Reception
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Mobile Phone | |
| IGN | 8.4/10 |
| 1UP | Grade A |
| DS | |
| IGN | 8/10 |
| 1UP | Grade B |
| GameSpot | 7/10 |
| Game Informer | 6.75/10 |
| GameSpy | 3.5/5 |
| Eurogamer | 6/10 |
| Game Trailers | 7.9/10 |
Upon its first release on the mobile phone, Orcs & Elves was received well by critics with an average score of 86% at Game Rankings. IGN praised the game's look by stating "There's no way you cannot be impressed with the overall look and atmosphere of the game" while pointing out that it is "remarkably similar in mechanics and control" to Doom RPG. 1UP praised the story for having more depth than most other games on the mobile phone, that it "has some characters we can care a bit about and a story that goes beyond a thin excuse to run around killing things in mazes."
The later Nintendo DS release was met with a less positive, yet still fair response, with an average critic score of 72%. Many complaints came from the fact the game had been ported to a more technically capable system, making its origins as a mobile phone game more noticeable, such as simple graphics and short game length. GameSpot noted this by saying "Orcs & Elves' simplicity doesn't do much to hide its roots as a mobile phone game" Eurogamer mentioned "what would be a surprising effort for a mobile phone is somewhat disappointing on the DS", being more of "a thick lump of nostalgia" while GameSpy found it "looks different and plays better than the mobile phone original" and that "more than innovating, the game is designed to stay true to a certain tradition that old-school players will definitely welcome after years of starvation."
On the game's level design Game Trailers found it made the game "pretty engaging throughout", being "nothing out of the ordinary yet oddly compelling", yet "a short lived experience". GamesRadar concluded that the "dungeons are well-designed, the action is well-balanced and fun, and even the characters are likable." Reviewing the latest version, IGN still felt "even with its limitations, Orcs & Elves’ fast-paced, turn-based style is a refreshing change of pace from the evolved role-playing game design" while Game Informer more negatively concluded "you may be better off making up your own fantasy game with RPG Maker."
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