Games for Lunch: Hinterlands: Orc Lords
In a nutshell: Equal parts city-building, action-RPG adventuring and frustration.
3/16/2009 9:43 PM | 4 Comments | Page 1 of 3
Developer: Tilted Mill Entertainment
Publisher: Got Game entertainment
Release Date: Sept. 20, 2008
System: PC
ESRB Rating: N/A
Official Web site
0:00 When Got Game e-mailed me asking if I wanted to try out a press copy of this action-RPG expansion pack, I said yes. And now you know just as much about the game as I do (or possibly more, if you've played the game or something).
0:01 A vaguely Celtic jig plays over a menu screen featuring two backpacked hikers trekking into the forest from a pastoral medieval town. Very nice art style here.
0:02 I can choose from six females or five males, each represented by a classy painted portrait. I go for a blonde, short-haired girl with a red blouse because that's how I'm feeling today. DON'T JUDGE ME!
0:03 Oh, it seems I can also choose from a bunch of "character backgrounds," including a few that are dwarves, elves, goblins and orcs. They all have their own portraits, of course. I stick with a nice human Seneschal because I like the way it sounds. Say it with me now. Seneschaaaaaal.
0:04 Difficulties are Easy, Medium, Difficult and Hardcore. I can also choose a game length of Short, Medium or Long ... a rather unique touch, I think. I go with "Short," since I am just planning to play for an hour at the moment.
0:05 The game spends this minute "Creating World" and "Loading Sounds," and "Stirring Up Enemies." All the while I get to stare at a painted picture of a warrior reaching for a goblet with wide eyes while a squire holding a lantern behind him. It's entrancing.
0:06 "Your king needs you! I have decreed that you must tame this wild and dangerous territory of my realm." Build a town, increase your fame, amass an army, defeat the enemies, blah blah blah.
0:07 The "How to Play" text is very spare. I'm told that my followers and I eat one "food" a day, that townspeople can work in their shops or be taken into battle, that I click on enemies to attack them and ... that's pretty much it. The rest I have to figure out, I guess.
0:08 I customize my character by increasing her attack power and resourcefulness. The latter nets me an extra piece of food every day. That sounds like it'll be important, right?
0:09 This minute spent backing out to the main menu and lowering the resolution, so things look grainier but also animate more smoothly.
0:10 Walking around the pastoral town is as simple as clicking where I want to go. If I hold down the mouse button I break into a spry trot -- a nice touch. I like the soothing music and the occasional rooster crowing to acknowledge a new day starting.
0:11 There's a single building standing in my town ... an outpost, I'm told. It stores food and also makes as much as it consumes. It also "acknowledges my reputation," apparently. That's nice, I guess. I can upgrade it to a Manor for 20 gold. Sure, why not.
0:12 There are also two people wandering about the town, but just as I start to talk to them a couple of dark elves run in and attack. The visitors run away and I'm left to fend them off myself. I bring one down with my knife and the other one runs away scared. Three gold for my trouble! Nice!
