Sometimes in our lives, we value consistency and affordability over anything else. This is why I continue to buy and eat Burger King’s cheap double cheeseburgers. I know what I’m getting, it’s not expensive, and it fills me up. The Orcs Must Die! series, launched in 2011, fills a similar role. The games are about killing thousands of orcs using traps, swords, and bows. They have never cost much, always been solid, and stuck pretty close to their straightforward, satisfying formula.
But the latest game in the series, Deathtrap, does shake that recipe up. And while it’s not as good previous games, like a double cheeseburger missing ketchup, it still gets the job done and I still enjoy it.
Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap is the fourth game in the series (no, we don’t talk about that defunct free-to-play PvP spin-off) and once again you play as a warrior who can kill orcs directly using various weapons or magic. And once again these orcs come in massive waves and funnel through maze-like maps that you can fill with deadly traps and barricades to create spots that kill all of them while you stand by and watch. In past games you completed levels in a set order and reached the end of the game that way.
However, this time around, the game is more like a roguelike and you end up replaying maps with randomly generated modifiers activated. You might have to deal with bigger enemies or you might be unable to revive co-op team members. Between waves of enemies you pick a randomly offered bonus or ability, like extra damage, which stays with you for the rest of that run. Runs are made up of two or more randomly generated missions and a harder boss fight featuring even more orcs and more places to put traps. Finishing runs earns you skulls that can be used to upgrade your traps or unlock new skills.
In theory, the random features should add to the replayablity of Deathtrap. But the problem is that, while in past games each new level led to a new map, here you end up playing on the same maps a lot. In fact, you’ll likely play on the same maps a few times during a co-op session. And that, coupled with the fact that you now have a limited number of barriers to place (which can change where orcs travel), means you’ll likely “solve” a map once and just more or less do that every time you play it again.
Sure, the modifiers can change that up a bit, but it does start to feel like a grind. And to actually to beat the game, you’ll need to do a lot of grinding to get all your traps boosted up and your skills maxed out.
Don’t get me wrong, Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap is still a good time with a friend, and building a giant kill-box filled with a dozen traps all firing at once to massacre a horde of orcs in seconds is still very satisfying. But I do hope that a future Orcs Must Die! sequel returns to the level-based formula while sprinkling some of the roguelike elements from this one on top. Like a good, cheap burger that’s not missing the ketchup and is also improved with some bacon or better cheese.
Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap is out January 28 on Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. It’s also available day one on Game Pass.
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