Of Orcs and Men

 Xbox 360
User Score
5.8

Mixed or average reviews- based on 73 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 34 out of 73
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 73
  3. Negative: 28 out of 73

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. SuperkenGaming
    Feb 6, 2017
    7
    Of Orcs and Men…
    Thankfully its interesting…
    Of Orcs and Men is an action RPG game about the struggle between Orcs and men… Its humans vs green skins… Here you play as 2 characters… Arkail who is a warrior brute from the legendary Bloodjaws as well as his Goblin companion Styx who offers ranged and stealth gameplay who’s job is to help Arkail get to where he needs to go on his mission    Of Orcs and Men…
    Thankfully its interesting…
    Of Orcs and Men is an action RPG game about the struggle between Orcs and men…
    Its humans vs green skins…
    Here you play as 2 characters…
    Arkail who is a warrior brute from the legendary Bloodjaws as well as his Goblin companion Styx who offers ranged and stealth gameplay who’s job is to help Arkail get to where he needs to go on his mission to kill the emperor and change the course of the war…
    The story and characters are the best part of the game…
    I laughed out loud numerous times thanks to the loudmouth Styx having no filters when talking to Arkail and other characters.. And the story is full of twists and turns that this 12 hour game is genuinely enjoyable and surprising…
    You even get to make choices to change minor story outcomes
    and the level design here is great...
    This is a very linear game... but areas feel open and theyre crawling with enemies and equipment…
    Where the game is held back though is its combat itself…
    Here you can play as either Styx or Arkail... and you can switch back and forth instantaneously…
    Styx, who was my favorite to play as can go into stealth mode and clear some or all of the enemies out before progressing to prevent as few combat situations as possible which is ideal..
    Because the combat is just no fun...
    Basically both characters are on autopilot…
    You put attacks in their commands list from different fighting stances and let them do their thing...
    you really don’t even have to touch the controller until late in the game if you don’t want to…
    because of this put in commands combat system, you never truly feel in control…
    You don’t feel like you’re using strategy to win...
    just that youre desperately running around with styx throwing knives and healing Arkail so you don’t have to start again... neither of the 2 have strategy programmed into them… if you leave styx he automatically goes into close range when he has considerably less health than arkail… so hell die almost instantly…
    Its almost like you really have no choice but to use him
    In some instances youll get into fights after messing up a stealth kill or being seen and arkail is just standing there looking at you instead of running to help…
    As you do complete battles youll level up so you can balance the characters in areas theyre weak or make them stronger in areas there already strong in.. So the juggling act isn’t as annoying…
    And you can unlock new skills and upgrade them with a choice of a perk to suit your gameplay style…
    but it’s a bad sign when playing your game is the worst part of your game...
    its an alright time and worth experiencing..
    Especially for the story, level design, and being introduced to these characters…
    It’s just rough to get through…
    I give of Orcs and Men
    A 6.5/10    … Expand
  2. CaptainShniffle
    Oct 12, 2012
    9
    It's obvious that there has been a Troll attack on this game. I mean, how come that on the 207 negative reviews there are no comments ?

    Anyhow, even though it has some issues, the games has a solid background story, nice graphics and an interesting gameplay. I'm having a good time playing it.
  3. zornsthorne
    Oct 12, 2012
    10
    I have seen a lot of trolling on many fronts because of the gameplay not being a hack and slash. The gameplay is like dragon age origins for anyone who is interested and plays as smoothly and balanced as it. Although word of warning due to only having the tank and rogue archetypes it is somewhat simplified, they have replaced the healer class with skills that gradually regenerate healthI have seen a lot of trolling on many fronts because of the gameplay not being a hack and slash. The gameplay is like dragon age origins for anyone who is interested and plays as smoothly and balanced as it. Although word of warning due to only having the tank and rogue archetypes it is somewhat simplified, they have replaced the healer class with skills that gradually regenerate health for several seconds. There has also been a lot of trolling due to the fact that the orcs are the heroes although anyone who has actually played the game will know that just because you play an orc and a goblin; this does not mean that all the orcs in the game are good and not all humans are evil. The storyline is simple and the maps are linear but I am having a blast playing the game and "HIGHLY" recommend it to anyone who enjoys old bioware rpg's, it may not have as much depth as them (not very many games do to be honest) but it will satisfy your taste buds. The game deserves an 8/9 out of 10 but I am giving it a 10 to do what I can to counter-act the massive negative trolling that has emerged on the user score "BEFORE THE GAME WAS EVEN RELEASED"… Expand
  4. twos
    Jan 20, 2014
    5
    My first piece of advice would be just play the game on easy or normal, the game is worth playing but most of the comments about the broken controls, glitches and such are not too far from the truth, whilst they are not actually broken they are pretty bad and to save frustration and get the most out of the game I think easier works better here as there is little to be gained from theMy first piece of advice would be just play the game on easy or normal, the game is worth playing but most of the comments about the broken controls, glitches and such are not too far from the truth, whilst they are not actually broken they are pretty bad and to save frustration and get the most out of the game I think easier works better here as there is little to be gained from the higher settings (barring achievements)

    My favourite aspects of the game are the soundtrack and story, soundtrack is excellent really entertaining and paces well with gameplay and story, the story itself is decent but is let down often by pretty lacklustre cut scenes. Rpg elements are very basic leveling is ok but there is an obvious lack of depth on the equipment end of this, armour and weapons are few and far between with little chance to actually upgrade. I did have fun playing this game but it is pretty standard.    … Expand
  5. Shakaama
    Aug 24, 2013
    0
    So I just sat down and paid a game for 30 minutes called, "of orcs and men"... i'm thinking, this is going to be some well developed, super literary type of game, since it plays on the title of that classic book.

    before I get into it, let me states some facts: 90% of gamers are men, male gamers are more prone to enjoy violent games, the manlier the characters, the more the male gamers    So I just sat down and paid a game for 30 minutes called, "of orcs and men"... i'm thinking, this is going to be some well developed, super literary type of game, since it plays on the title of that classic book.

    before I get into it, let me states some facts: 90% of gamers are men, male gamers are more prone to enjoy violent games, the manlier the characters, the more the male gamers will enjoy it.

    THAT BEING SAID.

    This game is about as polished at a pile of poop. Instead of immersing you into a fantasy world where you play an orc, you come away feeling like you played a green painted, redneck with about as much nod to his own orchood, as me. They curse in English, which jars you. And, it's not even cursing to accentuate sentences. It's cursing, in the way that white frat boys curse, just to punctuate sentences. So instead of you thinking, wow these orcs are real manly tough guys, you come away thinking I WONDER DO THEY TAN IN BEDS OR OUT IN THE SUN. The voice acting doesn't help that they sound like fresh out the bed dweebs, raspy, breathy, man-voice with boy grammatical structure.

    It would have been much better if the developer took the time to come up with 100 orc "words" and punctuate all the orc conversations with them. Instead we get Bill and Ted's, totally terrible train-wreck.    … Expand
  6. TheUnbeholden
    Feb 20, 2013
    4
    Cutscene fight fight fight, cutscene, fight, fight, cutscene after cutscene. Dear god why? This game has the blandest dialogue I've ever been forced to sit through, and it has no sense of pacing and takes control away from the player constantly. It's afraid to let the players be in control because they might get lost or get some actual emergent gameplay. They even stop the game to shoveCutscene fight fight fight, cutscene, fight, fight, cutscene after cutscene. Dear god why? This game has the blandest dialogue I've ever been forced to sit through, and it has no sense of pacing and takes control away from the player constantly. It's afraid to let the players be in control because they might get lost or get some actual emergent gameplay. They even stop the game to shove the tutorial in your face, which you can't opt out of. Exactly the opposite of what other games do where they just give tips at the top of the screen without pausing the game! Seriously. The fighting is essentially being done for you, with minimal tactical choice. The story... well less said the better.… Expand
  7. VuuduuHedd
    Oct 13, 2012
    10
    Just here to balance out the hate. I mean, really, at least give the real reviewers time to play the game before you potentially ruin peoples jobs. Christ.
  8. STC3
    Oct 15, 2012
    10
    I greatly enjoyed squishy humies butthurting over being squishy. Diz Game did da best trollingz eveb before being released!
    11/10, would watch whole drama again!
  9. Slotrane
    Aug 8, 2013
    10
    Nice game, if not as broad as the Elder Scrolls or the Dragon Age series. The artwork is good, the classes are more limited than in other RPGs, but it's still a fun game and at the current (Aug 2013) discounted prices, there's no way you can lose. I give it an 8 our of 10, but rated it 10 here because although this game demonstrates that orcs and goblins can sometimes be the good guys,Nice game, if not as broad as the Elder Scrolls or the Dragon Age series. The artwork is good, the classes are more limited than in other RPGs, but it's still a fun game and at the current (Aug 2013) discounted prices, there's no way you can lose. I give it an 8 our of 10, but rated it 10 here because although this game demonstrates that orcs and goblins can sometimes be the good guys, trolls will forever be trolls obnoxious (low ratings before playing the game), cowardly (low ratings with no review) and a plague on our gaming community.… Expand
  10. SIPPIO
    Nov 2, 2013
    10
    -MY REVIEW WILL HELP UNDECIDED-

    ~~This game was fun for me this OCTOBER 2013. And I ignored the fact that it was an old game and was wanting to spend some MONEY I HAD ON MY account. And this was worth it for a affordable game.. --Graphics aren't Last of us,Halo,Or Bioshock but does that matter on NON-blockbuster games anyways? NO! With arcade or PSN or downloadable games Graphics and    -MY REVIEW WILL HELP UNDECIDED-

    ~~This game was fun for me this OCTOBER 2013. And I ignored the fact that it was an old game and was wanting to spend some MONEY I HAD ON MY account. And this was worth it for a affordable game..
    --Graphics aren't Last of us,Halo,Or Bioshock but does that matter on NON-blockbuster games anyways? NO! With arcade or PSN or downloadable games Graphics and voice acting need only be swervicable for our fun. Story & gameplay and unique level up or loot etc.. I enjoyed this game and if one is 100% true to themselves when they start playing it, then dissapointmen t will be less because I knew this game was just a 2 day type game. anything more is a perk..

    --No game deserves a ZERO! We should only be allowed so many ZERO's, or it should be monitored or controlled..I bet 90% of reviewers who attack games with a ZERO do it on a regular basis..ugh!
    - I could see a 2 maybe. a ONE if a game is brokem and can not be played..But a ZERO is misused..
    --I look forward to innovation with scoring...

    I gave this a 10 to balance out the OBVIOUS Hate-Spam that took place..
    -Metacritic has a good Rep but that wont last forever. Even though the Meta-Score is what we go-by and use as a quick tool etc,,But I used to really like user scores..But not when THERE'S 200+ Scores of -0- with no comments..    … Expand
  11. Punkekahh
    Mar 9, 2015
    0
    Worst piece of crap that i've ever played in my whole life.
    The game comes with one nice story (even though it looks like Dragon Age sometimes), but all the pretty story gets lost with the poor voicing, worst gameplay, pitty animations and not a little immersive world. You just go through the one-way all the time, finding enemies here and there, and sometimes you'll find a whole bunch of    Worst piece of crap that i've ever played in my whole life.
    The game comes with one nice story (even though it looks like Dragon Age sometimes), but all the pretty story gets lost with the poor voicing, worst gameplay, pitty animations and not a little immersive world. You just go through the one-way all the time, finding enemies here and there, and sometimes you'll find a whole bunch of them, and, if you're not a hardcore, like me, you'll find some parts really annoying and impossible to past (i didn't even finish the **** game. Had to stop before start banging my head against the wall). It's shotty, if you've ever played any decent RPG you'll find this annoying in all aspects that matters. So, don't play it. It's garbage now (2015) and it was garbage when it was released.    … Expand
  12. TheQuietGamer
    Jan 11, 2020
    6
    Really wants to be Dragon Age: Origins, but ultimately can't achieve the same level of depth when it comes to the mix of real-time and tactical combat. You only control two characters across the entire game and with battles being largely melee-oriented you're strategic options are limited. Given how annoying it can be to queue up attacks or target specific enemies when swarmed, this isReally wants to be Dragon Age: Origins, but ultimately can't achieve the same level of depth when it comes to the mix of real-time and tactical combat. You only control two characters across the entire game and with battles being largely melee-oriented you're strategic options are limited. Given how annoying it can be to queue up attacks or target specific enemies when swarmed, this is probably one of those games that fares a bit worse on consoles and would benefit from the freedom offered by a mouse-and-keyboard. The inclusion of stealth gameplay is nice, but loses some of its luster when you realize enemies completely ignore dead bodies.

    The story and world are fantastic. The dynamic between the two well-realized protagonists carries the feeling of a buddy movie and the way it flip-flops the role of orcs and humans turns fantasy conventions on their head. Not everything is entirely fleshed out though. For example, one seemingly important side-character isn't fleshed out and I believe a subplot involving one of the lead's father might have been left on the cutting room floor. However, the main thread itself is excellent and the fact that I was left wanting a bit more exploration into the supporting elements should serve as a testament how compelling the setting is.

    With levels being so linear funnelling you from point A to point B with little room for side excursions and player choice largely being an illusion in the narrative, I can't help but wonder if Of Orcs and Men might not have been better served as a straight action game. Because with the approach taken here actually playing through it isn't the most enjoyable thing in the world. It's just worth it for the concept.    … Expand
  13. splasher
    Jun 10, 2015
    5
    An intriguing title unfortunately hampered by bad controls and occasional glitches, may be worth a play for die hard RPG fans looking for something a little different but don't expect to much from it as it is an average title at best.
  14. Broyax
    Mar 30, 2017
    4
    Il y a de la bonne volonté mais également de l'incompétence (ou du je-m'en-foutisme) dans Of orcs and men. Ainsi le choix de se placer du côté des "peaux vertes" est excellent et leur langage fleuri change du ton souvent compassé des jeux de rôle habituels (les voix françaises sont impeccables d'ailleurs). Le système de combat en temps réel pausé (ou quasiment, le temps étant tellementIl y a de la bonne volonté mais également de l'incompétence (ou du je-m'en-foutisme) dans Of orcs and men. Ainsi le choix de se placer du côté des "peaux vertes" est excellent et leur langage fleuri change du ton souvent compassé des jeux de rôle habituels (les voix françaises sont impeccables d'ailleurs). Le système de combat en temps réel pausé (ou quasiment, le temps étant tellement ralenti...) a des bases solides : son interface est hélas perfectible, il s'avère limité et répétitif à l'usage, la caméra fait chier (aucune vue éloignée) et ce n'est pas l'infiltration très anecdotique qui y changera quoi ce soit.

    Techniquement le jeu se défend bien et reste agréable à regarder. Après un bon démarrage, l'histoire quant à elle pédale dans la semoule et ce n'est qu'une succession de couloirs sans intérêt. On se retrouve peu motivé pour continuer tant Of orcs and men prend l'eau de toutes parts.    … Expand

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
64

Mixed or average reviews - based on 17 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 17
  3. Negative: 1 out of 17
  1. X-ONE Magazine UK
    Dec 1, 2012
    50
    This isn't a good game, but it's one that will grow on you after a few hours. [Issue#91, p.89]
  2. Pelit (Finland)
    Nov 15, 2012
    79
    Of Orcs and Men might seem like a traditional role-playing game, but it turns the roles of heroes and villains upside down. Orcs and goblins are oppressed while humans enjoy the good life. The game gets a bit repetitive towards the end and the AI is downright awful, but it is still a worthwhile play. Highly recommended to players who are sick and tired of knights in their shining armor running the show. [Nov 2012]
  3. Hyper Magazine
    Nov 14, 2012
    50
    There's an interesting idea at the core of Of Orcs and Men, but the muddled delivery and presentation make it very forgettable. [Dec 2012]
See all critic reviews »