Orbo's Odyssey

[h1] Psychonauts meets Sonic [/h1] [h1] Additional Info:[/h1] [table] [tr] [th]Content & Value[/th] [th]It took me ~3 hours to complete Orbo's Odyssey and earn 100% of all achievements. For those interested in achievements: It's usually straightforward, but two of the achievements are extremely challenging and require you to beat the developer's times in the time trials on all maps.[/th] [/tr] [tr] [td]Is it worth buying?[/td] [td]Yes![/td] [/tr] [/table] [h1]In-Depth[/h1] This game completely exceeded my expectations. I went in thinking it would be a basic 3D platformer, but what I got was one of the most creative and polished experiences I've had in ages. It has a wonderfully weird, surreal atmosphere that I absolutely loved, and it was refreshing to play a 3D platformer that doesn't rely on the usual low-poly aesthetic. Story-wise Orbo's Odyssey begins with getting locked in the boss's office. The door isn’t locked, but they both lack the arms necessary to turn the doorknob. Although I can think of several ways to resolve this issue, they decide that the only two options are to wait for the boss to come to the office which he never does or to use a device to craft a prosthetic arm capable of opening the door. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3723672972 In order to do so they need to collect small gear parts, which are conveniently located in portals in the boss’s office. So, you've got a small problem and a small hub world, and Orbo's Odyssey is a small platform game; It's a micro-collectathon. There are five gears in each world, and completing them all takes a little over an hour. The only downside is that two of the achievements are quite hard to get, as they require you to beat the developers time in the time trials. You definitely need gamer reflexes for that! The movement system is what truly makes the game shine. It's lightning-fast, incredibly responsive, and just plain satisfying to bounce and dash forward. Running, jumping, and exploring the world feels smooth especially since it's not big at all. I kept finding myself impressed by clever design decisions that clearly show the developers have a deep understanding of the genre. There were a few strange moments but overall, the game feels very well refined. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3724577864 The real appeal lies in the "dreamlike" visuals. Feverdream Softworks seems to have a soft spot for Draculas and businessmen. Their dream world is an unpleasant place where an unconvincing façade and terrible corporate culture combine to create something inhuman and alienating. This is especially true when you factor in all the music that plays over the top including all the little secrets you can find. The soundtrack is also fantastic and perfectly captures that sense of freedom and openness with Drum and Bass (DnB) classics. Other than that, there isn't much to say. You go into worlds and collect gears to create the arm you need to turn the doorknob and escape this hellish business office as soon as possible with one of the most fun movement abilities you could wish for in a 3d platformer. Shouldn't take more than two hours to really finish, including additional time if you want to get all achievements. [h3]Conclusion[/h3] This is a fantastic game that went way beyond what I hoped for. I was already wishing for DLC or a sequel, but the addition of level mod support has me covered. Definitely worth picking up! [h2] Final Verdict: 8.5/10 - Surprisingly dope platformer ♥ [/h2]