10 /10 1 Votes
Artist(s) Martin Holland Mode(s) Single-player Genre Shoot 'em up Platforms DOS, MS-DOS | 5/5 Emuparadise Composer(s) Anthony Williams Initial release date 1992 Publisher Epic Games | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Developers Epic Games, Tech-Noir Productions, Ste Cork Designers Tech-Noir Productions, Ste Cork Similar Epic games, Shoot 'em up games | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
OverKill also known as OverKill: The Six-Planet Mega Blast is a vertical scrolling shooter that was developed by Tech-Noir and published by Epic MegaGames in 1992. The game was designed by Ste Cork.
Contents
The game was lacking some of the technology that other top shareware games of the time had, such as Jill of the Jungle, ID Software's Commander Keen, and Apogee's Duke Nukem. It boasted EGA graphics, PC speaker sound effects, support for a joystick, and a General MIDI musical track. While the game did sell a considerable amount of copies, it was quickly overshadowed by later vertical shooters such as Raptor: Call of the Shadows, Major Stryker, and Tyrian.
There are two versions of the game, the shareware version, and the commercial version. Because of certain business practices, in less than a year from the original release date the author took legal action against Precision Software Publishing (PSP), who immediately lost the right to publish the game or collect payments for it from any other distributors throughout Europe. PSP's name was removed from all screens within the game for the 1993 re-release, and replaced by references to Epic UK. Nothing else was changed between the 1992 and 1993 versions. The shareware version allows the user to play planets one and two, while the commercial version grants access to all six planets. Ste Cork declared the registered version freeware on July 23, 2008.
Plot
A pilot who has been handed a very difficult assignment to destroy the menacing alien forces that have captured six planets in a neighboring allied solar system. The aliens have enslaved all of the inhabitants of the planets and must be killed.
Gameplay
The objective in Overkill is to destroy all enemies on a planet, thus restoring order. The ship has some basic necessities such as fuel, shields, and a weapon but it can be upgraded by picking up various goodies. Being hit by projectiles or running into enemy ships and walls damages the ship. Once the shield meter is depleted, the ship is destroyed and costs a life.
Reception
Computer Gaming World stated that Overkill "provides a graphically attractive package. Music and sound effects are also handled capably ... those who like challenging play will feel right at home".