# Orbitals Game Review: A Brilliant Co-Op Puzzle Experience Cut Tragically Short > Read our full Orbitals game review. Discover how Shapefarm blends Hazelight-style co-op mechanics with Bubble Era anime visuals in this five-hour space adventure. - Canonical URL: https://coreiten.com/en/article/orbitals-game-review-a-brilliant-co-op-puzzle-experience-cut-tragically-short - Language: en - Section: Best Games - Author: Sami - Published: 2026-09-28T16:01:51+03:00 - Modified: 2026-09-28T16:01:51+03:00 - Publisher: CoreITen (https://coreiten.com) - Keywords: Orbitals, Shapefarm, Kepler Interactive, Jakob Lundgren, Hazelight, I.M. Machine, co-op puzzle game --- Co-op puzzle fans looking for their next shared adventure have a visually stunning new contender, but it comes with a significant catch. *Orbitals*, the debut title from Tokyo-based studio Shapefarm, delivers brilliant tool-based mechanics wrapped in a gorgeous 1980s anime aesthetic. However, players jumping into this space opera will find that its breathtaking momentum crashes into an abrupt, undercooked finale. Developed by a Musashino-shi team with credits on *Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn* and *Devil's Third*, and published by Kepler Interactive - the company behind *Clair Obscur: Expedition 33* - the game leans heavily into Bubble Era nostalgia. It follows two young survivors, Maki and Omura, navigating cosmic wreckage 15 years after an interstellar disaster. While the narrative setup is intriguing, the true star of the show is the gameplay. ### Mastering the Elements in Co-Op Balancing a cooperative puzzle game is notoriously difficult, as developers must avoid making challenges too frustrating or overly simplistic. Shapefarm succeeds brilliantly here, largely thanks to Lead Game Director Jakob Lundgren, the former Level Design lead at Hazelight. Lundgren leverages his experience to create a deeply engaging system centered entirely around tool synergy. Players are equipped with two distinct devices: a water cannon capable of shooting long, pressurized streams, and a laser cannon that fires precision heat beams or wide-spread pulse shots. The puzzles demand constant communication and precise timing to manipulate environmental temperatures. In one standout sequence, players must navigate moving platforms over a bottomless pit while dodging giant fans blowing frigid air. The solution requires the water cannon player to freeze platforms or fans, while the laser cannon player melts them to manipulate the timing. Later stages escalate this concept, forcing players to guide a snowball along a complex track. The duo must dynamically alter the snowball's size - expanding it with water or deflating it with heat - to trigger contextual switches while avoiding hazards. The game also breaks up the on-foot puzzles with thrilling spaceship segments, dividing responsibilities between a pilot and a gunner. ### Bubble Era Anime Aesthetics Beyond its mechanical depth, *Orbitals* is an absolute joy to look at. The game fully commits to its Techpunk setting, utilizing authentic broadcast artifacts like Mosquito Noise and haloing to replicate the feel of classic anime. The vibrant animations bring the cosmic debris to life, creating a sense of wonder that persists throughout the journey. Shapefarm handles its fan service with remarkable care, avoiding cheap pandering in favor of thoughtful homages. Instead of obnoxious character zoom-ins, the developers utilize City Pop-fueled montages and chaotic Itano Missile circuses. These subtle nods reward observant players without alienating those unfamiliar with the specific era of animation. ### Mechanical Hiccups and a Rushed Narrative Despite its strengths, the execution is not flawless. Players will occasionally battle the game's physics, dealing with inconsistent jumping momentum and sloppy collision detection. Pathfinding can also be a headache, as waypoint markers frequently disappear, forcing players to spam emotes just to locate each other on the map. Furthermore, the secret mini-games hidden in each stage are fun but lack meaningful rewards, missing the opportunity to offer permanent upgrades like a rocket pack. The most glaring issue, however, is the narrative pacing. The plot introduces the I.M. Machine - a technology that infinitely 3D-prints corporeal bodies to house human souls - and sets the duo on a quest to find Reactor Cassettes to shield their colony from an impending storm. Yet, the story features only six notable characters, two of which are mere plot devices. After a strong opening that builds genuine curiosity about Maki and Omura's dynamic, the story shifts into a disorienting overdrive. The final act effectively skips crucial development phases, rushing toward a conclusion that feels entirely unearned. Players will likely roll the credits in under five hours, left with a sense of famine rather than satisfaction. ### The Verdict: A Brilliant Spark That Fades Too Fast The structural whiplash of *Orbitals* suggests a project that simply ran out of time or budget before it could fully realize its ambitions. Lundgren's Hazelight pedigree shines brightly in the puzzle design, proving that Shapefarm has the mechanical chops to compete with the best in the co-op genre. The interplay between the thermal tools is genuinely innovative, demanding a level of synchronization that makes every solved room feel like a shared victory. However, the severe brevity of the campaign and the jarring narrative skips prevent the game from reaching masterpiece status. The lack of meaningful unlockables or a fleshed-out third act means replay value is practically nonexistent. *Orbitals* is still a highly recommended experience for co-op enthusiasts and anime fans, but players should approach it as a spectacular weekend appetizer rather than a full-course campaign. ## Sources - [animenewsnetwork.com](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/game/nintendo-switch-2/orbitals/.241790)