Review of “Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap”

Following its cautious advance with Orcs Must Die 3, the beloved series roars back to life with Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap. This sequel manages to be both more imaginative and somewhat reminiscent of earlier titles. The key shift here is its embrace of roguelike gameplay, while the core elements that fans adore remain largely intact. This duality can be a bit of a mixed blessing. On one hand, you’ll wonder, why change a formula that works? Yet, on the flip side, some of the broader gameplay elements might feel a bit bolted-on and half-baked.

At its heart, Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap sticks to the compelling mix of real-time action and strategic depth that hooked players back in 2011. The setup is straightforward: waves of orcs are hellbent on invading your base—the Rift—and your task is to fend them off with a cunning array of traps and some quick reflexes. It’s a fierce and frenetic playground that will thrill tower defense enthusiasts, though those seeking a deeper experience might walk away unsatisfied.

In Deathtrap, much of what adorned earlier entries, such as a traditional storyline and modes like the War Scenarios from Orcs Must Die 3, have been trimmed away. This time, the focus is squarely on the design elements that define the game. What you get is a streamlined, efficient machine that excels at one thing—obliterating orcs. It may not bag many awards, but its over-the-top, cartoonish brutality is sure to leave you grinning.

From the get-go, after a brief cinematic introduction, Deathtrap lays out its agenda. Players embark on missions from a home base, picking one of seven War Mages, each with unique abilities that make them stand out. While their mechanics aren’t overly complex, playing them is undeniably fun. You’re not going to pull off mind-boggling feats like in Overwatch, but they still hold their own.

The magic of Deathtrap, akin to its predecessors, lies in the variety of traps at your disposal. Before each orc wave hits, you’ll know the routes they’ll take to breach your fragile Rift. It doesn’t take many orcs to wear it down, leading to defeat. Smart players will study these paths, channeling them into strategic chokepoints brimming with deadly traps. You’ve got everything from floor spikes to acid showers and crossbow turrets at your disposal, all of which can be expanded and upgraded with resources at your Fortress hub.

Crafting a perfect orc-killing setup is hugely rewarding. There’s a distinct satisfaction in seeing a hapless mob meet their doom courtesy of your meticulously placed traps. The game offers a variety of intricate maps to master, with each run granting insights into their layouts. This ensures a rewarding experience, even if the material rewards and progression systems fall a bit short.

Running remarkably well, I tested Deathtrap on a PC equipped with an AMD Ryzen 7 and RTX 4060, and the game maintained a steady 70 FPS, even in the heat of combat with multiple orcs on screen.

While not a traditional roguelike, Deathtrap does borrow elements from the genre. After each wave, players select upgrades for the rest of the run. These affect traps and combat prowess but don’t interconnect in intriguing ways. The upgrades are somewhat mundane and lack the vibrancy and surprise you’d expect from a roguelike. They tend to offer modest boosts, like a 10% damage increase for specific traps, seldom evoking that addictive sense of escalating power.

Cross-run progression also feels uninspired. A permanent skill tree offers boosts like a modest health increase after revival or a slight bump in critical hit rate. While helpful, they don’t add new dimensions to gameplay. The depth largely comes from unlocking new traps, which keeps the strategic element fresh even as the War Mage action starts to feel stale.

Switching focus from solo play, Deathtrap’s standout shift is its enhanced squad size, allowing up to four players. While it can be tackled solo, the game truly shines in co-op mode, inviting more engaging strategic collaboration. Players can share ideas and explore novel tactics together. The relatively simple War Mage combat becomes less of an issue here as you can combine different Mages, each with distinct skills that complement one another. For instance, playing as Kalos, the healer, might be tough alone but becomes a game-changer when teamed up with long-range allies like Vaan or Wren.

Designed with co-op in mind, each character’s limitations, such as low DPS or few offensive abilities, can be addressed by smart pairings. This synergistic design makes Deathtrap’s multiplayer far more compelling than its single-player experience.

Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap is available on Game Pass from day one, which should bolster player numbers and enhance its cooperative multiplayer aspect. It’s a solid game that doesn’t quite break new ground but sticks to the strategic and lively gameplay that players love. While the increased focus on roguelike elements and multiplayer might polarize longtime fans, the series’ strengths are still present and arguably sharper than ever.

Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap is set to launch on PC and Xbox Series X|S on January 28, 2024. This review was based on a Steam code provided by Game Rant.