'Orbitals' is a co-op sci-fi adventure that recaptures the magic of Saturday morning cartoons

September 1, 2026 - 06:58

We teamed up for a hands-on session with Orbitals, a new co-op sci-fi adventure that wears its anime influences on its sleeve while borrowing the buddy-action formula from games like It Takes Two. The result is a colorful, chaotic, and surprisingly heartfelt journey that feels like a lost cartoon from the 1980s, but with modern game design.

The premise is simple: two unlikely partners, a scrappy pilot and a grumpy robot, must work together to escape a derelict space station. Each player controls one character, and the game constantly forces you to coordinate. One moment you are using the robot's magnetic tether to swing the pilot across a chasm, the next you are syncing your jumps to avoid laser grids. The puzzles are clever without being punishing, and the game never lets you sit idle for long.

What really sells the experience is the presentation. The character animations are exaggerated and expressive, with big, bold linework that feels ripped from a Sunday morning storyboard. The dialogue is snappy and full of playful banter, and the voice acting leans into the cheese in all the right ways. It is clear the developers grew up on the same cartoons we did, and they are not afraid to let the story be silly, dramatic, and earnest all at once.

Our session covered the first two levels, and the difficulty curve felt just right. There is no fail state that resets your progress, just a quick checkpoint and a gentle nudge to try again. That keeps the pace fast and the mood light, even when you accidentally send your partner into a pit of plasma for the fifth time.

Orbitals does not reinvent the wheel, but it does not need to. It is a polished, charming, and genuinely fun co-op experience that understands the value of good teamwork and a good laugh. If you have a friend who loves retro sci-fi and puzzle games, this one is worth watching when it launches later this year.