Overlord: Raising Hell

 PlayStation 3
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 32 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 22 out of 32
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 32
  3. Negative: 3 out of 32
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  1. BaronMonaco
    Jul 30, 2016
    7
    Overlord is based on a good idea, play the bad guy in a fantasy world , but you nee more than ideas to make a good video game, so lets see how it fares.
    PS: Given the fact that I didn't play the original game I'll judge the extension as part of the game and not on its own.
    Technically the game is clearly dated and could run on a PS2 if you compare it to games like God of War 2, but the    Overlord is based on a good idea, play the bad guy in a fantasy world , but you nee more than ideas to make a good video game, so lets see how it fares.
    PS: Given the fact that I didn't play the original game I'll judge the extension as part of the game and not on its own.

    Technically the game is clearly dated and could run on a PS2 if you compare it to games like God of War 2, but the framerate is steady even when there is 50 characters on the screen, and the design is good with childish looking characters in the opposite of the violence of the universe.

    Gameplay wise the game is more a RTS (real time strategy) game than a true action RPG, because sure your character can attack on his own but it will be incredibly difficult and you'd better use your minions to fight, they come in four different classes each with their own speciality (healers, assassins, ranger and tanks), use them wisely as they can gain power by looting enemies but if they die the loot is lost and your replacement unit will start with nothing.It's fun if you like those strategic games but not if you'd prefer do the fighting yourself.

    Concerning the story I'm a bit disappointed as even if you're suppose to be the evil itself and that you are fighting halflings, dwarfs, and humans, it's them that are bad and you're going to save the population, it would have been so more fun if you were here to destroy good rulers and impose your reign. The game will last about 20 to 25 hours which is a good time for this genre.

    So in conclusion Overlord is a good game for the ones looking for a strategic game, which is pretty rare on console, but the disappointing story and the lack of depth in its core mechanics makes the game a bit repetitive. It could have been better but overall if you want to manage a minion's army I would advise it.    … Expand
  2. JohnnyN.
    Jun 28, 2008
    10
    Triumph realy out did them self with this great game GFJ.
  3. JustinO.
    Jun 27, 2008
    10
    This game is sweet and intriguing. The first game I got for my ps3.
  4. steveNicklesoft
    Jun 25, 2008
    0
    No goof, no badness, horrible.
  5. JohnD
    Jun 28, 2008
    10
    This is a very good starter game for new gammers and is an all around good game I would reccomend it to anyone.
  6. JJZ.
    Jun 26, 2008
    10
    Some of the best fun I have had all year~!
  7. ShamusM.
    Jun 27, 2008
    10
    Great game for what you pay for good storyline and graphics.
  8. Borishnikov
    Aug 2, 2011
    7
    This game is pretty funny. The minions says loads of funny things, the graphic is joyful. Gameplay is simple and immediate. The settings are varied, but after some hours the game could result boring and repetitive.
    The expansion pack is nice, and will make meet you some old "friends" from the main game.
  9. destinyfan1
    Dec 8, 2016
    9
    this is one of my favorite games for sure and even when i get 40 i will remember it

    pluspoints

    + controlling minions is a hell of fun
    +minions can be funny
    + cool enemies
    +good bossfights
    +cool enviroments ( it fits perfect with the overlord world)

    now the negative points

    - minions can be dumb
    - only one dlc is not that much
    it is truely a very good gimes just try it .....please
  10. LT_Gruber
    Jan 10, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Masterpiece of a game and one of my personal favorites.

    Overlord is an amazing game. I loved the concept of the game, the originality, the humor and the overall feeling of this game so much.

    You play as a badass half dude; half demon called the Overlord. You are resurrected from your tomb by your loyal subjects, simply called Minions. It is your responsibility to take up arms, overthrow all the seven worthless leaders in the kingdom and establish yourself as the ultimate ruler of the lands. To achieve this, you need to gather all your Minion types, expand your horde size, retrieve your stolen artifacts and improve your weapons and armor. I really liked the simple concept of the story, yet every corrupt ruler represents one of the seven sins that you must overcome. Greed, Gluttony, Sloth, Lust, Envy, Wrath and Pride.

    You can make various choices throughout the game. Evil or good; let someone live, give back the treasure to the people etc. It affects the ultimate ending of the game and this way; you can play the game again to see what will happen if you do it different this time.

    I really liked the story throughout and the epic plot twist in the end, in which the previous Overlord takes control over your army, and you are on your own, was epic. You were the eight hero that was supposed to slay the old overlord but got banished to a tomb, from which you were resurrected at the start of the game. When you defeated the old Overlord, you reclaim your title, tower and army and based on your choices, one of the eight different ending cut scenes will play.

    In your army, you got four different types of Minions. The brown Minions are your fighters and deal heavy damage to enemies in close combat. The red Minions are ranged fighters who throw fireballs and set stuff on fire. The Green Minions are assassins and use backstabbing attacks on unaware enemies. The blue Minions are the healers and can resurrect fallen Minions. Combining the right Minions in your army is crucial for success and can determine victory or defeat. You collect different forms of life energy from slain animals and enemies to increase the number of Minions that you can summon from the pits.

    On your conquests, you can find weapons and armor scattered around. Your Minions can pick it up, proudly displaying it above their heads and then put in on. This way, you increase their damage and resistance to damage. To top it off, they look badass when they are in full armor. However, your Minions will put everything on their heads so a sheep hat or a pumpkin is not uncommon and looks ridiculous.

    You also find different relics that your Minions must pick up and drag to the nearest tower portal, so it is stored safely in your castle. These upgrades consist of Health upgrades, Mana upgrades and horde size increase. They are, of course, heavily guarded and not easy to obtain.

    I still think that Overlord looks very pretty. The art style, the soft shaders and the landscapes still look fantastic in my opinion. The animations are still very nice to look at and I really like the interaction with almost all the objects around you.
    The sound and music in Overlord are really well done. It uses trumpets and other blow instruments to signal commands, recall your minions or to send them into battle. The ambient music is nice and calm and adapts perfectly to the situation or scene.

    The expansion, Overlord: Raising Hell adds more multiplayer components and an Abyss to all the five kingdoms that you have visited before. In each Abyss, the hero that you overthrew or slayed in that region, is being tortured forever. The realm is guarded by wraiths, which are really powerful skeleton like creatures.

    To gain control over the Abyss, you need to acquire the Abyss stone. This is easier said than done, however. Besides from the murderous Wraiths that can kill you with two hits, there are a lot of very, ridiculously hard puzzles in which you use the slain hero as a ball or puppet to complete it. Your Minions must interact with the hero to let him perform certain tasks or movements.

    The main problem with the puzzles and these Abysses in general, is the unforgiving difficulty. It is brutal and you can lose your entire army of Minions in just one mistake. The Raising Hell expansion is one of the most difficult games that I ever completed. A lot of swear words and frustration escaped my mouth when playing it and to this day, I yet have to find something that matches this legendary, unforgiving difficulty.

    In the end, Overlord and its expansion, Raising Hell, still stands in my personal favorite top ten games of all time and when writing this review, I suddenly feel the urge again to play it once more.

    Definitely recommend it.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

71
#71 Best PS3 Game of 2008
72
#72 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2008

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
72

Mixed or average reviews - based on 35 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 35
  2. Mixed: 19 out of 35
  3. Negative: 0 out of 35
  1. Play UK
    65
    Overlord is a game that serves to please its master. Just stand back, lift and arm and raise holy hell. [Issue#167, p.92]
  2. VideoGamer
    70
    While the game's superb comedy feel makes the experience great fun, any evilness is all but lost, which is a shame as a touch more comedy cruelty would have been brilliant.
    Read full review
  3. PSX Extreme
    81
    Overlord may not be the most dazzling game you'll play this year, but it is one of the freshest in execution.
    Read full review
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