Overlord Minions Review for Nintendo DS

System: DS	Review Rating Legend
Dev: Climax Studios	1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid	4.0 - 4.4 = Great
Pub: Codemasters	2.0 - 2.4 = Poor	4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
Release: June 23, 2009	2.5 - 2.9 = Average	5.0 = The Best
Players: 1	3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+	3.5 - 3.9 = Good

Another comparison that can be drawn between OM and a LoZ title, in this case Phantom Hourglass, is its controls. Just like in Phantom Hourglass, everything is controlled using the stylus and touch screen. If you want your minions to walk, then tap where you’d like them to go or simply drag the stylus along the screen.

Overlord Minions screenshot

Slashing the stylus left to right over enemies and objects will have your minions attacking or interacting with things, respectively. This method of control can come in handy with things such as drag selecting your minions into a group or tapping the specific minion you wish to direct, but it also has its own share of problems that go along with it as well.

Unfortunately, the stylus controls featured in OM don’t live up to the standards set by the rest of the title. Slashing across the screen in order to attack/interact with objects rarely works well, often resulting in targeting the wrong enemy/object, or worse yet, sending your minion running towards danger rather than fighting it. Directing your minions by touching the screen is equally frustrating, especially when controlling all four, since the last couple in your line will often take damage from timed traps or simply get stuck on the environment. Moving one or two minions at a time can somewhat ease this problem, but it will also leave them more vulnerable to attack and it will take you much longer to complete each level.

The poorly executed controls really are a shame because otherwise OM is a fairly well done game. The concept is great, the levels are fun to think your way through, the boss battles are satisfying encounters, the graphics are quite respectable for a DS game, and there is a level of charm exuded by the various minions during the game’s still picture cinematics. It’s just too bad there isn’t another control option and the option that is available is so poorly implemented. However, if you don’t mind having to work around the game’s inaccurate stylus controls or can just deal with the irritating consequences it directly causes, then you’ll find a lengthy and mostly enjoyable experience in Overlord Minions.

By Adam Brown
CCC Staff Contributor

RATING OUT OF 5

RATING DESCRIPTION

3.7

Graphics
While not quite on par with the likes of Phantom Hourglass, Overlord Minions is a good-looking 3D adventure game on the DS.

2.4

Control
Unfortunately, stylus and touch screen controls are your only option here, and they aren’t nearly as accurate or trustworthy as they needed to be.

3.0

Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
The soundtrack and sound effects are decent but they can get repetitive quickly.

3.2

Play Value
This is a fairly lengthy and enjoyable portable experience, although it is somewhat marred by the poorly done touch screen controls.

3.0

Overall Rating - Fair
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

Game Features:

Use the DS Stylus to command and combine your minions in battle and direct them to solve puzzles.

Direct four of the most mischievous, malevolent and manic minions hand-picked for this new adventure.

The Minions must prevent Silas, head of a new Cult, resurrecting an almighty Dragon and threatening the Overlord’s totalitarianism.

Prepare to battle a huge range of new enemies from infected sheep, goats, spiders, paladins, infected dwarves, mutated trolls, scorpions, winged elves, and many more to take on.