Orcs Must Die! 3 Critic Reviews

Orcs Must Die! 3 is an excellent outing from Robot Entertainment, as it delivers exciting tower defense action along with some truly challenging sequences. The two new protagonists serve to usher the story in a new direction, while adding some flavor to gameplay. Playing with a friend is best, as it allows the two stars of the game to shine the brightest. Now free from the shackles of Google Stadia exclusivity, Orcs Must Die! 3 is the best entry in the series.

The third installment of the series offers more of everything, which means you have broader possibilities and probably will enjoy it longer before you get bored with it. However, in terms of fundamentals it’s pretty much a copy of the previous games, especially OMD! 2, from which it basically borrowed everything worth borrowing. So, is this reheated dish worth giving a try? Definitely, because even if it tastes familiar, it was seasoned perfectly.

Orcs Must Die! 3 is a highly entertaining blend of action and tower defense. Although the formula hasn't changed substantially from the previous installments in the series, the game promises unadulterated fun, especially in co-op play, and slaying orcs in creative ways is still something we'll never get tired of.

A conservative but confident return to form from the masters of a much-loved genre.

Solid entertainment with an appealing mix of action, tower defense and fun, played preferably in co-op-mode.

Orcs Must Die! 3 does not innovate significantly – some might even call it lazy – but is an effective recollection of everything that made Robot Entertainment’s franchise so great in the past, turned up to eleven.

Orcs Must Die! 3 doesn't revolutionize the series, delivering an action-style tower defense formula that is still relatively fresh and exciting today.

The return of Orcs Must Die is a bit awkward. The action is fun and entertaining, but you can clearly see that this series is all out of fresh ideas.

Orcs Must Die! 3 is definitely a case of “another verse, same as the first”, but fortunately the formula still holds up. The changes to gameplay balance mostly work, as does the implementation of the new Scramble game mode. However, the War mode shows that throwing more orcs into a stage doesn’t necessarily make it more fun, and the level design generally doesn’t feel quite as fresh as it once did. All that said, the visceral pleasure of slicing through a group of orcs with a buzzsaw launcher is as present as ever, and ultimately the experience is still a fun time. For tower defence fans, Orcs Must Die! 3 is worth checking out, particularly if you’re planning on playing co-op.

If you’re already a fan of the series then you’ll probably enjoy this, but you’ll also find yourself uncomfortably comfortable with it all, because with Orcs Must Die! 3, not much has really changed.