Overlord:FOE (PC) Review

Sharpen your Weapons, Dust off your Minions, and Get with the Carnage – Gnarl

The last Overlord had fallen, and the world had been taken over by a peaceful bliss. Evil was all but wiped out, when the minions banded together in search of their next overlord. There was only one stipulation: the candidates must be deceased. Eventually four candidates were found: Inferna, a legendary and brutal warrior, crushed by rock trolls; necromancer Malady, taken her life in pursuit of a dark curse; Dwarven rogue Hakon and Dark Elf Prince Cryos, killed by the other – what a dark bargain! With this resurrection, let the chaos begin.

Overlord is a rarity, actively taking the role of the bad guy. Encouraging you to have fun destroying all that is good, in a comedic manner. Recruit your friends for a vicious game of co-op, where you can even turn on your teammates.

Gain control of four breed of minions in your quest for the ultimate evil: Browns, Blues, Greens and Reds. Browns are the first to join the party. They are rather hardy, your tanks, your meat shields, your bodyguard types. These guys will draw attacks away from you. Next are your blues. These little guys are cowards, they will hang back behind the combat, but when it counts, they will charge right up, and make sure that you are getting healed. It always helps to have a few of these guys on hand. Third are your greens. These sneaky lil’ guys like to teleport behind their victims beforethey attack. Bringing up the rear is your reds. These guys are unstable toward their enemies, and like to burn things. Suicide-bombing is their specialty, and they enjoy what they do.

Use your minions to help you collect all your loot, and do not miss a piece. Just be sure to keep your minions away from ‘The Golden’, a shiny, floral region full of sugar and happiness. Any minions that wander here, will be transformed into a fluffy bunny and turn against you. This region will also harm you, so be careful.

This game got the asthetics right. Bubbling lava, dingy floors, you feel like you’re right at home in the evil Netherdeep, home of ultimate evil. Minions standing on tables selling their wares. They even construct a growing monument in your honor. Check back to see how it has grown. The contrast of the ‘shiny’ Golden is on point. Bright, cheerful hues remind you of walking through a spring meadow. Cute pinks and purples pop against the grit of the dirt floors and charred wood remmants.

The soundtrack for Overlord: Fellowship of Evil seems to be a quality, subdued adventure theme. Nothing overly exciting, rather standard fare for the genre. The music draws you in as you explore the nooks and crannies of the levels. The voice over work is crisp and Gnarl’s explanations are clear. Ratchet’s commentary is amusing, and why shouldn’t it be, she’s the only female minion. And she gets to carry a large hammer.

The replay value here would be best seen as ‘moderate’. The story seems to be linear, with not a lot of room for variation. This will drive some players on to their next title, while others will find games like these as a mainstay. Get a group together, and see how quick they can quest through the entire campaign. Being able to choose whether your fighting style is that of a warrior, rogue, ranger or necromancer will have an effect on what sort of experience you get. For a single player campaign, it proved to be challenging, without being too insane. I never felt the need to adjust the difficulty level, thinking ‘this is too easy.’ I’m sure there are some of you out there, that is the first thing you look for.

Final Thoughts

I know Overlord: Fellowship of Evil has gotten a lot of poor reviews, and maybe it’s just me, but I didn’t think this game was as bad as others. The visuals were stunning. The music was just enough to keep me engaged, while not distracting from the gameplay. The minions had a tendency to run around like little kids hopped up on sugar, with little to no control until an enemy showed up to take their energy out on. And while touted to be able to help you pick up your loot, were a bit lackluster. If I wasn’t there in time, I would (and did) lose some of the available loot.

If this sounds like your kind of game, Overlord: Fellowship of Evil is available for PlayStation4, XBox One and PC.