Overlord 2

Overlord 2 (PC)
Also On: PS3, 360

Release Date: 12/15/2009
ESRB Rating: Rating Pending
Genre: Action
Publisher: Code Master
Developer: Triumph

Previews:

Just when the sheep thought it was safe, the Overlord is back with his band of evil minions in Overlord 2.
Over the last few years there have been a lot of games that have encouraged players to choose their own direction on a moral compass. Most recently, Fable 2 forced people to make a choice between good versus evil and pure versus corrupt. In Overlord, though, the choice was more fine-tuned. You could be evil...or you could be really evil. That fine tradition continues in Overlord 2, the follow-up to that cult hit from 2007.

In Overlord 2, you'll actually be playing as the descendant of the "hero" from the first game. Having been smuggled into hiding to avoid the previous Overlord's wrath, you're actually raised by minions to become a brand new force of evil in the world. Speaking of evil, while the first game had some pretty devious moments (slaughtering sheep, hobbits and elves by the truckload), the developers felt that the evil could've been more pronounced. This time around you'll still be making choices to determine how you complete each quest, but the choice is now between domination and annihilation.

The example given is when you'll have to determine the fate of a town. You can either enslave the lot of the inhabitants, or blow the place to smithereens. What you choose will determine how your powers will progress throughout the game. But it's not just you on this evil journey, you've also got your minions along for the ride. It's still the same four types of minions from the first game (brown, green, blue and red), but all of the minions have been enhanced for maximum evil. They can now ride mounts, like wolves and spiders, to deal extra damage and access hard-to-reach spots. You're also likely to become more attached to your minions this time around, as you can now name them and have them wear silly costumes from your adventures. Named minions can still die, but you'll be able to resurrect them in your home castle if the pain is just too great.

Overlord 2 is definitely more of an evolutionary step for the series, keeping the basics pretty much the same while adding in new features and more sheep torture. The game is scheduled to release this summer on the PS3, 360 and PC. PETA members need not apply.