Overwords

Overwords is a strategy game about combining words on a grid. Each level requires you to place short words over and around previously positioned letters, and score enough points before you run out of space. Having multiple ways to clear a level makes it feel slightly different from prior Rainbow Train releases, but it stays true to the studio's minimalist ethos otherwise.

The first levels will hand you a series of 3- and 4-letter words to be placed on a small, uneven grid. There are very few elements appearing on the screen, and part of the appeal of the game is in discovering the rules by yourself. There is a bit of randomness involved as to which words you’ll be provided with, but what matters the most is that they have many letters in common, allowing you to play on possible overlaps when you add new words to the board.

The steady increase in difficulty over the course of the game means you’ll need to refine your understanding of the rules and their consequences. (Conversely, you only need basic knowledge of the English language to be able to play.) For instance, it’s better to avoid placing a B next to a T, since the lack of English words spelled with B-T or T-B will make it harder for you to clear these tiles later on. The ruleset is compact and neat, and you might keep on discovering some of its nuances a few hours in, right up until the final levels.

This description was written by Oriane Tury.