Darkorbit Fighting Game Review (Updated 2023)

DarkOrbit offers a space oriented MMO that allows players to take control of their own spaceship in this free to play experience. With shops controlled by both AI and other players, it's a diverse and deadly galaxy that awaits you as you join millions of other registered game accounts.

DarkOrbit (sometimes called Dark Orbit) is one of those games that may seem simple at first but despite being a browser game, it's depth is surprising. The concept of this game is quite simple, you have to join powerful organizations to acquire the resources you need. You have to fight for territory with others and you have to expand into the far reaches of space.

DarkOrbit (later renamed DarkOrbit: Reloaded) is an original release developed by Bigpoint Games in 2006. Darkorbit has evolved dramatically from this early space adventure while still maintaining a solid user base and regular game updates despite the time since release.

3000 Era Darkorbit is set in a universe where Earth has been torn apart by environmental catastrophes that have led to planet-destroying ice ages and various civil wars for resources. As the planet reached the end of life, the only place for humans to expand was into the galaxy where abundant raw materials awaited to revive civilization. After an initial period of expansion and the three companies eventually struggled with profitable assets.

After creating your account and logging in you’ll be presented with an option between these different space companies that each have their own background and controlled space within the game world. These options include the Earth Industries Corporation (EIC), Mars Mining Operations (MMO) and Venus Resources United (VRU) that are currently engaged in all out open war.

Once you’ve settled into your chosen company you can start participating in the economy of DarkOrbit which then enables you to explore the vastness of space and engage in real time space combat when necessary. On the economy side players will use three currencies of credits, uridium and ore that are used to upgrade your ship components and can be earned by missions, mining resources and other in game activities.

Fundamental to this activity is the Galaxy Gates system that allows players to enter purpose-built portals to encounter waves of aliens of varying difficulty with rewards accordingly. Offering experience and resources you'll be able to expand your access to the galaxy with new maps and powerful ship options. The hangar is the basis for the customization of these ships, with different spaceships having their own stats such as hit points, hull, weapons, speed and shields.

Darkerbit's further depth is provided through the skill tree where you spend research points to increase percentages such as health, repair, shield, dodge, damage or acquired resources to increase your combat skills. This battle takes place in real time as players command their ships via hotkeys to move and attack other ships while using their various weapons.

Gameplay

You have multiple factions to choose from and each has its own mission. You will get both PVE and PVP in the game but for most beginners PVE will be the way to play. The game is designed with a good focus on exploration and that's what makes it so immersive to begin with.

One thing to note with DarkOrbit is that it always manages to reach new boundaries when it comes to the gameplay options it offers and the experience is great because of that. The more you play the game the more detailed you'll appreciate the gameplay and you can easily upgrade and customize your ship It's a great idea with nice touches and interesting options in the long run.

I find that the more you play the more immersive the gameplay gets and that's definitely a real advantage here. Most of the game will be focused on exploration and you will need to take your time to get the best advantage. It may not be easy to do at first but eventually it will help you evolve and have a very good experience.

Each spaceship has a different type of attack and engine so you can feel the difference as you play, something that helps expand the gameplay and makes it much easier to approach which is always a major plus.

Another thing to remember while playing is that you control the game with the mouse. Honestly, I found it a bit limiting as I opted for good old WASD controls most of the time. The game sometimes lacks fluidity due to this particular design decision, but it won't hurt that much in the end so you don't have to worry about it too much.

What's really exciting about the DarkOrbit world is the overall customization. The game does an amazing job when it comes to letting you customize whatever you want with your ship. Whether it's paint, beams or new upgrades, all of these will require your resources. The fact that you have to refine resources to craft items adds quite a bit of challenge to the experience, but it's a lot of fun regardless so you don't have to worry about it.

Fortunately, you can also upgrade skills that will help you control the car better and provide many interesting benefits. There's a lot to like with DarkOrbit, but the way you can find new skills and add new perks to the experience can really improve your playstyle.

PvE and PvP

DarkOrbit comes with a plethora of PVE modes that let you explore the game. HITAC is a good example because it's a situation where giant alien ships are attacking you and you have to destroy the minions before the mothership can be eliminated. It's a great way to spend your time and one that helps offer value, much more than many games you can find out there, and ultimately that's what matters.

The maps in this game are huge and surprisingly full of enemies. Leveling up and acquiring new gear is great if you explore them, but the more new areas you reach the stronger the enemies get. I liked that they added the idea of cloaking because it can help you but it can also help the enemies and sometimes you can be clueless as to where they are located and what you can do to eliminate them properly.

They have also put PVP inside the game and here you can find a good set of mods. One of the best is Scourgemagdon where you basically have to kill enemies as you try to survive. As you kill enemies you will be able to get a combo gauge which will give you more points and the person with the highest amount of points wins.

Graphics

Since DarkOrbit is a 2D game with a 3D element, you won't really be impressed with the way it looks. Neither was I, but it's safe to say that the game has unique appeal and feels like you're exploring the space as you eliminate new enemies. The ship design is good and the game world is realistic enough for a game to provide the immersion you want. Although the animations could be better, hopefully they will be improved as the game gets bigger and better.

The soundtrack is simple, no different from other similar games, but it has a few catchy tunes. It can get a bit repetitive though, and that's definitely a downside.

Conclusion

After pouring a few hours into the game, I was quite impressed with it. There are multiple ships you can get, you can even craft items and upgrade ships and it's fun exploring for resources and enemies. You have plenty of PVP modes and PVE modes to choose from, the game doesn't rely so much on in-app purchases so it's quite accessible. Also, there are always new ones to unlock and the AI is pretty good when it comes to combat. Overall, DarkOrbit is a great game and a solid time investment for space game enthusiasts and browser game lovers.