Etrange Overlord: It Feels Like Playing an Anime
Today I want to introduce a game that I really hope many people play! It’s called Etrange Overlord, and while I was playing it, I felt like I was experiencing a 12-episode anime airing in a single season!
Okay, let’s get into the details. I played Etrange Overlord early thanks to a key provided by the developer. I spent 18 hours completing the game and achieved 40 out of 46 achievements.
Now, let’s talk about the game!
Etrange Overlord tells the story of Etrange, a 17-year-old girl considered a “villain” (you know the type of villain girls that are super popular and getting tons of anime?). She is executed by her ex-fiancé, who broke up with her, along with a relative—a young, delicate girl who is the heroine.
Upon being executed by guillotine, Etrange ends up in hell! Yes, as a villain she goes to hell, where demons punish her. It’s also worth mentioning that the game is a musical, so Etrange sings at several points, which I’ll discuss later.
One of the funniest scenes occurs right at the beginning when Etrange simply opens a status menu in hell and sees she’s only level 2 after being killed… HOW does she open a status menu? I laughed so hard and thought, “This really feels like an anime in game form.”
You literally have everything: a status menu, a villain protagonist who is dead and has her engagement canceled, along with many other things that happen in anime (I won’t spoil them).
Well… she isn’t seeking revenge against her ex-fiancé or the heroine, since she’s already dead and in hell. Her goal is simply to live a “happy life” in hell, and for that, she defeats anyone who tries to punish her.
The demons of hell try to punish her, but even at level 2, Etrange is strong and defeats everyone. As you defeat demons, they join your team. I saved a screenshot I found hilarious, showing her maid Sweetia giving Etrange sweets while another demon surrenders on its knees.
So that’s the story: Etrange in hell just wanting to live a happy life with sweets while demons try to punish her. And the gameplay?
Chaotic Combat in Etrange Overlord!
Combat works like this: you can choose up to 4 characters, a battlefield spawns enemies, and you move your character freely—walking, dashing, collecting items to boost attack, defense, or bombs to throw at enemies, and using a button to unleash your character’s special power.
You can also switch characters anytime during combat by pressing left or right on the controller. I played the game solo, but it has multiplayer, and I have no doubt it’s even better with friends.
There’s more: combat is always present, but the goal isn’t always to kill all enemies. Sometimes you need to hold an item for a certain period, collect items and place them in a box, or protect an objective.
Honestly, I enjoyed the combat. Playing solo, you control one character, and the other three are controlled by AI (but you can set what they should focus on).
You can level up your characters. If I’m not mistaken, the maximum level is 5. I completed the game with my characters only at level 3 (yes, the game is easy). Leveling is a bit tedious—you basically farm items and money, then go to a shop to upgrade your characters with them.
But as I said, I finished the game at level 3 out of 5.
Re:Zero Illustrator and Hololive Vtuber Involved in Etrange Overlord!
Etrange Overlord features art by Shinichi Ootsuka, the illustrator of the Re:Zero light novel! Additionally, Hololive Vtuber Watame sings some of the game’s theme songs and voices Sweetia, who makes sweets for Etrange.
スイーツづくりが得意なド根性メイド「スイーティア」は、エトランジュ軍で唯一のヒーラータイプ！
体験版でもしっかり活躍できるので、ぜひ編成してみてください🍰✨ pic.twitter.com/ZZqATm2a5u— エトランジュ オーヴァーロード公式 (@etrange_game) March 16, 2026
Check out the short video above of Watame dubbing Sweetia and a bit of the combat.
Etrange Overlord also has a manga currently being published, covering the events of the game. So far, two volumes have been released!
It’s literally like an anime with everything that happens in anime—but in a game format! The game is fun and well-made, with full Japanese voice acting.
About the musical parts: to be honest… the songs aren’t great, they’re all very similar, and they don’t really make you excited to wait for them—but at least they’re short.
The story is also not serious; the whole game is comedic, and you’ll be surprised who joins your group. Regarding achievements, I got 40 out of 46. Achievements aren’t hard, but some require farming, which takes a while.
That said, I highly recommend Etrange Overlord! The game will release on Switch, PS4, PS5, and PC via Steam on March 26. BUY AND PLAY!