Initial Thoughts

I first slipped the Overlord disk into the XBox 360  hardouring some trepidation at the experience that lay ahead. The game has, in all honesty, met with mixed reviews but I attempted to keep an open mind because we all know how reliable game reviews can prove to be.

I have to admit that when I first played it, I wasn’t particularly enamoured either. It seemed slow going, way too linear to be a good RPG, and the controls were limited and shaky at best. Oblivion set a real benchmark for XBox 360 fantasy games, and Overlord didn’t look like it was going to keep up with the pace.

Fortunately, though, over time, its appeal began to become more and more obvious. You just have to go into it with your mind shut of all previous games because it doesn’t really compare to anything else before it.

The Game

The premise is a relatively simple one – some do-gooding heroes apparently eliminated the last evil Overlord and so you have been revived in order to spread chaos and evil throughout the land. Although, in all honesty, you can essentially play through as something of a hero.

Along your quest you will be guided by a small Yoda like creature and irritated to hell by your jester. However, it isn’t these companions that make the game unique and while the opportunity to be an evil doer is fun, it’s not that opportunity that sets the game apart either.

The Minions

Where the differences really kick in, is in the use of your horde of minions. As you progress deeper and deeper into the game you collect minion hives (brown, red, blue, and green) as well as corresponding life force. This life force can be used to summon minions from minion portals to aid you in your quests and fights.

While initially you will only be able to call upon 5 of the little brown fellows, this number increases up to a maximum of 50 – a true evil army to do your bidding.

At first, I thought the minions may be a seriously obnoxious aspect of the game, but it turns out I was very wrong indeed. They add a huge chunk of humour to the game and you will find yourself sniggering and smiling at the little chaps as they plummage, harass, and kill sheepies (“ooh, sheepies – I like sheepies”).

Each colour minion has certain abilities and specific weaknesses. For example the red minions can chuch fireballs, are resistant to fire, and can even put fires out. But, they’re also as weak as you couldn’t possible imagine and in a hand to hand situation you might find some of the more aggressive sheepies taking a chunk of their life away.

By using your horde and your obvious evil talents you need to bring the local villagers around to your way of thinking. Namely, you’re supposed to scare the hell out of them and force them to follow you and worship you.