The newly released co-op game Orbitals has garnered attention for its distinctive anime aesthetic and its commitment to cooperative gameplay, though reviews indicate it falls short of the benchmark set by Hazelight's It Takes Two. Developed by Shapefarm, Orbitals currently holds aggregate scores of 81 on Metacritic and 84 on OpenCritic. While these scores indicate a solid reception, they do not reach the 91 Metacritic score of Hazelight's previous title, Split Fiction.
Critics have widely praised the game's visual presentation. Game Rant awarded Orbitals a 9/10, with critic Austin King highlighting its "amazing retro anime artstyle" as a significant draw. This sentiment was echoed by TheGamer's Kaitlyn Peterson, who gave the game a 4/5. Peterson lauded the game's ability to ensure both players are constantly essential to progressing, stating that "nearly every aspect of the game, from exploring the world to defeating bosses, requires both players to work together, as they should. Nobody is ever just sitting on the sidelines."
However, Orbitals has also faced criticism regarding its gameplay execution. Game Informer's 7/10 review pointed out that while the game's premise is strong, its execution is hampered by shallow puzzle design and awkward spaceship sequences. Charles Harte of Game Informer described the co-op puzzle-solving as engaging, with one player manipulating the environment while the other navigates, but found the space combat to be consistently uncomfortable, calling one late-game section "downright overwhelming."
Eurogamer's review, which awarded three stars, shared similar reservations. Critic Alex Spencer noted that despite the appealing presentation, Orbitals suffers from a nonsensical story and unmemorable co-op puzzles. Spencer contrasted Orbitals with Hazelight's work, lamenting the lack of standout, memorable moments that characterized It Takes Two. He found himself needing to review screenshots to recall specific gameplay elements from Orbitals.
Despite these criticisms, the game's visual design appears to be a significant contributing factor to its positive reception. Polygon's Oli Welsh even suggested that Orbitals stands as the best co-op game since It Takes Two, acknowledging its flaws while leaning on its strong aesthetic appeal. This positions Orbitals as a noteworthy entry in the co-op genre, even if it does not entirely eclipse its predecessor.