Hello, and welcome to Games You Should Be Playing. This series aims to highlight those games, from indie to AAA, that should be at the top of every gamer’s list. Although titles will inevitably slip through the cracks, there are some out there that you just can’t ignore. This week, we’ll be highlighting a goofy, animal-centric fighter known as Overgrowth. If you missed last week’s article on Super Mario Odyssey, you can check it out here.
Action-style fighting games seem to be all the rage these days. Especially with the community that currently surrounds titles such as Street Fighter and Tekken, fighting games are as big as ever. But recently, a new contender has entered the action genre ring. Overgrowth is an oddball of a game produced by Wolfire Games. It’s one of the weirdest titles you’ll see this year, and you should definitely be playing it.
Games You Should Be Playing: Overgrowth
Story, Or Lack Thereof
There isn’t a huge amount of story to digest here, honestly. However, for a game starring an anthropomorphic bunny named Turner, it’s surprisingly deep. A little-known fact here is that Overgrowth is actually the sequel to another game by Wolfire Games: Lugaru. In Lugaru, you also took control of Turner. Not only is he a talking rabbit, but he is a talking rabbit that is also a retired soldier. A story of love, loss, war, and betrayal, I won’t spoil Lugaru‘s plot. If you’d like to play it before returning here though, be my guest.
Almost nothing about this title makes sense, and that’s in the absolute best of ways. During early access, it played almost like a PvP arena game. However, it seems now that it is taking on some of the traits of its predecessor Lugaru by implementing some story elements. The lore here runs surprisingly deep, but maybe not on the surface.
Fascinating Gameplay
This game, man. This game is so, so off in a ton of ways. At times, Overgrowth feels like some kind of urban legend video game that cannot really exist. By “at times,” I specifically mean those moments where you realize that you’re running around, as a fully clothed rabbit, driving a crossbow arrow right between a poor wolf’s eyes. This game is bloody, to boot. For a title that stars semi-cutesy anthropomorphic woodland creatures, there’s a surprising amount of blood and gore.
By no means should this game be played by anyone who is under the age of 18. It is incredibly gruesome, don’t let the talking bunny fool you. There are a lot of approaches to, ahem, “disposing” of your enemies, however. Stealthy, guns blazing, your choice. It brings a ton of unpredictability to your situations, and you can play it however you like. There is nothing that Turner cannot do, and with this game’s physics engine, it’s actually incredible to watch.
If You Liked ____, You’ll Love This
As mentioned earlier, this game is fighting-centric at heart. You can use a variety of weapons in Overgrowth, or you can just fight with your fists. This game is undeniably funny, just due to its ridiculous concept. It is just lighthearted enough for a talking rabbit to still be passable, but yet still serious enough to convey a proper, compelling story in its prequel. The worldbuilding here is, really, unmatched. While this game is totally odd at times, the world in and around this characters is strikingly grounded.
If you liked the Street Fighter series, or any arena PvP fighter, you’ll likely enjoy Overgrowth. At its core, this game is all about kicking the stuffing out of people as an uber-acrobatic rabbit ninja. If you’re into goofy games, maybe give this one a try as well; it might surprise. Don’t play this if you get queasy easily, though. You might not be a fan of the art style, considering the copious amounts of blood and gore.
Conclusion
This title has been in development for a whopping nine years. After so long, it’s only right that we, the players, give it some love. If you tried it in early access and liked it, great! The full version is out now. If you didn’t like it in early access, maybe give it a second chance. The problems you may have had with this title could have been resolved before the full release. Either way, give Overgrowth a shot. You just might get attached.