Overclocked: A History of Violence

The game, thematically about the effect and aftermath of violent acts, is about US Army psychiatrist David McNamara who is treating several mentally-scarred teen patients, during a violent thunderstorm in New York City.

The game begins when five amnesic college-aged teens suddenly appear with guns in the middle of New York City. Psychiatrist David McNamara from DC is sent to examine the case thanks to his previous work in the US Army dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder. Right from the beginning, the case seems odd. On the first day, David discovers that all five patients had the same origins, and they were escaping from the same unknown person from an isolated military island. As the history is revealed, David, using a PDA as a tape recorder, makes his way through the teens' minds, piecing together their history, while at the same time dealing with his ongoing divorce. David himself has serious issues regarding anger management, which ended his former relationship.

It is revealed in the end that the teens were part of a military experiment for making amnesic assassins, and David's anger issues were only side effects of the previous project back in the Army.

House of Tales is a German game development studio founded by Martin Ganteföhr and Tobias Schachte. Ganteföhr served as both the writer and the creative director for the game. In a 2008 interview, he expresses his reasons for choosing such an intense topic (violence / psychology of aggression) as the theme for the game: "I chose the topic because it interests me, and is at least as worth to dedicate a game to as War on Mars. You see, making games is a very personal process for me. I have many questions about life, and as long as somebody is willing to listen, I will try to convey my thoughts and feelings in my games."{{cite web | author=Hardy, Igor | date=April 28, 2008 | url=https://www.adventureclassicgaming.com/index.php/site/interviews/347/ | title=Martin Ganteföhr | website=Adventure Classic Gaming | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190105121138/https://www.adventureclassicgaming.com/index.php/site/interviews/347/ | archive-date=January 5, 2019 | url-status=live | access-date=April 15, 2025}}

{{Video game reviews

| MC = 70 out of 100{{cite web | url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/overclocked-a-history-of-violence/ | title=Overclocked: A History of Violence | website=Metacritic | publisher=Fandom | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240304020243/https://www.metacritic.com/game/overclocked-a-history-of-violence/ | archive-date=March 4, 2024 | url-status=live | access-date=April 15, 2025}}

| 4P = 80%{{cite web | author=Naser, Bodo | date=October 18, 2007 | url=https://www.4p.de/test/overclocked/5916 | title=Test: Overclocked | language=de | website=4Players | publisher=4Players GmbH | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211026153301/https://www.4players.de/4players.php/dispbericht/PC-CDROM/Test/7448/5916/0/Overclocked.html | archive-date=October 26, 2021 | url-status=live | access-date=April 15, 2025}}

| AdvGamers = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web | author=Wild, Kim | date=April 25, 2008 | url=https://adventuregamers.com/articles/view/18164 | title=Overclocked: A History of Violence review | website=Adventure Gamers | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211119224908/https://adventuregamers.com/articles/view/18164 | archive-date=November 19, 2021 | url-status=live | access-date=April 16, 2025}}

| Gamekult = 5 out of 10{{cite web | author=Lassinat-Foubert, Loup | date=March 25, 2008 | url=https://www.gamekult.com/jeux/overclocked-therapie-de-choc-78926/test.html | title=Test : Overclocked: mi-figue, mi-grosse pomme | language=fr | website=Gamekult | publisher=TF1 Group | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210301141717/https://www.gamekult.com/jeux/overclocked-therapie-de-choc-78926/test.html | archive-date=March 1, 2021 | url-status=live | access-date=April 16, 2025}}

| GSpot = 7.5 out of 10{{cite web | author=Todd, Brett | date=May 2, 2008 | url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/overclocked-a-history-of-violence-review/1900-6190278/ | title=Overclocked: A History of Violence Review | website=GameSpot | publisher=Fandom | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080706184111/http://www.gamespot.com/pc/adventure/overclocked/review.html | archive-date=July 6, 2008 | url-status=live | access-date=April 15, 2025}}

| GameZone = 6 out of 10{{cite web | author=David, Mike | date=April 15, 2008 | url=https://gamezone.com/reviews/overclocked_a_history_of_violence_pc_review/ | title=Overclocked: A History of Violence – PC – Review | website=GameZone | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081003003855/http://pc.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r29522.htm | archive-date=October 3, 2008 | url-status=live | access-date=April 15, 2025}}

| IGN = 7 out of 10{{cite web | author=Balistrieri, Emily | date=April 10, 2008 | url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2008/04/10/overclocked-a-history-of-violence-review | title=Overclocked: A History of Violence Review | website=IGN | publisher=Ziff Davis | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190609083414/https://www.ign.com/articles/2008/04/10/overclocked-a-history-of-violence-review | archive-date=June 9, 2019 | url-status=live | access-date=April 15, 2025}}

| JXV = 15 out of 20{{cite web | author=CptObvious | date=March 14, 2008 | url=https://www.jeuxvideo.com/articles/0000/00008787-overclocked-test.htm | title=Test: Overclocked | language=fr | website=Jeuxvideo.com | publisher=Webedia | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210227225157/https://www.jeuxvideo.com/articles/0000/00008787-overclocked-test.htm | archive-date=February 27, 2021 | url-status=live | access-date=April 16, 2025}}

| PCGUS = 48%{{cite magazine | title=Overclocked: A History of Violence | magazine=PC Gamer | publisher=Future US | volume=15 | issue=8 | date=August 2008 | page=72}}

| PCG = 76%{{cite magazine | author=Weiß, Thomas | title=[Overclocked:] Eine Geschichte über Gewalt | language=de | magazine=PC Games | publisher=Computec | date=November 2007 | pages=114-15}}

| PCZone = 56%{{cite magazine | title=Overclocked: A History of Violence | magazine=PC Zone | publisher=Future plc | date=July 2008 | page=85}}

}}

Overclocked received above-average reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. Brett Todd of GameSpot favorably regarded the game's "deep, engaging story with lifelike characters and dialogue" but noted its nihilistic tone. IGN also noted the game's "haunting main theme... and gloom of rainy New York [which] adds an appropriate layer of anxiety to the experience." PC Gamer said, "Unless you're jonesing for an adventure game fix, your time's better spent rearranging your Netflix queue."

{{clear}}

• Ankh: Battle of the Gods
• Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened

{{reflist}}

• {{Official website|https://web.archive.org/web/20110209171714/http://www.overclocked-game.com/}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110902103702/http://www.overclocked-game.com/awards.png Awards]
• {{MobyGames|id=/30900/overclocked-a-history-of-violence/}}

{{House of Tales}}

Category:2007 video games

Category:House of Tales games

Category:Lighthouse Interactive games

Category:Point-and-click adventure games

Category:Single-player video games

Category:Video games developed in Germany

Category:Video games set in New York City

Category:Video games set in the 2000s

Category:Windows games

Category:Windows-only games