An orc that can’t control his violent fits of rage and a sneaky goblin, the only of his kind capable of speech, must kill the emperor of mankind to stop the annihilation and subsequent enslavement of the green-skinned race. Arkail and Styx, a bickering orc and goblin bromance made real, drive the story atop a chariot of manslaughter and flesh out the details carrying all too appropriate meat cleavers and thin blades in Of Orcs And Men. The game takes its name from the novel Of Mice and Men, and the protagonists are similar variations with a similar dynamic, although Of Mice and Men isn’t about mice being exterminated by men. Also, there’s less murder in general. Developers Cyanide and Spiders instead give players the ultimate chance for revenge against (and freedom from) those weak, cowardly, and genocidal humans in Of Orcs and Men.
[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zk2OEB1Y6BQ’]
The unlikely pair explores decrepit dungeons, lush forests, and even slave pits run by traitor orcs. Different levels don’t wear themselves out through overuse and the pacing is quick enough to keep the scenes fresh and alive. The music and sound imbue the cut scenes and battles with an epic severity and importance. Inclusion of imperial inquisitors and mages touches on the inner turmoil of humanity, politically and spiritually, and explores the corrupt politics behind the war. Think about this on a national scale: the nation of humans, slaughtering and enslaving the orcs, while marginalizing the mages, seek aid from the elves and dwarves in conquering such a dangerous and fearsome race. Three nations fighting to destroy and plunder another nation is worthy of an orc’s murderous rage and preventative efforts.
“Oh, hey, I didn’t see you come in.”
The voice actors nailed their characters, but the script is rough. Cheap, weak, dialogue drags at points and cuss words invade the most mundane conversations at inappropriate and unnecessary moments. It isn’t that the script is terrible; it’s that it’s too modern and colloquial so it sounds out of place. The dialogue doesn’t ruin the game, but at times the script gets out of hand. Take for instance the premeditated psychic rape to rescue an unconscious woman’s soul. Yeah, that’s uncomfortable.
This short exchange confused and concerned me.
Watching those filthy humans skewer goblins or beat down orc slaves tugs on the green skin’s heart strings. Locating a mad man that dissects live goblins deserves the attention of our antiheroes and rewards players with a chilling scene of a loosed feral goblin with sharp teeth. Humans are hunting all of the orcs and enslaving those they don’t kill. Sympathy for Arkail and Styx is earned, the direction and strength of the delivery urge the player onwards. After witnessing the brutality the green skins are up against, it feels good to slaughter the foolish and oppressive humans.
I did that.
Quashing humans as an orc is already charming and the developers focus on that appeal. Each of the levels is well designed and, while the detail is a bit rough, they otherwise capture the grim tone. Arkail looks great — all of the orcs look great. Watching Arkail break a foolish knight’s spine while raging out and then immediately break it again afterwards is incredibly visceral and satisfying. The feral goblins look rabid and fierce, an enjoyable departure from the refined Styx. The gait, stealth kill animations, and voice acting for Styx are all dead on. Humans are a bit rough in the face, but the inquisitors look downright wicked in their cult masks. The weapons and armor aren’t larger variations of man weapons, but orc-crafted and personalized implements of destruction. The game emphasizes the brutality of the world more than the magic, so I understand why I don’t get some weapons like wicked-looking chaos armor or a magical demon axe. But I still want them.
The player controls one character at a time, and it’s easy to switch between the orc and goblin to que up a series of attacks. Players can also pause the game, though it’s more of an intense slow motion that can be a little bit distracting; Arkail clubbing down fully armored knights and Styx leaping at screaming faces with two daggers is eye catching and a great touch. Combat is largely built around divide-and-conquer strategies and using the strengths of both characters to tip the tide of combat in the player’s favor. When players gain levels, they can put points into their skills and attributes like strength or stability. Each character has two different attack stances and a set of special skills. The goblin has melee and ranged abilities, with a heavy emphasis on debuffs. The orc doesn’t have any ranged abilities, so his melee attacks and abilities are divided into defensive and offensive set. Some of the special skills are resurrecting an ally or “throw goblin.” Styx has a stealth mode, complete with silent and hidden kills. Arkail has a rage meter that fills as he takes damage, and after it does, the player loses control of him as he attacks blindly, usually one-shotting Styx if he’s nearby. At the same time, Arkail attacks faster and destroys entire groups of enemies. It’s important to keep the orc’s anger in check until victory is assured at his outburst. Otherwise, when the rage wears off, Arkail becomes stunned and won’t move until he calms himself back down, while humans stab him with spears.
Shhh.
To avoid raging out too early, in game or otherwise, make sure to use Styx’s stealth killing ability. Use the goblin to scope out a room and eliminate any lone guards and sneaky archers to soften up the opponents. If there are any ranged enemies on a rooftop or ledge, Arkail is more than happy to throw his goblin partner into a target causing initial damage and relocating the goblin to an enemies knees, knives held at the ready. The stealth ability and full application of the character’s abilities, including the stealth killing, is enjoyable and it is rewarding watch humans die so quickly. Many of the zones are filled with unfair fights, but that’s what Styx is for; be sure to use his stealth ability or the fights are going to be tougher than necessary.
Even angry orcs need to stretch before and after pillaging.
Of Orcs And Men is a solid action RPG that delivers a compelling story, offers a challenging combat system, and presents a new and ironically humanizing way to look at the green skins. Character design and voice acting is well done, but the script feels a little weak and rough in places. Small gripes aside, the game easily makes up for its awkward moments. The plight of the green skins impresses in its character design, challenging and intriguing combat, and the well-crafted cut scenes that evoke a sympathy for the orcs. If you are a fan of fantasy games, or orcs in general, this game is absolutely worth your time. Go tell that lesser race who’s boss.
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