''Of Orcs and Men'' is a

fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving Magic (supernatural), magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy ...

action role-playing game An action role-playing game (often abbreviated action RPG or ARPG) is a subgenre of video games that combines core elements from both the action game and role-playing genre. Definition The games emphasize real-time combat where the player h ...

developed by

Cyanide Cyanide is a naturally occurring, rapidly acting, toxic chemical that can exist in many different forms. In chemistry, a cyanide () is a chemical compound that contains a functional group. This group, known as the cyano group, consists of ...

and

Spiders Spiders ( order Araneae) are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, chelicerae with fangs generally able to inject venom, and spinnerets that extrude silk. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species dive ...

for

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and PC. The Empire of Men's oppressive threat looms over the territories of the

Orcs An Orc (or Ork) is a fictional humanoid monster like a goblin. Orcs were brought into modern usage by the fantasy writings of J. R. R. Tolkien, especially ''The Lord of the Rings''. In Tolkien's works, Orcs are a brutish, aggressive, ugly, a ...

and the

Goblins A goblin is a small, grotesque, monstrous creature that appears in the folklore of multiple European cultures. First attested in stories from the Middle Ages, they are ascribed conflicting abilities, temperaments, and appearances depending on t ...

. Goblins are systematically persecuted and slaughtered, while Orcs not killed in battle are captured and enslaved. Two prequels, titled '' Styx: Master of Shadows'' (2014) and '' Styx: Shards of Darkness'' (2017), came out with Styx the goblin as the main protagonist.

Plot

''Of Orcs and Men'' puts the player into the role of an elite Orc soldier, Arkail, from the legendary legion known as the Bloodjaws. The legion is a league of warriors deeply involved in the war between the Orcs and the

on one side and their persecutors, Humankind, on the other. As a veteran warrior who has seen the most brutal of battles, the player is appointed by the Bloodjaw commander to complete a mission that could change the course of the war, to kill the Emperor himself, the man responsible for the bloodshed. A sentient and sly Goblin, Styx, soon joins the player, an unlikely but indispensable ally. Arkail and Styx travel throughout the empire where many

have been enslaved or have turned traitor and joined the empire on its campaign of destroying all greenskins. Eventually, they both encounter Arkail's father who has been aiding the resistance and planning to rescue Arkence, a sorceress who is the only one capable of getting Arkail and Styx to the island of Laments, where the emperor has been occupied with political matters. Arkail and Styx round up a rag tag team of Orcs and assault the prison where Arkence has been holding out. They kill many guards along the way and rescue Arkence but at the cost of many Orcs lives and escape the prison to sail off to the island of Laments. Arkail and Styx finally make it to the island and dispose of the soldiers who guard the island palace where Arkail locates and either kills the emperor or watches as the emperor is killed by Barimen, a supporter of the resistance who in reality wanted Arkail to kill the emperor so he could ascend to the throne while securing the aid of the Elves and Dwarves in carrying out the greenskin genocide. The two manage to escape the island, but now find themselves facing the full might of the empire and its new allies. Arkail and Styx return to the wall and plan to destroy the palace with explosives and kill Barimen with the support of Arkail's father, Arkence, and the Orcs and Mages who defected from the empire. The duo assault the palace personally, fighting through soldiers and traitor Orcs before reaching the throne room. Arkail then kills Barimen and the Grand Inquisitor who has been chasing him and Styx throughout their journey. The palace crumbles as the bombs are set off and thousands of Orcs escape the wall and head to the Orc occupied regions to live freely. Even though the empire has gained new allies and are determined to retaliate, the Orcs have a better chance of winning the war and Arkail and Styx are now hopeful that the future will turn out better for them and all those who have been oppressed by the empire.

Gameplay

Taking advantage of their natural traits, the two characters have their own skill trees to develop. While the Orc focuses on power, reflecting his incredible strength, the Goblin will benefit from darker powers and stealth abilities, making him the perfect assassin.

Reception

References

External links

Official website
{{Spiders (company) Role-playing video games Action role-playing video games Fantasy video games Orcs in popular culture PlayStation 3 games Cyanide (company) games Video games developed in France Video games scored by Olivier Deriviere Windows games Xbox 360 games 2012 video games Focus Entertainment games Spiders (company) games