New Perspective: Orbeats – A Fusion of Rhythm and Rocket Sports in Virtual Reality

The gaming industry in virtual reality (VR) is fiercely competitive, with titles like Beat Saber, Synth Riders, and Pistol Whip dominating the market. However, Radical Forge’s Orbeats manages to stand out with its innovative combination of rocket sports and rhythm gameplay. Although the concept is intriguing, the game still requires some fine-tuning.

Aside from its helpful tutorial, Orbeats offers two main game modes. The Journey mode is the main attraction, consisting of five different locations with well-designed environments, divided into individual stages. I appreciate the opportunity to practice on each stage, and each level has three difficulty settings.

Equipped with a futuristic tennis racket, your task is to destroy waves of blocks that form an alien defense. Hitting the blocks gradually increases a score multiplier, which can reach up to x100, adding a competitive element through online rankings. Neglecting to hit the blocks gradually depletes your health and lowers the multiplier, eventually leading to your demise if you’re not careful.

Orbeats tries to spice things up in each stage by introducing different types of blocks. Some offer bonus points, while others require multiple hits. There are also explosive blocks and power-ups that enlarge the ball. Purposefully hitting these objects charges a laser attack, providing a useful tool in critical situations. The second hand acts as a spring, allowing for quick ball retrieval and maintaining control over the game.

So far, the most interesting aspect of Orbeats is the Temple Guardians, the bosses that appear in the final stage of each area to defend the monuments. In addition to dealing with blocks, players must now fend off attacking guardians, often requiring them to dodge laser fire. This adds dynamism to the game, providing a pleasant and much-needed variation in this otherwise functional shooter.

The Survival mode gradually takes players through several songs. While it offers a nice change of pace, the interludes between songs, represented by black screens, break the immersion. Additionally, the chillout soundtrack may not appeal to everyone, as it depends on personal preferences.

Orbeats delivers entertainment in short sessions, and I appreciate the fusion of rhythm gameplay with rocket sports. However, the wave shooter mechanics are not as exhilarating. Currently, it would be difficult for me to wholeheartedly recommend Orbeats as a superior choice to other VR rhythm games. Nevertheless, if you enjoyed C-Smash VRS and are looking for more boss battles, it’s worth taking a look at this production.

Orbeats is now available in the Quest App Lab store for £10.49/$13.99.

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The source of the article is from the blog publicsectortravel.org.uk