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Overlord: Raising Hell
PlayStation 3
Evil Pikmin
4.5/5 stars
“Overlord” for Xbox 360 didn't register on my radar as anything worth getting excited about. All of the written coverage and screenshots made it look like a typical WRPG featuring a Molyneux-inspired “morality” system with the gimmick of eliminating “Good” as a choice and replacing the traditional dichotomy with “Evil” or “Really Evil” in order to appeal more to stupid teenagers who think being evil is cool. That's what I thought about “Overlord,” that is, until I read an interview with the game's creator and learned that there were goblin minions to command and that the overall game system bears little resemblance to any WRPG. So when “Overlord” was ported to the PS3 with added content and the new subtitle “Raising Hell,” I decided to give it a shot.
Presentation
One of the first things one will notice upon starting a game of “Overlord: Raising Hell” is that it is not nearly as brown-and-gray as most Western-developed games. Indeed, the opening level is idyllic and pastoral with many bright, cheerful sunflowers and sparkling waters. Not all of the areas are as colorful as the first one, but all of them show that the developers weren't afraid to add a splash of color to the overused pallet of earthtones.
The character models are something of a mixed bag. “Overlord” is entirely rendered in 3D, which can lead to Uncanny Valley moments. Human characters are frequently poorly animated, which isn't really a problem, as the bulk of the game involves the titular Overlord and his goblin minions running riot. The minions are the most well-animated creatures in the game and have a lot of personality despite being an expendable resource. They really steal the show... which was perhaps intentional.
Character design isn't particularly original. Most character and enemy models look like they were ripped-off wholesale from Games Workshop's line of tabletop miniatures games. The dwarves are particularly reminiscent of the dwarves of the Warhammer Fantasy universe. The Overlord himself looks nearly identical to Sauron from “The Lord of the Rings.” The minions, thankfully, are fairly original-looking. Each of the four types has a different look and, while they are all recognizable as goblins, they don't look like carbon copies of someone else's vision of goblins.
Audio in “Overlord” is a bit of a mixed bag as well. Most of the main characters deliver their lines in a very stiff and amateurish way. It sounds like the voice recording process was all done in one take using whatever random staff members weren't doing anything else at the time. Once again, the minions steal the show with very well-done voices. Their little noises and comments during combat are entertaining and add some much-needed immersiveness to the game's atmosphere. The raspy narration by the Minister Minion is particularly memorable.
The music in “Overlord” is high-quality, but not particularly memorable. The soundtrack shares much in common with typical fantasy OSTs such as the one in “The Lord of the Rings” movies. Each level of the game has its own track that matches its overall mood, which is good enough.
“Overlord” is also reasonably sound from a technical aspect. I did have one instance where, after a load screen to change areas, the game environment disappeared into a spiral of white vectors on a black background. Thankfully that was the only technical issue. “Overlord” has noticeable load times when transferring from area-to-area, but these are fortunately made bearable by the inclusion of useful gameplay hints and an animated dancing minion to show that the game hasn't locked up.
Story
The story of “Overlord: Raising Hell” is its strong point. I was very impressed with the unique take the game has on the typical, generic story of questing adventurers. It seems that the previous Overlord was killed by a party of adventuring heroes. An indeterminate amount of time later, the new Overlord is awakened from a coffin by Gnarl, the Minion Minister, in the base of the Overlord's dark tower. As the new Overlord, it is the player's job to reunite the scattered tribes of minions, repair the dark tower, and take revenge upon the heroes who killed the previous Overlord. The twist is that each of the heroes has become so corrupted by their success that they are now more evil than the Overlord and the peasants welcome the Overlord's rule with (mostly) open arms (I particularly enjoyed the peasant who comments, “Well at least here no one burns down my house.”). The portrayal of typically-heroic races in fantasy literature is particularly sardonic, with hobbits... err... halflings that will cook and eat anything they can get their chubby little hands on, elves who are pathetically co-dependent, and dwarves who like to stand next to piles of gold and chuckle stupidly. Unfortunately, the delightfully dark story that is setup at the beginning of the game encounters an unexpected plot twist at the very end of the game that cheapens the premise to an extent. It's not a bad enough twist that it ruins the story altogether, but it does take quite a bit of the zing out of it.
The “Raising Hell” subtitle that was added to the PS3 port of “Overlord” brings with it new abyss levels that open in each of the lands the Overlord conquers. Each of these abysses is a personal Hell for the land's respective corrupt hero. Thus the Overlord gets to punish the corrupt heroes AGAIN in the afterlife whilst wandering around various corners of Hell looking for MacGuffins called “Abyss Stones” that will give him control of the abysses in which he finds them. These “Raising Hell” levels are obviously intended to be played after completing the game as a type of expansion pack, but the abysses are unlocked as their respective lands are liberated, so they can be completed immediately or saved for later. The final abyss isn't available until after the end credits roll, however, and finishing it unlocks an extra ending that directly ties the events of “Overlord” to the sequel, “Overlord II.”
Gameplay
The gameplay in “Overlord” is a clone of Nintendo's “Pikmin.” The only original idea in “Overlord” that isn't in “Pikmin” is the ability to have minions pick up 'treasure' to become stronger. Otherwise it's the same basic concept of attacking en-masse and using large numbers of minions to carry/manipulate heavy objects.
There are two camera angles to choose from that can be switched with a click of the right stick: third-person and overhead. While I strongly preferred the overhead camera angle, the third-person camera was useful in a number of instances, making both angles essential for playing the game. L1 snaps the camera behind the Overlord. Unfortunately, there is no direct control of the camera because the right stick is otherwise occupied.
The controls are quite well-done. The Overlord's movement is controlled with the left stick, while the minions are controlled with the right stick. Like Pikmin, minions will do their thing as soon as they are swept close enough to the object/enemy in question. They can be called back to the Overlord by pressing O, which sounds a booming foghorn. Individual minions can be set to a task by locking onto the target object/enemy with L2 and sending the minion with R2. Precision movement and tactics for minions can be utilized by setting Guard Markers with the Triangle button. Minions can be assigned to Guard Markers by locking onto the marker and sending them to it. Markers can be moved by locking onto them.
The Overlord himself isn't completely dependent upon his minions, as he is capable of pounding enemies in combat by pressing X or using a variety of spells by pressing Square. There are four categories of spell that are chosen by pressing the four directions on the D-pad. There are three spells in each of the following categories: Fire, Domination, Shield, and Minion. Fire spells are simple attacks, Domination spells weaken the enemy, Shield spells protect the Overlord, and Minion spells buff-up the minions.
Minions are divided into four tribes, each with a different color. Brown minions are the default, and are the most powerful fighters but otherwise have no special abilities. Red minions are fireproof and can throw fireballs but are physically weak and can't equip very much treasure. Green minions are nearly as strong as browns, can absorb poison, and turn invisible when placed at a Guard Marker. Blue minions are also physically pathetic but can swim, have immunity to magic, can damage ghosts, and can revive fallen minions. The Overlord can travel with any combination of minions and sort them by tribe by pressing the R1 button and choosing a tribe with one of the four face buttons.
The Overlord becomes more powerful in a way that is very similar to “The Legend of Zelda.” Scattered throughout the game are four types of “tower objects” that increase the Overlord's power by enhancing the number of minions he can command, increasing his life meter, increasing his mana meter, or giving him access to a new spell. Each of these objects, once located, must be dragged back to a teleport stone by a number of minions so the object can be installed in the tower. Unfortunately, minions tend to just disappear if left alone for too long, so the Overlord is forced to babysit them as they carry the goods back to the tower. The Overlord can also equip various battle gear that can be forged in the dark tower using one of three metals (that are unlocked as more forges are returned to the tower). The Overlord actually melts-down minions in his metallurgy, thus imbuing his equipment with different powers depending on the number and combination of minions used. Each of the abysses also contains a mold for a new unique piece of battle gear.
Finally, the much lauded “Be Evil or Be REALLY Evil” morality system that was one of the major selling points of “Overlord” is a joke. The “Evil” choices are actually just “Good” choices. The “Really Evil” choices are just plain “Evil.” The only difference between the two moralities is that the highest-level spell of each type changes depending on the Overlord's corruption level, which is increased by being Really Evil. Low corruption grants spells that have discipline: they won't harm friendly or neutral characters. High corruption grants spells that wantonly damage everything in the area of effect. It really is a pointless gameplay device which I, for one, would like to see go away. Let Peter Molyneux keep his stupid idea.
Overall
Overall, “Overlord: Raising Hell” is a solid port with a good-sized chunk of new material. Anyone who played and liked the Xbox 360 version should consider replaying the PS3 version for the new content. While not an entirely original game, “Overlord's” polished gameplay and unique story make it a worthwhile gaming experience. I recommend “Overlord: Raising Hell” to anyone who likes “Pikmin” and to fans of the Fantasy genre (especially fantasy fans who would love the opportunity to kill some hobbits and elves).
Presentation: 3.5/5
Story: 4.5/5
Gameplay: 4.5/5
Overall (not an average): 4.5/5
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