"The hero that ventures into this dungeon possesses a shiny golden armor, a frightening sword, and a small brain."

The Good Overlord is a turn-based strategy game in which you create a series of dungeons out of various monsters that you literally pull out of a bag. However, instead of trying to defeat the hero trekking the dungeon, you attempt to make it as easy as possible for him to succeed, in order for him to face the final boss: you.

Each level is short and action packed, as you carefully place various villains and traps around the room bite your nails as the hero slashes through them all. At the end of each level, you add a new mob to your arsenal. Some are undead, while others are plants, machines, beasts, and there's rightfully a category dedicated to slime (as all dungeons should have). Every monster is unique, which makes each dungeon its own challenge. Possibilities are ABOUND, and even in the demo, I never felt stifled by lack of choice.

The characters personalities absolutely shine throughout the demo, with The Jester acting as a rambunctious tutorial guide, annoying the heck out of The Overlord, the character you play as, who's desperate for new heroes to enter his dungeon. The dynamics play off just enough to stay clear, without getting in the way of informing the player of crucial mechanics. The Hero, though he doesn't have dialogue, is still lovable as a pure of heart, headstrong protagonist.

The gameplay, to put it bluntly, is just plain fun. Pacing is excellent, with tavern rooms and rewards after every few levels to give The Hero an edge against your formidable foes. The pixel art style is consistent throughout the game, and each interface is a joy to look at. A few bits of self-awareness break through, such as a tavern keeper remarking on The Hero being a silent protagonist, a saltshaker giving you an edge against slimes, and I personally appreciate the Adventure Time reference. Music is dynamic without being a distraction, and there's no lack of endearing sound effects, either. It's extremely clear that every detail of this demo has been poured over with care and deliberation.

The game is currently being developed by Atomic Hamster, a studio consisting of two people, with regular updates to the game's progress. The Good Overlord has been submitted to the Southern Europe Game festival, as well as "a long lineup of festivals" as stated by the developers on their Steam page. Best of luck to them!

If you're interested in what you've heard so far, I encourage you to check out "The Good Overlord" on Steam, and drop a wishlist while you're over there. If there's another game or demo you'd like to get more exposure, feel free to drop it in the comments!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2650520/The_Good_Overlord/

(All images come from the game's Steam page)