Nintendo DS NintendoSpin.com / Reviews / Orcs & Elves

Posted on December 16th, 2007 - 2318 Reads

Rated Teen Orcs & Elves Nintendo DS Review Bronze Award

-- Written by Clark Nielsen



 Western RPGs are a rarity these days, probably because nobody likes them. Admittedly, the first-person dungeon-upon-dungeon fest is a little harder to swallow than something like Final Fantasy, RPGs sugared up with FMV cut scenes, fastidious characters, and intricate battle systems. Orcs & Elves is nothing of the sort. It is, however, a great tribute to what many of us consider to be the "true RPG." Whoops. I think I just lost half the readership.

Orcs & Elves hearkens to the days of old by being a grid-based, first-person dungeon crawler. Even more interesting is that the game also manages to be turn-based. Every time you move a space, use a potion, or attack, you've just taken a turn. And after you've done your business, any monsters in the area can do theirs. Turns move so quickly, though, that you won't think about it as being turn-based. And yet being turn-based lends to some additional strategy. If you know you're dealing with an enemy who can take two turns against your one, you may be better off ducking around the corner and waiting for him to come to you, or you could try staving him off with long-ranged attacks. There are also times when you need to watch for and avoid getting surrounded by three or four monsters. That's just asking for trouble.

When it comes time to actually fight, though, it usually boils down to just hitting the attack button and making sure your health doesn't drop too low. In later dungeons, however, it's necessary to start using the potions you've bought and found thus far. Yes, there are healing and curing potions, but other potions give you temporary stat boosts, turn you invisible, and let you take two turns at a time. Their benefits aren't immediately obvious, but they're fun to use and are rewarding to collect.

So treasure hunting plays a big part in the game, and you'll need to do some extra spelunking if you've come across the dungeon exit too soon. Since this is the DS, you can switch to have the map on the bottom screen at all times, making backtracking and finding new areas a breeze. Nothing else about the DS is taken advantage of, though. Touch screen controls are available, but it's easier to use the buttons. And the graphics, despite using nostalgic 2D sprites in atmospheric 3D dungeons, aren't anything spectacular.

Dungeons never become very convoluted or complex, either, which is both good and bad. I recall Mazes of Fate on the GBA giving me a headache, because exits were often hidden behind secret doors. In Orcs & Elves, secret doors exist, but they're easy to spot and are often pointed out by the dwarven ghosts that wander the dungeons.

You see, the dungeons you are fighting through were once part of a dwarve's kingdom. Unfortunately, the dwarves been wiped out by a group of orcs, and it's up to you, an elf, to avenge them. Orcs & Elves. There you go. This whole quest takes place entirely inside a mountain. The mountain, then, is nothing more than a series of interconnected dungeons that lead deeper into the ground. There are no towns to visit along the way. The only thing even close to such is a dragon's lair you can return to to buy swords, shields, and potions. This setup works to keep the momentum of the game going, but at the same time, it would have been nice to have a little variety so you don't get sick of crawling dungeons 24 hours a day.

But there's the catch. Orcs & Elves is only a 4-5 hour game. This seems almost blasphemous. Aren't all RPGs supposed to be packed to the brim with 60+ hours of crap to do? Okay, so I can be bitter about games that drag on and on. In that sense, it's refreshing for Orcs & Elves to be concise. On the other hand, I crave substance, and this is the kind of game that ought to be long enough to at least last longer than New Super Mario Bros. It perfectly befits the pick up and play motif, too. You can save anytime, anywhere, and in multiple save slots. You could theoretically traverse the entire thing in one sitting without saving, though, and that... well, that's just sad. In the end, Orcs & Elves feels like but one dungeon of a bigger game.

Final Comments:
On a portable game system, I am inclined to favor the Western RPG over Japanese RPGs like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest. They are easier to pick up and play and to get into and are just as entertaining and challenging and-- and-- and-- The caveat is that a soft spot for this sort of thing is required to really get anything out of it. Otherwise, you'll be put off by how archaic it is (where archaic means super awesome). But even then, Orcs & Elves is a disappointingly short experience. You are better off investing in Mazes of Fate first, then give Orcs & Elves a try.

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