Game of the Year: Overlord

[Obsoleet]

I just finished playing Overlord, and totally skipped it this past summer when it was released. But this game is awesome.. I am only an avid gamer, and usually am tired of all the formulas out there. I've been gaming since 1986 on the PC, so I've burned through everything the market has had to offer in the past 20 years.
You name a genre, I'm tired of it.

You might be thinking, game of the year??? But games like Crysis, Orange Box, UT3, COD4 simply do nothing for me. I enjoyed the older UTs, the HL series and COD1 though. It all feels very old hat.
I did purchase ETQW and it's the perfect shooter (finally, after having to endure EA's Battlefield series) for me. And will likely remain my only shooter for a long time.. anyway..

Once every 3 years or so I come across a game that is able to keep my attention and I love it.. for 2007 it's definitely Overlord.

My only regret is that there's not a cinematics viewer, I'd like to watch some of the games cinematics again. And since the game is "customizable" to how much corruption you have, there are multiple endings. I'd probably play it all over again if it unlocked the cinematics each time you played.

Anyway, highly recommended if you haven't played it already.
If there's any Sacrifice fans out there from a few years back, this game reminds me of that but I enjoyed OL more.

PC Gamer gave it a 9/10, that's about right. Not the other review sites out there who give it less! Fun, polished and addictive.
I'd highly recommend trying the demo of this game or buying it, available on Steam and I think that method gets more money to the developers.

Eagerly awaiting the expansion...

 

[samduhman]

I've bought it but have not had time to play it yet. It is nice to see a game that's somewhat different from the usual crap that is continuously regurgitated for our comsumption. Even though I do buy the hyped, highly publicized games. I definately look for unusual titles that most pass over without a second thought that I personally would enjoy.

 

[BladeVenom]

While it got decent ratings, I wouldn't expect many game of the year awards for it.

 

[pontifex]

i played it for a bit but it got pretty repetitive and i quit playing. nice ideas but not so grat execution. the humor was great though.

 

[ayabe]

I liked it, it was fun and different.

But GOTY? Negative Ghostrider the pattern is full.

 

[Crafty35a]

Originally posted by: pontifex
i played it for a bit but it got pretty repetitive and i quit playing. nice ideas but not so grat execution. the humor was great though.

I absolutely agree with you, Pontifex, and strongly disagree with the OP. I really enjoyed it for maybe three hours or so, then it got extremely repetitive and I completely lost interest. Right on about the humor, which I do appreciate in a game.

 

[imported_Section8]

I played the demo and I will definely buy the full version. Great game. Is Steam overpriced for this or is there another source where it is a better deal?

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: Crafty35a

Originally posted by: pontifex
i played it for a bit but it got pretty repetitive and i quit playing. nice ideas but not so grat execution. the humor was great though.

I absolutely agree with you, Pontifex, and strongly disagree with the OP. I really enjoyed it for maybe three hours or so, then it got extremely repetitive and I completely lost interest. Right on about the humor, which I do appreciate in a game.

damn ... me agreeing with Pontifex




i *finished* Overlord ... i *loved* the first third of the game - just playing with the minions was a blast - they have real humor and 'character' ... then it just got annoying and repetitive with the silly "puzzles" and 'move this here' and 'move this there' ... move the egg here and lure the birds only to fight with your own minions lack of precise controls ... it is like 'Fable: LC' with a party but halfway thru it appears they rushed it

I do NOT recommend OverLord
--i gave it a 6.9/10 ... passable, entertaining ... "OK" ...

ultimately - compared to Fable LC, the story falls FLAT ... you get a Deus Ex Machina Ending that really doesn't follow a carefully crafted story ... stoopid imo ... and the often lack of "control" of your minions got you restarting ... and i *hated* having to replay boring parts over-and-over just to get to the damn checkpoint and it is TEDIOUS - if the game had 'anytime save' it would be a lot shorter

Fun but frustrating
- recommended as a bargain-bin game by me [i got it for $27] in july

here is Pontifex' review which actually got me to buy it:


http://forums.anandtech.com/me...ey=y&keyword1=overlord

 

[jonks]

I played it for 2 hours or so, then got tired of it. Maybe I'll go back to it after I slog though the awesome releases of the past 6 weeks

 

[Engraver]

I liked it, but wouldn't call it anything close to a game of the year. Maybe if it was more similar to Dungeon Keeper in that you could customize your tower (not just buy decorations), larger variety of minions, capture your enemies, etc.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Originally posted by: Section8
I played the demo and I will definely buy the full version. Great game. Is Steam overpriced for this or is there another source where it is a better deal?

GameTap.com has it as part of their $10/month $60/year subscription, along with Jericho, the new Tomb Raider, Sam & Max, oldies like Baldur's Gate and Planescape: Torment.

 

[Obsoleet]

Originally posted by: pontifex
i played it for a bit but it got pretty repetitive and i quit playing. nice ideas but not so grat execution. the humor was great though.

I'm curious what you felt was not executed well?
Every game is going to have its detractors and advocates.. I tend to not find blockbusters that great and niche games tucked away a lot better.

For me, game of the year doesn't mean perfection, it means it was the most enjoyable experience of the year. I could cook up a few flaws for Overlord but overall the game was the right length, obviously repetitive like any game but to speak of "repetition" all that comes to my mind is playing the same shooters from 1991 till 2008.. (from Wolfenstein3D to CyberMage to COD4),
not this game.

This game had me hooked like an Adventure game used to back in the 1980s. Sure it was a task sometimes but you kept coming back for more to find out what happens next, or in this case what happens next and what new ability you'll get soon.

and most of the bad points I can think of related to my own lack of adaptibility to the enemy or environment, not an actual flaw in the game.

I find it fantastic, combat, spells, castle building, thieving wenches to your castle, picking a mistress, SLEEPING WITH THE MISTRESS , all the way down to the court jester and the titles he bestows upon the Overlord.

 

[imported_Section8]

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons

Originally posted by: Section8
I played the demo and I will definely buy the full version. Great game. Is Steam overpriced for this or is there another source where it is a better deal?

GameTap.com has it as part of their $10/month $60/year subscription, along with Jericho, the new Tomb Raider, Sam & Max, oldies like Baldur's Gate and Planescape: Torment.

Thanks Dave,

I decided to go with CC, $27.00 otd for pick up. Sam and Max rule!

 

[Obsoleet]

Still sticking with Overlord being best game of 2007.

 

[error8]

What the hell just happened here? You've started a thread 2 years ago and now you came back to confirm what you've said back then?????? Is this normal?

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: Obsoleet
Still sticking with Overlord being best game of 2007.

it *sucked*

a great idea and the first 1/3rd of the game was excellent

then it got TEDIOUS and repetitive

and there was no anytime save; so you start from the checkpoint and watch the same unskippable cutscenes

maybe 6.5/10 .. OK for bargain bin and nice DX9c visuals