Orcs Must Die! - Artifacts of Power is an action strategy expansion for the PC tower defense title Orcs Must Die!. It adds four new items to the War Mage's arsenal, expanding options for defending against orc waves through a mix of trap placement and direct combat.
Gameplay
The core loop centers on positioning traps across fortress layouts while wielding weapons to thin out advancing orc groups. Players earn skulls from kills to purchase upgrades that improve trap performance over repeated runs. The Shock Zapper mounts on ceilings and delivers lightning strikes effective against both airborne and ground targets. Its upgrade increases charge capacity for sustained output. The Floor Scorcher deploys on the ground as a hidden fire trap that activates under enemy pressure, with an upgrade that widens the burning arc to cover more area.
Weapons provide active control during waves. The Alchemist's Satchel launches or plants acid bombs that deal damage over time and can clear clustered enemies when detonated together. The Vampiric Gauntlets allow the player to siphon health from foes for self-healing while also offering a secondary option to convert personal health into mana for continued spell use. These tools integrate directly into the existing defense setup, encouraging experimentation with loadouts across different map layouts.
Game Modes
Artifacts of Power supports the established wave defense scenarios of the base experience. Players defend fixed fortress positions against successive orc assaults, using the new traps and weapons to optimize kill efficiency and survival. Leaderboard competition forms a key element, where scores reflect total orcs eliminated and resources managed efficiently across multiple attempts on the same maps.
Endless-style runs allow extended play sessions focused on high scores and upgrade progression. The additions emphasize adaptability, as the new ceiling and floor traps fill placement gaps while the weapons handle priority targets or provide sustain during intense sections.
New Artifacts and Upgrades
Two traps and two weapons form the complete set. Trap costs sit at 800 coins each, with skull investments unlocking the listed enhancements for Shock Zapper and Floor Scorcher. The Alchemist's Satchel and Vampiric Gauntlets operate on mana systems that reward precise timing and positioning. All items scale with player progress through skull spending, creating incremental power gains without altering the fundamental defense rhythm.
Is It Worth Playing?
Steam user reviews rate the content Very Positive based on 77 submissions. The low price point makes it accessible for owners of the original game seeking additional variety in trap and weapon choices. It appeals to players who enjoy refining strategies across repeated wave defenses and comparing results on leaderboards. Those already invested in the base title will find immediate use for the new options in existing maps, while newcomers may prefer starting with the core game first. The expansion remains available as standalone downloadable content with no further updates required for functionality.
