Orborun Review

By , on September 27, 2013
Last modified 10 years, 5 months ago


Orborun
Download on the AppStore
4 out of 5

PROS

  • Tight controls. 
  • Handsome neon environments
  • Pushing for three stars becomes addictive.

CONS

  • Abrupt pauses in the music between levels.
  • Some menu and visual glitches.

VERDICT

Though not perfect, Orborun still delivers an entertaining and addictive score-chasing experience.


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If I was describe Orborun using one of those 'it's x meets y' comparisons, I'd say Orborun is Super Monkey Ball meets Tron. By that I mean that you guide a spinning ball though a futuristic neon blue environment, not that you control a banana-crazed Jeff Bridges.

In fact, your rotund robotic pal is trying to reach the end of each stage by rolling along tubular platforms, trying to collect as many points as possible without falling into the abyss below.

Each stage starts with a choice between tilt and touch controls. The tilt controls are fine, but a little prone to oversteer. Generally, we preferred the tapping precision of the touch controls.

There are all manner of collectibles available which increase your score (and thus your star rating). But the most satisfying way to boost your points is to burst through the blue panes of glass. Just make sure you avoid the red ones, though, as they do more harm than good.

You should be warned, however: While completing a stage is usually quite easy, gaining a full three-star rating will require all the skill and finesse you can muster.

You see, the placement of score-boosting items combined with the multiple pathways featured in the later stages make it very difficult to grab all three stars . And not only do you have to figure out how to collect every boost and star, you often you have to do it in a set order.

This level of challenge makes for an engaging experience, but you get the feeling that game doesn't quite deliver on its promise. You can see greatness in the design and presentation, but minor issues like the occasional abscence of shadow and the game's habit of pausing the music mid-track during the loading screens only to pick where left off a second or two later crack the game's otherwise pocelain surface.

A good game is still a good game however, and Orborun is definitely worth your time, especially if you enjoy twists, turns, and rolling into wormholes.

Screenshots

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