Osta ORB

I loved Homeworld, I still play it! ORB is Homeworld, just updated graphics.

Very well balanced with a good tutorial

really great game, only wish I had time to play it more often 10/10

Simple yet slightly interesting story. Meh everything else. Half of the missions bugged, AI is dumb as hell. no diversity in units or tactics - just build biggest units in big numbers etc.

If you seek something Homeworld like - this is not it.
- mediocore music (often glitch)
- mediocore visuals (aside from backgrounds and debries)
- mediocore story (logs)
- no rock\paper\shotgun system in place - bigger IS better
- full of bugs

The video isn't a proper trailer for this game!
This game was my first space RTS and it's still one of my favorites. For all of you who dug Homeworld and even the combat of the modern SIns of a Solar Empire, this game is a gem. It's the only space RTS I've played that gives you a sense of just how LARGE space can be in maps like this. Because of this you have to commit to strategies, and can't adjust on the fly. This game forces you to develop a near perfect set of tactics for every single map, no joke. It's frustrating, very difficult, and immensly rewarding. The control scheme of this game is difficult at first, but it works as you get the hang of how to zoom around the map. This is a truly beautiful game as well, even though the graphics are dated, this game is highly atmospheric and really awesome to get lost in. A truly hardcore RTS, it will punish you, and every time you will come back stronger, ready to take advantage of a weakness you saw on your way out.

I owned this game on disc before re-purchasing it on Steam. It can be finicky at times, but ORB's take on 3D space combat is still fresh, interesting, and addictive even after more than 10 years. The campaign ramps up fast, so be prepared to spend hours trying to figure out the best strategy to complete a mission. (if you're anything like me, that should entice you!). This is the kind of game you can lose a night in.

Let's face it, there have only been a handful of 3D tactical space games released ever. If you're at all interested in the genre, you need this underrated game. $5 is an absolute steal.

I've played this game for a grand total of 87 minutes, and that was just the tutorial; but that's all it took to fascinate me with this game.

As a casual gamer with decent experience in RTS games, I didn't really know what to expect with this 12 year old game. But hey, at 75 cents, it had to have been a bargain (cheaper than a lot of items in TF2, anyway). Boy is that an understatement.

The graphics are, of course, dated, but not to the point of being an eyesore. The rest of the game though, is a sight to behold. I don't even know how to begin to describe how complex and detailed this game is. The basic Skirmish mode, where you can quickly set up a battle, allows for an insane amount of customization. In fact, now that I think about it, everything does.

Since it would take way too long for me describe how awesome this game is, I'm just going to say that if you don't pick this game up before the end of the sale (by May 20th), you're crazy. Heck, I'd probably buy it at the full price of $4.99 now that I know how neat-o it is.

I have to wonder, though. Why is this 12 year old game more interesting and strategy-based than anything I've played recently?

10/10 so far!

I am quite shocked that this game actually came to exist on Steam, but I praise valve nontheless.

This game is absolutely amazing. It was my FIRST game ever.

I remember being about 6 or 7 years old, and my mother giving me this after she saw it offhand at a best buy one day.

O.R.B or Off-World Resource Base, is the best spaceflight strategy warfare game that I have EVER played.

Homeworld doesn't even compare.


The story behind this is just as gripping as the gameplay, you play as the Malus, and then after - as the Alyssians. Both races are "children" of a lost species that spanned an entire universe - moons upon planets upon systems upon galaxies, known as the Aldar.

All that is known of the Aldar is through a "bible" if you will known as the Torumin, which is posessed by both species.


The Aldar came to extinction due to a species known only as The Great Betrayer.


After searching and discovering the remains of the Aldar, the great betrayer shows his face.

The Elathen, and their slaves, the Kyulek.

It is up to only you - to defend Alyssia and the Aldus system from the Elathen - destroyers of matter.

Can you find and harness the lost and ancient Aldar technology and use it to your advantage, or will all the great work of the ancient intergalactic Aldar be lost as floating, frozen relics in an endless wasteland of death.


O.R.B is a game to which I have never been bored of, or have ever seen an end to the unique gameplay. And although I wish it had server support, the Singleplayer experience is absolutely tremendous, and the graphics are extremely appealing for a game made in 2002.

Good job, Strategy First!

Great classic RTS. Yes it seems complicated upon first glance, and yes it an older game, but once one understands how to play, hours disappear. The sheer vastness of the play area is amazing not to mention the variety and size of units available. The way one moves the camera through the game areas is very similiar to Maya or the Sims 3, making rapid and precise movement fairly easy. Lots of fun, great time waster or engaging space RTS depending on the level of attention you want to put in. Been looking for this game for years and here it is. SWEET

I love strategy games and space games. This game really fills the space where those two desires collide. Yes, this is an older game, but it is so very good. The current price of $5 is an absolute steal when other older re-released games might cost you $10 to $15 to pick up.

Be warned though! If this is your first time playing you will really need to play the tutorial and that will take anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour depending on how much you really try to acclimate to the controls. You CAN skip it though if you prefer to learn on your own, but id advise against it.

The 3D movements are very cool but kind of remind me of a few of the convoluted 3D modeling software controls I've learned. You don't have to play in that mode though as I typically spend my time on the 2D tactical map, but the 3D view is cool to watch a battle or check out an incoming ship you might want to steal.

You dont actually control the ships though, just their behavior. (which you can customize too). The AI can be trusted in some of the trickier dogfights though I'd still keep on eye on them from the tactial map.

I could talk more about this game, but mainly I'd say JUST PLAY IT! Make time for the tutorial and get ready to spend some hours in-game!

Ah, this game brings some nostalgia. Scanning asteroids, building bases on them, passive+active sensors, beautiful backgrounds, alien speeches - this game DOES have its own 'atmosphere'. Not to mention that it's one of few space real time strategies with full 3D navigating, base building and research. If you're into this kind of game genre don't let it pass by you. And almost forgot - in-game encyclopedia covers almost every aspect of the game including each race pre-history, ships and technologies.

I had a retail copy of this game many years ago. It did a lot of things right that never got adopted by other RTS's unfortunately. If you're looking for this game to be Homeworld, then just play Homeworld. Otherwise, play this and enjoy everything that it is.

Still a great game after all these years. Sure the graphics are a little dated and 4:3 is stretched to 16:9, but it really doesn't matter. Good game is good.

Some may find the pace too slow for them (I would think those that love games like Star Craft would be who I am referring too) but if you ever played EVE Online and loved to mine then this game's pace will be perfect.

The focus here is on strategy rather than massive battles and big explosions. This is also still the only game of it's genre that has dynamic play fields as far as I know.

Not too horrible for a Homeworld knockoff. Some to the good, some to the bad. Graphics were great for its day (old game, don't expect much by modern standards), ship physics were not very well refined. Asteroid-based play concept was interesting.

Too many missions emphasized stealth without making it really possible to sneak.

A decent play. Mediocre in its day, not horrible. Better with some user-performed tweaking. Recommended, yes, but not strongly. If you're seriously into sci-fi Homeworld-style games, you should play it. This one definitely does NOT transcend its genre, however. At all.

philippe charron's music really makes this game what it is

also, it isn't a bad space RTS title at all

its not homeworld but i does have the same qualities as homeworld i like. O.R.B is a good game but not as good as homeworld however its just a shame homeworld not on steam cries for these reansons and other reasons i give O.R.B a personal rating of 8/10 it was good but personally homeworld was better

I played this game soooo much before, and I couldn't wait to relive the memories. I installed it and launched the game. I started a new game, I was so excited but unfortunately, it didn't even run on my computer. Trust me, my specs demolish the reccomended requirements and I barely get 15 FPS, maybe it's a bug? I don't know, I've heard it runs on some peoples computer. But not mine. I think it's Windows 8.

So if you have Windows 8 or 8.1, save your money. I tried compatibility mode. Didn't work.

If you liked Homeworld, stay clear of ORB.
Bad controls, camera, horrible fights (true, enemies fight well, it's more the problem of stupid attack pattern behavior of your and enemy fighters - your fighters engage one group, ignoring the other on their tail, shooting them down with ease).
Graphic is not only worse then in Homeworld, you also don't see the ships often - most of the times you see only blue/green/red blibs on radar.
There are relatively few units, mostly they are variants on few basic designs - Fighter A, Fighter A with missiles, fighter A with cloaking, etc.
If you want to try good Space RTS, go for Homeworld, it's not without mistakes, but is much, much superior to ORB.

I like RTS, Space strategy, and resource gathering games... a lot.

This game fails at all of these.

The system is very buggy to the point where specific units are not even buildable even after all research is completed.

The tech trees are boring, the combat is boring, the slow voice overs are boring... searching 400 asteroids only to find 6 that are gatherable is... ya... boring. After making my own map with 100% asteroid useage, I still was turned off by everything mentioned. Mostly that I was not allowed to build any cap ships despite the research being complete.

I played a few of the story missions and while I was bored to death, I could see the story getting interesting. I cant tell you much about it tho because any time the cutscenes come around I find myself unable to even listen its so boring.

My advice is pick up sins of a solar empire's latest crapfest and enjoy it. At least you will get achievements while dealing with its 32 bit issues.

Utterly attrocious on Windows 8. Interface is broken and impossible to complete the tutorial. Do not buy at any price.