Orborun Review

Orborun is a 3D platformer where an orbot, which is a clever way of renaming a robot, must run and roll his way to freedom. Trapped in a world where almost every slight misstep leads to its demise, our hero must jump into various portals to survive to the next stage. It's a pretty simple concept, and from first impression this is the type of title which could wear out its welcome within minutes. Does this orbot have staying power, or does it short circuit after a few tries?

Players can either tilt their device or touch the screen to move their orbot from side to side. The key is to avoid various obstacles but run through as many power ups as possible to boost the level's score and increase the orbot's speed. A slow down pad, used for both the tilt and touch mechanic, is featured on the lower part of your device and, for my purposes, it's a bit too big of a button to tap. Whenever I'm using the touch features, I find my thumbs drifting towards the bottom and instead of swerving to avoid a wall, I head smack straight into destruction.

Although I found the tilt function makes your orbot much harder to maneuver, I'd suggest trying both versions out to get the full experience. Since I love completing levels and surviving now and again, I'll spend most of my time touching my robot to safety. Tilting your way through swerves and curves takes your full coordination and concentration, and with a little patience and luck you may see your orbot fly high through the air. Watching him reach new heights with both hands on my iPad is a total adrenaline shot to the system. So if you want to enjoy some of the game's highs and lows, definitely try the tilt feature.

Orborun is pretty much a mixture of a puzzle and racing title. To unlock certain bonus levels you must achieve benchmarks with each stage, and that includes collecting as many score multipliers and boosts along the way. With acceleration as your guide along the windy and obstacle infused mazes you must conquer, your attention to the game will tend to reach a fever pitch as you try to finish the level with all your robotic limbs intact. This level, which featured a huge amount of boundaries in my path, took a bit of time for me to master.

Orborun is a first rate title to just pick up and play for a few minutes. As a morning pick me up or as a jolt of gaming espresso, it won't steer you wrong. Its true pleasures lies in pushing your device, as well as your coordination, to its limits. But as far as extended game play, don't expect Orborun to satisfy your craving for hours on end. Take it in small doses, watch your robot leap through portals, and then move on with your day.

App Store Link: Orborun for iPhone & iPad | By Bulkypix | Price: $1.99 | Version: 1.0 | 57.6 MB | Rating: 4+