Overload Playable Teaser

About

Overload Playable Teaser is an early demo of the six-degree-of-freedom shooter game, Overload, offering a single-player-style level and two Challenge Mode levels. The full version will feature a single-player campaign with upgradable ships and weapons, multiple robots and bosses, a story by the writer of Freespace 2, and both multiplayer and expanded Challenge Mode. This teaser provides a taste of these features in the final game.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,108 reviews

graphics110 positive mentions

monetization8 negative mentions

Captures the essence of the original Descent games with modern graphics and gameplay.
Smooth controls and fluid movement, making it easy to pick up and play.
Engaging challenge mode with smart AI that provides a fun and intense experience.

Could benefit from a better tutorial and clearer objectives, as players may get lost easily.
Some players experienced motion sickness due to the 6DoF gameplay.
Graphics and performance may need optimization, as some users reported lag and issues on lower-end systems.

graphics
206 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
44%
3%
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim, with many users praising their stunning quality, smooth performance, and modern enhancements that evoke nostalgia for classic titles like Descent. While some noted issues with optimization and a few aesthetic choices, the overall consensus highlights the impressive visuals, dynamic lighting, and detailed effects that contribute to an engaging gameplay experience. Many reviewers expressed excitement about the potential for further improvements as development continues.
- “The graphics and effects are dazzling, the action hectic and intense.”
- “Everything in this game, from the HUD to effects, to animations, map design, enemy design, enemy behavior patterns, lighting, graphics, and music is just so elegant, impactful, and satisfying.”
- “This demo is everything I've ever wanted and dreamed from a modern day descent, as if it was ripped from time and brought to us with modern visuals.”
- “Extremely poorly optimized graphics (making my GPU fan rev up at 1280x720, lol), non-functional menu options, boring gameplay, but worst of all, super-sluggish and nauseating movement that will give you a headache or motion sickness.”
- “But, no matter what computer I put it on, the graphics were always a disappointment... until now.”
- “The game runs in Unity 5 and uses DirectX 11, which by hearing Unity, a person could expect lackluster graphics or a really bad framerate.”
gameplay
150 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
54%
3%
The gameplay has received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with many praising its smooth controls, engaging mechanics, and nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic titles like Descent. While some players noted potential issues for newcomers and occasional motion sickness, the overall experience is described as fun and challenging, with a solid foundation that promises to appeal to both old fans and new players alike. However, there are calls for improved environmental design and sound to enhance the immersive experience further.
- “The controls are easy and smooth, graphics are nice, gameplay is fun.”
- “It's amazing how they managed to capture the essence of Descent and bring it to present-day gameplay; it's just like how I felt when I first played it.”
- “The gameplay is fun with a nice (and growing) range of weapons (primary and secondary), robots, and so on.”
- “Extremely poorly optimized graphics (making my GPU fan rev up at 1280x720, lol), non-functional menu options, boring gameplay, but worst of all, super-sluggish and nauseating movement that will give you a headache or motion sickness.”
- “For some reason after 10 minutes of gameplay I had nausea and eye strain, so I was forced to quit the game to keep my dinner in my stomach.”
- “I don't know if it was the 6DOF gameplay, refresh rate, FOV, level design, or all of it combined that just wasn't clicking with my brain.”
music
94 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
46%
3%
The music in the game has received widespread praise for its engaging and immersive quality, effectively complementing the gameplay and atmosphere. Many players appreciate the blend of grungy and electronic elements, reminiscent of classic titles, while some express a desire for more variety in the soundtrack. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a significant strength, enhancing the overall experience and excitement of the game.
- “Everything in this game, from the HUD to effects, to animations, map design, enemy design, enemy behavior patterns, lighting, graphics, and music is just so elegant, impactful, and satisfying.”
- “The music is a significant part of that: it feels upbeat and exciting but not happy or relaxed at all.”
- “The soundtrack is the perfect blend of grungy and electronic.”
- “The music tends to repeat and sound the same (no offense to the composer).”
- “The doom music fits the current mood of the game, but I'd like a little bit more variety rather than just techno all the way through.”
- “The music is midi synth straight from the 80's.”
story
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
59%
12%
The story of the game, penned by the writer of Freespace 2, is appreciated for its solid foundation, though players feel it could benefit from deeper RPG elements and more background world design. While the narrative is not expected to be complex, the familiar ship descriptions evoke nostalgia, and there is a desire for a longer single-player experience, which is becoming increasingly rare in similar titles. Overall, the mechanics are strong, but the story could be enhanced to elevate the gaming experience further.
- “The writer of Freespace 2 has written the story for this game, which is great.”
- “I don't expect the same complexity and detail of story in this kind of shooter, but I see the same DNA in the descriptions of the ships, which gave me a warm feeling.”
- “The story is to be written by the writer of Freespace 2 and the music is from the original Descent's crew; many Parallax (original Descent) developers are in the team, making this a very exciting project.”
- “I mean really in the mission stage 'destroy the reactor' there is actually no reactor.”
- “Yes, I think it could benefit from an RPG element, of building subsystems or earning credits to buy gear for the next mission.”
- “☐ story?”
atmosphere
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
35%
9%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its ominous, claustrophobic, and dungeon-like qualities, enhanced by effective music and sound design that complement the gameplay. Players appreciate the nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic titles, with tight controls and immersive level design contributing to a sense of exploration and challenge. Overall, the atmosphere is described as engaging and well-crafted, making for a memorable gaming experience.
- “The sound is great, the baddies sound suitably demonically possessed, the lighting is a real treat, and accurate real-time shadows are on full display, all coming together in a surprisingly atmospheric package.”
- “With this joystick, the controls are a dream, the music is perfect, and the oppressive underground atmosphere collaborates to make this short demo an experience I played through more than once, having fun each time even though the demo is very short.”
- “They have nailed the atmosphere of the original, with smart AI that dodges your missiles, gangs up on you, chases you down, and runs away to find reinforcements, all while the punchy feel of the combat and the panic of trying to find the exit when you destroy the reactor create an immersive experience.”
- “But what I loved even more than that was the ominous, pessimistic, dungeon-like atmosphere of the game.”
- “The atmosphere is created by the levels, music, and robot sounds.”
- “They have nailed the atmosphere of the original, the smart AI of the bots that dodge your missiles, gang up on you, chase you down and run away to find reinforcements, the punchy feel of the combat as your weapons rip through the air and robots explode into spinning fragments, and the panic of trying to find the exit when you destroy the reactor.”
optimization
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
68%
11%
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing smooth performance and high frame rates, while others report significant issues such as poor graphics optimization, sluggish movement, and uneven performance during intense action. Many users suggest that running the game in exclusive fullscreen mode can improve performance, but overall, there is a consensus that further optimizations are needed to enhance the gaming experience. Despite these challenges, some players still find the visuals impressive and gameplay enjoyable, particularly with features like G-Sync enabled.
- “It is also stable and smooth as hell on the performance front.”
- “This game has astounding visuals and ran smooth as butter even before being optimized. The particle and destruction effects were awesome; you could see debris of your destroyed targets slowly floating around in zero gravity.”
- “- Well optimized - on FX8 @ 4.4 and RX470 Sapphire Nitro+ 4GB OC @ 1350MHz, I get an average of 135-144fps with AO/AA/shadows down.”
- “Extremely poorly optimized graphics (making my GPU fan rev up at 1280x720, lol), non-functional menu options, boring gameplay, but worst of all, super-sluggish and nauseating movement that will give you a headache or motion sickness.”
- “The game needs optimizations though.”
- “Also uneven performance - shooting and explosions can increase GPU use a few times, after some time in the game framerate drops and the game needs to be restarted.”
stability
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Overall, the game's stability is generally positive, with players noting that it runs well even on older hardware. However, there are reports of minor glitches and lag, suggesting that while the experience is enjoyable, it could benefit from further optimization to address these issues.
- “Playing on a 5-year-old Alienware laptop and it still looks and runs great.”
- “The graphics are great, the game runs smoothly, and the level design is very reminiscent of Descent 1, except the rock faces don't have to be blocky due to better technology.”
- “It looks great, runs great, sounds great, and most of all, it feels great!”
- “Too many glitches/errors.”
- “I like it, it's just a bit laggy and buggy, but that will be fixed.”
- “However, even with those minor glitches, this game felt like descent!”
replayability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
80%
20%
The game is praised for its high replayability, appealing to both old-school fans and modern gamers. It features various modes, including a tutorial, classic single-player level, and a challenge/survival mode, all contributing to its intense gameplay and strong replay value. Overall, players find the game rejuvenated and engaging, making it worth multiple playthroughs.
- “Great game, neatly rejuvenated with very replayable qualities.”
- “Game play is intense and has high replayability.”
- “The playable teaser features a tutorial, a classic singleplayer level, and a challenge/survival mode with awesome replay value.”
monetization
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of this game has been criticized for misleadingly presenting a demo or advertisement as a full game on Steam, which detracts from legitimate titles and confuses consumers. This practice is seen as harmful, as it occupies valuable marketing space that could be better utilized by developers who have released complete games.
- “While it might seem like an innocuous mistake, publishing demos and advertisements as if they are full games is misleading and in some ways harmful.”
- “This advertisement is taking up marketing space and visibility that would be better made available to a game developer who did the right thing and created a full game.”
- “It's a common mistake for developers unfamiliar with Steam to launch demos/advertisements as full games on Steam instead of tagging them correctly as demos.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Players note that grinding in the game can be demanding, often requiring significant time investment, but the fluid and precise movement mechanics help alleviate some of the tedium typically associated with this aspect.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the humor in the game particularly enjoyable, with moments like the "destroy the reactor" mission eliciting laughter and a sense of joy. The comedic elements enhance the gameplay experience, making aiming and other tasks amusingly challenging.
- “As I played the 'destroy the reactor,' I couldn't stop myself from laughing from happiness and love for this game.”
- “Now it's hilarious to try and aim.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The character development in the game is praised for its nostalgic revival, as the developers have successfully updated the enemy character designs from the classic titles Descent and Descent 2 for a modern audience.
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, particularly highlighting feelings of excitement and nostalgia, especially among long-time fans of the series.

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Overload Playable Teaser

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