Overlord II Review

Conclusions

Overlord II is a game which satisfies several urges that most people will feel at least at some points in their lives. For a start, the urge to smash stuff up. Whether you’re a closet smasher, an occasional social smasher or a fully blown, self confessed lover of smashing things, Overlord II has you comprehensively covered.

It also satisfies that urge we lowly mortals sometimes get to play God. Maybe some people would rather be sitting up in the clouds firing golden love arrows about rather than be perched on a stone throne in the depths of hell controlling goblins, but it's still great fun hoofing around with a shedload of little bleeders scurrying at your ankles, happy to follow your every whimsical command.

Most people also like to laugh too, and Overlord II is a very funny game. The satirical dialogue plays on the stereotypes of modern society very well and it puts a fresh and interesting spin on the fantasy genre. A good example are the Elves. They have dreadlocks, wear rainbow coloured woolly hats and say thing like, "why cant we just leave all this bad karma behind us maaaaaan?" while still maintaining their essential Elf qualities.



The first few hours of playing through Overlord II are almost dull enough to have you stop playing it, and it would have been a real shame had I given in, because there's actually a lot to like about the game. The difficulty curve finally starts presenting entertainment when you get access to your second type of minion and some strategy starts to unfold before your glowing yellow eyes. The Green and Blue minions who come along later add more complexity and longevity to the game and make sure that things don't revert back to the stage of boredom.

The minion advancement system provides incentive to play tactically and carefully and gives you the satisfaction of a job well done when you manage to keep them all alive, kicking and mouthing off. If you don’t normally play RTS games but want something deeper than the average FPS then Overlord II is well worth a look as it's a game that successfully blends action with a light smattering of strategy. It's also funny and engaging thanks to its perspective. Be warned though, if you do get into the habit of being an evil destructive, bossy ruler of the masses just make sure not to bring that side of yourself to work.

Score Guide