OverBlood

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title: "OverBlood" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1990s-horror-video-games", "1996-video-games", "adventure-games", "electronic-arts-games", "playstation-(console)-games", "playstation-network-games", "riverhillsoft-games", "science-fiction-video-games", "single-player-video-games", "video-games-about-cloning", "video-games-developed-in-japan"] description: "1996 video game" topic_path: "geography/japan" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OverBlood" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary 1996 video game ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox video game"]

Field	Value
image	Overblood Cover.jpg
caption	North American cover art
developer	Riverhillsoft
publisher
designer	Kenichiro Hayashi
producer	Junji Shigematsu
programmer	Akihiro Hino
composer	Hiroaki Iwatani
released	{{vgrelease
EU	June 1997{{fact
genre	Adventure, survival horror
modes	Single-player
platforms	PlayStation
::

| image = Overblood Cover.jpg | caption = North American cover art | developer = Riverhillsoft | publisher = | designer = Kenichiro Hayashi | producer = Junji Shigematsu | programmer = Akihiro Hino | composer = Hiroaki Iwatani | released = {{vgrelease|JP|August 2, 1996|NA|May 20, 1997 |EU|June 1997}} | genre = Adventure, survival horror | modes = Single-player | platforms = PlayStation 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.

OverBlood was released on the Japanese PlayStation Network Store on February 23, 2011. In 1998, a sequel titled Overblood 2 was released.

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." 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.

Synopsis

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

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.

Reception and legacy

| EGM = 7.375/10 | Fam = 6/10, 5/10, 7/10, 7/10 | GameFan = 220/300 | GSpot = 5.3/10 | IGN = 6.0/10 | NGen = 2/5 | rev1 = Dengeki PlayStation | rev1Score = 75/100, 70/100, 75/100, 60/100 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. 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."

References

References

1. I. G. N. Staff. (1997-05-20). "Overblood".
2. (1997-06-05). "Next Generation Online".
3. Hand, Richard J.. (2004). "Horror Film". University Press of Mississippi.
4. "OverBlood | ソフトウェアカタログ | プレイステーション® オフィシャルサイト".
5. Perron, Bernard. (January 3, 2012). "Silent Hill: The Terror Engineer". [[University of Michigan Press]].
6. Loe, Casey sub nom. Takuhi. ''OverBlood''. [[GameFan]]. No.47 (Vol.4, Issue 11). Pp.140-141. November 1996.
7. Barnes, J.C.. "Overblood Overview.". [[Allgame]].
8. (May 1997). "Overblood: Call it the Sci-Fi Resident Evil?". [[Ziff Davis]].
9. (June 1997). "Review Crew: Overblood". [[Ziff Davis]].
10. (August 9, 1996). "New Games Cross Review". [[ASCII Corporation]].
11. Fielder, Joe. (May 29, 1997). "Overblood Review".
12. (July 1997). "Finals: OverBlood". [[Imagine Media]].
13. (August 9, 1996). "電撃PSソフトレビュー The Deeper Part 1: OverBlood". [[MediaWorks (publisher).
14. Bone. (June 1997). "PlayStation ProReview: OverBlood". [[International Data Group.
15. (May 20, 1997). "Overblood".

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