OverKill

About

OverKill is a vertical scrolling shooter where you pilot a spacecraft through six planets under alien occupation. You blast waves of enemies while navigating basic EGA graphics and PC speaker sound effects. The gameplay focuses on straightforward shooting and dodging, with a joystick supported for input. The story involves freeing enslaved populations by destroying alien forces, though the narrative takes a backseat to the action. Two versions exist: a shareware demo with two planets and a commercial edition unlocking all six. The game leans into late '80s/early '90s DOS-era simplicity, with General MIDI music adding minimal atmosphere. Despite selling well at release, OverKill was quickly outpaced by more polished shooters like Raptor and Tyrian. It remains playable today as freeware, offering a quick nostalgia trip for fans of early shareware titles. The lack of advanced features for its time is balanced by its no-frills approach, which some retro gaming communities appreciate. With its modest design and now-free access, it’s a relic of a specific era in gaming history that still works as a brief, uncomplicated challenge.

Storyline

A pilot who has been handed a very difficult assignment to destroy the menacing alien forces that have captured six planets in a neighbouring allied solar system. The aliens have enslaved all of the inhabitants of the planets and must be killed.