Last Updated on Oct 31, 2025 @ 10:20:06 AM.
Before its official release on Steam, I was able to try out the upcoming puzzle game Orbyss as I explored the unique world that the game is set in, while attempting to solve the numerous complicated puzzles that blocked my path forward.
During my time with Orbyss, I was able to play through the entirety of the game while exploring each individual puzzle to its fullest, while attempting to use my intelligence, or at least what little intelligence I have, to solve the intricate puzzles that led me to the center of this mysterious game.
Orbyss Is Set In a Beautiful World of Light and Dark, While Being Filled With Mystery in Every Corner
Jumping right in, let’s talk about the world of Orbyss, as this is something that I feel players will love to hear about. One of the biggest draws of Orbyss that I found while playing was how beautiful the world was and how intriguing it could be to roll around in.
When it comes to the world of Orbyss, players who love a rather minimalistic style are going to be over the moon, as Orbyss doesn’t rely on large, detailed structures or massive open worlds but instead relies on small locations that feel open and free, allowing the player to take on the challenges at their own pace.
During my time with Orbyss, I constantly found myself in awe at the world that the developer has created, especially since this is a project by a solo developer. Whether it be the simple geometric shapes moving around the world, the brilliantly placed obstacles that make a simple puzzle slightly more challenging, or the unique gameplay mechanics that add even more to the atmosphere, there was just so much to see and look at that it took my breath away.
Although the world of Orbyss was a magnificent place, there were a few moments in which the world had its dark side, as the brightly lit world became dim and dark, creating a sort of ominous and doomed feel to it, at least until I was able to venture through and bring the light to the darkness.
The Gameplay Mechanics are Incredibly Inventive and Fun to Play Around With
A big part of Orbyss is the numerous mechanics that the player will be able to play around with as they progress through the different chapters of the game’s story. To try and keep this review spoiler-free, I will avoid explaining too many of the mechanics within the game and will only talk about some of the early gameplay mechanics that are featured within Orbyss.
During my time with Orbyss, I was able to experience all the different gameplay mechanics that were on offer during the different chapters, and I have to say that each of these mechanics felt incredible to play with, as they felt intuitive and fun while adding even more challenges than I expected.
One of the main gameplay mechanics that gamers will come across is the ability to swap which ball you are controlling within Orbyss at the click of a button. Now this may seem simple, but there are limitations to this mechanic, like you are only able to control one ball at a time, while also only being able to swap between specific balls and not all of them.
This meant that if a puzzle required, say, 3 balls and I could only swap between 2, I was limited by my actions and had to use other mechanics to control the 3rd ball. For me, this added a lot of different challenges within Orbyss, both for myself and as tasked by the developer, as I was able to challenge myself with discovering a solution to a puzzle by only swapping a minimal number of times, or not swapping at all, which, for me, was a fun addition to the game.
These aren’t the only mechanics within Orbyss, either, as there are numerous other mechanics, such as freezing time, being able to drag or command the balls, and so much more that I do not want to spoil. However, in a game such as this, there is a difficult balance of creating numerous mechanics without the game feeling too confusing or overwhelming, and I feel it is safe to say that the developer has done a magnificent job of creating a balance of these mechanics, allowing for fun and creative puzzle solving.
The Puzzles Aren’t the Only Challenges Players Will Come Across
As said above, there is one thing I found within Orbyss that allowed me to have a lot more fun with the game and even added replayability to the game, and that is the idea of optional challenges.
While you progress through Orbyss, players will undoubtedly discover that there isn’t one singular way to solve each puzzle, but there are, in fact, a few different ways that many of the puzzles can be solved, and this is something that the developer has leaned into and actually encouraged, which I found to be a big positive.
For those looking for an additional challenge within a game like Orbyss, it is safe to say that you will have it, as some of these puzzles are already fairly challenging even without adding in limitations like no losing any balls, do not transfer control, and so much more, but that is a big part of the fun of Orbyss and how there is more than one way to complete the game.
However, for those who are looking for a relatively simple puzzle game, Orbyss isn’t always the best place to go, as there were a few occasions in which the puzzles were so mind-boggling in their complexity that I found myself using hints a few times throughout my playthrough, especially after playing for a long length of time.
Orbyss Doesn’t Just Leave Players to Their Own Devices, But Instead Provides a Few Helpful Nudges
A key part of Orbyss that I feel deserves its own section within my review is how the game doesn’t throw the player into the puzzles and challenges without any form of helping hand, but instead provides the player with all kinds of aids that can help them through the many arduous puzzles that lurk within.
Whether it be the hint system that provides the player with hints if they so choose on how to solve puzzles after a certain time has passed or visual aids that the player can activate for puzzles later in the game, there are plenty of features that can aid players throughout their puzzling journey that I did trial throughout my run, which did provide me with incredible insights to the numerous ways these puzzles could be tackled.
Even though most puzzle games, if not all, provide systems like these, I feel it would be amiss of me not to mention the fantastic job Yannick Audéoud, the developer of the game, has done when incorporating these accessibility and guide options within Orbyss so that everyone has the opportunity to enjoy the fantastic experience that is Orbyss.
If you would like to learn more about Orbyss, you can also find our interview that we did with Yannick Audéoud regarding Orbyss, as we talked about mechanics, inspirations, and even future plans for the game.
Orbyss is the debut project from the developer Yannick Audéoud that tasks the player with exploring a world made up of light and dark as they attempt to solve numerous puzzles that grow ever more challenging, with numerous mechanics being added in as the game progresses.
Summary
When it comes to Orbyss, I found the game to be incredibly fun from start to finish; even though I found myself struggling with certain puzzles, the rush I felt after completing them was fantastic.
The world of Orbyss is something that stood out to me, as it didn’t rely on massive, showstopping scenery but just relied on simple beauty that could capture the attention of any gamer.
One of the best parts of Orbyss is how it is friendly to all types of gamers, thanks to its accessibility and hint features that provide players with enough guidance to progress through the game, if they need it at all.
HOURS PLAYED: 5
PLAYED ON: PC
- The world is beautiful and captivating, while also being very minimalistic.
- The gameplay is very simple to grasp while also being challenging for the mind.
- There are numerous accessibility features that allow all kinds of gamers to enjoy the game.
- A select few of the puzzles can be too challenging and even stressful after playing for too long.
For more Thumb Wars Gaming Coverage, check out our review of Farthest Frontier, or check out our article talking about Final Fantasy 7 Part 3 and the director’s thoughts on the game’s ports.
Liam is a Senior Editor, Writer, and Critic for Thumb Wars and has been working with the team since day one. Liam is a big fan of all things gaming, as you will catch him playing all of the new releases from every genre you can imagine. Whether you find Liam gaming just for fun or spending his free time streaming, you will always find a smile on his face when it comes to all things gaming.
