Orcs Must Die! 2 is a third person tower defense strategy game with a heavy emphasis on action. Having suffered through endless waves of enemies in other tower defense games over the years I have felt the fatigue of the genre for a while, but Orcs Must Die! 2 is deceivingly addictive and an incredibly fun. The only thing better than the rich weapon and trap upgrade system to keep seemingly endless waves of the Mob from overrunning your rift is the addition of 2 player co-op to the series, which adds even more depth and replay value to the already enjoyable experience. Even if you weren’t planning on it, and especially so if that’s the case, the culmination of these improved elements will keep you playing Orcs Must Die! 2 for hours on end.
In Orcs Must Die! 2, gamers can choose to play as either the War Mage, the goofy-grinned protagonist from the original Orcs Must Die!, or the lovely Sorceress, whose magical adeptness adds a few new options to your orc-blocking strategies. The War Mage can be armed with a blunderbuss for blasting enemies away or a myriad of melee weapons for close quarter combat, while the Sorceress’ long range spells can save a round or two by nuking (and sometimes charming) enemies just before they step through the Rifts which you are tasked to protect. Each character has a few distinct traps that can be set up along walls and ceilings to suppress the oncoming onslaught, and it is when you mix and match these traps in either Story, Endless, or Classic mode that you can really rack up your score to earn more coins for even more traps. Depending on your performance at the end of each level, you’ll earn a number of skulls which can be used to upgrade your weapons, traps, costumes, and more.
While the relentless mobs on the ground and in the air are manageable in single-player action, a few baddies can slip through your defenses at even the earliest stages if you’re not attentive. As the levels progress, it becomes more apparent that they are best enjoyed and better defended with a second set of hands to get dirty in defending the Rifts. Once you learn the basics of Orcs Must Die! 2, do yourself a favor and invite a buddy to join your venture. Everything you love about the game becomes even more fun with a friend at your side in the middle of the action, and you would do yourself a disservice to miss it.
Orcs Must Die! 2 adds a breath of life back into the watered down genre of tower defense games by providing a fun and frenzied experience that rewards ingenuity and entices hours of gameplay per session to unlock the best of what the upgrade system has to offer. Be sure to play through the Story campaign as both the War Mage and the new Sorceress, as you’ll want to know the intricacies of each characters weapons and traps when you team up with a friend for some of the most fun co-op there is to be experienced in any game so far this year. Orcs Must Die! 2 is one of those quality titles that proves you don’t need to shell out $60 to have a great time, and should not be missed.
Orcs Must Die! 2 is available now on Steam. Developed by Robot Entertainment and published by Microsoft Studios. Visit http://www.OrcsMustDie.com for more info on the game.