Introduction

Not to age me, but when Orcs Must Die! first released, I was just starting my college days. Back in 2011, tower defense games were still all the rage, with new releases popping up every day. However, Orcs Must Die! didn’t feel like a traditional tower defense game. Sure, it had you funnel enemies into traps and kill them before they reached your base (the rift), but it had a charm that set it apart from other games in the genre. Fast forward to 2025, and Robot Entertainment (the team behind Orcs Must Die!) has returned with their newest entry, Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap. I was lucky enough to receive an early review copy and am here to let you know whether it’s worth the buy or if you should stick to the older titles in the series. Here’s my review of Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap!

Watch the Official Trailer

Gameplay

Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap plays similarly to the other titles in the franchise, but for new players, let me simplify it. Players assume the role of a War Mage (with multiple characters to choose from, not just a few), tasked with protecting the rift. Various enemies (not just orcs, despite the title) will attempt to rush into the rift, and your job is to stop them before they can damage it. As a War Mage, you use various attacks and abilities to kill enemies, but your main strength lies in the traps you set. These traps range from lava floors and spike traps to ballistae and many more. You can even use summons during levels to help out. There’s a lot of variety in Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap that sets it apart from most tower defense games, and I had a blast experimenting with different setups to see what worked and what didn’t.

Now, here’s where things got a little off for me. There are several War Mages to choose from, each with unique weapons and abilities. You have characters like Vaan, who uses a crossbow machine gun to unload arrows into enemies, Kalos, a giant bear who wields a massive gem axe, and Sophie, a small cat-like creature with dual knives. The variety is cool, but I found that the melee-focused heroes didn’t fare well in most situations. In a game that throws dozens of enemies at you, standing still to attack feels like a liability. While this may work better in multiplayer, in solo play, these characters weren’t as viable as ranged ones like Vaan or Mac, who can pick enemies off from afar.

Another issue I encountered was with the traps themselves. In Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap, traps often felt more like tools to tunnel through enemies than ways to create intricate setups. While players with a creative mind can still design death traps that kill enemies instantly, the standard gameplay usually revolves around forward-facing traps. I frequently used floor traps for hallways or paths and sentry crossbows and saw blades in tight corridors. While this approach works, I feel previous Orcs Must Die! titles allowed for more varied and complex setups.

One element that adds replayability is the random perks you receive after each round. Survive long enough, and you’ll be presented with one of three options for the next round, such as trap enhancements or new special abilities. These perks don’t drastically alter gameplay, but they can be a huge help as you progress.

Graphics

Visually, Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap didn’t blow me away. While the developers at Robot Entertainment have made some improvements, the game still feels visually dated. I might be a bit spoiled after playing more graphically intensive games like Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Marvel Rivals, but compared to the earlier games in the series, the jump in graphics isn’t as significant. That said, character designs and enemy models have improved, and the cutscenes are solid. Still, I feel that Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap could benefit from more modern visuals to match the caliber of gameplay it offers.

Sound

One of the aspects Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap nails is the sound. The game features an outstanding soundtrack that makes every battle feel exciting and immersive. Whenever I was preparing for a fight, I couldn’t wait to hear the music kick in. The voice acting is also funny and entertaining, with characters shouting lines as they slay enemies. While it can get repetitive, it never became annoying for me.

Story

The story in Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap is minimal, continuing from the previous titles. The Order still seeks to end the orc threat and protect the rifts. As a War Mage, your goal is to defeat orc armies and safeguard the rifts. The lack of a deep storyline doesn’t bother me, but it does feel like the story is getting simpler with each installment. Some of the War Mages are intriguing, and I would love to know more about their backgrounds, but most of the story is conveyed through in-game dialogue and online lore.

Overall Impression

Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap is a fun game, but I do feel that some of the older titles in the series did it better. While it keeps the core elements that made the series great, I found myself missing the complexity of earlier entries. That said, if you’re looking for a solid tower defense game in 2025, Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap is definitely worth a try. It offers exciting gameplay and the chance to be creative with traps, but it might not appeal to everyone due to a few mechanical issues.

Conclusion

Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap is a lot of fun, but I feel some of the older games did it better. That’s not to say fans or newcomers won’t enjoy it, but I can see some complaints regarding mechanics that feel a bit off. I’ll probably play it again when I want a simple game to kill a few hours, but with so many other options out there, this style of gameplay may not appeal to everyone. However, if you’re an old-school gamer like me, Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap will still be a blast.

—Aaron