Orcs & Elves Critic Reviews

A superb blend of dungeon exploration and turn-based battle. It feels old-fashioned, but in a good way.

If you're a fan of old school, simple role-playing and haven't had the pleasure of playing the mobile version, then Orcs & Elves is a grand diversion that won't leave you feeling like someone stole $30 from your wallet.

It is my sincere wish that the backstory gets fleshed out a bit more; we know very little about the wand and the reasons that the evil has attacked the dwarves, much less the unanswered questions revolving around Gaya. For a port of a mobile phone game, Orcs and Elves is a good title indeed.

Happily, the gameplay avoids the trap of many dungeon-set games, which is that combat becomes repetitive and not very challenging.

Its story makes us sleepy, but the hack-and-slash fighting has us hooked. Highly recommended.

Even with its limitations, Orcs & Elves’ fast-paced, turn-based style is a refreshing change of pace from the evolved role-playing game design, and deserves a playthrough even if you love the epic presentation of those other RPGs.

It doesn't really add a great deal to the original mobile phone release but Orcs & Elves DS remains an extremely polished and playable adventure that is well worth splashing your Dwarven gold on.

The dungeons are well-designed, the action is well-balanced and fun, and even the characters are likeable. This is a must-have for any action-RPG fan or anyone looking for something different on the DS.

One of the biggest surprises in Orcs and Elves is the clever game design, which keeps the game engaging and fresh.

It’s a Doom RPG from cell phones with a fantasy theme ported to the DS. Odd? Sure, but it’s a good, unique dungeon crawler that’s surprisingly addictive in spite of its somewhat simplistic nature. If you’re a fan of the genre (or simply curious), it’s certainly worth your while to try it out.

There is no doubt that fans of id Software are probably going to be a bit disappointed with the fact that there really wasn't anything that stands out about this game. However fans of the older RPG's are going to sit back and really enjoy this game, not only for its old school mechanics but also its overall experience.

Although dungeon crawlers can be irksome, the save function is a saving grace with Orcs & Elves as it makes playing the game much more fun.

If anything, Orcs and Elves will remind you of the old school classic PC RPGs like Lands of Lore and Eye of the Beholder--which is to say that there’s not a lot of originality here. But given the restrictions, id’s first DS game is a success.

Suffers from the maddenigly generic fantasy setting and the redundancy of some features, but comes through with addictive dungeon scavenging and suitable gameplay for a portable device.

If you're looking for some fun role-playing light gameplay, then Orcs & Elves is for you.

I remember feeling concerned that the game was flying by way too fast, and it wasn't until I actually looked down at the total time played that it hit me that this thing isn't short: I was just enjoying it so much that I didn't notice.

The problem with the DS incarnation of Orcs & Elves is that it doesn't give enough incentive to buy it over, say, a $5 download for your cell phone.

For a new intellectual property, it surprisingly falls back on the basics and brings nothing new to the table.

Its simple elements are well-blended in an adventure that only lasts about eight hours but still manages to fill its time with great fighting, fun puzzles and a general nostalgic atmosphere.

Orcs & Elves is no revolution. It's Western role-playing the way it used to be - hidden passages, mountains of gold, dead dwarves and a temperamental dragon. It's perfect fodder for the geek in you, and a half-an-hour train ride, but don't expect it to rock your world.