Codemasters and Triumph Studios have come together once more to bring to life the world of the Overlord. This time, players are given some background on the dark figure they play. Starting out as a child, players are given a glimpse into the world where the magical outcast grew up with his entertaining, fury, minion friends. In the game world, magic is frowned upon and magical creatures are enslaved, or worse. The other children pelt the young Overlord with snowballs and make fun of him, challenging him to fight back.

Though offensive language was left out of Overlord II, the same as it was in the first Overlord, boundaries were pushed with other aspects. Minions become entranced by fat, flying creatures with large breasts covered only by small flowers. The minions also enjoy becoming drunk, just like in the first game; however, they now get sick and throw up if they drink too much. Since evil doing is encouraged throughout the game, the Overlord tends to be applauded for murdering various people, even so far as one NPC thanks him for killing her husband because now she can find a new one. The elves, brandishing their gay pride, may also be viewed as offensive.

Just like before, the Overlord may bring back a mistress to his castle. This time there are three women for the Overlord to court and they will all join him back at the tower once he conquers their village. Once again the Overlord may take them to bed with him, but the scene cuts at that point to the minions trying to get into the room and watch. The Overlord’s violent acts toward townsfolk to either dominate their minds or slaughter them remain without any sort of blood and the game manages to keep the violence level down by sending the minions to do much of the combat. The Overlord uses magic to dominate town folk or to possess a minion in a handful of quests. Magic can also be used to power up minions or drain beings of their life. Though conquest is a key objective, much of the focus of the game is on solving puzzles.

For all of Overlord II’s technical shortcomings, the game is even more extensive and rewarding than the first and its deep single player campaign and varied environments and missions make the game as a whole, enjoyable. Though there are still things to be desired, Overlord II remains a fairly clean game that is appropriate for teens and is a satisfying follow-up to the original cult-classic.

» By Stephan Mack, Plain Games. Published 7/31/2009 12:00:14 AM.