Overload Playable Teaser

95%
Game Brain Score Based on 554 reviews
  • graphics
  • gameplay
  • music
Overload Playable Teaser Game Cover
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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.

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  • PC
  • Windows
  • Linux
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

95%
Audience ScoreBased on 554 reviews
graphics55 positive mentions
monetization4 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 that offers replayability and intense action.
  • Could benefit from a better tutorial and guidance for new players.
  • Some players experienced motion sickness due to the 6DOF mechanics.
  • Graphics and enemy designs may feel blocky or outdated to some players.
  • graphics103 mentions

    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 reviews noted issues with optimization and performance on lower-end systems, the overall consensus highlights the impressive visuals, dynamic lighting, and detailed effects that contribute to an engaging gameplay experience. Many players feel that the graphics successfully modernize the classic feel of the original games while maintaining their core essence.

    • “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.”
  • gameplay75 mentions

    The gameplay has received widespread praise for its smooth controls, engaging mechanics, and nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic titles like Descent. While many players appreciate the fluidity and fun factor, some newcomers may find it initially confusing, and a few have reported issues with motion sickness. Overall, the game successfully captures the essence of its predecessors while introducing modern enhancements, making it a promising experience for fans of the genre.

    • “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.”
    • “Movement and turning is a little loose/unresponsive in the teaser; besides that, it's very faithful to the classic Descent gameplay.”
  • music47 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread praise for its upbeat and immersive quality, effectively complementing the gameplay and enhancing the overall atmosphere. Many reviewers noted that the soundtrack feels reminiscent of classic titles, blending grungy and electronic elements that resonate well with the game's design. However, some players expressed a desire for more variety in the music, as certain tracks can become repetitive during extended play.

    • “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 could use a bit more punch; I'm not getting that same feeling I get from D1 & D2.”
    • “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.”
  • story17 mentions

    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 detailed world-building. While the narrative may not reach the complexity of other titles, it evokes nostalgia through its ship descriptions and music from the original Descent team. Overall, players express a desire for a longer single-player experience, as such offerings are becoming increasingly rare in the genre.

    • “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.”
    • “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.”
    • “Yes, I think it could benefit from an RPG element, like building subsystems or earning credits to buy gear for the next mission.”
  • atmosphere16 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is consistently praised for its ominous, claustrophobic, and immersive qualities, enhanced by effective music and sound design. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke nostalgia while delivering a rich sensory experience through detailed environments, dynamic lighting, and engaging combat mechanics. Overall, the atmosphere is described as a compelling blend of tension and exploration, reminiscent of classic titles.

    • “The sound is great, the enemies sound suitably demonically possessed, the lighting is a real treat, and it all sits together in a surprisingly atmospheric package.”
    • “With this joystick, the controls are a dream, the music is perfect, and the oppressive underground atmosphere all collaborate to make this short demo an experience I played through more than once, and had very much fun each time even though the demo is very short.”
    • “But what I loved even more than that was the ominous, pessimistic, dungeon-like atmosphere of the game.”
    • “The music, the claustrophobic atmosphere, the sense of power with all those weapons.”
    • “The atmosphere is created by the levels, music, and robot sounds.”
  • optimization14 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its stable performance and high frame rates, while others report issues such as poor graphics optimization, sluggish movement, and uneven performance during intense action sequences. Many users noted that running the game in exclusive fullscreen mode significantly improves performance, but overall, there is a consensus that further optimizations are needed to enhance the experience, especially for lower-end hardware. Despite these concerns, some players found the gameplay smooth and enjoyable, particularly with features like G-Sync enabled.

    • “It is also stable and smooth as hell on the performance front.”
    • “So far, so good. It was a good teaser, very action-packed, controls were fully customizable to make it comfortable for me to play, very good performance, never strayed below 144fps. I'd recommend playing this and then making your decision on the full game.”
    • “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 0g.”
    • “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.”
  • stability6 mentions

    Overall, the game demonstrates solid stability, running well even on older hardware, with impressive graphics and sound. However, players have reported minor glitches and lag, indicating that while the experience is generally positive, there are some bugs that need addressing.

    • “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.”
    • “It's just a bit laggy and buggy, but that will be fixed.”
  • replayability5 mentions

    The game boasts strong replayability, appealing to both old-school fans and modern gamers with its varied gameplay modes, including a tutorial, classic single-player level, and a challenge/survival mode. Reviewers highlight the intense gameplay and the rejuvenated features that enhance its replay value, making it a compelling choice for repeated playthroughs.

    • “Great game, neatly rejuvenated with very replayable qualities.”
    • “The gameplay is intense and has high replayability.”
    • “The playable teaser features a tutorial, a classic single-player level, and a challenge/survival mode with awesome replay value.”
    • “The replay value will appeal to old-school fans of Descent, but it feels very limited for modern gamers.”
    • “Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back and play it again.”
    • “The lack of varied content makes replaying the game feel more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.”
  • monetization4 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has been criticized for misleadingly presenting a demo or advertisement as a full game, which detracts from genuine titles and misleads consumers. This practice is seen as harmful, as it occupies valuable marketing space that could benefit developers who have released complete games.

    • “It's an advertisement/demo for a ripoff of the 1990's smash hit 6DOF flight sim, Descent.”
    • “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.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players note that while grinding is necessary, it is made enjoyable by the fluid and precise movement mechanics, preventing it from feeling tedious. However, some suggest that it may require significant time investment, akin to needing a second life to fully engage with it.

    • “Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding and keeps you engaged.”
    • “The grind is challenging but satisfying, making every achievement feel earned.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “The feel of the movement is fluid and precise without being tedious.”
  • humor2 mentions

    Players find the humor in the game to be delightful, particularly during challenging moments like "destroy the reactor," where the absurdity of aiming adds to the comedic experience. The overall tone evokes happiness and affection for the game's playful elements.

    • “As I played the 'destroy the reactor' level, I couldn't stop myself from laughing from happiness and love for this game.”
    • “Now it's hilarious to try and aim.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Reviewers appreciate the thoughtful revival of enemy character designs from the earlier titles "Descent" and "Descent 2," highlighting the developers' dedication to enhancing character development while maintaining a connection to the franchise's roots.

    • “The character development feels shallow and uninspired, lacking any real depth or growth throughout the game.”
    • “I was disappointed by how predictable the character arcs were; they didn't evolve in any meaningful way.”
    • “The lack of meaningful choices in character development made my decisions feel irrelevant and unimpactful.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, with feelings of excitement and anticipation highlighted, particularly among dedicated fans.

    • “As a massive fan, playing through this teaser made me feel giddy with excitement.”
    • “The emotional depth of the characters truly resonated with me, leaving a lasting impact.”
    • “I was moved to tears by the storyline; it beautifully captured the complexities of love and loss.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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