Skip to main content

OVERWHELM

Overwhelm has something interesting going on under the hood with its enemy evolution system, but it doesn't hold up its end of the bargain when it comes to providing rewarding gameplay and a fun challenge. The presentation as a whole is excellent; I only wish this quality carried over to the game's design.
79%Game Brain Score
gameplay, atmosphere
replayability, story
83% User Score Based on 312 reviews
Critic Score 60%Based on 1 reviews

Platforms

PCPCXboxXboxWindowsWindowsPlayStationPlayStationNintendo SwitchNintendo SwitchMac OSMac OS
Buy Nowfrom $9.99
Buy NowGet on Steam$9.99Buy NowGet on itch.io Store$9.99

About

Overwhelm is a unique action-horror game where you face increasingly powerful enemies in a procedurally generated world. With no power-ups for the player, the odds are stacked against you, creating a tense and challenging experience. The game features atmospheric pixel art graphics and a haunting soundtrack, immersing you in a world of terror and suspense.

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
OVERWHELM screenshot
OVERWHELM screenshot
OVERWHELM screenshot
OVERWHELM screenshot
OVERWHELM screenshot
OVERWHELM screenshot

83%
Audience ScoreBased on 313 reviews
gameplay35 positive mentions
replayability6 negative mentions
  • The game has a unique concept where defeating bosses upgrades the enemies instead of the player, creating a constant sense of tension.
  • The atmosphere is well-crafted with tight controls, engaging gameplay, and a visually appealing art style that enhances the horror experience.
  • The ability to choose which bosses to tackle first adds a layer of strategy and replayability, making each run feel fresh.
  • The camera mechanics are frustrating, often leading to cheap deaths from offscreen enemies that the player cannot react to in time.
  • The game features inconsistent enemy health, where the same enemy can take different amounts of damage to defeat, leading to unpredictable encounters.
  • The overall difficulty can feel unfair, especially in later stages, with many players expressing frustration over the lack of checkpoints and the punishing one-hit death mechanic.
  • gameplay
    115 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of Overwhelm is characterized by tight controls and a fast-paced, action-platformer style that evokes a sense of tension and urgency. While many players appreciate the core mechanics and atmospheric design, frustrations arise from inconsistent enemy behavior, a punishing one-hit death mechanic, and a lack of depth in gameplay progression, leading to mixed reviews on its overall enjoyment and replayability. Despite its interesting concepts and engaging boss mechanics, the game struggles with balancing difficulty and player experience, resulting in a polarized reception.

    • “The fast pace, enemies, atmosphere, and death mechanic work together to create a fantastic tension.”
    • “Controls are tight and satisfying for twitch reflex gameplay.”
    • “Every aspect of the game feels finely honed, and the gameplay combines with the music and art to create a real survival-horror experience despite the gameplay being purely action-platformer.”
    • “Where overwhelm succeeds in creating an atmosphere, it fails in delivering on the premise of its gameplay.”
    • “There is a good game hidden somewhere in overwhelm, but as it is there are too many problems that add up and nonsense mechanics that end up making me unable to recommend the game to anyone.”
    • “This random damage mechanic, combined with the fact that the player dies in 1 hit, leads to countless frustration.”
  • atmosphere
    68 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is consistently praised for its ability to evoke a profound sense of dread and tension, enhanced by a dark, atmospheric soundtrack and striking visuals. Reviewers highlight the game's oppressive ambiance, which effectively immerses players in a visceral world filled with impending danger, making it a standout feature despite some gameplay shortcomings. Overall, the combination of tight controls, minimalistic art style, and impactful sound design contributes to an engaging and unsettling experience that keeps players on edge.

    • “With that central mechanic, as well as the oppressive atmosphere created by the game's visual style, music, and sound design, it evokes a sense of dread that very few games manage to for me.”
    • “The atmosphere is expertly crafted; it's a great and visceral world.”
    • “The sound effects and music significantly add to the great atmosphere of the game.”
    • “Where Overwhelm succeeds in creating an atmosphere, it fails in delivering on the premise of its gameplay.”
    • “The music is this really grungy and crunchy synth bass style which contributes to the oppressive and stressful atmosphere of the game.”
    • “Because of these things, and you losing most progress on death, the game has an oppressive atmosphere.”
  • music
    64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric and dread-inducing qualities, effectively enhancing the survival-horror experience despite the action-platformer gameplay. While some players note that the soundtrack can be repetitive or sparse at times, it generally complements the game's dark art style and sound design, contributing to a tense and immersive atmosphere. Overall, the combination of music, sound effects, and visuals creates a cohesive and engaging experience that heightens the sense of impending danger.

    • “The music is this really grungy and crunchy synth bass style which contributes to the oppressive and stressful atmosphere of the game.”
    • “Every aspect of the game feels finely honed, and the gameplay combines with the music and art to create a real survival-horror experience despite the gameplay being purely action-platformer.”
    • “The visuals and the music/sound effects really add to the tense atmosphere and the feeling of impending danger.”
    • “The music is mostly non-existent.”
    • “I would rather have some intense music (maybe the title screen music??) than anything; worst of all, the buzzing sound isn't even music, it is effect sounds.”
    • “-lack of soundtrack.”
  • graphics
    60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are characterized by a simple yet effective pixel art style that enhances the overall atmosphere, contributing to a tense and immersive experience. While some players appreciate the minimalist aesthetics and polished visuals, others criticize certain design choices and the potential for overwhelming visuals. Overall, the combination of art, sound, and gameplay creates a cohesive and engaging vibe, though opinions vary on the execution and appeal of the graphics.

    • “The visuals and the music/sound effects really add to the tense atmosphere and the feeling of impending danger.”
    • “Fantastic atmosphere, graphics, audio and visual effects, gameplay and map design.”
    • “The sound effects and visuals all play a part in the vibe that the game has, and it has a very strong sense of design which lends itself well to this vibe.”
    • “The visual style is oppressive and harsh, with a two-tone graphical style that may be hard on the eyes.”
    • “I still get graphic errors.”
    • “But with the visuals it has, I'm bordering on not recommending it with the price tag.”
  • replayability
    16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's replayability is mixed; while players appreciate the ability to choose different paths and areas, which can affect monster spawns and decision-making, many feel that the overall experience lacks depth after the initial playthrough. The inclusion of a New Game Plus mode adds difficulty but does not significantly enhance replay value. Overall, the game is seen as having limited replayability, primarily appealing to speedrunners or those seeking to refine their skills.

    • “The ability to choose which areas to go first adds to the replayability factor and decision-making of how to approach completion.”
    • “It's replayable solo as well, because you can choose different paths, which in turn will affect what kind of monsters spawn where.”
    • “The game also comes with a New Game Plus that increases difficulty, providing a fresh challenge for players.”
    • “The game also comes with a NG+ that increases difficulty, but it doesn't change enough to increase replayability.”
    • “This short, combat-focused platformer has some very entertaining boss fights, but is hindered by boring exploration and next to zero replay value.”
    • “Pretty much no replayability, other than that it's a great game.”
  • story
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is described as minimal and somewhat underwhelming, with some players appreciating its bite-sized, focused approach and minimalist aesthetic that effectively conveys the narrative. While the story elements are sparse, they emphasize themes of fear and exploration, though some feel it doesn't culminate in a satisfying conclusion. Overall, opinions are mixed, with some finding the storytelling engaging despite its brevity.

    • “I like this game because it is bite-sized, focused, and has a minimalist aesthetic that successfully tells the story.”
    • “It has some sparse story elements with a focus on fear, exploration, and boss battles.”
    • “Last segment of the game felt a little underwhelming personally, when it comes to gameplay, but the small chunk of story the game had to offer felt really engaging.”
    • “The last segment of the game felt a bit underwhelming, especially in terms of gameplay, but the small chunk of story it had to offer was quite disappointing.”
    • “The game features sparse story elements, primarily focusing on fear, exploration, and boss battles.”
    • “While I appreciate the game's bite-sized and minimalist aesthetic, the story itself lacks depth and engagement.”
  • grinding
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, particularly due to the lack of save points that forces them to restart from the beginning upon death. While the game is engaging and maintains a horror atmosphere, the repetitive nature of having to redo sections can detract from the overall experience, leading some to recommend using assist options to alleviate the grind.

    • “I found it decently engaging, but unfortunately it decided save points are for losers and if you die you have to start over from the beginning, which is just tedious and frustrating padding.”
    • “The game is very hard, and while it does adhere to the 'horror', having to do the same thing over and over can get tedious, so don't hesitate to try the assist options.”
  • stability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Users report significant stability issues, noting frequent glitches that disrupt gameplay and unexpectedly alter the game environment, making it difficult to maintain progress.

    • “The moment you find yourself getting the hang of it, the game just glitches and puts you in a totally different situation.”

60%Critics’ scoreBased on 1 critic reviews

Buy OVERWHELM

3h Median play time
3h Average play time
2-3h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

Videos

Games Like OVERWHELM

Titan Souls Image
70%8.8kreviews

Titan Souls

2015Survival Role Playing
PCPCAndroidAndroidPlaystation 5Playstation 5+9
Sundered Image
79%5.5kreviews

Sundered

2018Role Playing
PCPCXboxXboxXbox Series X|SXbox Series X|S+10
Caveblazers Image
86%2.9kreviews

Caveblazers

2017Role Playing
PCPCWindowsWindowsNintendo SwitchNintendo Switch+3
CRYPTARK Image
83%2.4kreviews

CRYPTARK

2017Platformer
PCPCPlaystation 5Playstation 5Playstation 4Playstation 4+5
Shotgun Legend Image
92%920reviews

Shotgun Legend

2018Role Playing
PCPCWindowsWindows