The Orville: Interactive Fan Experience
- July 23, 2019
- Messy Desk Interactive
- 4h median play time
Step aboard the USS Orville (ECV-197), the Planetary Union's finest mid-level exploratory class cruiser. With every room on every deck recreated with painstaking accuracy, you are free to explore the ship at your leisure and engage in all manner of shenanigans!
Reviews
- Incredible attention to detail and faithful recreation of the Orville ship, making it a must-try for fans of the show.
- The game offers a fun and immersive experience, allowing players to explore the ship and interact with various elements.
- It's free to play, providing great value for fans and gamers alike, with potential for future updates and expansions.
- The game is still in early access, leading to numerous bugs, glitches, and limited content, which can detract from the overall experience.
- Many areas of the ship are inaccessible, and the gameplay currently lacks structured missions or objectives.
- Performance issues and optimization problems can hinder gameplay, especially on lower-end systems.
- graphics52 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive a mixed reception, with many praising their stunning quality and attention to detail, often comparing them favorably to popular sci-fi franchises like Star Trek and The Orville. However, some users report technical issues, such as environment loading problems and performance hiccups, which detract from the overall experience. While the visuals are generally considered impressive, there are calls for optimization and improvements in interactivity.
“Wow, the graphics are so amazing! When I'm in-game, it looks identical to 'The Orville'; the halls, the bridge, etc., look real. I have to say the graphics here are better than the Star Trek games I've played, and those have a big super company behind them.”
“The graphics are top-notch, and the interactive features are great.”
“At ultra graphics settings, it looks amazing. Stunning visuals on a high-end machine.”
“Right now it's a mess, mostly the graphics are cringe-worthy.”
“By the way, whatever the problem is, it does not seem related to pushing the graphics, as my rig can easily play games like Fallout 4 on ultra-high graphics, and reducing the resolution and such on this game did no good.”
“The graphics aren't anything to boast about, with things in the ship looking rather basic and without any heavy textures.”
- stability20 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 90 % negative mentions
The game is widely reported to be very buggy and laggy, with frequent freezes and glitches, particularly after recent updates. While many players acknowledge these issues as expected in early access, they also express excitement about the game's potential and enjoyment of its features. Overall, the stability is a significant concern, but the game's charm and free access somewhat mitigate the frustration.
“No glitches, full FPS, sharp, clear, and smooth.”
“Runs great.”
“This game has been lagging and it froze a few times; still buggy.”
“However, the recent update is much more buggy and is very crashy.”
“Complete freezes my MacBook Pro after several seconds.”
- story18 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is largely criticized for its lack of depth, with many users noting the absence of quests, missions, or a coherent plot, rendering it more of a sandbox experience than a narrative-driven game. While the technical execution and attention to detail are praised, players express a strong desire for engaging story elements and structured gameplay that could enhance the overall experience. There is hope that future updates will introduce meaningful missions and a more immersive storyline.
“This is great, not just because it's awesome in its own right but because of the backstory.”
“Gotta hand it to them, the level of detail and accuracy they have made in this game is phenomenal, but I would like to see if they could incorporate a mission at some stage where you fight the Krill or something.”
“The problem is that this is barely a game at all, with no real goal, plot, or story; it's more of a sandbox.”
“No quests, no missions; there is nothing else to do in this game, we can only control the ship.”
“Right now there's very little content, but I can envision if done properly, a game that will offer various missions on the ship as well as off-world via the shuttle.”
- music16 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received high praise for its ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many reviewers highlighting its authenticity and attention to detail, such as the inclusion of iconic sound effects and thematic tracks that reflect the show's essence. Players appreciate the dynamic music that changes based on location within the ship, contributing to an immersive experience. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, complementing the game's impressive graphics and design.
“Oh and the game music - game music is absolutely wonderful bonus which complements the true serial atmosphere.”
“The graphics are great, the music is absolutely amazing, and the whole thing just plays really well.”
“One nice thing is the changing music element depending on where you are in the ship is a nice touch.”
“The second time it hijacked the desktop with a black screen and music.”
“While most of the main areas from the show (bedroom, mess hall, sick bay, command centre, captain's office, engine room...) are recreated with precision (from music in the elevator to Kermit on the captain's desk), the Orville is a big ship with a lot of crew.”
“Honestly, I was sold when they had Dann's elevator music in here haha.”
- gameplay12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The gameplay is currently seen as lacking depth, with players expressing a desire for more structured quests and missions to utilize the game's impressive mechanics. While the technical execution is praised and the sandbox role-playing elements offer potential, the absence of engaging objectives and refined flight mechanics detracts from the overall experience. Many players are hopeful for future updates that will enhance combat and introduce more interactive gameplay elements.
“The options for gameplay include looking around the ship, simulating damage, working blasters, flying ships, shuttles, quantum drive, and many more - that's the true role-playing game!”
“Not many games do the multi-role ship crew gameplay.”
“This is the game every Star Trek fan grew up wanting. It's buggy and unrefined, but at its core, this is a AAA title in terms of potential. The controls and player mechanics need to be tweaked, but the game offers a huge interactive map with many hidden easter eggs for Orville fans, not to mention sound design that is top-notch, and some hilarious ragdoll capabilities.”
“It has so much potential, but for some reason, the game mechanics, the long wait for updates, and the way the game has very little to do give it a 'Garry's Mod' feel.”
“The flight mechanics aren't the greatest for the actual ships.”
“Overall, this is a sandbox RPG sim with no real objectives as of yet, but it demonstrates a few combat mechanics and items.”
- humor9 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with players finding it both funny and engaging, particularly in its clever references to "The Orville" and "Star Trek." Many users highlight the comedic elements as a significant part of the experience, noting that the humor evolves positively throughout the game. Overall, it offers a fun and entertaining atmosphere that resonates well with fans of the genre.
“Amazing Star Trek simulation with funny things to discover, but be careful.”
“The Orville is a fantastic show which is both funny and dramatic, and this game is a must-have for any Orville fan.”
“A fun & funny experience.”
- optimization7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the graphics and attention to detail, many report issues such as stuttering, bugs, and general choppiness. Despite its visual appeal, there is a consensus that significant optimization and bug fixes are needed to enhance performance.
“The attention to detail is excellent, and some of the Easter eggs are fantastic. Some optimization and bug fixes are needed, but overall, it's a really good fan experience.”
“For the limited features it has currently, this looks amazing and runs smoothly!”
“It feels as close to photorealism as a video game can be, and yet the performance and optimization are also great.”
“There was a lot of stuttering and general choppiness, and my PC is not a potato, thank you.”
“I can't complain much for the price and how good it looks for it, although it is buggy, barren, and just really non-optimized.”
“It is very rough right now, but the graphics are pretty good, although obviously not optimized at all.”
- atmosphere5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive qualities, enhanced by exceptional music that complements the overall experience. Players appreciate the detailed designs and sound effects, which contribute to a captivating and authentic environment reminiscent of classic sci-fi themes.
“Oh, and the game music - the music is an absolutely wonderful bonus that complements the true surreal atmosphere.”
“The definitions and information are definitely lacking, but what you are getting is very atmospheric.”
“This is real Star Trek :) the whole atmosphere, the designs, the music, the feeling, all these details.”
“The game music is absolutely wonderful, complementing the true surreal atmosphere.”
“Eventually flying above the ground on a planet instead of bouncing off the atmosphere!”
“This is real Star Trek! The whole atmosphere, the designs, the music, the feeling, all these details.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, particularly fans of "The Orville," who find joy in exploring the ship and interacting with its environment, enhancing their overall experience.
“Made me feel like I was part of the Orville.”
“As a huge fan of the Orville, being able to explore the ship and interact with everything is amazing.”