OverBlood
OverBlood is a survival horror video game developed by Riverhillsoft and first released for the PlayStation in 1996. It was described by Richard H. Hand as the first survival horror game to make use of a fully three-dimensional virtual environment. The game received mixed reviews from critics.
Also recorded as OverBlood2
OverBlood
- Date
- 1996.
- Publisher
- Electronic Arts.
- Genre
- action-adventure game and science fiction video game.
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OverBlood is a survival horror video game developed by Riverhillsoft and first released for the PlayStation in 1996. It was described by Richard H. Hand as the first survival horror game to make use of a fully three-dimensional virtual environment. The game received mixed reviews from critics.
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Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q2137570
In this article
The object
The object
Released on the Japanese PlayStation Network Store on February 23, 2011. In 1998, a sequel titled Overblood 2 was released.
Key facts
Key facts
• Developer — Riverhillsoft • Designer — Kenichiro Hayashi • Producer — Junji Shigematsu • Programmer — Akihiro Hino • Composer — Hiroaki Iwatani • Genre — Adventure, survival horror • Modes — Single-player • Platforms — PlayStation
Gameplay
Gameplay
A GameSpot reviewer described OverBlood as an graphic adventure game that incorporates elements of other genres such as "arcade-style action title, a fighting game, an old-fashioned text adventure, and a puzzle game." Academics Richard J Hand and Bernard Herron described it as a survival horror game. 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.
Plot
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 (Lars in European releases), 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
Characters
The game features three playable characters. The majority of the game is played as Raz Karcy, the game's protagonist. Other playable characters include Milly Azray, a woman who befriends Raz, and Pipo, a small and very helpful robot.
History of the object
Dated record
History of the object
The full dated record · 1 entries
1996
OverBlood published.
Reception and legacy
Reviews for Overblood were mixed, with critics generally commenting that it has enough interesting elements to make it respectable, but is ultimately not worth buying. The most frequent criticism was that the game is too slow-paced and lacking in tension, with too much time spent wandering corridors and opening doors, relatively little time spent on puzzles, and far too little time spent on action sequences. Compounding this problem, many critics found the action sequences too simplistic. Joe Fielder elaborated in GameSpot that "They entail moving at just the right moment and are more timing than skill-based." The need to switch between three different playable characters in order to solve certain puzzles was often cited as one of OverBloods most interesting aspects. Some also praised the story. The game was reviewed by GameFan Magazine, where the game's previously rumored similarities to Resident Evil were dismissed and strong comparisons drawn instead to Doctor Hauzer for which Overblood (created by the same development team) serves as a spiritual successor. The game was criticized for the appearance of the characters, their unrealistic movements, and the overall plot, and the game received low marks for play mechanics and controls. IGN stated, "OverBlood attempts to recreate the moodiness and horror of Resident Evil but never quite succeeds." Crispin Boyer of Electronic Gaming Monthly made the same unfavorable comparison to Resident Evil, but concluded more positively: "That's OK, because Overblood is still an engrossing adventure... that packs a solid mix of puzzles and exploration." Next Generation, by contradiction, stated that "Despite the excellent graphics, the game just can't hold a player's interest. OverBlood could've used a little more action and a lot less wandering around." German magazine Maniac gave it a score of 68 out of 100.
Primary material
Context
OverBlood was published by Electronic Arts. Associated with Japan.
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
authority record
General reference
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
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