Overlord line-up

The vast majority of multi-format releases involve a game being tweaked and ported over to various platforms with minimal changes made. Not so with Codemasters’ upcoming Overlord titles. While you could be forgiven for assuming the three games are largely the same, given their shared release date, they are in fact three completely different entities and as such the publisher has different expectations for each of them.

“Overlord II aims to build on the cult status of the original, whereas the two new Nintendo titles are something entirely different,” says Codemasters’ brand manager Dan Robinson.

“Overlord Dark Legend on the Wii shows what can be achieved on this platform – great graphics, a more next-gen type of game, and something that we think Nintendo fans have been waiting for.

“Overlord Minions on the DS is very much a puzzle-based game, which has similarities to Zelda and is perfect for this platform. Without a doubt though, they all deliver on what Overlord is all about. They are all funny and have been written by Rhianna Pratchett. Also, they all poke fun at something and provide things you don’t get from other games.”

For those unfamiliar with Overlord, the action RPG series can be viewed as the Shrek of the video gaming world, twisting the typical fantasy tale on its head by allowing players to experience a fairytale adventure from a rarely-explored perspective.

“When the original Overlord was released in 2007, it was described as being totally unique,” says Robinson. “People were sick and tired of being the good guy, saving the world and living happily ever after. In Overlord, you got to be the bad guy.”

Overlord II (the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC SKU) delivers on this concept once again, but goes the extra level with new features such as the Destruction/ Domination Tyranny system. Under this mechanic, the way the character and world evolves depends on players’ actions: if they simply seek to enslave the natives, they can reap rewards later, whereas if they follow the path of destruction, they will become a true demon of chaos.

There are more interesting environments to explore, more mistresses to collect, and the minons you command are smarter, funnier and even more maniacal than before. They now have mounts, they go on their own missions without the Overlord, and they get dressed up in more costumes – all in the interest of expanding their leader’s empire.

Overlord Dark Legend, the Wii version, follows a different story, set in a time before the original Overlord game. As with its predecessor, Dark Legend toys with fairytale mainstays, introducing characters that will be very familiar to gamers, such as Lil’ Red, Gingerbread Men and the Tooth Fairy – each with an amusing Overlord twist.

“The advantages of the Wii platform is that you have more direct control over your horde of minions, which makes the use of the Wii Remote and Nunchuk more intuitive to the player as well,” adds Robinson. “You can even pick up a minion, throttle him to charge him up and send him running off to the nearest enemy or breakable object to explode – literally like a walking time bomb.”

Finally, the DS edition Overlord Minions also follows a unique story, running alongside the plot of Dark Legend. The player takes on the role of the Overlord and controls a crack commando team of four minions. This is accomplished via the stylus – there is no button play at all – and incorporates the touch screen perfectly. Gamers will need to use different combinations of minions to solve puzzles and progress through the game.

The original Overlord was highly popular thanks to its quirky humour and unique take on fantasy conventions, so anticipation is high for any form of sequel. The fact that three different games with different stories are all set for release on the same day should more than satisfy fans. As Robinson adds, the Overlord line-up is guaranteed to provide “something for everyone”.

ONE CAMPAIGN TO RULE THEM ALL

Codemasters recognises that its trio of Overlord games will appeal to different audiences, and has therefore had to tweak its marketing plans to reflect this, targeting three different demographics:

– Print ads will be focused on the Nintendo market, with the Wii title Dark Legend at the centre of the campaign. Ads will appear in NGamer and Official
Nintendo Magazine throughout June and July.

– The official website has already been launched and takes gamers to different pages depending on the title they choose.

– Overlord will be the main sponsor of IGN.com’s E3 coverage for a week, and online banner ads will appear on major sites such as MSN, IGN.com and Gamepot.
n A wide-ranging television campaign will kick off on the games’ launch weekend, with ads running
on Dave, Virgin1, Bravo, Five and other channels.

– Point Of Sale materials will be available in the form of posters, standees, oversized game boxes, cube, banners and more. Digital files have also been supplied to retailers, allowing them to create their own Overlord POS.

– A themed outdoor activity
will see Overlord’s minions popping up in selected pubs around the UK at launch.