New review: 'Hordes of Orcs' for Mac

(Credit: CNET Networks)

It's extremely rare for me to talk about games two weeks in a row for the Mac Daily Download, but a recent release from our friends at Freeverse Software is too good to pass up. When I heard the makers of great Mac games like Kill Monty, WingNuts 2, and Burning Monkey Solitaire were making a new twist on the online hit Desktop Tower Defense, I was immediately interested. As with most everything that comes from the folks at Freeverse, I wasn't disappointed.

Zooming in on the action lets you see how your defense is working against the angry horde

(Credit: CNET Networks)

Hordes of Orcs puts a new spin on Desktop Tower Defense games with smooth 3D graphics and more features than you'll find in online versions. Different towers deal different types of damage, which becomes important the further you get into the game because some Orcs are resistant to specific damage types. The ability to cast spells adds a new wrinkle to the game by letting you do things like slow down the onslaught of Orcs; send bosses back to the beginning to face your towers all over again; and one called "Bait," which attracts Orcs to a certain part of the screen so they'll take more damage. When you want a close-up view of the carnage, you can use the zoom button to see the action in smooth 3D graphics. Though the full version will cost you $24.95, this game is definitely worth the registration fee for more Orc-killing carnage.