Review: Orion's Belt

Overview Orion’s Belt 2.0, the completely revamped version of its first series, is worth every bit of any gamer’s attention! From the well developed training missions to the completely customizable skirmish levels, this game will have you coming back for more - months into playing!

Features

Oh… The Possibilities…

Orion’s Belt comes packed with features! Prepare to be blown away by everything from the intermittent videos to the ridiculous control! First, the game comes with quite an intense story line. Without giving it away, let’s just say that you’re going to be in the middle of a war within the Terran empire.

Controls

Aside from the story line, the completely revamped control is one of the best features in this game. The developers of the game really listened to the players’ comments from its 1.0 and 1.0 lite release, and redesigned a system of control that will have you coming back for more! Instead of your typical shooter game control, which forces you to move forward at a constant pace, this game not only allows you to spin the ship in such a way as to head toward whichever direction you desire, but it also has separate thrust/stop button to allow you to more precisely control the movement of the ship.

Know Where You Are

There is a radar at the top left hand corner of the screen, which is especially helpful in tracking your enemies’ location - as this game involves a “circular” map. The map give you the capability to travel back to any spots you’ve already passed by simply moving forward (just think of the “map” as a 3-D map for a planet).

Blasting Your Enemy

Next, you will have the option of using up to four different kinds of weapons to destroy your enemy.

Taking Charge

As you advance through the game, not only do you unlock more missions (up to 20) and ships (with more advanced weapons), but you also advance from flying solo to leading a squadron!

Skirmish Mode

Lastly, the program offers a skirmish mode in which you can customize everything from the enemy ships to the asteroids in the field - making it both one of the most exciting and hardest part of the game. When all is said and done, you can even upload your scores, and compete against other players to earn trophies!

A True Perspective

Three letters - WOW! I found myself captivated right from the start by the intro movie! As I began my first training mission, I was amazed by both the ease of control and the wide range of maneuvers available to me! I sped through the training and found myself blasting enemies in no time! This game offers 20 non-repetitive stages, which made the game all that much more enjoyable to me. As you progress, the levels do not simply become more difficult, but instead, requires you to approach each level with a different tactic! That said, despite the game's tremendous entertainment value, it does become a drag at times both to maneuver the ship and to pass the missions.  For one thing, the nature of the game play requires you to pay attention to every direction of your ship while controlling everything from the ship's speed, to its direction, to its firing, to its defending... etc.  In addition to all this, you must utilize even more of your brain power to figure out the tactic behind each mission to successfully complete each mission!

Competitors? What Competitors?

This app is truly one of a kind! It’s a shame that there is not a word that could sum up all its virtues, so that it may distinguish itself from other shooter apps. For lack of better description, this program gives you the possibility to do just about everything you’ve ever dreamed of doing in a shooter game! One of the strongest aspects of this game, however, may also be one of its only downfalls, and that is the control! While it provides very clear and concise training missions to allow one to adjust to and learn all the control has to offer, just like riding a bike, not everyone will be able to learn it. Although this application certainly does not intend to alienate those users, it may be possible that some will be turned off by the thought of having to watch more than one thing on their screen. Furthermore, even for those who have learned the control, some may not have the patience to utilize it. Since the game play uses a “circular” map, the player does not simply move the ship forward, but has to think about enemies approaching from all directions, and to maneuver their ships accordingly. But, that being said, for all the gamers out there, especially those that enjoy shooting games, y’all need to give this a shot! It won’t disappoint!

The Bottom Line

This app is superior for its entertainment values if you’re a serious shooter-gamer who has always wished you could do more with your ship, but it might not be for everyone, especially those who do not like to have complete control over their gaming experience, but would rather have faster action!

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