Overlord: Fellowship of Evil
- October 19, 2015
- Codemasters
- 2h median play time
Having zero redeeming qualities is the best compliment I can give Overlord: Fellowship of Evil. It is, without a doubt, the worst video game I have ever played in my life and the only reason I'm not giving it a 0 is because, technically, it runs.
In Overlord: Fellowship of Evil, players become a " Netherghul," causing mayhem in a dark fantasy world. Up to four players can work together in online co-op, completing quests and battling enemies. The game features a unique evil alignment system, allowing players to choose their own path of destruction.
Reviews
- The game retains some of the dark humor and witty dialogue from the previous Overlord titles.
- The graphics and character designs are decent and fitting for the Overlord universe.
- The addition of four different characters and co-op gameplay offers some fun, especially when played with friends.
- The gameplay is clunky and repetitive, with limited control over minions and a lack of depth in combat mechanics.
- The game feels short and linear, lacking the exploration and variety found in previous Overlord games.
- Many players experienced bugs and technical issues, including problems with saving progress and multiplayer connectivity.
- gameplay189 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The gameplay has been widely criticized for being clunky, repetitive, and a significant departure from the core mechanics of previous Overlord titles, particularly in its handling of minions, which now play a diminished role. Many players noted technical issues, such as bugs and poor controls, leading to a frustrating experience that lacks the depth and creativity expected from the series. While some found moments of enjoyment, particularly in early boss fights, the overall consensus is that the gameplay is bland and fails to capture the charm of its predecessors.
“Thankfully this game is quite cheap and the gameplay and level design can make this fun to play, particularly the first 3 boss fights.”
“Gameplay wise, I liked the fact that you could 'carry' minions in reserve and use them when you needed them, rather than have them trail along behind you, inevitably getting lost or stuck somewhere.”
“Though it is not the same style of gameplay that we all know and love, I suggest you stick with it to the end; once you get over the fact that it is very different (and not all for the better, I admit), once you've gotten over the changes it proves to be a surprisingly good play.”
“Multiple mild model bugs within the first couple of hours of play, animations that don't loop right, and overall repetitive and boring gameplay.”
“The different designs of the overlords are lazy beyond belief, the gameplay is broken and gets stale quickly. How do you actually make the combat worse in the third installment?”
“The minion gameplay is an empty shell of what it used to be.”
- story171 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The story in this game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it weaker and more generic compared to previous entries in the Overlord series. While some appreciate the humor and dark themes, others criticize the lack of depth, character backstory, and engaging plot twists, suggesting that the narrative feels like a mere excuse to progress through repetitive missions. Overall, fans of the franchise may find some enjoyment in the story, but many recommend watching a recap instead of playing through the game.
“I am a huge fan of the previous Overlord games, and while this game is very different, I am still really enjoying the humor, music, story, and character design.”
“It continues to have its dark humor and its mischievous fun, while still spinning an intricate and well-thought-out story.”
“The story was good as ever, but it felt weaker than the previous games.”
“The story is fine but not worth going through the game, just watch a recap.”
“Practically no story, a lack of the humor we all came to love from the first two, and most importantly a failure to focus on your minions.”
“This is a disappointment from the first two where it had a better storyline and controls.”
- humor116 mentions
- 98 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The humor in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the dark comedy and witty writing reminiscent of previous titles, while others feel it falls short, lacking the charm and cleverness of earlier installments. The minions, once a source of comedic relief, are noted to have diminished roles, leading to a less engaging humorous experience. Overall, while some moments are genuinely funny, many players express disappointment in the humor's inconsistency and the game's overall execution.
“The game has kept its humor, the minions are funny little companions, always hungry for mayhem, carnage, and anarchy.”
“The voice acting is on point, jokes actually make you laugh (from time to time, depends on your humor, I guess).”
“It continues to have its dark humor and its mischievous fun, while still spinning an intricate and well-thought-out story.”
“It is not funny, charming, or innovative.”
“It is not funny, charming, or innovative.”
- stability68 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- -1 % neutral mentions
- 97 % negative mentions
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with numerous reports of frustrating bugs and glitches affecting gameplay, including unresponsive controls and erratic enemy behavior. While some players find ways to work around these issues, the overall experience is marred by a lack of polish, leading to a perception of laziness on the developers' part. Despite its potential, many reviewers describe it as a "buggy mess" that requires a great deal of patience to enjoy.
“The graphics are okay, and the game is pretty stable and relatively bug-free, which is a significant plus.”
“The game runs smoothly with minimal bugs, making for a stable gaming experience.”
“I appreciate the stability of the game; it rarely crashes and provides a consistent performance.”
“I want to like this game because it feels like Gauntlet meets Overlord, but I can't play thanks to glitches that, to my knowledge, haven't been fixed.”
“However, the game is buggy, and I mean really buggy on a frustrating level of bugginess.”
“I would like to like this game, and it has potential to be good, but as it stands, it is a buggy mess.”
- graphics46 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the visual style and thematic fit, while others criticize them as sub-par, glitchy, and lacking in options. Many feel that the graphics do not meet modern standards, especially compared to previous installments, and some report issues with visibility due to dark environments and fixed camera angles. Overall, while there are moments of beauty, the consensus leans towards disappointment in the graphical execution.
“The game offers some pleasant graphics and graphical style, although some ugly glitches here and there and some weird animations; however, it is pleasant all the same.”
“If you were a fan of the game Gauntlet or even Overlord, then this game is for you. The visuals are simply beautiful.”
“Decent graphics, nothing amazing, but they are definitely above what I would consider average.”
“The graphics were sub-par to the previous installments, and the gameplay was ghastly.”
“The graphics are poor for 2015, the game is so different to what it used to be and the controls are non-customizable and really bad and the gameplay is very very basic.”
“They had all that and somehow ended up with graphics that look downright ugly.”
- music13 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received positive feedback, with many players appreciating the soundtrack as "nice" and "neat," contributing to the overall atmosphere. The themes, including a humorous take on the character's theme song, add a unique charm, while the sweeping and epic compositions enhance the game's experience. Overall, the music effectively brings life to the game's world and complements its humor and character design.
“The soundtrack is pretty neat though.”
“Rhianna Pratchett's writing is inspired, music is sweeping and epic.”
“There is some background music adding life to the lifeless world.”
“Anger spam aside, witch boy, the son of the first overlord we play as, the badass tactician, the slightly mutated barbarian, the empire crusher, the overlord whose theme song is literally 'I'm Blue' on repeat, and the overlord with the giant lava base.”
- optimization13 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with players reporting numerous performance issues such as lag, choppy framerates, and bugs that detract from the overall experience. While some anticipate patches to address these problems, the consensus is that the game is poorly optimized, making it difficult to recommend.
“Performance-wise, I did notice a few framerate issues in the later levels, but I expect those will be patched out within the next few days.”
“However, it remains its own thing with Rhianna's wonderful writing on the story, Marc Silk's good performance on Gnarl, and the fact that it retains the series' signature black comedy/dark humor and lets you be the villain.”
“This is the third game that I have played that is poorly optimized.”
“Laggy, choppy, and is this even optimized?”
“[Solo play is poorly optimized, difficult to find online matches, abysmal minion AI, technical issues abound — that chugging framerate, ugh! Mechanics are shallow and unpolished.]”
- emotional8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by an overwhelming sense of sweetness and wholesomeness that some players find excessively sentimental, evoking strong reactions ranging from joy to nausea. Many express deep emotional connections, celebrating the game's return with tears of happiness and laughter, highlighting its ability to elicit genuine feelings.
“Because it had been too long, I waited forever for a new Overlord game to come out, and when it finally arrived, I cried tears of joy and absolute glee.”
“I laughed, I cried, I kissed my 10 bucks goodbye.”
“So sickeningly sweet and wholesome that it makes me want to vomit.”
- grinding8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and unenjoyable, particularly criticizing the combat system as repetitive and lacking depth. However, they appreciate that puzzles and races provide some relief from the monotony of grinding.
“Playing the game isn’t fun; it is boring and tedious.”
“I was forced to engage in combat myself, a very grindy and poor combat system at that.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- replayability8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The game has some replay value primarily through maxing out minions and collecting items, but many players find it lacks the fun factor needed to motivate repeated playthroughs. Compared to previous titles in the series, its overall replayability is considered significantly lower.
“Not much replayability, other than maxing out minions and all character statues... and buying all weapons and hats.”
“Unlike other Overlord games, its replay value so far has been nothing.”
“The game lacks significant replayability, making it feel repetitive after the initial playthrough.”
- atmosphere8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is praised for its excellent level design and worldbuilding, effectively blending humor with a dark premise of evil and self-upgrade. Players appreciate the distinct ambiance of various locations, particularly the netherdeep and hub areas, noting that it diverges from the atmosphere found in previous titles.
“The humor is still here, the atmosphere is still here, the standard premise of doing evil and upgrading yourself is still here.”
“Very great level design, atmosphere, and worldbuilding.”
“Atmosphere at the Netherdeep/base/hub.”
“The atmosphere at the Netherdeep/base/hub is lacking.”
“It's not the overlord's atmosphere.”
“The humor is still here, but the atmosphere feels off.”
- monetization6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization of the game is widely criticized as a blatant cash grab, with many users expressing disappointment that it fails to honor the series' legacy and feels like a low-quality spin-off designed solely for profit.
“The most cash grab garbage of all.”
“Absolute crap barely resembles anything decent about the series. Not sure what the devs were thinking, but it seems like a cheap cash grab hoping fans wouldn't say anything.”
“This game is just a spin-off cash grab.”
- character development6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is noted for its appealing designs and animations, reminiscent of mature Disney films, though it lacks innovation compared to previous titles in the series. Fans appreciate the humor, music, and story, indicating that while the game diverges from its predecessors, it still retains enjoyable elements. Overall, the character design is considered decent but not groundbreaking.
“I am a huge fan of the previous Overlord games, and while this game is very different, I am still really enjoying the humor, music, story, and character design.”
Critic Reviews
Overlord: Fellowship of Evil Review - Minionsplaining
Having zero redeeming qualities is the best compliment I can give Overlord: Fellowship of Evil. It is, without a doubt, the worst video game I have ever played in my life and the only reason I'm not giving it a 0 is because, technically, it runs.
10%Overlord: Fellowship of Evil review - you should be ashamed
Overlord: Fellowship of Evil is, by a wide margin, one of the worst games of the year. I don’t know what the team at Codemaster was thinking, but they’ve wrecked everything Triumph Studios had built. Either give it back, or let this franchise die -- it has suffered enough, as have we.
20%Overlord: Fellowship of Evil Review
A train-wreck spin off of a series that deserved so much better, Fellowship of Evil is an unholy combination of so many undercooked elements that it's any wonder the game made it to release. While Overlord certainly deserves better there is someone else who does too – you. Avoid.
20%