Overlord: Raising Hell
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| Overlord: Raising Hell | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Triumph Studios |
| Publisher(s) | Codemasters |
| Platform(s) | Xbox 360, PC (Windows), PlayStation 3 |
| Release date | NA February 15, 2008 EUR February 15, 2008 |
| Genre(s) | Action-adventure |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, Multiplayer, Co-op |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Teen (13+), PEGI: 16+, USK: 16 |
| Media | DVD-DL |
| System requirements | Windows XP, DirectX 9.0c, Pentium 2.4 GHz or Athlon XP 2400+ processor, 512 MB RAM, GeForce FX5900 or Radeon 9500 graphics card, 4.5 GB hard drive space, 2x DVD-ROM drive, orignal copy of Overlord.
TCP/IP mode (2 player) requirements: Broadband Internet connection required - 512 kbit/s recommended for hosting. TCP/IP network. |
Overlord: Raising Hell is the official expansion to the 2007 action-adventure video game Overlord, which was released available for download over Xbox Live for the 360 version and online for the PC version worldwide on February 15, 2008 alongside additional multiplayer add-ons.[1] A PlayStation 3 version of the original Overlord to be released in Summer 2008 will also be named under the same title, as it will include all downloadable content to date on one Blu-ray Disc.[2].
The expansion adds an extension to the game's single player with new levels, plot, enemies and weapons.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Additions
Along with an extended story, Raising Hell also features new weapons and armor to be forged back at the tower. To forge the new items, first the player to locate the mold for each item and bring it back to the tower forge, for it to be imbued with minion life force (like original weapons and armor). The new items have more noticeable effects however. For example, there are weapons that invoke fire damage, and can deal shock attacks (as opposed to simple strength power-ups). There are also helms that can double the amount of life force received after defeating enemies. The new items are not limited to the new areas, and they can be used in the original lands as well as the tower dungeon.
[edit] Plot
The plot takes place right after the events in the original Overlord where Gnarl reports evil energy being emitted from the Overlord’s various conquered lands. Upon his arrival in the Mellow Hills, the peasants of Spree surround a large portal, which they believe to be a passage to Heaven. Upon arriving however they end up in the “Abyss”, an alternate hell version of their own lands where they are tortured or forced to work. In the Mellow Hills Abyss, the now fallen Halfling hero Melvin Underbelly, previously slain by the Overlord in the last game is being punished by becoming even more gluttonous than before, constantly eating to the point of exploding yet returning to the Abyss to restart the same process. Luring him with food, the Overlord uses Melvin’s torture as a method of blowing through the Abyss’s defenses. Melvin ends up rolling into a hole, there unable to eat. The Overlord secures the Abyss stone, which allows him to take control of the dimension.
At this point, Abyss gates have appeared over the rest of the land, allowing the Overlord to try and conquer the rest the entire dimension. In the Evernight Forest Abyss, Oberon Greenhaze and the remaining Elves are being tortured by having to watch a poor quality re-enactment of their demise at the hands of the Dwarves as an excuse to make fun of their God, the Mother Goddess and kill on stage. However the play constantly restarts to Act 1 since the “terror” prop for act 4 can’t be found. Behind the set, the Overlord finds the terror being the Dwarf king Goldo’s steam roller “Rollie”. With it he finishes the production and burns Oberon to ash with Rollie’s flamethrower allowing access to another Abyss stone.
Back at Heaven’s Peak, the women have left through their Abyss gate and dominate the dimension where previous Heaven’s Peak ruler Sir William the Black is being constantly burnt with the rest of his cult. To gain access to the women, the Overlord appeases them by using Sir William to power humiliating pedal-operated devices for domestic tasks like washing the floor or cutting grass. The women are eventually returned to the normal world and the Overlord kills Sir William off a second time when he tries to take the next Abyss stone for himself. At the Golden Hills Abyss, Goldo Golderson has been turned into a large Golden statue, encasing an Abyss stone. By luring the now demented Dwarf forces, they quickly pick away at Goldo until the Abyss stone is revealed for the Overlord to take.
With all four Abyss stones, the Overlord gains access to the Internal Abyss gate in the Rubborian desert. Despite heavy resistance of its undead forces, the Overlord enters its main Labyrinth. After breaking through a wall made up by the pieces of a shattered Kahn the Warrior who still cries out for Jewel, the Overlord confronts the Lord of the Abyss for a final showdown. Apparently the lord was trying to gain access to the normal world after having been banished by the Mother Goddess.
Upon his defeat, the Abyss lord tears down his domain and the Abyss gates. While the minions, along with the lost Jester make it back to the normal world safely, the Overlord is stranded in the Abyss. However, the Overlord witnesses the Abyss' Wraiths falling to their knees, as defeating their original master has made the Overlord the new God of the Abyss. Back in the normal world, Gnarl and the minions moan their loss with Gnarl considering the possibility he might return ending the scene with the same quote as last time. “Evil will always find a way”, at this point implying the Overlord’s mistress (Rose or Velvet) is pregnant.
[edit] Reception
As an expansion, Raising Hell was met with a positive reception with an 8/10 from Eurogamer and Official Xbox Magazine UK.
