A review of Lost Orbit

[Porygon]

Hi guys, I posted this review for the Season Pass. I thought that other people and maybe the devs might like to read it, it gives my views on Lost Orbit. Hope you enjoy!



This review is written from the point of view of a huge fan of the Q.U.B.E. games. This doesn't mean I'm not willing to give constructive criticism, but I do like these games. I've been playing since the original Q.U.B.E. (not the director's cut, the genuine original game) and I think that gives a useful perspective on how far the series has come.

Music:
Lost Orbit has little to no music. Subtle clips from the official soundtrack play when you activate the computer devices, but aside from this, there is just ambient sound. I believe that Lost Orbit might have benefitted from music, but it would have done well to take just the subtlest pieces from the soundtrack and played them at a low volume. Perhaps some quiet music for the Master Room only, while leaving music out for the puzzle rooms?

Sound:
Ambient sounds are a major part of building atmosphere. Lost Orbit pulls this off with excellence. Booming, distant echoes can occasionally be heard. Soft rumblings imply that the environment around you is alive. Softly flowing wind can be heard close to the vast windows. There is more to this place than you can see. More on atmosphere below.

Appearance:
Almost as close as the devs could get to simulating the original game while still using Q.U.B.E. 2 assets. Lost Orbit feels like it could be an HD reboot of the original game. Pure white surfaces are predominate. The team moved more towards using flat surfaces rather than the asymmetrical, pre-fabricated surface elements used in the main Q.U.B.E. 2 game. I appreciate that they moved away from their new system in order to capture some of the feel of the original game. However, I think that they could have made the flat surfaces more uniform. There are still a few too many asymmetrical surfaces.

Puzzle design:
The puzzles are the result of a great deal of effort on the designer's part(s). The ways in which all the puzzle elements fit together amazes me. The designers have a unique ability to think in several dimensions at once, and it shows. The puzzles are all cohesive, nothing feels out of place, nothing is wasted. With one exception: see the spoiler section below.

The Master Room puzzle. I dislike saying it, but this puzzle was sadly disappointing. I had been led to expect a complex, intricate puzzle that spanned the vast room. While the Master puzzle is made slightly more interesting when you use to to get the collectables, for its main function of getting you out of the room and to the exit, it is too simple and leaves much room space unused.

Difficulty:
The puzzles compare well with the harder puzzles in the main games. I would mildly disagree with the statement made before by the devs that it is significantly harder than the main game. I would instead say that they are just as hard as the hardest puzzles in the main game. However, the collectables add an extra dimension of complexity, forcing you to think about the puzzles in a different way. This may have been what the developers were thiking of when they alluded to Lost Orbit's difficulty.

Remember that difficulty is very subjective. Don't take my word for it. Feel comfortable with however much difficulty you can tolerate. And yes, I failed to complete the DLC without using a video guide. Three times, once for a collectable and twice to activate computer devices.

Atmosphere:
This is where it all comes together. Lost Orbit is designed to call up feelings from the original game, and it shows. I think the best term to describe the atmosphere is "chill". I actually felt cooler and more at peace when I played the DLC. (The huge windows, giving you soothing vistas of outer space, with flowing wind ambient, helped a lot. That airy feel is great.) And that's exactly what I loved about the original game. Some might find the atmosphere a little frightening. (The Director's Cut played on that possibility.) You're alone out here. The environment is pretty cold. You can see the Earth, but it's a long way from here. But there are mysteries for you to uncover, and you have the power to do it. You have the place to yourself; you can hear yourself think. There's peace to be found in the solitude. I think that Q.U.B.E. is at it's best when it works with these emotions. Feelings like this are hard to describe, but it's no secret that this is my favorite part of the Q.U.B.E. experience. I hope the devs will keep these ideas in mind going forward.


In short, I approve. Do yourself a favor, buy the DLC if you want more pure, puzzler action ( to borrow a phrase from the devs). Or if you craved more of the original game's atmosphere. Either way, it's a worthy undertaking. Thank you Toxic Games, you made my day again.

[Moonbane]

could you tell me if theres any new elements in the puzzles, or just reusing assets from the base game?

[Porygon]

It's mostly re-using assets, although the space background is new and the collectables are new. No new puzzle elements are added.

[Malidictus]

Honestly, I consider the DLC to be substantially harder than even the hardest puzzles in the main game. That's accounting for the collectables, obviously, but since the collectables are tracked within the environment, I consider them part of the puzzle, as well.

[Porygon]

Yeah, like I said in the review, difficulty is subjective. I was surprised that I had as easy a time as I did, somehow the puzzles in the dlc just clicked for me.

[mkoeni]

Very nice game! Sometimes I see floating blue launchers after I move/rotate an object.
Also the ending screen of Lost Orbit has the wrong icon for gold collected.

[hamsterofdeath]

the puzzles are harder than those of the main game, and that's a good thing. they are "just right" now, imho.

[greenadiss]

I completed all puzzle rooms, collected everything, received all related achievements but the master room is still closed (https://i.imgur.com/bkFjRPX.jpg)
is this a bug? i am so disappointed... still looking for a button/lever/whatever else I missed but the hope is almost gone. did you do something special to open this shield?

[Porygon]

Originally posted by greenadiss:

I completed all puzzle rooms, collected everything, received all related achievements but the master room is still closed (https://i.imgur.com/bkFjRPX.jpg)
is this a bug? i am so disappointed... still looking for a button/lever/whatever else I missed but the hope is almost gone. did you do something special to open this shield?

If I recall correctly you have to solve the full master puzzle and activate consoles around the Master Room to open the shield? I can reinstall my copy of the game and look around if you like.

[greenadiss]

Oh wow i just noticed a console that's not activated but I am pretty sure I activated it. That's weird! I knew it'd be something silly. When rechecked the room icons, i didnt pay attention to the most important part - the big square that should be black!

Thank you a lot, you helped me to pay attention to them :)

[Porygon]

Nice!