War for the Overworld
- May 15, 2013
- Brightrock Games
- 21h median play time
War for the Overworld and Heart of Gold are serviceable spiritual successors to Dungeon Keeper. There's quite a few issues with the game but no major show-stoppers.
Get on Steam"War for the Overworld" is a modern dungeon management game where you build and design your own dungeon, command minions, and use a variety of evil rooms, spells, and traps to defend against heroic invaders. With Richard Ridings as the mentor, you'll have access to over 60 tools of evil to wield against the overworld's forces. This game is a faithful tribute to the genre's original DNA.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Gog Com
Linux
Reviews
- Faithful spiritual successor to the Dungeon Keeper series, capturing the same gameplay and humor.
- Offers a variety of game modes including a campaign, sandbox, and multiplayer, providing high replayability.
- Active development and community support, with regular updates and user-generated content available.
- Campaign can feel rushed and lacks depth, with some levels being overly simplistic or frustratingly difficult.
- AI pathfinding issues and minion management can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences.
- Performance issues on certain systems, including lag and crashes, detracting from the overall experience.
- gameplay572 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "War for the Overworld" is largely reminiscent of the classic "Dungeon Keeper" series, featuring familiar mechanics with some new additions that enhance the experience. While many players appreciate the nostalgic elements and engaging dungeon management, some criticize the pacing, cluttered mechanics, and occasional bugs that can disrupt the flow of gameplay. Overall, it offers a mix of fun and frustration, appealing to fans of the genre but also leaving room for improvement in clarity and balance.
“This is the best RTS I have ever played gameplay-wise.”
“The gameplay is fluid and enjoyable, and there's a lot to learn, but they do a wonderful job in training the player for tasks at hand.”
“The deep, varied, and strategic gameplay, combined with a strong visual aesthetic and a dark sense of humor, make this game feel fresh and enjoyable, even on repeated playthroughs.”
“The base game offers about 13 missions that slowly introduce new mechanics, but this drip-feed approach feels like one long tutorial.”
“You mostly don't get the time to build a nice dungeon with high-level creatures, build traps, and a really nice layout... the game just doesn't offer this kind of gameplay!”
“The gameplay is bland, the maps are poorly designed, the missions are boring and drag on and on (made worse by the abysmal framerate).”
- story491 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The story in "War for the Overworld" has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it to be relatively thin and straightforward, often feeling like a series of tutorials rather than a compelling narrative. While some appreciate the humor and voice acting, others criticize the repetitive mission structure and lack of depth in the plot, leading to a sense of boredom and frustration. Overall, the game offers a nostalgic experience reminiscent of the "Dungeon Keeper" series, but many players express a desire for a more engaging and fleshed-out storyline.
“The story is well made, typical conquer the overworld story, but a few twists and with humor.”
“The campaign is fun and definitely scratches the itch for single-player story-driven gameplay.”
“With brilliantly evil voice acting, fun and exciting missions that challenge your abilities as an underlord.”
“The story is a bit boring and along with the gameplay.”
“The story does not tell you anything really about what's going on except for 'hey there, want to go on a pointless murder spree to get this artifact and leave you on a cliffhanger at the end?' Even in a game like 'Overlord', at least you knew you were killing things to establish lordship over the lands.”
“The campaign is rather short and basic, the story is too straightforward, and the campaign levels are just the same thing: 'throw your army at the enemy army'.”
- graphics359 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players noting that while they are an improvement over the original Dungeon Keeper series, they still feel somewhat dated and lack polish. Some users appreciate the aesthetic and detail, highlighting the vibrant art style and improved lighting effects, while others criticize issues like flickering, dark visuals, and performance drops during intense gameplay. Overall, the graphics are generally considered decent but not groundbreaking, with a nostalgic charm that appeals to fans of the original games.
“This game is worth every penny it cost, is fun and easy to play, with quick-to-learn tutorials and astonishing artwork.”
“The graphics are amazing, and the narrator sounds just like I remember, never mind the fast action gameplay.”
“The graphics are sharp and clear, if a little dark in places, the sound is excellent and the controls are easy to learn, whether you've played this type of game before or not.”
“The graphics are way too dark.”
“Terrible graphics in my opinion.”
“The graphics are a little on the uglier side, and even with that, there can be some FPS drops in bigger battles.”
- humor217 mentions
- 99 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The humor in "War for the Overworld" is a mix of dark, tongue-in-cheek, and campy elements reminiscent of the original "Dungeon Keeper" series, with many players appreciating the witty voice acting and amusing character interactions. However, opinions vary, as some find the humor forced or lacking compared to its predecessors, while others enjoy the quirky dialogue and comedic scenarios that arise during gameplay. Overall, the game successfully captures a nostalgic sense of humor that appeals to fans of the genre, though it may not resonate with everyone.
“The atmospheric environment, coupled with its delightfully dark humor, genuinely gives the feeling of embodying an underworld ruler.”
“The humor is there, but where Dungeon Keeper had humor in everything and more, this game does have some of the same humor but not much else.”
“The dark humor provided by the original Dungeon Keeper narrator with the crudely funny jokes gives you a small break from managing your underworld and gives you something to smile about, if you weren't smiling already after watching your goblins slaughter goodly heroes in seconds.”
“The narration leaves much to be desired - it is not funny and way too obvious.”
“The chunders are just pathetic and not funny.”
“Not funny, no humor, no ambience, no good music, and an expensive game!”
- stability175 mentions
- 7 % positive mentions
- 1 % neutral mentions
- 93 % negative mentions
The game's stability remains a significant concern, with numerous players reporting persistent bugs, glitches, and crashes even years after its release. While some users have experienced fewer issues following updates, many still encounter freezing, desynchronization in multiplayer, and unresponsive controls, leading to a frustrating gameplay experience. Overall, the game is described as a "buggy mess" that requires further refinement to reach its full potential.
“Runs great, looks great, plays great.”
“It is a very bug-free game!”
“Runs great, plays great; it's basically Dungeon Keeper. There are some variants here and there, but nothing that has made me not want to play this game. So far, it's been great, and it runs great. I haven't encountered any bugs, but I can tell that some people have, so there's that.”
“But man is it ever buggy; cannons that become immortal, disappearing units, and I swear damn near every time I quit the game it locks up my PC. I have to force shut down the game, and sometimes that's not enough, and it completely freezes my rig. No, my computer's not a potato; this game just lacks some serious TLC.”
“The game is too buggy and feels like an alpha build, with plenty of text that should be used for debugging purposes but has no meaning to the player.”
“Unfortunately, it is still far from what I would consider 'complete'; the single-player campaign has frequent issues (server slowdown/freezes/crashes/bugs out), and after completing the objective, nothing happens.”
- optimization142 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 32 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is widely criticized, with many players reporting significant performance issues, including frame drops, stuttering, and crashes, particularly on larger maps or with many units on screen. While some updates have improved performance, many still find it unplayable on lower-end hardware, and the overall experience is marred by persistent bugs and a lack of polish. Despite these challenges, a few players note that the game runs smoothly on higher-end systems, suggesting that optimization efforts are ongoing but not yet fully realized.
“The developers have made a tremendous push to fix the performance problems that were plaguing the game.”
“The latest patch mostly fixed the performance issues for me, now I can actually end busy levels and - behold - save games!”
“The game has become more stable overall, but is still struggling to run smoothly on larger levels later in the campaign.”
“The game is so poorly optimized as to be unplayable.”
“The biggest problem War for the Overworld faces, however, is its often cripplingly poor performance issues.”
“Despite trying multiple times to like War for the Overworld, this game is just simply boring, badly optimized, and not fun.”
- music69 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its atmospheric and haunting qualities that enhance the dark dungeon-building experience, while others find it forgettable and lacking in variety compared to classics like Dungeon Keeper 2. Many players express disappointment over the repetitive nature of the soundtrack, suggesting it fails to create the engaging ambiance expected in a game of this theme. Overall, while some appreciate the quality and fit of the music, a significant number feel it does not live up to the legacy of its predecessors.
“And the music is hauntingly beautiful, perfectly setting the mood for a game about building a dark and deadly dungeon.”
“The gameplay is enhanced by a wonderful soundtrack and brilliant narration.”
“Hell, go the extra $10 and get the $40 version just for the soundtrack if nothing else - the soundtrack is pure evil and outstanding and it fits perfectly with a game of this theme.”
“The sound design and music is pretty lackluster.”
“The music is forgettable; I often switched off the in-game music due to repetition.”
“Unlike Dungeon Keeper 2, where your skirmishes are accompanied by a loud techno beat, here we get a droning low note and screeching instrumentals.”
- atmosphere58 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its faithful homage to the Dungeon Keeper series, featuring a blend of dark humor, immersive design, and nostalgic elements that resonate with fans. While many appreciate the detailed graphics and sound design that enhance the experience, some feel that it lacks the depth and soul of its predecessors, leading to a somewhat repetitive gameplay experience. Overall, the game successfully captures the essence of the original series, though opinions vary on its execution and emotional impact.
“The atmospheric environment, coupled with its delightfully dark humor, genuinely gives the feeling of embodying an underworld ruler.”
“Its thoughtful design, immersive atmosphere, and complex strategic elements form a compelling experience that will keep you returning to your underworld throne time and time again.”
“Subterranean Games really came through... not only does War for the Overworld capture that old Dungeon Keeper atmosphere, it nails the gameplay with positive additions.”
“This game has a really crappy atmosphere and all the creatures are a load of wank and there doesn't seem to be enough depth in the right places.”
“The atmosphere of the dungeon is not as grungy and dank as DK1, and thus feels a lot less colorful.”
“The atmosphere is there... but one can't help but feel like... something is missing.”
- replayability36 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers significant replayability, particularly through its multiplayer features and community workshop support, which allow for custom maps and varied strategies. Many players appreciate the engaging campaign and optional objectives that enhance replay value, while some express disappointment in the lack of depth in certain aspects, limiting replayability for those not interested in online play. Despite mixed opinions, the consensus leans towards a high replayability potential, especially for fans of the genre.
“You can pit your dungeon designing skills against those of your friends or strangers, which offers fantastic replayability.”
“The community workshop allowing for custom maps and campaigns has also extended the replayability of the game, and I hope that it keeps getting better.”
“Infinite replayability, and tons of fun for both the type of player who likes to speed up, and those who like to take it chill.”
“Although it offers some replayability options as well as workshop support, both of which were not very appealing to me.”
“In short, there is no replayability.”
“And unless you're into online play, I found the replayability to be nonexistent.”
- grinding23 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 4 % neutral mentions
- 96 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and often frustrating, with many expressing that it detracts from their overall enjoyment. Tasks such as managing minions and completing missions can feel repetitive and dull, leading to a loss of interest over time. While some appreciate the nostalgic elements and the thrill of unlocking achievements, the overwhelming sentiment is that the grinding mechanics could benefit from improvements to enhance engagement.
“The entire thing was done by sacrificing my own minions to turn them into more zombies, and it was just so needlessly tedious and dull; it felt like the minions I had were actively working against me at times.”
“The campaign is annoying and tedious, with almost no standard destroy the opponent missions and many timed objective-based ones instead.”
“Just a long tedious slog through the map until you have enough skeletons with them to swarm the end room.”
- monetization13 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 54 % negative mentions
The monetization model of the game has received mixed feedback, with some players appreciating the absence of microtransactions and finding the DLC prices reasonable, especially during sales. Many express a desire for a return to original creativity in gaming, contrasting this title with the cash grab nature of recent mobile adaptations of the Dungeon Keeper franchise. Overall, the game is praised for its commitment to a fair monetization approach, avoiding the pitfalls of microtransactions.
“It's dungeon keeper without microtransactions.”
“It's a spiritual successor to Dungeon Keeper; there's no microtransactions and you don't need to wait a day for your imps to mine out blocks.”
“Dungeon Keeper needs a real reboot without microtransactions.”
“Great spiritual successor to Dungeon Keeper, probably the best we will ever get because EA murdered Bullfrog and turned the glorious Dungeon Keeper games into crap cash grab mobile games.”
“A welcome addition to my collection, especially since EA butchered the franchise by making this farce of a mobile game, riddled with microtransactions.”
- emotional9 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, feeling empowered and nostalgic as they embrace their inner villain. The strategic elements and humor enhance the experience, evoking memories of classic titles like Dungeon Keeper, while also providing a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. Overall, the game successfully elicits feelings of nostalgia, joy, and a playful embrace of evil.
“Things like this often made me feel helpless and very much not like a godlike entity.”
“I also enjoyed the wonderful humor in the dialogue, especially Mendichaus (the mentor). Never have I played a game that made me feel so evil until now. :)”
“Dungeon Keeper 3 (in spirit) made me want to cry. I have been waiting so long for this game and its awesome devs. I love you all.”
- character development4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, reviews highlight strong character design and enjoyable features, such as a skill tree, that enhance the gameplay experience. However, some users express concerns about a lack of overlap in character types, suggesting a need for more diversity in character development.
“Yes - the controls make sense, the sense of humor of the narrator is great, and the character design is good.”
“A lot of units with no overlap in terms of character design and type.”
“Great character design and enjoyable extra features built on top of the DK2 setup, like the skill tree addition.”
“My only complaint is the character design.”
“There are a lot of units with no overlap in terms of character design and type.”
