When Overlord was released, it was a sleeper hit that spawned a cult of a new fans for a game mechanic and art style that was a cross between Dungeon Keeper and Fable. With the original release gracing the PC, Xbox 360, and eventually the PS3 – it was only logical for Codemasters to eventually set their eyes upon other platforms in an effort to expand the tendrils of their ever-growing evil empire to the Nintendo DS with Overlord Minions.
Level7: Despite great criticism from both the press and players sold the first Overlord game no huge quantities. Codemasters did however give the series another chance. Original developers Triumph Studios therefore carved up Overlord 2 to PS3 and 360, while Climax Studios was commissioned to program a Wii and the DS version.
Cubed3 writes: "Since the release of god sim Black & White, many games have taken the idea of being the bad guy and ran like Usain Bolt with it, letting the concept directly influence gameplay like in Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic, and it's the underlining frame of the Overlord series. Alongside Dark Legend on the Wii, Overlord Minions is an offshoot of Overlord II on the HD twins; does this status undermine the game, or propel it above the other offerings?
Minions follows a similar structure to the other games, as you take on the role of an evil Overlord figure in his attempts to snuff out resistance and opposition throughout the kingdoms. To aid you in this task is the diminutive race of Minions, led by your Yoda-like advisor, Gnarl. Consisting of four differently coloured creatures, each group has separate abilities and attributes. To start off with you are required to investigate the threatening creatures pouring out of the nearby Withering Woods, and from there move onto areas like the Cloudland Keep set atop towering cliffs, and Fossilised Temple which speaks for itself in regards to design..."
GameFocus writes: "The Overlord series is finally making its debut on the Nintendo DS. Much like the on the Wii, the series is taking a slightly different direction than the Xbox 360/PS3 games. This time, rather than focusing the story on the Overlord himself, the DS game centers on those loveable, mischievous Minions. Does the handheld title live up to its console big brothers' legacy? Can the Minions steal the spotlight from the series' main man?"
Pros
+ Clever puzzles and level designs
+ Graphics are well done.
Cons
- Controls are absolutely broken.
- Humour is decidedly flat in comparison to other games in the series.
- Story isn't very engaging.
