How to unlock Secret Character Max in Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap

Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap is the latest entry in the series, and a familiar face is locked away. If you want to unlock Max, we’ve got all the details you need.

There are several playable characters in Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap and, with the exception of Max, all are available immediately, and you can choose whichever character you want at the start of the mission. However, those wishing to use Max have some steps to take.

Fortunately, it’s not time-consuming—you can do it in just a couple of minutes—and we’ve made it even easier by mapping out all the steps you need.

How to unlock Max in Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap

Max is unlockable pretty much immediately in Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap, only taking around a minute to do. Once unlocked, you can use Max for any mission in the game and bolster your options at the start of a mission.

Unlocking Max requires collecting five crystal shards spread across the Order Fortress, the main hub in Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap, which can be done immediately upon loading into the game. To make it easier to collect, I recommend using Kalos as their leap ability makes it easier to traverse the environment.

To unlock Max, follow these steps:

1. In the Order Fortress, head to the large exclamation point where Max is found. If you’ve already got rid of the exclamation point, look for the marker on the minimap of a sheet of paper with a quill.
2. Use the stairs just behind Max to reach the upper level and pick up the blue crystal by the bed.
3. Walk around the pillar by the small set of stairs you just took to find a larger staircase, walk up it until you reach the top, then turn left to find the second crystal.
4. Turn around immediately and you’ll see the third crystal shard opposite you. Switch to Kalos and use the leap ability to reach the platform, then collect the next crystal.
5. Head back to the tutorial area by Max and walk through the doors to reach the outside training area. With Kalos, use the leap ability to climb onto the pillars and continue heading to the balcony on the right side of the screen. You can use a normal jump to move to pillars of the same height but will need the leap to land on the first pillar and reach the final level with the crystal shard.
6. The final shard is located behind the Weavers, who are reached by following the straight corridor north of the portal. Use the map to locate this area, marked by a thread icon, and collect the final crystal.
7. Once the final crystal shard is collected, a pop-up informs you that Max is now unlocked and an achievement will pop. Congratulations, you’ve done it.