Review of Orcs Must Die: Deathtrap – Death does not forget the invading hordes

We analyze for Xbox one of those games that is impossible to play only one match, Orcs Must Die: Deathtrap.

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The Orcs Must Die! saga has been on the market for a good number of years and has managed to consolidate a large number of fans among its ranks. But with each new installment, several people wonder what this Orcs Must Die is all about, and I think starting the analysis of the latest installment with a brief summary of the franchise’s basics wouldn’t be a bad idea.

If you never had the chance to enjoy this IP, let me tell you that Orcs Must Die is a mix between a third-person shooter multiplayer cooperative title and a classic tower defense. The goal is always to annihilate hordes and hordes of orcs that seek to penetrate various portals in each of the scenarios, using strategically placed traps and making use of the skills of each of the warrior mages that can be selected.

In the case of Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap, the game is set chronologically after the events of the third numbered installment of the saga and has the orcs divided into four factions that continue with the same idea of invading and ravaging human cities.

Choose your favorite weapon and get ready to be the last line of defense against the invasions of these unpleasant beings. That said, brutality against orcs will not be lacking in this new opportunity either. Let’s go.

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Technical Section

The franchise’s visual identity continues to be present in this new installment, with its bright colors in allies, enemies, and backgrounds. The design built from the base of simple textures and cartoonish style still suits the saga well, although it doesn’t stray too far from what was seen in Orcs Must Die! 3, so if you were expecting some kind of significant innovation, you’ll be disappointed.

Musically, the franchise continues to crown itself with a loud display of hard rock/metal that even accompanies the selection of traps to be placed for the extermination of orcs in each scenario with different riffs. As for voices, the dialogue, only available in English, I think presents an inferior quality to that of the previous installments, although this may be due more to the script than to the quality of the dubbing actors themselves.

This analysis was conducted entirely on an Xbox Series S, and during the time I spent killing orcs in all possible ways, I didn’t notice a significant drop in frames at any time, not even when the screen was filled with all the possible species of orcs and my traps were barely keeping up with them. Big point for Robot Entertainment’s optimization work.

In terms of localization, the game can be enjoyed in Spanish exclusively in its Latin American variant, and it’s surprising to see the exclusion of the Iberian variant. It’s also worth noting that our language is present in menus and subtitles, and voices are only available in their original language.

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Gameplay

For many, Orcs Must Die! 3 was the pinnacle of the franchise, the perfection of everything that had been done in different points, so the developers had the arduous task of seeing what to add to a winning formula without subtracting from it. One of the ideas they implemented in this new edition was to move away from the traditional idea of a structured campaign in which each chapter had a complete phase to defend and bet on a much more free approach for the player.

This translates into the campaign being generated randomly, where failure is almost a duty given the roguelite idea that is incorporated into the franchise’s ranks. A proposal that will have both fierce detractors and fans who will consider this as an improvement to give freshness to the IP.

I think it’s essential to keep in mind that the saga never characterized itself by having a deep story, worthy of a Borges tale, nor does it need it in any way. The little drama that the installments could have always been diluted in the funny and almost comedic tone of all the characters.

Said that, the game’s idea remains the same: to protect strategic points from the orc invasion. This is done with the warrior mages’ own weapons and the traps that must be placed in key points of each phase. These contraptions are built from the resources available and are unlocked as the player increases their level.

It may seem like six selectable characters is a small number, but considering that the previous edition only allowed two, this is significant progress. Additionally, none of the mages feel generic in any way, and there will be a satisfying choice for each type of player, whether they prefer agile melee attacks or comfortable ranged attacks.

The maps in this edition are the largest the saga has had, which significantly increases the challenge and the need to cooperate with other players efficiently, given that the invaders’ access routes are several. Among the waves of attackers, it’s also possible to select different random modifications that can change the defense of the place significantly.

When losing or leaving the phases by choice, the player will reappear in the game’s hub, where they can change the orc skulls they’ve collected, which are the currency offered by Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap. One of the biggest drawbacks of the saga, in my opinion, has always been the lack of consideration for the player who prefers solo play; in this installment, the pattern repeats. It’s understandable, the title allows for solo play, but the problem is that it wasn’t designed with that purpose in mind, and the map size makes it practically impossible to deal with all the attacks without the help of a colleague.

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Duration

It’s possible to finish the campaigns in around 18 hours, but always talking within the multiplayer context. In the case of facing the game solo, that number of hours can easily triple due to the diabolical difficulty, and a lot of patience will be required.

An interesting point to highlight is that the roguelite elements and random bonuses add a playful aspect to the game that makes each game different.

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Conclusion

The title may not enchant those seeking a relatively fair experience for a single player, but it remains a true come-on in terms of multiplayer, with the same essence as the previous installments and some additions that keep the entertainment constant.

Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap is not a qualitative leap of relevance in the franchise, but it does expand on what’s been done and dares to season it in a different way with various elements that make the title grow without this meaning a substantial improvement.

A good thing for fans of the physical format: Meridiem has already confirmed that the title is available on Xbox in physical format, so you can add it to your non-virtual library whenever you want.