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

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  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. 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
  3. 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
  4. 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.

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]
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