Overlord II
Encyclopedia
Overlord II is a 2009 third-person
action-adventure game
and sequel to the 2007 video game Overlord
, developed by Triumph Studios
and published by Codemasters
for Microsoft Windows
, Xbox 360
, and PlayStation 3
. All versions were released in North America on June 23, 2009, then later in Europe on June 26 and Australia on July 9, 2009, alongside two spin-offs; Overlord: Dark Legend
and Overlord: Minions
for the Wii
and the Nintendo DS
respectively.
Continuing the style of the series, the game is set in a fantasy realm where players take the role of the Overlord, a mysterious warrior whose goal is to destroy or conquer the land by commanding hordes of small creatures known as "Minions". The story directly follows the events of the first Overlord game, with the succeeding Overlord rising to power opposing a Roman
-styled military power known as the "Glorious Empire". The story was written by Rhianna Pratchett
and maintains a satirical tone and dark humor towards the fantasy setting and genre.
perspective who has command over hordes of small goblin
-like creatures known as minions to travel the landscape and defeat various civilizations with the Roman
-style "Glorious Empire" being the prime foe. Initially only the brown minions are available but eventually the Overlord will regain command of the others that are essential in overcoming obstacles that obstruct further progression of the story. With up to four kinds, each minion type is suited for different purposes such as browns for fighting and blues for healing fallen minions.
While the Overlord himself can also fight in combat with various weapons and armor types that gradually become available and the ability to cast spells to either help minions or hinder opponents, the majority of tasks are performed by the minion hordes. While minions retain many abilities including using scattered items as weaponry and armor, carry large objects in a group, turning cranks and finding treasure, minions can now also operate siege weapons, ships/boats and other war machines and, once captured, can mount and ride wild animals to help in combat and overcome obstacles. The Overlord also has the ability to occasionally take direct control over the current strongest minion to lead the rest through the use of the "Possession Stone".
The Overlord and his minions reside in a dark tower in a dimension known as the "Netherworld", where the Overlord builds up his minion forces by harvesting life-force from fallen creatures that, when gathered, can be brought back into the real world as a minion by summoning them through Minion Gates scattered across the landscape and through the Overlord himself in the less common Netherworld Gates. Treasure accumulated over time can also be spent on upgrades for the tower, whether they’re upgrades for gameplay or just decorative, along with large contraptions and magical objects that the minions can be ordered to return to gates, thus the tower. The choice system returns once more in Overlord II, where at certain points during quests that can be taken providing two paths; the Destruction Overlord that focuses on destroying towns and killing all in his path and the Domination Overlord that rather focuses on enslaving defeated foes or neutral parties to worship and work for him. The choice themselves not only affect the story and interactive with NPCs, but can alter the look of the Overlord and allow certain powers to become available. Other choices such as choosing a mistress now allow the Overlord to have multiple mistresses
and can (re)designate any to be the primary mistress at any time.
Besides the single-player campaign, players can play various multiplayer modes online and local, both competitive and cooperative. Competitive modes includes Dominate, where rival player Overlords attempt to capture sections of the map, and Pillage where they must capture large portions of treasure. Cooperative, on the other hand, sees player Overlords working together to either defend against a constant onslaught in Survival or attack powerful foes in Invasion.
. Instead, the role of the Overlord is taken up by his child, who was removed from the original Tower by his mother to live in a mountain village, but is thrown out by the villagers to appease the Glorious Empire and, on his escape, taken in by the Minions.
Gnarl, the aged Minion advisor from the previous games, is the main recurring character in Overlord II. As an adviser and initial tutor, Gnarl engages in most of the game's dialogue, including narration, outlining objectives, dropping hints and even making jokes. Other Minions returning from Overlord include Forge Master Giblet and Rose, mistress of the previous Overlord and the Mother of the current one.
Characters new to the series include the Overlord's three mistresses: Kelda, a strong willed village girl and the only childhood friend to the Overlord; Juno, a seductive and spoiled Empire maiden; and Queen Fay, leader of the Elves of Everlight before being corrupted by the Overlord. The story's central antagonist is the reclusive Emperor Solarius, ruler of the Glorious Empire, who is committed to conquering the world and removing all magical creatures. While Solarius appears reclusive, he has a number of henchmen who govern the various conquered lands. His second-in-command, Marius, acts as his spokesperson. A secondary antagonist is Florian Greenheart, leader of a band of fanatical environmentalist
elves.
. When the survivors fled to new lands, the Glorious Empire
came into being and it began to take control of the new lands, while purging all magical creatures. The old Overlord's mistress Rose gives birth to his child, the "Overlord". Rose takes the child to the mountain village of Nordberg and leaves him to grow up there, where all of the villagers (except a girl named Kelda, the Overlad's only friend) fear him, referring to him as "Witch-Boy". The brown minions find him and help cause local havoc. When the Glorious Empire besieges Nordberg, the villagers offer him up to save the town. A yeti
, having been freed by the Overlord during his escape, rushes over an ice-covered lake, causing the ice sheet to break, freezing both the Overlord and the yeti until the Minions take him to the Netherworld. The Overlad is raised by Gnarl and the minions as the new Overlord while the Glorious Empire expands its borders.
Upon coming of age and passing Gnarl's tests, the Overlord scouts the Nordberg countryside with the Brown Minions, encountering a band of fanatical environmentalist
elves led by Florian Greenheart, who try to prevent him from slaying baby seals, and end up taking in the yeti. Tracking the elves to one of their many Sanctuaries
, the Overlord recovers the Red Minions, and uses them to destroy the Sanctuary, earning the wrath of the elven Queen Fay. The actions of the Glorious Empire lead Gnarl to classify them as a serious threat, and the Overlord heads out to both conquer the world and destroy the Empire. This begins with the Overlord capturing Nordberg, taking a now adult Kelda as his first mistress, and choosing to either enslave or destroy the village, along with an Empire governor
named Borius. After melting the glaciers to free up a sailing ship, the Overlord and his horde travel to the flooded Everlight Reef, so they may access the elven lands of Everlight.
On arriving, the Overlord finds that Everlight has already been captured by the Empire, with the town being used as a resort
by Empire nobles. After finding the Green Minions in the jungle and recovering the Green Hive from a nearby Empire fort, the Overlord takes control of Everlight, taking Juno (a seductress accused of being a witch by other Empire women) as a second mistress, and either kills or enslaves the town's inhabitants. Juno tells the Overlord how to access the Empire's interior territories, but while attempting to sneak in as a local governor, the Overlord falls into the slums. While exploring the slums, the Overlord comes across the Arena, a large Colosseum
-like structure where magical beings are killed in gladiator
-based games. The Blue Minions are rediscovered in the prisons underneath the Arena, but, before he can escape, the Overlord is apprehended by Marius, advisor to Emperor Solarius and thrown into the Arena. The Overlord defeats the waves of opponents including the yeti from before, in the process destroying a portion of the arena. Although Solarius and Marius flee, the Blue Hive is recovered, and the player has the option of either capturing the yeti, or killing it. Back at the Netherworld tower, the Overlord is visited by a mysterious woman who Gnarl vaguely recognizes. The Overlord travels to the Wastelands (the site of the old Overlord's tower), and is tasked by Gnarl with finding the twelve shards of the Tower Heart. After encountering the elves final
Sanctuary, Queen Fay and Florian help the Overlord to reassemble the Tower Heart while Florian is captured by the Empire after leading the Overlord to the shards, and Fay regretfully allows the Overlord to drain four shrines to power up the Tower Heart. As this is not enough, the Overlord then drains Fay of her magical energy, corrupting her and taking her as his third mistress.
With the Tower Heart restored, the Overlord lays siege to the Empire’s capital by catapulting the Heart itself into the city’s anti-magic barrier. While laying waste to the city temples, the Overlord is confronted once again by the mysterious woman who is revealed to be Rose, the old Overlord’s mistress and current Overlord’s mother. She reveals that the Empire was to bring order to the land for balance between good and evil, but Solarius let the power go to his head. Upon storming the palace, Florian appears, but reveals that he is, in reality, Solarius. Because he was an elf, but of a non-magical variety, he attempted to harness the power of the abandoned Tower Heart, but instead caused the Cataclysm and inadvertently spawned the fear of magic. From this hatred, he created the Empire and gathered the magic of the world's inhabitants for his own use. The raw magical energy drained from the captured magical creatues was collected in a vat, which Solarius then dives into hoping to become a god; but instead becomes trapped inside a giant, leech-like monster, which is hailed as the Devourer by Marius. The Overlord battles and destroys both the Devourer and Solarius. Depending on the player’s actions during the game
, one of three ending cutscenes plays: one for pure Domination, one for pure Destruction, and one for all other points on the scale. The Overlord either destroys the land or enslaves the populace, with the minions throwing huge parties. Either way, Gnarl reveals that even the Overlord’s power might wane, finishing once again with "Evil always finds a way" before laughing maniacally off screen.
and Overlord: Minions
. According to Lennart Sas, director and Overlord lead at Triumph Studios, the intention for Overlord II was "massively increases the scope of the original concept", already advertising promotional screenshots displaying the new features, such as the minions ability to ride mounted creatures. According to Sas the reason behind the sequel was due to the "massive amount creative opportunity remaining in the concept" with "an improved game engine with high production values", mostly to increase the overall scope and "epic feel", such as the inclusion of large scale battles and the use of war machines and ships. Further more, the developers also wanted to fine-tune aspects from the original like an on screen mini-map interference while retaining the basic gameplay element. As with the original Overlord, Lennart did admit influence from similar games that allowed players take the role of a character with control over other units such as Pikmin
and Sacrifice while also mentioning much of the differentiating style being great a wholly unique experience. There were changes to the gameplay in order to suit the game’s personality such as the Neatherworld replacing the Dark Tower, being "much more alive with minion culture" and expanding the strategy elements being "important [to] expanded what the minions can do. Overlord is all about the minions. Rather than adding more base minion types (which would make controls more difficult and blur the lines between the minions), the four races are now stronger, more destructive and funnier then before." The choice system was improved over the first due to some complaints the Overlord could do good deeds over evil ones. Instead this was replaced with the "Dominate or Destroy" structure instead.
(daughter of Terry Pratchett
) was announced to return as the writer for the story, who was originally one of multiple writers before being the lead writer due to her "unique style and wit" being "a great match with the style and the story framework". According to Rhianna, the creative thought process behind the premise for Overlord was the appeal of villains in stories; "traditionally the bad guys always have the best of everything; the best lines, the best outfits and the best - and fluffiest - cats", feeling that "Overlord taps into what some games are lacking and that's pure, unadulterated, good fun. It produces this unrestrained, almost child-like grin in players when they see their Minions looting and pillaging, bringing back presents and dressing up in all manner of attire." The workable humor of the series was said to stem from the gameplay itself that "the gameplay, environments, missions, minion antics, voice acting and script all worked well together", which would apparently not work if "against really straight gameplay or bland environments."
Rhianna commented that due to the "active, not passive" way of story telling video games had, characterization is consequently done in a longer time frame of script, along with the "flexable" nature due to the integration of story and gameplay. As a result, the story of Overlord II (as well as Overlord: Minions
and Overlord: Dark Legend
) was written in order to "sit well in the Overlord world, but not be too reliant on players having played the previous games." In the case of Overlord II specifically, the story was to remain fresh by going beyond the previous satire of fantasy by including other themes, some of which being relevant to modern times, with the "Roman
esque theme" being "a lot more of what you might call modern issues underlying the story and gameplay; environmental destruction, climate change, resource hording, propaganda and so on, but spun through Overlord's twisted, heroic fantasy setting", as well as some characterization being built off modern popular culture. For example the character Florin according to Rhianna was to her "loosely based on that 'Crying for Britney
' guy." Because of expanded themes and by now established setting, Rhianna felt that the sequel was "a stronger story for it and feels more cohesive than the first game." Additionally, the story was said to have benefited due to the increased co-work with the Triumph Studios development team, with story and level design being developed consistently together.
and GAME
offered collectible Minion figurines, one of each kind for those who pre-ordered the Overlord II or the Nintendo spin-offs.
In addition to its pre-release promotion, Codemasters promoted Overlord through numerous internet based marketing campaigns. The initial annocunment of the game humorously focused on a portion of the game referred to as "clubbing baby seals" that was featured in the first screenshots and playable demo. This later became involved in an online mini-game entitled "Whack-A-Seal", a game in the same style whac-a-mole
where a minion would club baby seals that popped up from holes in the ice. A live-action parody of television talk shows was also produced called "The Overlord Show", where a well dressed presenter wearing the Overlord's signature helmet named Max Goreman would show off minions to a studio audience and on stage guests and how they can help with their problems, such as incinerating a woman's ex-boyfriend, before the minions would then violently rush the audience, much to Goreman's delight.
Long before the release of the finished product, Lennart Sas had already announced plans to develop further downloadable content (DLC) with the intention of releasing it closer to the official release date of the game, considering the content released for the last game to be "experimental" and "came a little too late after the release to appeal to all Overlord's players". The first DLC, entitled "Battle Rock Nemesis", was released on 30 July 2009 over Xbox Live
and PlayStation Network: this DLC replicated the single-player battle arena from the original Overlord that allowed players to engage with their minions in further combat with enemies defeated during the single-player story.
complimented the game’s premise, still kept enjoyable from the previous Overlord, that "commanding a legion of hilariously evil little critters to plunder and wreck everything in reach is the game's most basic appeal, and something that never really seems to get old." This linked in with the game’s humour, particularly the minion’s personality and charm, with GameSpy
complimenting "the maniacal Gremlin-esque voices and actions of the minions, making them at once both intimidating and strangely endearing", with the added feature of naming and resurrecting certain minions that resulted in "a surprising attachment." X-Play
echoed this view alone with utilizing the hordes as "addictive, because you really do feel as if you're controlling your own private Gremlin horde."
On its gameplay, Official Xbox Magazine
called it a "unique blend of action and strategy", helped with the added improvements over the first, including an in game mini-map and expanded options such as upgrades and choices. Eurogamer
called the controls "simple yet flexible", but did find issues with an apparent "slightly wayward camera system". However, IGN
considered the camera issues "painful" for being linked to control over actions at the same time. Between versions, the PC version is noted for having improved camera control over its console counterparts, with the option of shifting the camera via computer mouse described by GameSpot
as "extremely handy" as opposed to the fixed console analog control. The checkpoint system was not as well received, with GamePro
describing it as "unforgiving" at times.
Game Informer
felt a number of features, such as the multiplayer, were "tacked on"; this along with numerous technical issues led them to conclude that "Overlord II just feels like an unpolished retread of familiar ground." Graphically, Overlord II was noted for being a noticeable upgrade from the last game, despite additional complaints of glitches; Team Xbox summarizing that the graphics had "been improved, but there are still chunky spots". Game Trailers, noted that character animations during cutscenes were best described as "inert", but that the game was helped by "its dark sense of humor... coming out prominently in the game’s colourful voice acting". GameZone
praised the soundtrack as "wonderfully cinematic and has that fantasy movie feel to it."
Third-person shooter
Third-person shooter is a genre of 3D action games in which the player character is visible on-screen, and the gameplay consists primarily of shooting.-Definition:...
action-adventure game
Action-adventure game
An action-adventure game is a video game that combines elements of the adventure game genre with various action game elements. It is perhaps the broadest and most diverse genre in gaming, and can include many games which might better be categorized under narrow genres...
and sequel to the 2007 video game Overlord
Overlord (2007 video game)
Overlord is a third-person action-adventure game developed by Triumph Studios and published by Codemasters for the Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows and PlayStation 3...
, developed by Triumph Studios
Triumph Studios
Triumph Studios is a computer game development company based in Delft, the Netherlands, founded in 1997. It has developed several games for the PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.- Games :* Age of Wonders, released 31 October 1999...
and published by Codemasters
Codemasters
The Codemasters Software Company Limited, or Codemasters is a British video game developer founded by Richard and David Darling in 1986...
for Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, and PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
. All versions were released in North America on June 23, 2009, then later in Europe on June 26 and Australia on July 9, 2009, alongside two spin-offs; Overlord: Dark Legend
Overlord: Dark Legend
Overlord: Dark Legend is a 2009 third-person action-adventure game developed by Climax Studios and published by Codemasters for the Nintendo Wii. The game was released on 23 June in North America, 26 June in Europe, and 2 July in Australia....
and Overlord: Minions
Overlord: Minions
Overlord: Minions is a 2009 puzzle video game developed by Climax Studios and published by Codemasters for the Nintendo DS. It features the minions from the 2007 Overlord video game as the primary protagonists, tasked with the mission to solve puzzles and fight enemies. They are controlled by the...
for the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
and the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
respectively.
Continuing the style of the series, the game is set in a fantasy realm where players take the role of the Overlord, a mysterious warrior whose goal is to destroy or conquer the land by commanding hordes of small creatures known as "Minions". The story directly follows the events of the first Overlord game, with the succeeding Overlord rising to power opposing a Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
-styled military power known as the "Glorious Empire". The story was written by Rhianna Pratchett
Rhianna Pratchett
Rhianna Pratchett is a freelance computer games scriptwriter, narrative designer and former journalist...
and maintains a satirical tone and dark humor towards the fantasy setting and genre.
Gameplay
The core gameplay from the previous Overlord game remains intact in the sequel, with the player controlling the Overlord character in a third-personThird-person shooter
Third-person shooter is a genre of 3D action games in which the player character is visible on-screen, and the gameplay consists primarily of shooting.-Definition:...
perspective who has command over hordes of small goblin
Goblin
A goblin is a legendary evil or mischievous illiterate creature, a grotesquely evil or evil-like phantom.They are attributed with various abilities, temperaments and appearances depending on the story and country of origin. In some cases, goblins have been classified as constantly annoying little...
-like creatures known as minions to travel the landscape and defeat various civilizations with the Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
-style "Glorious Empire" being the prime foe. Initially only the brown minions are available but eventually the Overlord will regain command of the others that are essential in overcoming obstacles that obstruct further progression of the story. With up to four kinds, each minion type is suited for different purposes such as browns for fighting and blues for healing fallen minions.
While the Overlord himself can also fight in combat with various weapons and armor types that gradually become available and the ability to cast spells to either help minions or hinder opponents, the majority of tasks are performed by the minion hordes. While minions retain many abilities including using scattered items as weaponry and armor, carry large objects in a group, turning cranks and finding treasure, minions can now also operate siege weapons, ships/boats and other war machines and, once captured, can mount and ride wild animals to help in combat and overcome obstacles. The Overlord also has the ability to occasionally take direct control over the current strongest minion to lead the rest through the use of the "Possession Stone".
The Overlord and his minions reside in a dark tower in a dimension known as the "Netherworld", where the Overlord builds up his minion forces by harvesting life-force from fallen creatures that, when gathered, can be brought back into the real world as a minion by summoning them through Minion Gates scattered across the landscape and through the Overlord himself in the less common Netherworld Gates. Treasure accumulated over time can also be spent on upgrades for the tower, whether they’re upgrades for gameplay or just decorative, along with large contraptions and magical objects that the minions can be ordered to return to gates, thus the tower. The choice system returns once more in Overlord II, where at certain points during quests that can be taken providing two paths; the Destruction Overlord that focuses on destroying towns and killing all in his path and the Domination Overlord that rather focuses on enslaving defeated foes or neutral parties to worship and work for him. The choice themselves not only affect the story and interactive with NPCs, but can alter the look of the Overlord and allow certain powers to become available. Other choices such as choosing a mistress now allow the Overlord to have multiple mistresses
Polygamy
Polygamy is a marriage which includes more than two partners...
and can (re)designate any to be the primary mistress at any time.
Besides the single-player campaign, players can play various multiplayer modes online and local, both competitive and cooperative. Competitive modes includes Dominate, where rival player Overlords attempt to capture sections of the map, and Pillage where they must capture large portions of treasure. Cooperative, on the other hand, sees player Overlords working together to either defend against a constant onslaught in Survival or attack powerful foes in Invasion.
Characters
The silent protagonist Overlord from the first game is not present in Overlord II, as he was trapped in the Abyss dimension at the end of the expansion, Overlord: Raising HellOverlord: Raising Hell
Overlord: Raising Hell is the official expansion to the 2007 action/adventure video game Overlord, which was released available for download over Xbox Live for the 360 version and online for the PC version on February 15, 2008 alongside additional multiplayer add-ons...
. Instead, the role of the Overlord is taken up by his child, who was removed from the original Tower by his mother to live in a mountain village, but is thrown out by the villagers to appease the Glorious Empire and, on his escape, taken in by the Minions.
Gnarl, the aged Minion advisor from the previous games, is the main recurring character in Overlord II. As an adviser and initial tutor, Gnarl engages in most of the game's dialogue, including narration, outlining objectives, dropping hints and even making jokes. Other Minions returning from Overlord include Forge Master Giblet and Rose, mistress of the previous Overlord and the Mother of the current one.
Characters new to the series include the Overlord's three mistresses: Kelda, a strong willed village girl and the only childhood friend to the Overlord; Juno, a seductive and spoiled Empire maiden; and Queen Fay, leader of the Elves of Everlight before being corrupted by the Overlord. The story's central antagonist is the reclusive Emperor Solarius, ruler of the Glorious Empire, who is committed to conquering the world and removing all magical creatures. While Solarius appears reclusive, he has a number of henchmen who govern the various conquered lands. His second-in-command, Marius, acts as his spokesperson. A secondary antagonist is Florian Greenheart, leader of a band of fanatical environmentalist
Environmentalist
An environmentalist broadly supports the goals of the environmental movement, "a political and ethical movement that seeks to improve and protect the quality of the natural environment through changes to environmentally harmful human activities"...
elves.
Plot
A generation has passed since the events of the first Overlord, with that game's Overlord now the ruler of the Abyss after being trapped following the events of Raising Hell. The Tower Heart was broken shortly after the old Overlord's disappearance, causing a cataclysm, which destroyed much of the old land and started a magical plagueEpidemic
In epidemiology, an epidemic , occurs when new cases of a certain disease, in a given human population, and during a given period, substantially exceed what is expected based on recent experience...
. When the survivors fled to new lands, the Glorious Empire
Empire
The term empire derives from the Latin imperium . Politically, an empire is a geographically extensive group of states and peoples united and ruled either by a monarch or an oligarchy....
came into being and it began to take control of the new lands, while purging all magical creatures. The old Overlord's mistress Rose gives birth to his child, the "Overlord". Rose takes the child to the mountain village of Nordberg and leaves him to grow up there, where all of the villagers (except a girl named Kelda, the Overlad's only friend) fear him, referring to him as "Witch-Boy". The brown minions find him and help cause local havoc. When the Glorious Empire besieges Nordberg, the villagers offer him up to save the town. A yeti
Yeti
The Yeti or Abominable Snowman is an ape-like cryptid said to inhabit the Himalayan region of Nepal, and Tibet. The names Yeti and Meh-Teh are commonly used by the people indigenous to the region, and are part of their history and mythology...
, having been freed by the Overlord during his escape, rushes over an ice-covered lake, causing the ice sheet to break, freezing both the Overlord and the yeti until the Minions take him to the Netherworld. The Overlad is raised by Gnarl and the minions as the new Overlord while the Glorious Empire expands its borders.
Upon coming of age and passing Gnarl's tests, the Overlord scouts the Nordberg countryside with the Brown Minions, encountering a band of fanatical environmentalist
Environmentalist
An environmentalist broadly supports the goals of the environmental movement, "a political and ethical movement that seeks to improve and protect the quality of the natural environment through changes to environmentally harmful human activities"...
elves led by Florian Greenheart, who try to prevent him from slaying baby seals, and end up taking in the yeti. Tracking the elves to one of their many Sanctuaries
Sanctuary
A sanctuary is any place of safety. They may be categorized into human and non-human .- Religious sanctuary :A religious sanctuary can be a sacred place , or a consecrated area of a church or temple around its tabernacle or altar.- Sanctuary as a sacred place :#Sanctuary as a sacred place:#:In...
, the Overlord recovers the Red Minions, and uses them to destroy the Sanctuary, earning the wrath of the elven Queen Fay. The actions of the Glorious Empire lead Gnarl to classify them as a serious threat, and the Overlord heads out to both conquer the world and destroy the Empire. This begins with the Overlord capturing Nordberg, taking a now adult Kelda as his first mistress, and choosing to either enslave or destroy the village, along with an Empire governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
named Borius. After melting the glaciers to free up a sailing ship, the Overlord and his horde travel to the flooded Everlight Reef, so they may access the elven lands of Everlight.
On arriving, the Overlord finds that Everlight has already been captured by the Empire, with the town being used as a resort
Resort
A resort is a place used for relaxation or recreation, attracting visitors for holidays or vacations. Resorts are places, towns or sometimes commercial establishment operated by a single company....
by Empire nobles. After finding the Green Minions in the jungle and recovering the Green Hive from a nearby Empire fort, the Overlord takes control of Everlight, taking Juno (a seductress accused of being a witch by other Empire women) as a second mistress, and either kills or enslaves the town's inhabitants. Juno tells the Overlord how to access the Empire's interior territories, but while attempting to sneak in as a local governor, the Overlord falls into the slums. While exploring the slums, the Overlord comes across the Arena, a large Colosseum
Colosseum
The Colosseum, or the Coliseum, originally the Flavian Amphitheatre , is an elliptical amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy, the largest ever built in the Roman Empire...
-like structure where magical beings are killed in gladiator
Gladiator
A gladiator was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals. Some gladiators were volunteers who risked their legal and social standing and their lives by appearing in the...
-based games. The Blue Minions are rediscovered in the prisons underneath the Arena, but, before he can escape, the Overlord is apprehended by Marius, advisor to Emperor Solarius and thrown into the Arena. The Overlord defeats the waves of opponents including the yeti from before, in the process destroying a portion of the arena. Although Solarius and Marius flee, the Blue Hive is recovered, and the player has the option of either capturing the yeti, or killing it. Back at the Netherworld tower, the Overlord is visited by a mysterious woman who Gnarl vaguely recognizes. The Overlord travels to the Wastelands (the site of the old Overlord's tower), and is tasked by Gnarl with finding the twelve shards of the Tower Heart. After encountering the elves final
Final
Final or The Final may refer to:*Final , the last or championship round of a match, game, or other contest*Final , a keyword in the Java programming language*Final , a keyword in the PHP programming language...
Sanctuary, Queen Fay and Florian help the Overlord to reassemble the Tower Heart while Florian is captured by the Empire after leading the Overlord to the shards, and Fay regretfully allows the Overlord to drain four shrines to power up the Tower Heart. As this is not enough, the Overlord then drains Fay of her magical energy, corrupting her and taking her as his third mistress.
With the Tower Heart restored, the Overlord lays siege to the Empire’s capital by catapulting the Heart itself into the city’s anti-magic barrier. While laying waste to the city temples, the Overlord is confronted once again by the mysterious woman who is revealed to be Rose, the old Overlord’s mistress and current Overlord’s mother. She reveals that the Empire was to bring order to the land for balance between good and evil, but Solarius let the power go to his head. Upon storming the palace, Florian appears, but reveals that he is, in reality, Solarius. Because he was an elf, but of a non-magical variety, he attempted to harness the power of the abandoned Tower Heart, but instead caused the Cataclysm and inadvertently spawned the fear of magic. From this hatred, he created the Empire and gathered the magic of the world's inhabitants for his own use. The raw magical energy drained from the captured magical creatues was collected in a vat, which Solarius then dives into hoping to become a god; but instead becomes trapped inside a giant, leech-like monster, which is hailed as the Devourer by Marius. The Overlord battles and destroys both the Devourer and Solarius. Depending on the player’s actions during the game
Alignment (role-playing games)
In some role-playing games, alignment is a categorisation of the moral and ethical perspective of the player characters, non-player characters, monsters, and societies in the game....
, one of three ending cutscenes plays: one for pure Domination, one for pure Destruction, and one for all other points on the scale. The Overlord either destroys the land or enslaves the populace, with the minions throwing huge parties. Either way, Gnarl reveals that even the Overlord’s power might wane, finishing once again with "Evil always finds a way" before laughing maniacally off screen.
Development
Overlord II was first announced on August 13, 2008 for the PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. It was announced at the same time as the Nintendo spin-offs Overlord: Dark LegendOverlord: Dark Legend
Overlord: Dark Legend is a 2009 third-person action-adventure game developed by Climax Studios and published by Codemasters for the Nintendo Wii. The game was released on 23 June in North America, 26 June in Europe, and 2 July in Australia....
and Overlord: Minions
Overlord: Minions
Overlord: Minions is a 2009 puzzle video game developed by Climax Studios and published by Codemasters for the Nintendo DS. It features the minions from the 2007 Overlord video game as the primary protagonists, tasked with the mission to solve puzzles and fight enemies. They are controlled by the...
. According to Lennart Sas, director and Overlord lead at Triumph Studios, the intention for Overlord II was "massively increases the scope of the original concept", already advertising promotional screenshots displaying the new features, such as the minions ability to ride mounted creatures. According to Sas the reason behind the sequel was due to the "massive amount creative opportunity remaining in the concept" with "an improved game engine with high production values", mostly to increase the overall scope and "epic feel", such as the inclusion of large scale battles and the use of war machines and ships. Further more, the developers also wanted to fine-tune aspects from the original like an on screen mini-map interference while retaining the basic gameplay element. As with the original Overlord, Lennart did admit influence from similar games that allowed players take the role of a character with control over other units such as Pikmin
Pikmin
is a strategy video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube video game console in 2001. Pikmin is the first game in the Pikmin series of video games, and the third game for the Gamecube overall. It was designed by Shigeru Miyamoto. Pikmin was released on October 26, 2001...
and Sacrifice while also mentioning much of the differentiating style being great a wholly unique experience. There were changes to the gameplay in order to suit the game’s personality such as the Neatherworld replacing the Dark Tower, being "much more alive with minion culture" and expanding the strategy elements being "important [to] expanded what the minions can do. Overlord is all about the minions. Rather than adding more base minion types (which would make controls more difficult and blur the lines between the minions), the four races are now stronger, more destructive and funnier then before." The choice system was improved over the first due to some complaints the Overlord could do good deeds over evil ones. Instead this was replaced with the "Dominate or Destroy" structure instead.
Writing
It was later confirmed officially that the protagonist was the implied son of the original Overlord as seen at the end of the first’s expansion Raising Hell. With the continuation of the plot, Rhianna PratchettRhianna Pratchett
Rhianna Pratchett is a freelance computer games scriptwriter, narrative designer and former journalist...
(daughter of Terry Pratchett
Terry Pratchett
Sir Terence David John "Terry" Pratchett, OBE is an English novelist, known for his frequently comical work in the fantasy genre. He is best known for his popular and long-running Discworld series of comic fantasy novels...
) was announced to return as the writer for the story, who was originally one of multiple writers before being the lead writer due to her "unique style and wit" being "a great match with the style and the story framework". According to Rhianna, the creative thought process behind the premise for Overlord was the appeal of villains in stories; "traditionally the bad guys always have the best of everything; the best lines, the best outfits and the best - and fluffiest - cats", feeling that "Overlord taps into what some games are lacking and that's pure, unadulterated, good fun. It produces this unrestrained, almost child-like grin in players when they see their Minions looting and pillaging, bringing back presents and dressing up in all manner of attire." The workable humor of the series was said to stem from the gameplay itself that "the gameplay, environments, missions, minion antics, voice acting and script all worked well together", which would apparently not work if "against really straight gameplay or bland environments."
Rhianna commented that due to the "active, not passive" way of story telling video games had, characterization is consequently done in a longer time frame of script, along with the "flexable" nature due to the integration of story and gameplay. As a result, the story of Overlord II (as well as Overlord: Minions
Overlord: Minions
Overlord: Minions is a 2009 puzzle video game developed by Climax Studios and published by Codemasters for the Nintendo DS. It features the minions from the 2007 Overlord video game as the primary protagonists, tasked with the mission to solve puzzles and fight enemies. They are controlled by the...
and Overlord: Dark Legend
Overlord: Dark Legend
Overlord: Dark Legend is a 2009 third-person action-adventure game developed by Climax Studios and published by Codemasters for the Nintendo Wii. The game was released on 23 June in North America, 26 June in Europe, and 2 July in Australia....
) was written in order to "sit well in the Overlord world, but not be too reliant on players having played the previous games." In the case of Overlord II specifically, the story was to remain fresh by going beyond the previous satire of fantasy by including other themes, some of which being relevant to modern times, with the "Roman
Roman
Roman or Romans may refer to:* A thing or person of or from the city of Rome-History:* Ancient Rome ** Roman Kingdom ** Roman Republic ** Roman Empire...
esque theme" being "a lot more of what you might call modern issues underlying the story and gameplay; environmental destruction, climate change, resource hording, propaganda and so on, but spun through Overlord's twisted, heroic fantasy setting", as well as some characterization being built off modern popular culture. For example the character Florin according to Rhianna was to her "loosely based on that 'Crying for Britney
Chris Crocker (Internet celebrity)
Chris Crocker is an American Internet celebrity, songwriter, blogger, and recording artist...
' guy." Because of expanded themes and by now established setting, Rhianna felt that the sequel was "a stronger story for it and feels more cohesive than the first game." Additionally, the story was said to have benefited due to the increased co-work with the Triumph Studios development team, with story and level design being developed consistently together.
Release and Downloadable Content
The demo for the Xbox 360 was released on June 4, 2009, before the PS3 and PC demo on June 11, 2009, ahead of the game's full release in North America on June 23, Europe on June 26, and Australia on July 9. The demo featured the first segments of gameplay as the adult Overlord, and his first run in with Florian and the yeti in the Nordberg countryside, in line with the initial details of the game and its plot when it was first announced. Before its release, major game retailers like GameStopGameStop
GameStop Corporation is an American video game and entertainment software retailer. The company, whose headquarters is in Grapevine, Texas, United States, operates 6,500 retail stores throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, New...
and GAME
GAME (retailer)
The Game Group plc is a British video games retail company. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE SmallCap Index....
offered collectible Minion figurines, one of each kind for those who pre-ordered the Overlord II or the Nintendo spin-offs.
In addition to its pre-release promotion, Codemasters promoted Overlord through numerous internet based marketing campaigns. The initial annocunment of the game humorously focused on a portion of the game referred to as "clubbing baby seals" that was featured in the first screenshots and playable demo. This later became involved in an online mini-game entitled "Whack-A-Seal", a game in the same style whac-a-mole
Whac-A-Mole
Whac-A-Mole is an arcade redemption game. A typical Whac-A-Mole machine consists of a large, waist-level cabinet with five holes in its top and a large, soft, black mallet. Each hole contains a single plastic mole and the machinery necessary to move it up and down. Once the game starts, the moles...
where a minion would club baby seals that popped up from holes in the ice. A live-action parody of television talk shows was also produced called "The Overlord Show", where a well dressed presenter wearing the Overlord's signature helmet named Max Goreman would show off minions to a studio audience and on stage guests and how they can help with their problems, such as incinerating a woman's ex-boyfriend, before the minions would then violently rush the audience, much to Goreman's delight.
Long before the release of the finished product, Lennart Sas had already announced plans to develop further downloadable content (DLC) with the intention of releasing it closer to the official release date of the game, considering the content released for the last game to be "experimental" and "came a little too late after the release to appeal to all Overlord's players". The first DLC, entitled "Battle Rock Nemesis", was released on 30 July 2009 over Xbox Live
Xbox Live
Xbox Live is an online multiplayer gaming and digital media delivery service created and operated by Microsoft Corporation. It is currently the only online gaming service on consoles that charges users a fee to play multiplayer gaming. It was first made available to the Xbox system in 2002...
and PlayStation Network: this DLC replicated the single-player battle arena from the original Overlord that allowed players to engage with their minions in further combat with enemies defeated during the single-player story.
Reception
Upon release, Overlord II received on average a positive reception with an average critic average indicated as "Generally Favorable" at Metacritic (although the PS3 version was just under the score requirement), with most reviewers praising the multiple improvements over its predecessor while keeping core gameplay intact. 1UP.com1UP.com
1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....
complimented the game’s premise, still kept enjoyable from the previous Overlord, that "commanding a legion of hilariously evil little critters to plunder and wreck everything in reach is the game's most basic appeal, and something that never really seems to get old." This linked in with the game’s humour, particularly the minion’s personality and charm, with GameSpy
GameSpy
GameSpy Industries, Inc., known simply as GameSpy, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related services and software. GameSpy dates back to the 1996 release of an internet Quake server search program named QSpy. The current...
complimenting "the maniacal Gremlin-esque voices and actions of the minions, making them at once both intimidating and strangely endearing", with the added feature of naming and resurrecting certain minions that resulted in "a surprising attachment." X-Play
X-Play
X-Play is a TV program about video games, known for its reviews and comedy skits...
echoed this view alone with utilizing the hordes as "addictive, because you really do feel as if you're controlling your own private Gremlin horde."
On its gameplay, Official Xbox Magazine
Official Xbox Magazine
Official Xbox Magazine is a monthly video game magazine which started in November 2001 around the launch of the original Xbox. A preview issue was released for E3 2001, with another preview issue for November 2001. The magazine is bundled with a disc that includes game demos, preview videos and...
called it a "unique blend of action and strategy", helped with the added improvements over the first, including an in game mini-map and expanded options such as upgrades and choices. Eurogamer
Eurogamer
Eurogamer is a Brighton-based website focused on video games news, reviews, previews and interviews. It is operated by Eurogamer Network Ltd., which was formed in 1999 by brothers Rupert and Nick Loman. Eurogamer has grown to become one of the most important European-based websites focused on...
called the controls "simple yet flexible", but did find issues with an apparent "slightly wayward camera system". However, IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
considered the camera issues "painful" for being linked to control over actions at the same time. Between versions, the PC version is noted for having improved camera control over its console counterparts, with the option of shifting the camera via computer mouse described by GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
as "extremely handy" as opposed to the fixed console analog control. The checkpoint system was not as well received, with GamePro
GamePro
GamePro Media was a United States gaming media company publishing online and print content on the video game industry, video game hardware, and video game software developed for a video game console , a computer, and/or a mobile device . GamePro Media properties include GamePro magazine and...
describing it as "unforgiving" at times.
Game Informer
Game Informer
Game Informer is an American-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles. It was formed in August 1991, when FuncoLand started publishing a six-page magazine, free in all its retail locations...
felt a number of features, such as the multiplayer, were "tacked on"; this along with numerous technical issues led them to conclude that "Overlord II just feels like an unpolished retread of familiar ground." Graphically, Overlord II was noted for being a noticeable upgrade from the last game, despite additional complaints of glitches; Team Xbox summarizing that the graphics had "been improved, but there are still chunky spots". Game Trailers, noted that character animations during cutscenes were best described as "inert", but that the game was helped by "its dark sense of humor... coming out prominently in the game’s colourful voice acting". GameZone
GameZone
GameZone is an American multiplatform video game website. GameZone's daily coverage includes reviews, previews, news, hints & cheats, and editorials. Additionally, GameZone offers downloads, a child-targeted website and in association with GameStop, hosts GZGameShop, an online retailer...
praised the soundtrack as "wonderfully cinematic and has that fantasy movie feel to it."
External links
- The Overlord Show
- Planet Overlord at IGN Entertainment
- Overlord II Virtual Booth at GameSpotGameSpotGameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...