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Boom shackle-aka: beta sign-up for Orcs Must Die! Unchained has begun

Orcs Must Die! Unchained. No handcuffs here.

Orcs Must Die! was an excellent idea in 2011, and remained so for its sequel a year later.

But it’s become a rather different one for its Spartacusly-subtitled latest iteration, Orcs Must Die! Unchained. The free-to-play model most readily raises eyebrows, but it’s the competitive multiplayer that promises the most far-reaching changes. 

This third-person tower defence game has become a “fortress siege game”, reckon Robot Entertainment. Find out what on Earth one of those is by signing up for Unchained’s closed beta.

5v5 matches mean that one side will be doing as they’ve always done – laying traps and preparing every bridge and bottleneck of their castle for the oncoming horde.

But the other five players will be the oncoming horde – braving the hazard-laden mazes as newly-playable monster faction the Unchained.

There will be minions, and comparisons to League of Legends are inevitable. In fact, Robot are looking to LoL for their payment model – they’re hoping to crack the Asian and Russian markets.

The closed beta begins June 26, and you can register ahead of it on the official site. Alpha players are already guaranteed a spot, as is anybody willing to pay $150 for Founder’s membership.

Didn’t think so. Will you give them your email address, though?

Ta, Game Informer.