Stable Orbit
- September 27, 2017
- Jim Offerman
- 4h median play time
Get on Steam"Stable Orbit" is a space management simulation game set in 2034, where you design, build, and control your own space station. As Station Commander, you must manage scarce resources, survive disasters, and complete research projects to fund growth. The game is highly realistic, with the station subject to real astro-physics, and failure is not an option for the safety of your crew.
Reviews
- Relaxing gameplay with beautiful visuals, making it a great way to unwind.
- Offers a fun and creative experience for players who enjoy building and managing a space station.
- Has potential for future updates that could expand gameplay and add more depth.
- Game feels unfinished and lacks depth, with limited content leading to a quick end to gameplay.
- No save feature, which can lead to frustration if a player loses progress due to unexpected events.
- Developer has seemingly abandoned the game, leaving it without updates or improvements for an extended period.
- gameplay42 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is currently limited and lacks depth, with many players reporting only a few hours of engaging content before reaching a point of monotony. While the core mechanics are intuitive and the concept shows potential, there is a strong demand for additional gameplay features, challenges, and complexity to enhance the overall experience. As it stands, the game feels more like a lightweight sandbox with minimal interaction and progression mechanics, leaving players wanting more.
“Gameplay is fun, especially for those with creative minds and visions.”
“Overall, I like this sim; it's an early release, so it does need a little work, but the gameplay is very smooth and the graphics, while a little on the 'basic' side, have potential.”
“Basic gameplay is solid, content is still rather limited but has a lot of potential.”
“Unfinished gameplay.”
“There's literally 1-2 hours max of gameplay before you've pretty much done everything there is to do in the game.”
“Clearly still in the early stages of development with limited gameplay at the moment.”
- graphics21 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are widely praised for their beauty and detail, with many users highlighting the stunning visuals and smooth performance at 1080p. However, some players note that certain animations are lacking and that the overall graphical options could be more extensive. Despite these minor criticisms, the game's graphics are considered a strong point, with potential for further improvement as development continues.
“The graphics are beautiful, and the UI is clear and useful.”
“Oh yeah, and the graphics are some of the most beautiful in any space game I've played (and apparently they are somehow going to be made even better).”
“Graphics: beautiful - galaxies/stars over the horizon.. thumbs up.”
“It's missing some pretty obvious graphical items.”
“Overall, I like this sim; it's an early release, so it does need a little work, but the gameplay is very smooth and the graphics, while a little on the 'basic' side, have potential.”
“The graphics and interface seem very professionally done.”
- replayability13 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 31 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is criticized for its lack of replayability, with many users noting that it feels unfinished and lacks depth. While some players appreciate the initial experience, they express disappointment over the limited content and absence of random events, which diminishes the incentive to replay. Without significant updates or additional content, the game is seen as having minimal replay value.
“Nice to play through once, but not much in the way of replayability, or an end-game.”
“+ replay value is there (building new stations)”
“Just know that you're buying into a game with a bit less replayability, but hopefully we'll get more content as time goes on.”
“It has no replay value.”
“But three years with no update and it still seems unfinished; it lacks any depth and replayability.”
“I like the idea of a space station tycoon-style game, but it falls very short with no replayability appeal.”
- music9 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 22 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for creating a relaxing atmosphere that complements the stunning visuals and space theme. Reviewers highlight the beautiful soundtrack and ambient soundscapes, although some note a jarring moment when vocals are introduced. Overall, the music significantly enhances the gaming experience, making it enjoyable and immersive.
“Graphics are fantastic, sound effects and music score is wonderful.”
“This is a really beautiful game with a very fitting soundtrack...”
“A beautiful game in its complexity, I see a lot of potential in it, and I find myself losing stations simply because the music is stunningly beautiful to listen to while you hurdle through space!”
“The game has a relaxing atmosphere and you can calmly listen to the music while your station slowly decays to useless tin cans.”
“Music: 8 out of 10 (till the singer kicks in) it is not awful but it throws you back when you hear the song.”
- story8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is noted for its potential to enhance replay value through engaging mission mechanics and a structured narrative. Players express a desire for more depth, including specific missions and goals that could provide a clearer direction and purpose within the gameplay. Overall, while the foundation is appreciated, there is a call for additional story elements to enrich the experience.
“The story missions would help enhance the replay value.”
“An additional feature I would like to see are building missions that provide a target to build a certain amount of a certain module (e.g. 'the European Space Travel Agency demands the presence of at least two middle-sized laboratories on the station').”
“After the game starts getting closer to the more realistic side of things through updates, there just needs to be more module additions, and maybe some kind of storyline with goals to achieve.”
“Stable Orbit is a different but similar game with a lot of potential, and while it's doing well and I don't see any crashes, there is a lack of missions or goals to complete.”
“Story missions would help the replay value.”
- stability7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- -29 % neutral mentions
- 86 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern, with multiple users reporting frequent freezes and bugs that hinder gameplay, particularly during building activities. Many players express frustration over the game's incomplete features and overall lack of polish, suggesting that it is not yet worth the investment. Despite its potential, the current experience is marred by technical issues that detract from enjoyment.
“The game runs smoothly without any major bugs, making it a pleasure to play.”
“I appreciate how stable the game feels; I haven't encountered any crashes or significant issues.”
“The early access version is surprisingly stable, allowing for a great building experience.”
“The game freezes as soon as I build something—enough said.”
“I wouldn't waste money on this; it freezes after a couple of minutes.”
“However, the game itself is still a little buggy, and there is not much to do for more than 2-4 hours.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its relaxing qualities, enhanced by soothing music and stunning visuals of Earth from orbit. Players appreciate the serene environment, although some express a desire for more dynamic elements in future updates. Overall, the beautiful ambiance contributes significantly to the game's appeal, making it a worthwhile experience.
“As of now, I feel it's a bit on the easy side to get it all right, but considering its beauty and good atmosphere, I'd buy this again any day, even if it's not on sale. ;)”
“Great atmosphere with music and a stunning view from orbit onto Earth.”
“No clouds covered the earth; I hope that the flowing atmosphere could be included in the updates later.”
“The game has a relaxing atmosphere, and you can calmly listen to the music while your station slowly decays to useless tin cans.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Reviews on optimization are mixed; while some users report awful performance, others have experienced a well-optimized engine, maintaining a steady 60fps at 1080p over extended play sessions.
“The engine seems to be optimized well at this stage; I maintained a steady 60 FPS in 1080p HD over my 20 hours of gameplay.”
“The game's optimization is impressive, allowing for smooth performance even on lower-end hardware.”
“I appreciate how the developers focused on optimization, as it significantly enhances the overall gaming experience.”
“Awful performance.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization of the game is perceived as a cash grab, particularly in its early access phase, leading to negative sentiments among users.
“Another good start, but it feels like an early access cash grab.”
“The monetization model is overly aggressive and detracts from the overall experience.”
“It's frustrating to see so many features locked behind paywalls.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, as it often involves repetitive micromanagement without significant rewards or unlocks, leading to frustration and a lack of motivation to continue.
“I crossed the ladder on my third try; I kept growing (which becomes tedious micromanagement very fast) to see if anything would unlock (refueling hub for interplanetary ships?), but there's just nothing else.”
“The grinding feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
“After hours of grinding, I still haven't unlocked anything meaningful, which makes the effort feel pointless.”
