PlayStation 5 Review: Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap

Okay, here we go. So, imagine this: “Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap” drops in like a bomb in this game series everyone loves, right? But with a twist, it’s, like, pulling a crazy roguelite trick. You’re diving into these runs, no clue what orc or nasty creature’s gonna jump out. Oh, and loads of buffs and nerfs just to keep you guessing. It even changes up the weather! Like, what, is it snowing in the middle of my battle now? Makes everything go wild.

And honestly, how long you survive is partly talent and partly sheer dumb luck. Some debuffs are just evil—like, game over, man, while others you just kinda shrug off. It’s like, “Really? That’s all you got?” Plus, if things get too bananas, you can always hightail back to the castle, regroup, maybe swap out your gear and traps to get stronger for the next crack at it. So, you keep getting better… or try, anyway.

This time around, they’re adding a four-player online co-op. Get your friends on board if you have PlayStation Plus—be it Essential, Extra, or Premium. Play larger and wackier levels, juggling between shooting and melee funks. I had a blast with “Orcs Must Die! 3” on the PS5, so me checking out this sequel? Yeah, no-brainer.

When you jump into the action, you’re basically all thumbs on those sticks—left stick to move, right to aim. Sprinting with the left stick pushed in, then trying to keep track of aiming with the right? Multitasking nightmare! But kinda thrilling too. Zoom in by pressing the stick, try to take out those critters messing with the Rift. The X button’s for jumping—can’t forget that—and R2 to whack stuff; L2 for some funky alternate weapon action.

Each War Mage’s got their own mojo. Play around with different ones to figure out whom you gel with. I remember Vaan being a crossbow dude with a killer fire rate. He’s all about protecting the Rift with barriers, shooting beams, and doing double jumps. He’s like, the Swiss army knife of War Mages.

And then there’s Wren, who should’ve been waving a healer’s wand but decided “nah,” and went full chaos mode instead. She wields a wand that shoots with high damage, and her teleport thing? You blink, and she’s gone. She’s cool for dealing peak damage if you plan it right. Mirror Images? It’s like having magical twins mimicking every move—talk about overwhelming force!

Getting down and dirty with combat is your bread and butter. But, like, traps? They’re the silent saviors. You could nab an Orc Eater—basically a big, hungry plant—or go mechanical with a Rip Saw to shred the baddies. Poison Flowers are a blast, shooting out this toxic cloud that coats everything gross. And Vaan’s Rift Orb? It buffs your traps to toast monsters more effectively, but only for a bit—time it right or it’s a waste.

Using Skulls to buy traps is key. Each victory bags you some, and they’re your currency for unlocking and upgrading traps. Elixirs? Those are nifty. Buy one per run to give yourself a boost like superior poison damage or, you know, more coins. Though no take-backsies—once you buy, you commit.

And then, the Weaver of Will… spend Skulls on Threads there, upgrading stuff like acing air targets for your crossbow or reducing damage from annoying enemies. There are Threads for certain War Mages too—like Vaan, with critical hits dealing extra pain. Completing quests floats more Threads your way, and you can toggle them between waves to tilt survival odds a bit in your favor.

There’s a whole medal haul, if you’re into that—trophies, shiny Platinum being the cherry on top. Missions, hitting skill levels, purchasing 10 traps, you name it. Each one’s a little side quest in its own right.

All in all, “Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap” offers something fresh with its mix of unpredictability and strategy, available on PS5 for $29.99—a sweet deal for the mayhem you’ll dive into. Plus, there’s a $9.99 Supporters Pack with hero and weapon skins, just for a jazzy touch.

Got my copy thanks to the kind folks at Robot Entertainment. Blasting through pixelated hordes never felt so satisfyingly chaotic.