In the sardonic spirit of Dungeon Keeper comes Overlord, where being "bad" is not only blindly accepted, it's gleefully encouraged. Overlord is a fantasy action title viewed from a third-person perspective behind your Sauron-inspired character, who is imbued with the dark power to command up to 50 mischievous minions to do his bidding. How they go about their baneful business is largely up to you, as part of the attraction in Overlord is how your actions influence and shape the tongue-in-cheek world around you. Players bent on obliterating towns instead of liberating them, for example, will witness groveling villagers instead of cheering ones.

The overall objective is to defeat the kingdom's seven rival rulers, all while growing in power and stature by learning spells, forging new weapons, and acquiring different items. The imp-like minions possess one of four roles (warrior, mage, assassin, and healer), each offering distinct strengths to help would-be overlords accomplish their goals. As players gain more control of the land, they can improve their alter ego's base of operations: the Dark Tower, home to loyal minions, captured prisoners, and even an alluring mistress to relieve some of the stress that inevitably comes with conquering the world. Online support via Xbox Live is also included for both cooperative and competitive play.