Orcs Must Die: By The Blade - Orc-Slaying Chaos Finally Hits VR!

I have been playing Orcs Must Die since the first game back in 2011, with it's unique brand of trap placement to destroy hundreds of orcs. Slicing and dicing dozens of enemies as they came at me was a really fun way to release a bit of stress after work, and it also stretched my brain muscles as I puzzled out the best placement of traps. The series ended up becoming a nightly ritual as I started dreaming of dismembering orcs in my sleep.

Today the folks at Teravision Games brings us that same decapatating goodness built from the ground up for Virtual Reality. This isn't a by the numbers port but a melee focused slaughterfest that throws you into the chaos as you slash swords to stay in the battle. With not only over a decade of VR under my belt, and even some development time in the early days (2015 was still very difficult to develop VR for) this game seems to know exactly what VR players want.

The crazy over the top combat melded with strategic placement of setting traps brings that visceral combat closer than ever before. Each parry of the sword and every swing, has that precieved weight that needs to be just right to nail down VR melee combat. Orcs really are on the prowl and now hunt you down instead of mindlessly meandering through the rift.

Teravission Games, the same Columbian studio that delveoped Captain Toonhead vs. The Punks from Outer Space know VR well, and it shows here in spades. Scraping teleportation for the much better (and only way to really play VR in my humble oppinion) Smooth Free Locomotion, hand tracked controls and even phsyics based gameplay that lets the 15 upgradable weapons feel "real". Traps are ever present like always and play an integral part to the game, all upgradeable to really turn the screws to the enemy.

Key highlights that have me hyped:

• Visceral VR Combat: Precise timing for swings, blocks, and counters. Pick up dismembered orc limbs to bash others brings that Gorn vibe, as Design Director Cesar Solis Galindo teased: "hitting orcs with the head of their fallen brothers... explosion of limbs and blood."
• Full Campaign: 3 chapters, 12 levels packed with returning heroes Max & Gabby, familiar locals tailored for VR, and bonus challenges, and even secrets hidden to search for.
• Co-Op Chaos: Team up with a friend for the entire campaign. Solve puzzles together, defending your territory back to back. Single player is enjoyable, Co-Op is a blast!
• That Classic OMD Vibe: The art direction adds and comes to life in VR, progression for all the traps and weapons, and the towering orcs that come to life. (Creative Director LD Zambrano: "I still can’t believe we fulfilled our own wish of seeing how tall one of those trolls is in 'real life'!").

The game itself is still in development so there has been no hands on time yet, and the embargo just dropped today. But from the trailer and the screenshots provided, the Meta Quest seems like it can hold it's own and handle everything By The Blade throws at it. January is going to be wonderful time to dive back into the rift and stay warm in those winter months slashing orcs and cleaning your blade from dried orc blood. Make sure to stay tuned in January when the game releases and I am able to review it!

Wishlist the game here: https://www.meta.com/experiences/orcs-must-die-by-the-blade/6035302119914455/