Overlord Raising Hell

Gather your Minions and assemble your armies as you prepare to take over the kingdom in Overlord: Raising Hell, an odd and unique action-strategy title by Codemasters. This expansion to the original game adds more of what makes the series so enjoyable while mending some of its predecessors’ most glaring faults.

An action game with some slight strategy elements thrown in for good measure, Overlord lets players fulfill their power fantasies as they control a figure that’s more than just a little reminiscent of Sauron to do their evil bidings. The expansion is as delightful as the base game, with some of the series’ trademark humor included.

Command and Conquereth

Have you ever played Pikmin and thought to yourself: “Hmm, I sure wish these little critters were evil?” Well, Overlord and Overlord: Raising Hell are the answer to your pleas. A game that’s as much about the action as it is about strategy, Overlord puts you in command of color-coded meanings that carry out your nefarious commands.

At first glance, Overlord; Raising Hell might look like a serious RPG title with deep lore and perhaps one or two genre-defining quests. The truth, however, is that the game never takes itself too seriously for that.

Going back to the Pikmin example, Overlord distances itself from Nintendo’s kid-friendly title by introducing a fearsome main character that’s also able to change the tide of battles. The titular Overlord is a capable unit that can play a more active role during battle, making the game feel much more fast-paced than any other Pikmin title.

The medieval fantasy setting also opens up a heap of narrative possibilities – not to mention gags and Lord of the Rings references galore. For a game that’s primarily made for fun and laughs, there is actually quite a bit of substance behind the jokes. The humor adds a huge deal to the overall experience, keeping the player engaged despite some questionable balance issues and some admittedly uninspired missions.

Hell Expanded

As is to be expected from an expansion pack of this magnitude, Overlord: Raising Hell adds plenty of new single-player content to the package. The expansion’s main plot takes place right after the events in the original game, serving as a nice tie between the first game and Overlord II.

But, if you want to get down to business and don’t care about playing through the main campaign, there are heaps of additional sidequests that take place in different environments and feature new bosses and minibosses along with some pretty overpowered loot to collect.

Additionally, players who enjoyed the original game’s trademark comedy will be in for a treat, as the plot of Overlord: Raising Hell delivers more of the gags and jokes that the series is known for.

Still, the Raising Hell expansion is a great way to get some more of the Overlord goodness we're used to. And if you haven't tried out the original game yet, the Raising Hell Edition, which includes both the original and the expansion, might be the perfect way to get into the series.

Pros

• Genuinely funny plot
• Commanding your minions is simple and entertaining
• Heaps of new content added to the base game

Cons

• Some glaring performance issues, especially on home consoles
• Some of the jokes fail to land
• The gameplay can become a bit too repetitive for some players