Metascore
75 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 60 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 39 out of 60
  2. Negative: 0 out of 60
  1. There was several times during the game that I laughed out loud and that helped make this already enjoyable game much more fun. Certainly a must buy for fans of the original or just action fans in general but if you did not like the first game make sure you try out the demo first because the innovation from the first game is not that noticeable until you are well into playing it.
  2. While it has base instincts at its core, Overlord II works as a whole because it knows where to exercise restraint. The sound design is crafted with care, so the Minions' battle cries harmonize in a mayhem that stops short of cacophony. And the story is informed by a surprisingly literate sense of humor that's more tongue-in-cheek than hand-in-armpit.
  3. 91
    Overlord 2 offers a lot of options for customization, be it in the form of minion upgrades, spell specializations, and purely aesthetic options like how to decorate your fortress and which of your mistresses you choose to favor.
  4. Ground-breaking visuals (for real) and tons of new gameplay; bigger worlds, more characters, more management, more tactics and more mistresses! Plus a truly inspired original score and no crap online modes!
  5. Never has pillaging and murdering countless citizens been so fun, and so funny. I love games that let me be the bad guy, and Overlord lets you do all that and more.
  6. Overall, Overlord II is a great follow-up to the original Overlord title, and it's certainly deserving of being a true sequel.
  7. A solid sequel which expands on the previous title. It's not perfect, but it is a huge amount of fun, and the added minion abilities really help, as well as the new gameplay elements which break up the monotony.
  8. Summing up, Overlord 2 is an excellent action and strategy adventure no fan of the genre should miss. It doesn't have plenty of new features, but even the original fans will find enough charm in this title to be engaged again.
  9. It's an "A" game saddled with "C" game issues, but it's still an addicting experience. I routinely found myself playing into the wee hours of the night, butchering gnomes with glee; camera issues (and all sense of morality) be damned.
  10. It's very Diablo-like in its playability, in that it often throws a lot of opposition at you, but with a full complement of minions and a powerful weapon, you'll usually cut through them nicely.
  11. Overlord II is an expanded sequel that provides more of the same loveable minion action from the first. Triumph isn't looking for a new audience as this targeted follow-up is meant to please fans of the original.
  12. Overlord II feels like a shining beacon of quality. Not only is it a distinct improvement on the original, but the new features add greatly to what was already a superbly entertaining game. It manages to strike an excellent balance between being challenging and rewarding, and does so throughout with a wicked smile on its face.
  13. Overlord II is in many respects a breath of fresh air in a sea of samey shooters, racers and high octane action games. Seamlessly blending elements of puzzle, RPG and real-time strategy with a decidedly old-school action adventure foundation, it succeeds in providing a gameplay experience that while certainly not perfect, is a lot of fun, with landscapes that are a joy to explore.
  14. There are few titles that are as charming as Overlord II, and only in this distorted fantasy world could playing the bad guy be so fun, engaging and - most importantly - guiltless.
  15. It's also a far smarter game in terms of presentation, with Triumph able to bring the game world into the modern era very successfully.
  16. Overlord II has refreshing and well designed levels and the multiplayer modes give the game meat. However, a frustrating camera, unstable framerate and crude humour take away from the experience.
  17. Overlord II is a good sequel. There are some nice locations and interesting missions. Overlord II is fun, because it´s good to be bad.
  18. A gleefully amoral riot of a game shot through with a devilish sense of humour. It's not perfect, and it's certainly not as immoral as it pretends to be, but it is consistently enjoyable throughout and more than guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
  19. Overlord II offers a combination that no other game has. And to be honest... everyone loves being the bad guy.
  20. A great sequel, better than the original one with new features that make the experience extremely fun and addictive.
  21. While the flaws from the original are back and the game doesn't break any new ground, Overlord II is still a delightfully enticing and addictive game about being evil.
  22. Overlord II preserves what worked last time, improves what didn't, and tries several new ideas on for size. [Aug 2009, p.62]
  23. The voice-acting is still hilarious at times, the soundtrack is fitting, the graphics are lush, and the humor is more often on, than it is off.
  24. A worthy sequel which almost definitely improves on its predecessor. The game's very long, yet enjoyable campaign overcomes the rather weak multiplayer.
  25. 80
    It's fun, looks great and will make you chuckle - you'll just be frustrated a little more often than is entirely forgivable. Very definitely worth a look, though, even if you thrashed the first one.
  26. Overlord II is a fun game to play. The humor is sometimes a little bit over the top, but the minions are very finny. The gameplay brings a lot of different puzzles and we just love the music score. The camera doesn't always works as it should, but that is also something you can get used to.
  27. Who played the first game will find in Overlord II the same irreverent and ironic spirit, coupled with greatly improved visuals capable of showing us beautiful, lush and evocative sceneries. On the other hand, we find a not so varied gameplay, in the long run repetitive. The new elements are interesting, but they aren't enough to suggest it to anyone: due to its atypical structure, we suggest to try it before opting to buy.
  28. 80
    Unlike so many other sequels, Overlord II navigates the fine balance between completely reinventing the game and not adding enough features to make it feel like more than just a glorified expansion pack. Aside from the often-mediocre framerates and some painfully spaced checkpoints, I had a disturbing amount of fun terrorizing, killing, and/or enslaving all who stood in my way.
  29. 80
    The game isn't terribly long, likely lasting most players a bit more than twenty hours if they take their time, but there is room for a second playthrough if players want to try a different evil philosophy.
  30. I have to recommend this game to anyone that enjoys a comical satire or parody as well as whimsical dark humor. It's full of destruction, fun and mayhem and the game really never gets stale throughout the entire campaign or the multiplayer.
  31. Linear romps of destruction are enjoyable in mid-length spurts. Multiplayer offers a few different modes to play competitively or cooperatively.
  32. It's fun to be evil in Overlord II. Collecting wenches, decorating the dark tower, buying weapons, and upgrading magics all work towards making the main character seem as powerful as possible. In the end, it's a better game than the original, but not by as much as would be hoped.
  33. 78
    Overlord II is an entertaining game for everyone who wants to play something different. Graphically Overlord II is such a strong game that you almost start to believe you're in the middle of a a fairytale, which is of course a good thing. The controls work great, there's plenty to do and the game contains a lot of humour.
  34. While not a vast improvement over the original, the gameplay and story are still solid and provide plenty of fun moments. Sadly the dubious multiplayer has come along for the ride yet again and it just does not seem as fresh as the first game did.
  35. Maybe its lack of content makes Overlord II a hard option for those who already have the first game. But those who want to start in the series will have a pleasant time being as evil as they want.
  36. Though it doesn't quite have the wile to ascend to triple-A status, Overlord II whips its subjects into shape with general gameplay improvements and its trademark sense of humor.
  37. Though the frame-rate sputters now and again, watching dozens of mounted little gremlins scurry about causing havoc at your bidding is an absolute riot. It's a guilty pleasure. Don't worry, we won't tell if you don't.
  38. Overlord 2 adds some new interesting features at the core gameplay mechanics of the prequel. Even if the repetitivity of the quest system is already there, the game offers some new variables and a lot of fun.
  39. What other game can make clubbing baby seals so much wicked fun? Even with a maddening camera that jumps around a bit, the game is a blast and a half to play.
  40. A decent effort that will need a few tweaks here and there to perfect it.
  41. This game brings no improvements whatsoever over its predecessor. In fact, none of the humor and delightful characters in it cannot divert our belief that this game spoiled a once fun and inventive franchise.
  42. A lack of polish and some awkward gameplay means that while many of the issues its predecessor suffered from have been removed, there's still just too much wrong with the game to make it stand out as being anything more than mediocre.
  43. Overlord 2 is bursting with good ideas, but a more disciplined approach to the game would have been more welcome.
  44. There's no denying that Overlord II is an enjoyable expansion on the original idea, which will entertain the fans. Unfortunately, the frustrations seem to mount up as you get further into the game, making it plainly obvious that Triumph has failed to really address key issues that thwarted the original.
  45. This demon-controlling adventure lets you do more fun things with your evil minions, but Overlord II hasn't shaken all of the issues that held back the first game.
  46. Overlord II is nothing revolutionary to its Overlord counterpart, and it could have easily just been a one off, but in case you missed out, Triumph studios have brought you more of what Overlord does best, just don't go in expecting anything more.
  47. Despite its problems it does generally provide a fun experience and fans of the first game will love the new ways of spreading chaos.
  48. Sitting uncomfortably between at least three genres, yet saves the day with some epic set pieces and a little old-fashioned British wit. What ho! [Issue#47, p.78]
  49. While certain parts of the game are tremendous fun, Overlord II fails to represent a significant improvement over the first game as lack of player guidance, control issues, collision problems and poor camera control conspire to kill the fun.
  50. Fans of the original will be prepared for the game's less savory moments and will be more than happy to struggle through for the end result. The ride is incredibly bumpy, but ultimately worth it.
  51. If you are looking for a action game that is entirely different from anything else, this is for you.
  52. It just doesn't play well. The controls are clunky, the pacing is unsatisfying, and the multiplayer feels tacked-on. While the original Overlord was a compelling game at heart, Overlord II just feels like an unpolished retread of ­familiar ground.
  53. 65
    The game is pretty fun to play, but it doesn't really take that great of a leap forward as most sequels are expected to do.
  54. 65
    Overlord II is solid enough, but it doesn't go quite as 'over-the-top' as we'd have liked.
  55. So while it's not solid gold it's a good way to kill some time and get a few laughs.
  56. Overlord as a game has so much potential and I really hope they get another crack at it with a third installment, but they've certainly not done themselves many favours by playing it so safe with the sequel and not pushing enough boundaries.
  57. A disappointing sequel that is arguably inferior to the original, despite more amusing minion antics.
  58. 60
    A sequel that is neither bigger nor better than its predecessor. The size and scope have been dialed back to something that is more akin to a straight action game.
  59. 60
    Overlord II is a decent game that maintains its predecessor's greatness, but it doesn't show enough progression or improvement. The unforgiving checkpoints and host of other problems make it a frustrating experience, making for a sinfully fun title that forces you to a steep penance for your enjoyment.
  60. Dishing out this weak score is like putting an adorable puppy out of its misery. [Sept 2009, p.84]
User Score

Generally favorable reviews- based on 23 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 3
  2. Negative: 0 out of 3
  1. Story: 4 Characters: 6 Graphics: 6 Setting: 7 Multiplayer: N/A Technical: 6 Audio: 6 Gameplay: 5 Re-Playability Value: 4 Fun Factor: 5 Score: 5.4/10 = D Full Review »
  2. KhristianRainford
    8
    For me, I've always liked Overlord. Sadly when the first game came out 2 years ago, it got overshadowed and deserved much more recognition. For those who've never played Overlord or a demo of it, think Dungeon Keeper 2 and Fable for the choices and especially the style mixed with the attitude of Gremlins and the puzzle solving side of Pikmin. Overlord is a refreshing change from all the samey titles on the market. Its nice to get a game which you can relax to and most of all its fun. Running around sending your minions to do as you please, whether you want to trash a village, loot some gold or even get them drunk. In the sequel, after the events of the first game you play a mini-Overlord to begin with, basically this is a clever way to teach the user the controls and then the first level cuts in where you play a taller darker brooding overlord, looking to be as successful as the one from the first game. The graphics although nice on the first one look richer on this. It really makes use of the 360 not to mention the moreso intericate details, such as when you start upgrading your tower and some of the minions have wigs or fans. Also the minions can have spells not to mention you can take one of them over and use them in your own way. What was good on the first game has been made even better on this. Also the Discworld-esque humour is still there, especially some of the dry, typically English comments. Personally I think its the best underated game on the 360 and it deserves a lot more praise. Its a refreshing change, total fun, the humours good and its..in all its just a fun game. The addition of a two player co-op and versus modes adds to the replay value to. It deserves way more than the 6s and 7s its getting, I can't help but wonder whether some people have played it all the way through There seems to be a snobbery about certain genres, or to the extent if a games not serious it can't be good. Try the demo, you'll get addicted. Overall : 85% Full Review »
  3. JustinMiller
    5
    This game just barely doesn't epically fail, and really the only thing that keeps it that way is the minion humor. Horrible sweep/camera control setup, pathetic "save system" (limited to autosaves unless you are in your Netherworld Tower looking at the map), several bugs/glitches, etc. Too small a world to play in (you'll be seeing the same areas over and over for the most part) Draw distance is pathetic (GTA3 did better). Seems very rushed. Sadly, the demo was more entertaining/fun. Full Review »