Overblood

Overblood
North American cover art
Developer(s)	Riverhillsoft
Publisher(s)	JP Riverhillsoft NA/EU Electronic Arts
Platform(s)	PlayStation
Release date(s)	JP August 2, 1996 NA May 22, 1997 EU June 1997
Genre(s)	Adventure, survival horror
Mode(s)	Single-player
Rating(s)	ESRB: T (Teen)
Media/distribution	1 CD-ROM

Overblood is a science fiction video game developed by Riverhillsoft and published by Electronic Arts for the PlayStation. It is considered one of the first survival horror games to make use of a fully three-dimensional virtual environment,^[1] second only to Riverhillsoft's own Doctor Hauzer, a fully 3D survival horror game released for the 3DO in 1994.^[2]

Gameplay

Part adventure game and part survival horror, Overblood incorporates elements of arcade, fighting and puzzle games. The player is able to toggle the camera between first- and third-person, both of which are required to solve the game's various puzzles.^[3]

Synopsis

Plot

Overblood takes place at Lystra Laboratories' hidden research center where a team of scientists have been conducting controversial genetic experiments. The game begins when a system malfunction releases the player character, Raz Karcy, from a cryogenic container. Cold and confused, he awakens with no memory. Concerns about his identity are soon replaced by an urgent need to escape, as he reveals the scientists' fateful plan and his role in it.

Characters

The game features three playable characters. The majority of the game is played as Raz Karcy, the games protagonist. Others include Milly Azray, a woman who befriends Raz, and Pipo, a small and very helpful robot.^[4]

Sequel

Overblood 2 is set in the year 2115 in the city of East Edge. Players control Acano Brandi, who has arrived in the city to compete in "Junk Blading". He helps an old man who was attacked at a heliport and goes on to play a major role in the planet's future. This installment of the series was never released in America, and is only available in NTSC-J and PAL territories.

Popular culture

In 2010, Overblood was featured in a six-part episode of "Super Replay", a recurring series on Game Informer's website in which some of the magazine's editors provide commentary about the featured game while playing through its entirety. They satirized the controls, animation, writing, and voice work while playing.^[5]

It has also been lampooned in the Scottish internet show Consolevania, including episode six of its second series which aired fake footage from Microsoft's E3 press conference, apparently confirming the existence of Overblood 3.

References

1. ^ Richard J. Hand (2004). "Proliferating Horrors: Survival Horror and the Resident Evil Franchise". In Steffen Hantke. Horror Film. Univ. Press of Mississippi. pp. 117–134. 
2. ^ Adam Romano (March 8, 2008). "Doctor Hauzer". Defunct Games. http://www.defunctgames.com/shows.php?id=review-966. Retrieved 2011-05-12. 
3. ^ Fielder, Joe (29 May 1997). "Overblood Review: A good idea spread far too thinly.". Gamespot. http://www.gamespot.com/ps/adventure/overblood/review.html. Retrieved 6 January 2011. 
4. ^ Barnes, J.C.. "Overblood Overview.". Allgame. http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=7921&tab=overview. Retrieved 24 January 2011. 
5. ^ Ryckert, Dan (31 December 2010). "Super Replay: Overblood". Game Informer. http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2010/12/31/super-replay-overblood-part-1.aspx. Retrieved 23 January 2011.