Thank you Digerati Distribution for sending us this game to review!

Orborun started off as an iOS game that was ported to Android and now PC.  The scoring system is similar to many tablet games where you earn between one to three stars depending on your score and the time it takes to complete the level.  For the tablet versions there are touch screen controls, but I prefer the tilt control that is perfectly suited for a robotic racing ball game.  The downside to the mobile version is that it has micro-transactions for upgrades that can be earned with in-game coins.  

So what does the PC version bring to the table for double the price?  Multiplayer is one of the biggest additions.  Up to four can play with a split screen.  Unfortunately, there is no local area network or internet connectivity.  The objective in multiplayer is to beat your opponent’s score, but there is a co-op mode as well.  Obviously the only way to support multiple people on one system is through controllers, but there is keyboard support as well. 

There are three game types with thirty levels each: haste, puzzle and hazard.  When you have completed ten levels from each of the previous areas, a bonus section is unlocked.  Out of the three game types, haste was my favorite and probably the easiest.

The premise is simple: you must guide your robotic ball (that randomly unfolds into a running robot at times) to the goal.  At first there are not many obstacles in your way, but that changes soon enough.  There are coins and key cards that will net you more points if you can get them. The blue glass panels are fun to break, but you’ll want to avoid the red ones which will take away points if shattered.  

While the haste mode has various connecting tubes, twists, and turns, it’s nothing compared to the loops and drops in the hazard mode.  There are plenty of launch pads and portals that will send your robotic ball into oblivion if missed.  Besides falling off the track, there are some hazard gates that you have to avoid crashing into.  The puzzle mode introduces hazards that move and are difficult to avoid.  I have rage quit many times.  

This game is fun while it’s easy but when it gets hard, it’s frustrating.  I found that this game is best in small doses to keep my blood pressure from getting too high.  I often got farther after taking a short break.

My kids enjoyed watching me play this on my PC and like the tablet version as well.  My son Aaron really likes the electronic music, but it loops a little bit too often for my tastes.  The 3D graphics are simple but effective.  With the portals and robotic characters my kids thought I was playing Portal at first.

Unfortunately, Orborun’s puzzles are more frustrating than those in Portal.  If you like obstacle racing games, Orborun is still worth looking into.  If you won’t be playing multiplayer, I recommend checking out the mobile version instead.