Impressed by Dungeon Keeper, Underworld Overseer sees you defending your lair this yr on Quest and PC VR. Learn on for our full impressions.
Developed by Myron Video games, greatest recognized for its VR sandbox god simulator, Deisim, Underworld Overseer shares some similarities however mixes in tactical fight. Enjoying the highly effective god-like Overseer, this villain protagonist journey duties you with managing an underground lair and its numerous minions, defending your base from invaders throughout an 18-level marketing campaign.
Following a brief demo at GDC 2024, I not too long ago went hands-on with a preview construct on Quest 3. An informative tutorial stage rapidly acquired me up to the mark and that is helped by Underworld Overseer’s simple management scheme – it makes use of the Contact Controller’s grip button to maneuver place, the left stick for locomotion and the proper stick for the snap-turning digital camera.
Up to now, I’ve performed three ranges that took me roughly 20 minutes to clear. Every concerned heading off waves of invading people, a few of whom will tunnel in the direction of you should you do not attain them first. Although I by no means felt rushed, time is not a luxurious you’ve got in abundance. A pop-up menu permits you to select your subsequent transfer by bodily urgent the button, which fits the movement controls effectively.
After selecting the mining instrument, you possibly can click on on an area and drag it throughout a number of blocks to rapidly sign the place you want your minions to focus. This method reduces potential monotony with administration and a few blocks include gold, which you’ll retailer in designated treasure rooms. You need not hole out the whole lot, although hidden treasure rooms had been a pleasing shock whereas increasing my lair.
As soon as an space was excavated, I started constructing ‘Work Rooms’ and deciding on the tiles you’d prefer to fill creates them immediately. Although you possibly can summon commonplace Imps anytime at the price of mana, constructing libraries and coaching rooms summons magical Cultists and melee-focused Warriors, respectively. This leans into the technique effectively, since attackers are available in many kinds.
After all, your armies cannot survive by always doing work. Work Rooms are additionally complemented by ‘Utility Rooms’ that want much less area however cater to extra sensible necessities. For instance, organising farms ensures your minions do not go hungry and relaxation rooms allow them to sleep. In case your military is not taken care of, this may have an effect on a minion’s effectiveness in defending your lair.
Extra instruments regularly unlock as time progresses, providing further methods to cease these enemy waves. Spike traps had been significantly enjoyable for any close by invaders, whereas alarm traps warn you to approaching enemies. I loved how simple managing items feels, too. I may lay down a banner to rally everybody to a set location, or I may choose up a person minion and transfer them throughout my territory.
Fortunately, you are additionally not utterly reliant in your minions. Although I solely unlocked one throughout my playthrough, Myron Video games confirmed you need to use magical assaults like Fireball, Chain Lightning or the Increase Skeleton incantation. Every of those prices mana factors that regularly regenerate, so you possibly can’t spam them, however I discovered Fireballs to be fairly efficient in a pinch.
Although this was an early construct with lacking parts, Underworld Overseer’s presentation already reveals a formidable quantity of polish. The cel-shaded visuals look nice on Quest 3 for each NPCs and environments, even if you transfer up shut. What I’ve seen to date seems to be very promising, and I will be retaining a watch out for the total launch.
Underworld Overseer at present targets a This autumn 2024 launch window on the Meta Quest platform and Steam.
