Overlord
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Best of the Rest: Alexander's Picks of 2007
Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword (PC) Please, make the addiction stop! Civilization IV: Warlords, the first expansion for Civ IV, made my "Best of the Rest" last year and Beyond the Sword tops this year's list. The funny thing is I'm not a Civ fanboy, nor am I even that great of a player (Full Disclosure: I still play on Noble level), but Civ IV is a game I can come back to over and over again. Beyond the Sword added much-needed mechanics for culture-prone and passive-aggressive players, with enhancements in espionage and other concepts "beyond the sword." Oh, and just to keep last year's tradition going: Firaxis (2K, Take-Two), please get the rights to Alpha Centauri back from EA and give us a sequel!
Codemasters' goal: a new MMO every year
Codemasters is the UK-based company that runs The Lord of the Rings Online and Dungeons & Dragons Online in the European market and produces many single player games including Clive Barker's Jericho, Operation Flashpoint, and Overlord. Codemasters' Ron Cousens said in a recent interview that the company wants to "position itself to do maybe one MMO launch per year."When discussing that and other gaming-related bits, Cousens also suggested that the MMO genre will grow stronger on consoles.Given the success of The Lord of the Rings Online in Europe (it's #2 behind World of Warcraft), Codemasters is one of the big kahunas for online gaming in the region. Still, one MMO launch per year is extraordinarily ambitious. And with regards to consoles, we think Cousens hit the nail on the head. Age of Conan and The Agency are hitting the XBox 360 and the PlayStation 3, respectively, and despite vague denials from bigwigs, the evidence says Blizzard has its eye on consoles as well.
Codemasters pushed into record year by US sales
Overlord, Dirt and Meh-richo publisher Codemasters has announced its financial results for the full year ending June 30th, a year the European company claims was its best in the 22 years since inception. A 38% rise in sales and an increase of revenues to $149 million is largely to blame on a 332% improvement in sales within the US retail channel. Perhaps blasting rally fans with the faux hip voice of Travis Pastrana wasn't such a bad move after all.A Gamasutra report further notes that these positive results follow from a recent $84.3 in game design and development, as well as a prominent marketing and distribution agreement with Warner Bros. home entertainment group. Mind you, releasing solid games such as Overlord and Dirt couldn't have hurt either.
Overlord summoning trio of DLC in Nov.
Overlord will unleash three downloadable content packs on Xbox Live this November. One pack is free and enables players to experience the game in a multiplayer split-screen mode; a new co-op map will also be included challenging two Overlords to work together in surviving "the onslaught of an arch rock giant on the rampage." The other two packs will cost you, but at this point neither have a price. One will offer five new levels for the single player campaign and the other offers a "legendary" difficulty level and multiplayer maps. None of the packs have an exact release date.PC versions of these packs will be available early next year, and the German version of Overlord will include all the new content in a special edition. We do hope Overlord gets a sequel; there's nothing really "wrong" with the game compared to less worthy games we've seen getting sequels. [Via X3F]
Overlord: Split-screen and hell raising in November
"The summer's hit action adventure from Triumph Studios" (hehe, that marketing talk made us chuckle) Overlord will be getting a trio of downloadable content packs this November. One will be free and two will cost you.So, let's gets to the goods and break these three DLC packages down. The long time promised Overlord split-screen option will be included in the free "Split-Screen Multiplayer Pack" allowing head-to-head action throughout the entire game. The free pack will also include an additional multiplayer map called "Rocky Race". The other two premium packs (see: get out your wallets) include "Raising Hell" and the "Challenge Pack". "Raising Hell" is a single player expansion that adds new levels, new enemies and new quests through all kinds of hellish abysses. The "Challenge Pack" offers up seven brand new multiplayer maps as well as a Legendary difficulty mode for the most experienced Overlords. Pricing for the two premium DLC offerings as well as a firm release date for all the content has yet to be confirmed, but we're sure Overlord fans will be patient since they've had to exercise such trait for the past few months anyway. Overlords, unite!
Codemasters crafting split-screen mode for Overlord
We're not sure how many of have been playing Overlord's multiplayer mode, but if the thing keeping you away from it is the inability to see the anguish in your foes eyes as you send your minions after them, we have good news. Codemasters has confirmed that they're working on a split-screen multiplayer mode for the game, due out "soon" through the Xbox Live Marketplace.We don't know exactly how the multiplayer mode will work (details are scant at the moment) but we do know that the mode will work with all multiplayer maps. Oh, we almost forgot the best part: It's free. Sounds like you may not want to succumb to trade-in fever just yet.[Via X3F]
Split-screen multiplayer coming to Overlord
Making a few house cleaning announcements before heading off to the Leipzig Games Convention, Codemasters revealed that they'll be releasing a game update for Overlord allowing for some split-screen multiplayer. The title update will be releasing sometime soon and will be available for free, but other than that Codemasters hasn't given any specifics to what this split-screen multiplayer Overlord experience entails. Minions, fetch us our split-screen multiplayer![Via xbox360.dcemu.co.uk]
Old Grandma Hardcore plays Overlord (NSFW)
Everyday, we thank the Maker that Old Grandma Hardcore is in the world. For us, the novelty will never, ever wear out on watching an old lady play a video game and swear with the fiery vitriol of 100 drunken sailors. This time, she's turned her wrath against Overlord. Now, don't get us wrong, we certainly felt like cursing at Overlord, especially when our brown minions would decided to try for 10th time to see if maybe, just maybe, they were invulnerable to fire. (Spoiler alert: They weren't.) But there's no way that our cursing could be as scathing, frustrated and downright adorable as the OGHC. Obviously, you won't want to watch the video after the jump with children around ... unless you want them to grow up to be awesome old ladies.
GameTap Thursday: the Overlord has arrived
This is one of those GameTap release days where we wish we could e-chuck a blunt object through the tubes, screaming "What are you waiting for?" Overlord is now freely available for all GameTap subscribers and it wishes to claim a chunk of your hard drive space. Not only to rub it in on folks who paid $60 bucks for it, but because it's a wonderfully unique slasher that deserves another chance. That and it's not a good week to be a fan of the Bogard clan. Real Bout Fatal Fury Special (Neo-Geo) - We tend to love the Real Bout series for the same reason we love the Mortal Kombat 3 series of fighters ... the more busted it is, the more entertaining it gets. Fatal Fury 2 (Neo-Geo) - Last week you got Fatal Fury Special which is Fatal Fury 2 only with more characters, so feel free to ignore this one. Much like its Special counter-part, this one is mostly notable for the commercial. Pyramid Magic Special (Genesis) - A Japanese only puzzler that the GameTap folks over at Angled Whiteboards are in love with. Just Cause (PC) - A GTA-style title that has you jumping from jets, parachuting onto moving trucks and driving without a seat belt. Why, you ask? Uh ... there was a plot? We were too busy being awesome. If you haven't checked it out before, Just Cause is good times. Police Quest: In Pursuit of the Death Angel (DOS) - Feel free to let out a pump of the fist and a loud expletive of your choice. We're going to assume this means the rest of the series is on the way as well. Overlord (PC) - If you've gotten this far, that means you're not actually playing it yet. Shame! As usual, the list of free play titles have been updated and we've even been given a list of all 49 of them, made viewable after the break. Capcom's classic shooter Gunsmoke has been added and that alone is enough for us to be thankful.
Codemasters overrules Overlord PS3 rumor
Speaking to Eurogamer, a Codemasters spokesperson has made it inescapably clear that evil minion sim Overlord will not be conquering the PlayStation 3 anytime soon. "We are not porting Overlord to PS3." Gosh, that's a lot more direct than we're accustomed to in the world of video game news. Usually we'd expect something along the lines of "Codemasters may fail to not rule out considering the possibility of not creating a version of Overlord for the PS3 currently at this time not." The rumor initially sprang from a job listing by developer Triumph Studios which politely asked for a PS3 programmer, one capable of "porting X360/PC code base to PS3." We have no idea what game Triumph is working on next, but we sincerely hope someone sends Overlord writer Rhianna Pratchett a PS3 by the time it comes out.
Rumor: Overlord looking to rule over PS3 [update]
[Update: Codemasters says it's not happening.]Triumph Studios, creators of Overlord, have a job posting where they're looking for a PlayStation 3 programmer who will be responsible for "porting X360/PC code base to PS3." Well, unless they're planning to port Age of Wonders five years later, we're going to guess they're looking at "porting" Overlord to PS3.If you're a PS3 owner looking to play Overlord and just can't wait till they hire this person to do the porting, you can always just head on over to GameTap if you've got a gaming PC. A recent deal between Codemasters and GameTap means that anybody with a decent PC and internet connection will be able to play Overlord with a subscription for far less then the next-gen $59.99 price. Considering they haven't even hired the person to do the porting yet, who knows when it'll be done. Alternatively, it could be a completely new game Triumph is working on and looking to port the code for.[Thanks Vlad]
Loads of new game trailers on XBLM
If you haven't powered on your Xbox 360 today, you're missing out on a boatload of new trailers. In all, we've got Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (girlish squeal!), Overlord (which we can't download for some reason), and a trailer for Conan. Conan, perhaps, deserves the most attention. Unfortunately, that's not because it's the best of the three (far from it, in fact). Not to be confused with the Age of Conan MMO from Funcom, Conan, quite frankly, just looks awful. The gameplay looks decent enough, but the graphics lack anything even resembling polish. Seriously, it's like they decided to release a trailer of an alpha build (which may be exactly what it is). The character models themselves look alright, but they seem completely separate from the environment, like they're really in front of a green screen. Joystiq seemed to be impressed by the game back in March, so we remain hopeful that the final product will be a solid experience.
Shipping this week: eat your heart out edition
Ladies and gentlemen, girls and boys, squirrels and hamsters, it's a big week for our beloved Xbox 360. Not only do we finally get to sample the heart-eating goodness of The Darkness (a game we're giving away, by the way), but we also have a plethora of other games arriving as well. In fact, there are so many games coming out this week, we're going to whip out (that's right) a bulleted list. Behold: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix The Bigs Hour of Victory The Darkness Overlord Transformers: The Game Ratatouille That's a lot of games. We're particularly excited about Overlord, which has been sitting patiently in our rental queue for some time. Are you planning on picking up any of these titles?
Founders of Codemasters bought out by venture firm
After redesigning its face, European publisher Codemasters has now undergone some internal changes as well. A capital venture firm, Balderton Capital, has acquired the remaining stake held by the publisher's founders, David, Richard and Jim Darling. The purchase is accompanied by a further £50 million in finance from Goldman Sachs for the future growth of the company -- already the largest independent video game developer and publisher in Europe."This new investment heralds the next stage for Codemasters as it realises its ambitions to be a global player, readying itself for the digital age," says Codemasters CEO, Rod Cousens. "For more than 20 years, Jim, David and Richard built Codemasters to become one of the video game industry's great British success stories; they brought enjoyment to many and made a valuable contribution to the industry as a whole." Have a look at their latest contributions, Dirt and Overlord, later this month.
IGN UK rates Overlord; Verdict: Impressive
IGN UK got their hands on the retail build of Overlord, and have given the game its rounds and came back with a nice review, scoring an 8.1 . Those who liked the demo will be happy to hear that the cool experiences had in that initial level continue on through the game, with capabilities of having 50 minions on screen with no slow down. Their only gripes, gameplay wise, was that it appears to require backtracking in order to summon particular minions for their specialties later on in a given level. They also felt the multiplayer felt "tacked-on" to the over all experience. So, if you want an advance look at what's coming your way later this month, click the "Read" link.
Overlord Achievements awakened
After being having one of the two good demos release on Marketplace last week, Xbox 360 Achievements got their hands on Overlord's Achievements. The first thing that caught our eye was that there are two Achievements for how much or little Corruption your character has, one for maxing it out, and the other for having none, so being a good-bad guy is going to be required for the completionists out there. Also worth noting are the ranked multiplayer Achievements, and "Mistress Master", where you essentially let her wear the pants of the relationship and do her bidding. Are you looking forward to torching some halflings later this month?
X3F hands-on: Overlord
Somewhere, deep down, we had a feeling we were going to like Triumph Studios' Overlord. The screens we'd seen looked polished and the trailers exuded a certain charm that piqued our interest from the beginning. As such, we were eager to try out the demo that was released on Xbox Live Marketplace earlier today. After a few run-throughs of the fairly short demo, we think we've reached a fair assessment of what the game has to offer. So, is Overlord the game of your (evil) dreams? Read on to find out.%Gallery-3359%
Overlord demo hits Xbox Live
Every gaming publication under the sun has described Overlord, which casts you as a bad guy with up to 50 minions to control, as a blend of Pikmin and (something evil here). But we at Joystiq, never ones to cling to convention, are going to describe it as a mix of Halo and mid-90s classic Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters from Beverly Hills. There's not any basis in reality for that description, but, we figure that now that the demo is out on Xbox Live, we can describe it any way we like without doing too much damage. Also, just between us, we own a lot of stock in Codemasters, and we need to appeal to what the kids are into. They love the Halo ... and we couldn't afford the Power Rangers. Listen, Major Nelson says he hasn't even heard of the thing, we've got to make a splash somehow.
Overlord demo rules Marketplace
After a bunch of demos hit Marketplace over the last three days (some more important than others), new ones still keep showing up. Today's offering so far is Overlord, which recently had a few videos pop up on the intertubes, and follows through on our plea. You may want to watch those before committing the 891.78 MB of space for the content, although some of you may already be convinced. So, are you enjoying this influx of interactive content, or do you not have the time to play these demos anyway?
Video: Overlord media blitz begins
Judging by the increasing amount of promotional material floating around the net, Codemasters really wants Overlord to be a success. New videos are starting to come out at a daily pace, revealing the game's plot and unique gameplay elements. The first video (above) gives a brief outline of the game's story. As the new Overlord, it is your job to rebuild your dark tower as well as punish the "heroes" who destroyed it in the first place. The second video (embedded after the break) shows off a trait displayed by your minions. Labeled, "Commandment One" of "The Six Minion Commandments" the video shows players that minions will always bring you any loot that they find. We must admit, we're really starting to like the idea of dimwitted minions who will perform all of our nefarious bidding. Overlord comes out later this month.
