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I'm sure that after playing Skyrim you have found a soft spot in your heart for the troubled Orcs in the world. Now wait, don't go and ruin that feeling by playing Orcs Must Die,  hold that feeling close to you. Cherish it, and maybe shed a tear for the mass extermination of those poor hapless greenskins.

Still with me? Good because Focus Interactive's Of Orcs and Men wants you to do your part to help. Of Orcs and Men is a new action RPG being developed by both Cyanide Studio and Spiders Studio which puts you in the role of an Orc Warrior caught in a battle to save his homeland from an impeding human invasion which is persecuting and killing his greenskin compatriots. It's a heartfelt story of poor Orcs, bullied in school, not able to marry, 'driving while green', and forced to drink from the "Greenskins Only" water fountains.  And when driven to a corner, and persecuted everywhere they go, Orcs can only do one thing. They smash.

It's action RPG in all its glory as the Orc Warrior character smashes and fights his way through human hordes and completes quest objectives in an attempt to turn back the invasion. It's not all brute strength though. You'll also be joined by a goblin companion who specializes in dark powers, stealth and assassination skills. Basically everything the Orc Warrior is not, and you'll be able to switch between them to accomplish your objectives in different ways.

RPG elements like XP and skill trees are part of the meal, and each of the characters have their own specific skill trees to work through.

Information on the game is just starting to be released, but overall it's a nice take on a usual RPG trope. The game is also looking quite nice with a fairly realized world and some stylized action sequences. Also, and I'm not sure if this is deliberate or not, but the animations also have a endearing -almost claymation- feel to them which makes the entire thing seem somewhat playful in nature. Surely an approach that a game like this needs lest it become mired within its own messaging.

Screens and teaser trailer are below.  Of Orcs and Men is set for release sometime in 2012 for xbox 360, PS3, and PC.

Teaser Trailer

 

 

Screens


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Comments

  • Avatar
    AdjacentKitten
    12 years, 11 months ago

    "...and you’ll be able to switch between them to accomplish your objectives in different ways."

    And that's the moment I noticed this project was doomed for failure. Gonna need some co-op action in this game, or else it'll fall in line with the rest of the disappointments this year.

  • Avatar
    Zladko
    12 years, 11 months ago

    Would make for pretty cool co-op.

  • Avatar
    Comradebearjew
    12 years, 11 months ago

    It looks pretty linear...

  • Avatar
    roughplague
    12 years, 11 months ago

    pfft, fuck orcs

  • Avatar
    lemith
    12 years, 11 months ago

    huh, cool.

  • Avatar
    TheFlameLurker
    12 years, 11 months ago

    Interesting, I think I'll just throw this information out that was from the Youtube pages description
    Cyanide (Concept and Production) and Spiders (Realization and Development)
    Is this really that important? No. As neither of these companies have that great of a track record. Spiders the team in charge of the development have some adventure games under their belt as well as a Xbox Live/ Playstation Network title called Faery: Legends of Avalon a turn based strategy game which scored about a 60 on Metacritic (I think Brad played the demo sometime ago on the feed.). Still you never know it may be a good game, I'll keep an eye on it.

  • Avatar
    The Cineaste
    12 years, 11 months ago

    "The best laid schemes of mice...eh...ORCS and men
    Go often askew,
    And leaves us nothing but grief and pain,
    For promised joy!"

    Ahyuk.

    In all seriousness, the game looks nice. The animation looks more like if it's actually just stiff rather than taking a claymation approach. But w/e, I may need to see more gameplay to see if it can entice me~

  • Avatar
    4 Player Weekly News Wrapup for 12/9/11 | 4Player
    12 years, 11 months ago

    [...] Joseph Did A Quick Preview of Of Orcs And Men [...]

  • Avatar
    Fodie
    12 years, 11 months ago

    I always play as an Orc in my Bethesda Scrolls games. I like Orcs, Orcs like me, Orcs and I fairly fully agree. Orcs are fine, Orcs are good, especially mine which is just as it should be.

  • Avatar
    Dellago
    12 years, 11 months ago

    Look at the Ducks, Orcie...*sniff*...just...look at the Ducks.