Orcs Must Die: Tower Defense Still Evolving...

[luckton]

I am constantly impressed by the ability of game devs to improve upon the Tower Defense genre.  Just when I thought it couldn't get better than Desktop TD, they go and release Kingdom Rush.

On the PC-side, you've got Defense Grid as a pretty good rep of what do to with TD when you have a whole game-engine available to you.  Now we've got Orcs Must Die, which tries to raise the bar again.  I like it.  There's a full demo out if you wanna try it, but you don't even want to commit that much, they have an interactive trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4NyiUh8ChU

[lamaros]

Played the demo. Kinda fun.

[K9]

Looks entertaining; reminds me of the type of game Bullfrog would make.

[schild]

Really, this is Trapt (Kagero). Predates the modern tower defense genre. Not that anyone but me would notice.

[NiX]

Really, this is Trapt (Kagero). Predates the modern tower defense genre. Not that anyone but me would notice.

I noticed. Made me want to go find a copy of Trapt because I never got around to purchasing it after borrowing my friends copy for almost a year.

[Rendakor]

I didn't care for Trapt, I liked Deception 2 much more.

[Mrbloodworth]

I didn't care for Trapt, I liked Deception 2 much more.

Same here.

[KallDrexx]

That is a cool way to do a gameplay trailer.

[luckton]

That is a cool way to do a gameplay trailer.

Aye, it's not like they just did 5 or 6 videos to show the different game mechanics.  They actually played the game over and over, branching off for each choice to continue from the last.  Took about 63 videos to make this happen.

For you XBox people, I'm told you can already buy it.  PC comes out next week.

[Paelos]

This reminds me of Dungeon Defenders too, which is finally coming out this month.

[Mrbloodworth]

If it had multi-player, I would pick it up.

[kildorn]

This reminds me of Dungeon Defenders too, which is finally coming out this month.

Sort of sad that it seems Dungeon Defenders inspired a bunch of games... that are all releasing before it on PC.

[luckton]

If it had multi-player, I would pick it up.
[/quote

But then what would they introduce to gt you to buy Orcs Must Die 2? 

There is an internet scoreboard available, of which I've already received threats from Steam friends that they would trump me 

[NiX]

If it had multi-player, I would pick it up.

I get the impression it might be coming or was supposed to be. There's a lot of hints to more than one player, especially in some of the dialogue.

[Mrbloodworth]

It really looked like it should have it. Small 1-4 player would be good. Considering there are other titles out, or coming with basically the same game play with multi-player in, they would be silly not to. IMO.

[Hayduke]

Deception II was fantastic, never played the others though.  This looks pretty good though.

[NiX]

Games out today. Can't wait to get home and play. I think at $15 people can forgive the lack of MP.

[Aez]

Having fun so far.   Anyone figured out if you can upgrade weapons and equipment?  It seems you can only upgrade traps.

The preorder skin is bugged so you can equip it right now.

[luckton]

DLC and patch was released.  The preorder skin got fixed, and they added a couple new traps (tesla coil, flame-thrower), and a couple new weapons (alchemy bombs, vampire bracers).

No new levels, but the new traps sure to add some flavor for higher scores.

[luckton]

For this weekend, the game is only four bucks, with the first DLC on sale for 62 cents, along with the 2nd DLC for 99 cents.  Highly recommended if you just need something to kill time with.

[Ginaz]

For this weekend, the game is only four bucks, with the first DLC on sale for 62 cents, along with the 2nd DLC for 99 cents.  Highly recommended if you just need something to kill time with.

Damn.  I wish I had waited.  Still worth the money at $15, though.  I've already gotten my moneys worth and I haven't finished it yet.  People should jump on it for $4.  Except for Sky because he is clearly broken since he couldn't find $5 worth of fun with Borderlands.

[Sky]

Except for Sky because he is clearly broken since he couldn't find $5 worth of fun with Borderlands.

Whatchootalkinbout?

I got in on Borderlands on the 4-pack release and put over 40 hours into it.

[Ginaz]

Except for Sky because he is clearly broken since he couldn't find $5 worth of fun with Borderlands.

Whatchootalkinbout?

I got in on Borderlands on the 4-pack release and put over 40 hours into it.

I thought you said you didn't like Borderlands when you bought it on sale for awhile ago.

[Rokal]

I decided to pick up Dungeon Defenders first and to wait for this to go on sale. Thanks Steam!

The game is pretty awesome. The shooting/movement feels great and I love the trap variety. I think the set 'blocks' for traps (similar to Defense Grid) feels much less clunky than the 'anything goes' model that Dungeon Defenders uses where you're never quite sure if your barriers are actually going to block all the enemies. Just the ability to headshot enemies makes the defense sequences much more fun, where as dungeon defenders felt like you were mindlessly shooting into meatshields.

A shame it didn't have multiplayer because it's the more polished game between the two.

[Rendakor]

Does this have any real mazing? DD lacks it and that takes the fun out of tower defense games for me.

[Trippy]

It has proper TD-style pathing and in fact the game will show you the path mobs will take which you can redirect but the opportunities to build proper mazes are few and far between given the level designs and the cost the build barricades. Barricades are more for blocking off some of the paths than for mazing. There are however a few tricks you can pull on some of the levels by using the trap physics and level designs to make mobs repeat parts of your traps gauntlet.

[Rendakor]

Alright, thanks. Are there tons of entrances from which mobs spawn (again like DD) or do they mostly come from a single point?

[Ruvaldt]

It depends upon the map.  I haven't encountered any more than two entrances yet though, and I'm pretty far into the original campaign.

[luckton]

The last level is a doozy...four directions with two entrances each all converging onto one portal.  That one took me a while to overcome.

[Zaljerem]

I've gotten quite a few hours of fun from this game after picking it up for a pittance. I recommend it. Would love some multiplayer though ...

[TheWalrus]

Awesome game! Loving the slaughter. Fun and simple.