*READ UNTILL END*
First off, let me tell you, it's not a bad game. The reason I am giving this product a negative review is because it's of the way the developer acts and the things he does.

I am sad I gave David Prassel any of my money.
https://www.reddit.com/r/pcmasterrace/comments/4q6xo5/activisions_dmca_claim_on_orion_is_legit_orions/
http://www.gatheryourparty.com/2012/05/04/orion-employee-beatdown/

and even all the way back 5 years ago this happened
https://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/g2sol/david_prassel_creator_of_orion_prelude_receives/

Now a couple things I've experienced my self:
-The "Elite" package was supposed to be 50% off for founders, forever. So if you couldn't buy it right away, you could later when you had some money. But interestingly, now the Elite package has shot back up to $100.
-They wait till they've raked in all the money they can, then they make their game F2P
http://steamcommunity.com/app/407840/discussions/0/351660338714684747/
They even tried reviving their old game
http://steamcommunity.com/games/104900/announcements/detail/845934212532972448
(also I noticed in Orion: Prelude, when I used to play it ages ago, there was no in game store. Then earlier this year I noticed one was implomented, so clearly this is a move to make money. The game also recently recieved a 1.2gb update which I have tried out and it seems to change nothing, so it's probably to remind people the game exists.
And what do the people who already paid good money for it receive?

♥♥♥♥ all.


Don't buy this game. Don't support this developer. If you really want to play it, it's going F2P anyway.
Well if you did manage to read this, please spread the word. There's a high chance I'm going to be banned so David can censor my opinion. Just like how he constantly changes the games name so all the people who posted stuff elsewhere about how bad it is have a lower chance of the people reading it to find it.

DON'T BUY THIS GAME. It's been in development almost a year and it has no real content, and there are less average players NOW than a two months after release. The game is dead or dying. It's not even worth it for free.

Plus, all my concerns from way back in May, have been confirmed. The grind is increasing as the dev makes it more difficult for players to PLAY and not PAY. If you thought the grind was bad in the past (hundreds of hours), then know that it is worse now - and will be worse when the game goes F2P.

August 9

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This game still has little content. After (THREE) major updates, all that the devs have managed to add is server hubs (useless when no people play), cosmetics, and to the ingame store, and FPS. That's it. Nothing that enhances the game. You still do the same boring thing forever, on the same handful of maps. It's a HUGE GRIND. It's not fun.

And the average player count has decreased over the past FEW months (60+% player loss).

On top of that, the Elite package is a joke. $100 dollars? And this doesn't even include content. It's just cosmetics, a promise for guardians, the ability to get loot crates (crates are elite item only, unless you pay cash), and a few other things that give pay players a head start. You can't buy the Elite package with ingame currency (it didn't work for me), which totally destroys the developers recurring statement that its "pay or play." The content may not make the game "pay to win," but it is putting the content behind a paywall. It's a paywall, a legitimate paywall.

Oh, and did I mention the dev went crazy on a banning spree, posted new rules (which he hasn't managed to follow), and then only changed IMO because someone threatened to sue for libel? (DEV STILL CAN'T FOLLOW HIS OWN RULES, bans those who do follow them.)

BUY A CANDYBAR OR A SODA.

It's amazing that a developer can make so many players (1/3) of their game, regret spending a $1.00. If it was 5% or 10%, that's not worth mentioning, but 30-40% is significant. It's a dollar, but such a waste at this point.

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May 22

After trying to contribute to the community, and voice an opinion that was in line with other players, I have found that this game has a toxic community (dev and hardcore players mostly). The devs encourage name-shaming (banned by Steam/its community). Dev was threatened with a libel lawsuit, and shortly after he started "apologizing."

The have taken my opinions, which have been supportive, critical, and constructive, and responded in a manner that will not create a solid community. They have responded with rudeness unbecoming of a developer, even resorting to threatening a "time out" for our differing definitions. The devs are negatively enforcing the community.

On this basis alone, I cannot recommend this game. No one wants to be in a community of belittlers, and angsty people (IMO).

Previously, I said this game was worth the dollar, but only if you didn't want to buy into the extra content. However, with recent events (devs behavior), I cannot recommend this game. Do yourselves a favor and play any number of FREE games, like TF2 or Dungeon Defenders 2.

If you really want this game, put it on your waiting list, and wait a few years when the time vs. value of this game evens. JUST KIDDING, don't do this. EVER.

Should you think this won't apply to you, you may continue to read the rest of my review (which as of the August is IMO still entirely true). The developers will deny there is a paywall, simply because they offer outrageous exchange rates and time requirements. Can't pay? You'll pay with precious time. No time? Pay with your wallet. No good balance, and now the edition of the Elite package plus major cuts in credit rewards for players.

-----

What I do like about the game? After 20 hours, there is only one thing I can say that is good about this game.

- Nada, new update ruined the graphics, optimization tanked.

What do I not like?

-/-/-/-/-/ It's boring atm
-/ No real content.
-/ The music. I just turn it off and put my own music on. BUT lots of people like the music, so....
-/ The in game voices
-/ I don't feel there is enough difference between the classes to spend time on leveling more than one. A few guns, a few skills, but it feels like classes still lack depth.
-/ The game has little depth. There are only a few levels, which are large. But you still end up bored because you always do the same thing.
-/ Hollow boring maps deserve their own section.
-/ Although there are lots of dinosaurs, they still all feel the same. Apart from the Trex, I use the same tactics for every single one.
-/ Not very user friendly interface. Crafting is a pain. Take a peek at some games like Terraria for how to do a proper system.
-/ Hit detection (for topdown) is pretty bad. I'm aiming left, but shooting right.
-/ Endgame community is terrible.
-/ No endgame content.

----

The problem lies in the future of the game, the developers and their business plan. If you buy this game now, and likley in the future, you are going to

a) waste a lot of time trying to get money to buy new classes (conversion rates force players to spend inordinate amounts of time to buy any extra content - guardians, etc).

b) or spend a ridiculous about of money - on top of your "dollar game" to buy future content. The Elite package is the perfect example. To buy the classes alone you could nearly buy a new release AAA title.

c) deal with the developers making choices for the player, frequently changing their minds, and being told to deal with it. I would consider the developers toxic.

d) deal with a toxic player led community leader system that is supported by the devs - which is already abusive to players. The first name-shaming and punishment vote from the Galactic Council is an example

(All of these have proven to be TRUE since first posted in early May)

It's pretty obvious this is becoming a cash-cow. You buy into the game for cheap (nearly free- ), and then you are encouraged to spend money to get different classes, etc. You are told it's cheap, and there is a lot to do... But all those features feel hollow. By the looks of things, what you need to buy is only going to pile up. When a game has a cash store for content in early access, that is a bad sign. To me, it feels like the devs are tacking on a form of DLC in EA.

Finally, I feel there are some ethical issues with the devs. A few months back they encouraged players to buy the game. They pretty much came out and said development was going to halt, and that they were then going to sell it for a dollar. I bought it at that time thinking development was close to finishing, and I wanted to support the devs. Plus, I got a discount.

This is when they really decided to split founders access from regular players (May 2nd). While yes, people were told to activate their account online, any players who did pay a higher price or fund the game with the intent to help and didn't activate the game... Are now shafted by the devs. These people will have to resort to either buying the content that they payed for - taking the loss if they purchased the game at a higher price, or spending hours and hours playing to get ingame currency.

WAIT!? What about all that conent coming in the future? It still doesn't change that for me I feel the devs crossed a line with this tactic. I understand that there is the counterargument "well, you were told you had to do it before then." I just don't agree with it. I don't agree with advertising the game with benefits, when you aren't really willing to give those benefits to the players .


Also, David is really not a stellar guy (see art theft fiasco). But why talk about that, when he's been dishonest in so many other ways that people don't see?

Great game for a great price with really good graphics for such a small studio.It has a lot of potential for greatness plus it's even better with friends!!! :D

dear lord this game is horrible

great game loved orion prelude didnt know that i could hit F1 for firstperson

nothing like an mmo. isn't a persistent open world. you just pick a mission and get beamed down, beat the mission, and then exit the mission. if you can even beat the mission because often it scatters your team sometimes even at the 4 corners of the map. even if the mission objective moves halfway across the map, it keeps the same spawnpoint, so if you join late you're nowhere near your team.

im not even gonna mention what the dev did btw. this is the age of google. educate yourself, its not my job to do it for you.

No idea how ppl can spend more that 10 mins playing this.

No, just no. Prob gonna get banned but the dev is a scumbag, the game may be alright, but dont waste your money supporting this company.

To be honest, was attracted by the possible FPS mode that was shown in the trailer, the ability of switching between FPS and TPS would be pretty neat, whether it will be included or not seems uncertain at this point. But without that option this game seems very generic, the controls were pretty bad as well, many character actions seems pointless in a TPF. Game play it self is boring and beyond simple, after 10 waves of enemies I fail to see the point of it all, maybe a proper story mode will do this game some good? Wouldn't recommend this game to most, unless it's free to play.

It's a poor game, but it's hard to argue with the $.99 price tag. Buy a couple copies for your friends and at the minimum you have a good few minutes of laughs.