Sometimes you find games that you haven't really heard much about. They don't receive very much hype so when you see it sitting on the shelf you pick it up purely out of curiosity and flip it over to check out the back. Since this occurrence happened for me at a Blockbuster I thought "what the hell" and decided to give Overlord a try. I must say that 5 days later when I took it back I definitely felt like I got my moneys worth.
Overlord starts out with one of your minions opening your tomb. It turns out that 7 corrupt heroes had killed the previous overlord and it is your turn to venture out and attempt to re-conquer the world. You spend the rest of the game conquering each land and killing each corrupt hero that took part in the slaying of your predecessor.
Overlord is a very unique game. Although it is an action game you do not really use the main character very much. Instead you are able to control 4 different types of minions to fight and complete tasks for you; and I must say that it was a very refreshing experience. The minions can do everything from attack enemies to collect items and money. This aspect was easily the most enjoyable part of the game. Whether it was watching them swarm one of my enemies or do a little dance when they found a new item they could use to upgrade themselves with the overall experience never got old. It was nice to see that with all the innovation that went into overlord that features like the ability for your minions to pick up weapons and armor for themselves was not forgotten. Probably the most fascinating aspect of Overlord was the ability to use money you had stolen or "found" to upgrade your castle. Adding subtle features like a red carpet or a new throne allow each player to make their castle their own. Overlord also features some great character design and offers a variety in the way of boss fights. Every boss fight felt completely different and each character had a well crafted personality.
As you can probably imagine, trying to control all those minions can be trying at times. The major flaw in the minion design was apparent while trying to solve the occasional puzzle. Minion control is fairly basic, you simply move them in a specific direction and they do the rest. However this process did not lend itself well to puzzle solving. I can't count the number of times that I had to retry the same puzzle over and over again because the minions were too difficult to control in respect to completing the puzzle. My other major problem with Overlord is that there is no in game map. Each section is a fairly good size and with no map, you will spend a good amount of time wondering around trying to figure out where you need to go. I don't necessarily need markers and detailed map designs, but it would be nice to be able to have an idea of where I need to go.
Overlord was definitely a hidden gem. I had never heard much about it but upon trying it I would definitely recommend it. It's not the best game you will ever play but the fresh feel of it will offer something for most people brave enough to try it.
Richard writes "Recently I was given the opportunity to sit down and chat with Rhianna Pratchett about her career so far, what being a game narrative writer actually means, and try to get some info on any new projects she may be involved with. Spoiler alert: I failed:"
Twinfinite Writes: Video games have a ton of variation for their heroes, but sometimes it's nice to change things up and take on the role of the villain.
A look back at a game that offers an evil alternative to fantasy gaming
Hey, great review mate. I remember my friend telling me he bought this game, I should get back to him and see what he thought.
Glad you enjoyed the game.
hmm...
well good thing its coming to the PS3