Overlord (PC, Xbox 360)

Developer: Triumph Studios
Publisher: Codemasters
Release Date (US/CAN): June 26, 2007
System(s): Xbox 360, PC (reviewed)
Modes: Single Player, Multiplayer
Rating: Teen (13+)

Overlord, a unique and interesting game from Codemasters, is a puzzle/strategy/RPG type of game. You are the overlord, this Sauron-looking individual that is awakened by some of your minions, who want you to take over the countryside once again.

So far I have only played just a fraction of the game, but I'm extremely pleased with the entertainment value!

At the beginning of the game, you can only control a small number of minions. As the game progresses, you can control more, also having access to different types. Brown minions are good at fighting, red minions absorb fire, blue minions can go in water, and green minions are immune to poison. You can also control different types of minions by pressing the RB button, and then one of the A, B, X, or Y buttons to select the minion type. The game does an excellent job of efficiently teaching you how to play in game, rather than having a separate tutorial.

If you want to know more about the game itself, then go check it out at wikipedia.

Pros:

• Interesting concept, completely new to me. Overlord is a game in which you can basically sit in the background and send your minions to fight, or get down and dirty with your own weapon (you start off with an axe, but you can get upgraded weapons and armor).


• Multiplayer - always nice to have some human competition or help, which is almost always better than AI.


• Funny - your minions will eat and drink food, and then burp and pee wherever you happen to pause while walking.

Cons:

• It can be tricky to navigate the minions. I use the USB wireless adapter for Xbox 360 controllers, since I'm less of a PC gamer (except for RTS games) and more accustomed to a console. Yeah, you PC fanboys can shut up right now. :-)


• The game also is very difficult to navigate; that is, it is easy to forget which way you came from and which way you need to go to, since the world looks similar around every corner.


• For people without the latest and greatest PC gaming setup, I could not find any options to change the quality of the graphics for improved play. Perhaps this is actually in the retail version of the game.

7.9/10 - I would recommend people to buy this game, if not at the very least rent it. Both entertaining and interesting, it never felt so good to be so bad.

MORE SCREENSHOTS, complimentary of Team Xbox