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Of Orcs And Men

Of Orcs and Men is quite refreshing to play and a change in perspective playing as an Orc and Goblin really spices up the whole thing.
Of Orcs And Men Game Cover
72%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
grinding, replayability
70% User Score Based on 1,042 reviews
Critic Score 80%Based on 1 reviews

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Of Orcs And Men Game Cover

About

Of Orcs And Men is a single player and multiplayer role playing game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by Spiders and was released on October 11, 2012. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

Of Orcs and Men first puts the player into the role of an elite Orc soldier, Arkail, from the legendary legion of Bloodjaws. The legion is a league of warriors deeply involved in the war between the Orcs and the Goblins on one side and their persecutors, Humankind, on the other. As a veteran warrior who has seen the most brutal of battles, the player is appointed by the Orc commander to complete a…

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70%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,042 reviews
story448 positive mentions
grinding14 negative mentions
  • Engaging story with unique characters, particularly the dynamic between Arkail and Styx.
  • Interesting premise of playing as orcs and goblins, flipping the traditional fantasy narrative.
  • Challenging combat system that requires strategic planning and character management.
  • Clunky and unintuitive combat mechanics that can feel frustrating and unresponsive.
  • Linear level design with minimal exploration and repetitive gameplay.
  • Poor voice acting for many characters, detracting from the overall immersion.
  • story
    1,076 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "Of Orcs and Men" is widely praised for its unique perspective, focusing on the journey of an orc warrior, Arkail, and a goblin assassin, Styx, as they attempt to overthrow a tyrannical human emperor. Reviewers highlight the engaging narrative that explores themes of oppression and rebellion, with well-developed characters and a mix of humor and dark elements. However, some critiques mention that while the story is compelling, the gameplay mechanics can detract from the overall experience, making it feel linear and at times frustrating. Overall, the narrative is considered the game's strongest aspect, making it worth playing for those who appreciate story-driven RPGs.

    • “Set in a world dominated by humans who oppress other races, the game follows the journey of Arkail, a powerful orc warrior, and Styx, a cunning goblin assassin, as they embark on a mission to eliminate the human emperor.”
    • “The premise flips conventional fantasy storytelling on its head, presenting themes of rebellion, oppression, and camaraderie through the lens of its nonhuman protagonists.”
    • “There's something special about this game; the characters, the story, the plot, the choices that you make, they matter and they all lead up to a big finale that you genuinely feel like you are a part of.”
    • “The story is unimaginative and just plain.”
    • “The story is predictable if you've played either of the Styx games before, with the major 'reveal' being a core plot point in Styx: Master of Shadows.”
    • “The story is bland and the writing is immature with the author throwing in swearing in a poor attempt to make it a 'mature' story and the animations that go along with the dialogue often keep playing for several seconds after the characters have finished talking.”
  • gameplay
    403 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "Of Orcs and Men" has received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing its clunky mechanics, linear level design, and reliance on tactical elements that detract from the action RPG experience. While some appreciate the unique dual-character system and the strategic depth it offers, others find the combat frustrating and poorly executed, often overshadowing the game's engaging story and characters. Overall, the gameplay is seen as a significant weakness, making it a title better suited for those who prioritize narrative over mechanics.

    • “Gameplay in Of Orcs and Men blends real-time combat with tactical elements.”
    • “The unique gameplay is weird but you get quickly used to it; the story and character development are really well done.”
    • “The gameplay is solid, but at times somewhat inadequate.”
    • “It's a shame because it's a good story, but the combat and stealth (the two major points of gameplay) are just too clunky.”
    • “The gameplay is frustrating and not polished.”
    • “The combat mechanics seem archaic for a game that came out in 2012.”
  • graphics
    242 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game, while considered dated by modern standards, still manage to impress many players, particularly given its 2012 release. Users appreciate the art direction and character designs, noting that the visuals hold up reasonably well despite some technical issues and occasional glitches. Overall, while not groundbreaking, the graphics are deemed acceptable and contribute positively to the game's atmosphere and storytelling.

    • “The graphics look good (even today), the sound is good, the characters and story are good.”
    • “The graphics are surprisingly nice for a low-budget RPG; most voices are tolerable and the main story is surprisingly nice.”
    • “The graphics are great, the atmosphere better; I just didn't appreciate the combat.”
    • “Graphically, this game sucks!”
    • “Gameplay, level design, animation, graphics, sound and voice, everything is extremely basic - even for a PlayStation 3 era game.”
    • “The graphics are outdated nowadays, lip-sync is non-existent, dungeons, landscapes and city maps are disappointingly linear.”
  • music
    144 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its orchestral and atmospheric qualities, enhancing both combat and exploration experiences. Many reviewers highlighted the soundtrack as a standout feature, describing it as beautiful, immersive, and fitting for the game's themes, with some tracks being particularly memorable. While opinions vary on the overall impact of the music, it is generally regarded as one of the game's strongest aspects, contributing significantly to the emotional depth and engagement of the story.

    • “The soundtrack, rich with orchestral and tension-driven motifs, complements both combat and exploration, heightening the sense of urgency and danger.”
    • “The music is fantastic: a combination of raw, tribal rhythms and intense cello!”
    • “The final thing to mention is the soundtrack is utterly superb, partially due to the Boston Cello Quartet's fantastic performances.”
    • “The music is mostly just there; it tends to be short and repetitive but not offensive. There was a grand total of one track I actually enjoyed listening to, that's it.”
    • “Graphics, voice acting, music, sounds - everything is below average even for the year it was released in.”
    • “The only way I was able to marathon through this game was to put the OST on YouTube and have my favorite battle themes on repeat.”
  • humor
    57 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is characterized by its dark and crude wit, primarily delivered through the interactions between the two main characters, Arkail and Styx, whose banter is often highlighted as a standout feature. While some players appreciate the mature and vulgar dialogue, others feel the humor can be forced or inconsistent, with mixed opinions on the overall effectiveness of the comedic elements. Despite some criticisms, many find the humor adds a unique charm to the game, making it an entertaining experience for adult audiences.

    • “There's even a scene towards the end where you can choose to kill or spare a guy, and if you choose to spare him, Arkail just gets mind-controlled into killing him anyway, which is hilarious.”
    • “The two protagonists are memorable, and the interactions between them and the rest of the world are really funny. The dialogues with NPCs are interesting and never too long or boring.”
    • “Playing as the two greenskins and seeing the relationship between Arkail and Styx develop is hilarious and heartwarming.”
    • “Many characters share the exact same face and hair model, even important storyline characters. For example, there's a character named Raven whose face I've seen on so many other characters that it's not funny. While some opponents are orcs and most human opponents wear helmets that help mask this issue, it still feels kind of sloppy.”
    • “The attempts at humor often fall flat, relying on clichés and predictable punchlines that fail to elicit any genuine laughter.”
    • “The game tries to be funny, but the jokes feel forced and out of place, making it hard to connect with the characters or the story.”
  • atmosphere
    35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is a notable highlight, characterized by diverse environments ranging from devastated battlefields to fortified strongholds, effectively capturing a somber and immersive experience. The audio, particularly the soundtrack, plays a crucial role in enhancing this atmosphere, with many players praising its ability to complement the game's emotional tone. While some critiques mention dated graphics and a lack of variety in certain aspects, the overall atmosphere, storytelling, and character design are frequently recognized as strong points that contribute to a compelling gaming experience.

    • “Environments range from devastated battlefields to heavily fortified human strongholds, capturing the oppressive atmosphere of the world.”
    • “The soundtrack complements the atmosphere, creating a somber and immersive experience.”
    • “The adventure that follows is full of twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat as you are absorbed into the atmosphere of the world.”
    • “It's a 2/10 cringefest with mediocre combat, mediocre storyline, and changing quests but unchanging environment and atmosphere.”
    • “The character design and environments contribute to a distinctive atmosphere, but the overall graphics may appear dated compared to contemporary titles.”
    • “The story and the music were really good, and the settings add more to the atmosphere of war and slavery.”
  • character development
    26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating the evolving relationships, particularly between the main characters Arkail and Styx, which adds depth to the narrative. However, many reviewers note that while character arcs are engaging, the choices made throughout the game have limited impact on the overall story, leaving some potential for deeper exploration untapped. The character design and dialogue contribute positively to the atmosphere, though some aspects, such as graphics and supporting character designs, are criticized for being dated or inconsistent.

    • “This duality not only enriches character development but also allows the story to explore moral and tactical dilemmas, highlighting the complexities of rebellion against a powerful oppressor.”
    • “I mostly kept playing for the dynamic between Arkail and Styx, as I found their slowly growing friendship and character development charming, and Styx is just fun in general.”
    • “Both Styx and Arkail have some pretty good character development as they change a lot throughout the game and start to develop a friendship.”
    • “What you're in for is an RPG with more or less rudimentary character development, for most of the game, somewhat shallow characters, way too few items to justify the fuss they make about upgrading, really bad menus and rather unsatisfying combat.”
    • “Character development is 'deep' in the sense of there are several different options at any given time, but I'll be darned if they're all pretty much leading to the same style of play.”
    • “I might be willing to soldier on and hope that the dialogue and plot/character development improve, but the controls and gameplay also leave quite a bit to be desired.”
  • grinding
    19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game can be quite tedious, often requiring significant time investment with little reward. Players noted that combat feels repetitive and linear, lacking depth and exploration, which contributes to a sense of monotony. While some found the story engaging enough to push through the grind, many felt that the overall experience was marred by the tedious nature of the gameplay.

    • “It can be a bit grindy sometimes, but it adds to the overall experience.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding, as it can be quite time-consuming.”
    • “Grinding is a significant part of the game, making it feel like a true commitment.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “From what I've seen of the game and read in other reviews, there is basically nothing to this game outside of combat - no open-ended exploration, no gathering and crafting, no farming life sim, not even minigames - just trudging through a linear story with compulsory fights to reach the next cutscene, in which you may have some minor, probably inconsequential dialogue choices.”
    • “However, the characters are very one-dimensional and for as long as the game feels with the incredibly tedious combat, the payoff at the end isn't worth the journey.”
  • replayability
    16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's replayability is mixed, with many users noting it as low or virtually nonexistent, particularly for story-driven experiences. However, some players find value in experimenting with different combat styles or difficulty levels, suggesting that those who enjoy the gameplay may be motivated to replay. Ultimately, the game's replay value seems to depend heavily on individual preferences and play styles.

    • “Fun, challenging combat, good story, has replay value.”
    • “It has replay value and for the 14 hours it took me to complete 1 playthrough, it felt like about 5 hours.”
    • “Each character can also be built in a combination of different ways, so there can be replayability if you wanted to try a different combat style.”
    • “Replayability is practically zero, and if a game isn't worth replaying, then why bother buying it in the first place?”
    • “It has little to no replay value to it.”
    • “Replayability is relatively poor.”
  • stability
    13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's stability is a mixed bag; while many players report a generally bug-free experience with only minor glitches, others have encountered significant issues such as graphical glitches, janky combat controls, and collision problems. Some users noted that the game runs well on decent hardware, but the presence of various bugs and underdeveloped mechanics suggests a need for further polish and playtesting.

    • “I haven't really encountered any bugs or glitched moments; it's generally bug-free with just a few exploits and workarounds for gaining high ground, especially when you get the chance to throw Styx at enemies from elevated areas.”
    • “The game runs smoothly without any major issues, providing a stable experience that allows me to focus on gameplay rather than technical problems.”
    • “I've been impressed by the overall stability of the game; it rarely crashes and maintains a consistent frame rate, making for an enjoyable experience.”
    • “My only minor gripes are the dialogue being kind of edgy (Styx cursing every sentence lol), and the game UI/HUD was unreadable due to glitches.”
    • “The combat controls are janky and often glitch out when it comes to queueing moves.”
    • “Buggy.. managed to get stuck with Styx on collision within minutes.”
  • emotional
    9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is a mixed bag; while some players find the story engaging and appreciate the heartfelt moments between characters, others feel that certain narrative elements lack the depth needed to fully resonate. The relationships, particularly between the greenskins Arkail and Styx, are highlighted as both humorous and touching, but overall, the emotional impact is undermined by linear gameplay and underdeveloped story arcs.

    • “There were quests I actually cared about, NPCs I could become emotionally attached to.”
    • “But as well, it feels loving and heartwarming at times that you want it to be.”
    • “Playing as the two greenskins and seeing the relationship between Arkail and Styx develop is hilarious and heartwarming.”
    • “Very stylish game with very good art that is ruined by linearity, poor design, and a boring story.”
  • optimization
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The optimization of the game received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing poor performance and noticeable lag during actions, while others praised its smooth operation and good porting on various hardware. Overall, the game appears well-optimized for certain setups, but issues with combat responsiveness and performance inconsistencies were highlighted by some users.

    • “Performance is very good, never experienced any slowdown or lag.”
    • “This game is beautiful and well optimized; if you like tactical RPGs with a visceral feel, then 'Of Orcs and Men' is for you!”
    • “PC port notes: it ran well on my AMD FX 6 core and AMD HD7850 on max settings with little to no performance hiccups and a steady 60 fps.”
    • “I can't imagine a game that looks like this to be having performance problems; this was a low-budget game over a decade ago...”
    • “There is noticeable lag before actions are executed (likely on purpose, to avoid skill spamming), but it just makes everything feel slow and unoptimized.”
    • “Terrible combat system, very poor PC performance, and very boring writing/story.”
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80%Critics’ scoreBased on 1 critic reviews
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14h Median play time
12h Average play time
5-16h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 11 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Of Orcs And Men is a role playing game with fantasy theme.

Of Orcs And Men is available on PC, Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and others.

On average players spend around 12 hours playing Of Orcs And Men.

Of Orcs And Men was released on October 11, 2012.

Of Orcs And Men was developed by Spiders.

Of Orcs And Men has received mostly positive reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

Of Orcs And Men is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Mars: War Logs, The Technomancer, Bound By Flame, The Bureau: XCOM Declassified, SpellForce 3 and others.