards but also increase risks for your crew's survival. [ 399 characters]
Reviews
- The game features clever and humorous writing, filled with sci-fi references that keep the experience entertaining.
- The pixel art style and retro soundtrack create a charming atmosphere that appeals to fans of classic games.
- It offers a fun, casual gameplay experience that can be enjoyed in short bursts, making it a good time-waster.
- The gameplay heavily relies on RNG, leading to frustrating experiences where player decisions feel meaningless and outcomes are often out of their control.
- After a short period, the game becomes repetitive, with many encounters and events feeling similar and lacking depth.
- The lack of significant gameplay mechanics and strategic elements can make the game feel more like a luck-based experience than a true adventure.
- story40 mentions
- 8 % positive mentions
- 85 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game's story is characterized by a humorous, farcical tone reminiscent of classic sci-fi series, with colorful backstories for crew members and amusing random encounters. However, players note that the narrative lacks depth, as choices made during missions often feel inconsequential, leading to a repetitive experience. While the game offers a fun and quirky atmosphere, many feel that the missions become stale and the overall story does not significantly evolve throughout gameplay.
“I really like all the references, the 8-bit soundtrack, as well as the little flavors of the story.”
“This story is tailored by your choices and randomness.”
“While there is no actual story, Schell Games have gone to a lot of trouble building colorful backstories for each possible crew member, as well as creating a universe full of amusing characters and challenges.”
“This is not really a game; it's more like a click fest on rails. It's funny for about 30 minutes until you get past the first mission and realize that nothing you did mattered because nothing carries over to the next mission.”
“I have been able to complete all missions except for the last one, which is so long and tedious that after the tenth attempt or so, I've simply given up and accepted that I'll probably never see the 'well done, you have completed this game' farewell message.”
- humor35 mentions
- 97 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its clever writing and comedic charm, drawing inspiration from classic sci-fi like "Star Trek" and "Oregon Trail." While many players find it entertaining and funny for the first 30 minutes, some note that the humor can become repetitive and less impactful as the game progresses. Overall, the game is characterized by its colorful art and engaging, albeit sometimes frustrating, gameplay that relies heavily on random chance.
“The writing is great, full of humor and charm.”
“A hilarious spoof of Oregon's Trail and Star Trek, so if you're a fan of either, then I think you might want to check this game out.”
“The main attraction is the incredible, witty, extremely hilarious writing.”
“What is supposed to be funny, I think, ultimately bites itself in the ass.”
- gameplay25 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Orion Trail has received mixed reviews, with some players enjoying the humor and surprise elements, while others criticize it for being overly reliant on random number generation, leading to frustration and a lack of meaningful engagement. Many feel that the mechanics are repetitive and fail to provide a satisfying gaming experience, contrasting sharply with the more skill-based gameplay of similar titles like Organ Trail. Overall, while the art and writing are praised, the gameplay is seen as a significant drawback, with calls for more depth and balance in its mechanics.
“There's a little more going on in Orion Trail's gameplay than I had originally expected, and it came as a pleasant surprise.”
“The mechanic where your red shirts boost your rolls and then die is fantastic.”
“That being said, I liked the humor, the gameplay, especially the away missions, and the randomness added by the RNG.”
“The game has no gameplay; you just click on options, then watch a dice roll, and then you either win or fail. This is not fun; this is just repetitive and dull, a mere time waster.”
“I genuinely believe this mechanic in the game is broken, and the developers don't know how broken it is, or they just cannot be bothered to fix it.”
“Gameplay-wise, the 'probability machine' is one of the most unfair game mechanics I've ever seen, and your punishment for losing the probability machine is way worse than your rewards are good.”
- graphics21 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming retro pixel art style, which effectively captures the whimsical and humorous essence of the gameplay. Many reviewers highlight the significant effort put into the artwork, describing it as beautiful and reminiscent of classic games like Oregon Trail and Star Trek. Overall, the visuals contribute positively to the game's atmosphere, making it a delightful experience for fans of pixel art.
“Orion Trail uses a retro pixelated art style and equally retro 16-bit soundtrack.”
“The graphics are awesome too, the pixel art is beautiful and a lot of time has been spent on this, and it is also fantastic.”
“The game has a nice retro pixel art style to convey the events happening in what is mostly text-based encounters, but the art has a lot of humor and really adds to the zany atmosphere of the wacky adventures your crew will have.”
“A silly, pixel graphics 'Oregon Trail' type of game that draws most of its content inspiration from Star Trek with farcical humor similar to the Space Quest series.”
“In an alternate universe, graphics hardware did not pass the C64.”
“Orion Trail is a combination of clever graphics, rudimentary sound effects, and overwhelmingly random conflict resolution.”
- music13 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally appreciated for its retro 8-bit and 16-bit soundtracks, which effectively create an atmospheric experience and evoke nostalgia. While many players enjoy the catchy chiptunes and thematic references, some express a desire for more variety and have mixed feelings about certain tracks and sound effects. Overall, the music contributes positively to the game's retro aesthetic, though opinions on its quality vary.
“I really like all the references, the 8-bit soundtrack, as well as the little flavors of story.”
“The music provides a fitting atmosphere for the game.”
“The music is quite good too with catchy retro chiptunes.”
“The background music needs variety.”
“I really don't like the soundtrack and some sound effects.”
“5 out of 10 for music.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Orion Trail is praised for its high replayability, thanks to the randomness and diverse encounters that provide players with multiple strategies to explore, enhancing the overall enjoyment and value of the game.
“Orion Trail offers a lot of replayability.”
“The randomness and variety of encounters and ways you can try to deal with them add to the fun and replay value.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessive, particularly with the final achievements and missions, which are described as tedious and frustrating. Many have expressed that the grind required to complete these tasks detracts from the overall enjoyment, leading some to abandon their efforts entirely.
“The last few achievements are very grindy, so this one isn't for completionists.”
“I have been able to complete all missions except for the last one, which is so long and tedious that after the tenth attempt, I've simply given up and accepted that I'll probably never see the 'Well done, you have completed this game' farewell message.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by a fitting musical score and charming retro pixel art, which complements the text-based encounters and adds humor to the zany adventures of the crew. Overall, the combination of these elements creates a vibrant and engaging environment.
“The music provides a fitting atmosphere for the game.”
“The game has a nice retro pixel art style that conveys the events happening in what is mostly text-based encounters, but the art has a lot of humor and really adds to the zany atmosphere of the wacky adventures your crew will have.”
