Just add Orcs and plunge into the melee. Taking the Tower Defense
genre to a new perspective, Orcs Must Die! (OMD) prompt players to take
the defensive against the hordes of Orcs threatening to overwhelm.
The premise of OMD is about as simple as the title. Players play as
an impulsive and overconfident Apprentice tasked to defend the “rifts”
from the combined horde of the Orcs and the Mob. The Orcs are similar to
the brutish green skin obnoxious creatures found in the Lord of the
Rings.
The Mob on the otherhand, is composed of Ogres, Goblins, and
Gnolls. The hordes’ true intentions and motivation are unknown as to why
they attack the fortresses, but it is hinted that life beyond the rift
is better than the life they have in Dead World.
The objective in OMD is simple--- to prevent the enemy forces from
reaching the rifts. At each level, player is given a number of life
points. If an enemy manages to enter the rift or if the Apprentice dies,
the player’s points are deducted.
Each round starts ten seconds after the previous round, after a
number of rounds, the player is given a grace period. This grace period
gives the player a chance to choose the time of the assault paving way
for dismantling and setting traps.
After finishing a level, the player is given a new device to be used
in the next stage. These tools are extremely useful in the consequent
levels as their strengths are fully utilized with the construction of
the level. Levels range from easy levels such as bottleneck bridges, to
the harder ones such as halls with more than two entrances.
Traps are the real star in this OMD. Deadly contraptions range
from the cartoonish ground pounder, to the traditional floor spikes,
down to the gruesome wall grinder. Traps are organized depending on how
they are placed and can be upgraded by accumulating orc skulls at the
end of each level.
Acquisition of orc skulls are dependent on the player’s
performance and may be used to shorten the cooldown times of traps or
increase their triggering range.
The Apprentice stands as the last line of defense if all else fails.
The player can choose a number of items to equip him depending on
his/her playing style. Equipments such as melee spears, fire and ice
bracers, and wind belts can be used in synergy with the traps and
surroundings.
OMD is cartoonish in terms of presentation. Characters are
modeled in a way that would remind you of 3D movies such as Toy Story
but with blood and gore. Though violent in its presentation, it’s a bit
toned down compared to what we have in our gaming shelves. On the audio
side, the audio presentation of OMD is both creative and engaging. The
Apprentice will spew out comedic statements from time to time and will
definitely tickle some bones. The music itself will inspire the player
to cut down some orcs with its speed inducing tunes.
Robot Entertainment developed a game that fully exemplifies what
games should be: fun. It may be neither a hardcore shooter nor an
intensive RPG game, but I will definitely recommend OMD to persons who
love to play tower defense.
