Whenever a game becomes a true crossover phenomenon on the scale of World of WarCraft or League of Legends, the inevitable question is always, "What's next?"

The first issue of PC Gamer I ever read had art from Descent and the headline, "The DOOM Killer." In the years following World of WarCraft's explosion, practically every new MMORPG was labeled as a potential WoW Killer. And now we have League of Legends, which has established itself as the undisputed king of eSports.

Personally, I think it's silly to annoint any game a "League of Legends Killer" since whatever is next will inevitably be something we're not expecting. But the eSports space is also more volatile than ever, and League of Legends is not without its deficiencies. With that in mind, allow me to introduce you to Orcs Must Die: Unchained, which takes the original tower defense formula and merges it with arena battling.

The original games were unique in that they were third-person tower defense games in which players worked together to set up traps and defeat waves of opposing minions. Unchained adds an extra layer by introducing an opposing team of players capable of sending out their own minions to attack and do damage, not unlike the steady waves of minions found in MOBAs. While the minions attack, players can assist with the attacks and play defense, all while steadily accruing points that can be used to set more traps, upgrade minions, and unlock additional minion gates. As of right now, it has a few key advantages over League of Legends and its ilk:

1. The Rounds are Shorter

One complaint I hear almost constantly about League of Legends is that the games are just too long. Matches often last up to 45 minutes, which is tolerable, but well outside the sweet spot of 15-20 minutes that many games aim for. Fifteen minutes is where you get people going, "Hmmm... I can squeeze in one more match before bed. Forty-five minutes is a commitment.

In that regard, Orcs Must Die: Unchained benefits from smaller maps and a significantly faster pace. As matches progress, minions rapidly level up and become stronger, with additional gates able to be unlocked as time goes on. Inevitably, the flood of minions becomes too much and one side is overwhelmed within 15 to 20 minutes. We had one game that lasted about 30 minutes, but such matches are comparatively rare. And even then, 30 minutes is still much shorter than the average League of Legends game.

Though it might not seem like a big deal, I believe that match length is more important than most people think. I've long been of the opinion that FIFA is significantly more popular than Madden not just because it's a better game, but because the matches take less than half the time to complete. Hit the sweet spot of 15 minutes, and it becomes so much easier to put gamers in that mindset where they feel like it's okay to jump in for a quick round or two. Take it from someone who's been there.

2. Matches are Often Closer and More Exciting

On that note, it must be said that Orcs Must Die matches are often considerably closer and more exciting than those of League of Legends. Though comebacks are certainly possible, it's quite possible for one team in LoL to build up enough momentum that they simply can't be stopped. It's not a fun feeling to realize that your team is doomed a mere ten minutes into the match, with a half hour to go.

It's possible for one team to build a similar amount of momentum in Orcs Must Die; but more often than now, matches are extremely close. Though it never happened in the games I played, I've heard more than one story where both teams can only afford to allow one more minion apiece into their portals, and are frantically scrambling for any kind of advantage. Such exciting conclusions go a long way toward sustaining momentum and encouraging players to continue playing.

3. It's More Action-Oriented

Action isn't always a synonym for "good," and certainly plenty of people will prefer the tactical perspective of League of Legends. But Orcs Must Die's third-person action will certainly appeal to a subset of gamers who might not have considered arena battlers in the past. And the action doesn't come at the expense of the strategy, either. Like the previous Orcs Must Die games, Unchained is a game that encourages players to work together, make smart use of their character's abilities, and maximize the numerous traps at their disposal.

A practical effect of his approach, as I've mentioned earlier, is that Orcs Must Die: Unchained moves much faster than its competitors.* The battles are more chaotic; decisions have to be made more quickly, and matches don't take nearly as long to complete. It's definitely a nice change of pace for competitive arena games. It may not be everyone; but for the crowd that's allergic to action, there's always DOTA 2 and its ilk.

* Both Robot Entertainment and its fans will tell you that Orcs Must Die: Unchained isn't a MOBA. They're right in that there are significant differences, but the similarities are enough that the comparisons are practically inevitable.

4. It Streams Better

On that note, Orcs Must Die's snappier pace also makes for significantly entertaining streams. I recognize that League of Legends became popular in part because of its streams; but for newcomers, LoL streams can be difficult to comprehend. They're exciting enough to watch, but their enjoyment depends on some degree of familiarity with the strategy. Without that baseline knowledge, it's tough to even tell who's doing well and who's doing poorly.

Orcs Must Die: Unchained fares a bit better as a spectator sport. Though it lacks an overhead view, the speed and pace of the action arguably makes it more enjoyable to watch. That much was apparent in the crowd that gathered around one of Robot Entertainment's developers after the demo was over to watch him play a round in the alpha. Even if you know nothing of the strategy, it's just fun to watch Blackpaw the Werewolf crash through a group of defenders en route to a gate. There's a baseline of enjoyment to be had in Orcs Must Die's streams that isn't necessarily present in those of the average MOBA. It's one of those games that just grabs the eye and doesn't let go.

5. Its Deep Without Being Inaccessible

And finally, Orcs Must Die: Unchained is a deep game that is nevertheless relatively easy to pick and enjoy. I played three games with Robot Entertainment; and though I had the benefit of coaching, I felt like I picked up the basics quite quickly. By the third round, pretty much everyone had a good feel for what they should be doing, which resulted in a lot of back and forth as each team tried to gain an advantage over the other.

The main difference between Orcs Must Die and League of Legends (and most every other MOBA for that matter) is that a large chunk of the strategy takes place outside of battle. Rather than buy items over a course of match, Orcs Must Die has players construct decks with traps and minions before the game even begins. With some traps requiring a large amount of resources to construct, care must be taken to balance the deck so that it's not too resource intensive.

Once the game begins, characters slot fairly neatly into offensive and defensive roles, with a few able to handle both fairly well. As with League of Legends, teamwork is essential in Orcs Must Die: Unchained, as its important for teams to know when it make a concerted push and when to fall back and defend. Matches can turn on a dime, whether because one team suddenly wipes or because a new gate is suddenly unlocked, which makes it all the more important for teams to be able to react to circumstances as they arise.

Taken as a whole, these advantages up to a game that has a lot of potential to make waves in the eSports space. With its previous success, Orcs Must Die has a built-in community that will serve as a strong foundation upon launch. And that's on top of Robot Entertainment's existing fanbase from its Age of Empires and Age of Mythology days. Obviously, Robot Entertainment isn't touting Orcs Must Die: Unchained as a League of Legends Killer (nor should they), but they are clearly bullish on its prospects as a successful eSports game.

When I talked to lead designer Jerome Jones after the event, he related a story of how a group called Team Cake took on the development team and won big in front of 80 to 100 viewers on a live stream (not bad for a game that was until recently in alpha and hadn't received much promotion).

"After the game, the fans started a thread titled, 'Orcs Must Die as an eSport,' and they were talking about how they would much rather watch a game like this because of the perspective and the visuals," he said. "It's a bit more like TV, right? We are excited about that and we hope it catches on."

Time will tell, but I wouldn't doubt Robot Entertainment's pedigree as a strategy developer. It may not reach the lofty heights of League of Legends, but Orcs Must Die: Unchained is well placed to be a significant presence in the eSports space. And if it picks up enough steam upon launch, even Riot may end up having to take notice.