Cyberpunk Carnage
Just going on the name alone, you will know that this isn’t going to a relaxing farming simulator.
Well, you’re right about that, as the latest game from Trigger Happy Interactive and Apogee Entertainment goes by the name of Turbo Overkill, billed on the Xbox store page as “The most savage FPS (First Person Shooter) ever released by Apogee”. Coming from the people behind Duke Nukem 3D, if that isn’t a ringing endorsement of this product, I don’t know what is!
So, let’s prepare to get savage as we head, once more, into a Cyberpunk kind of dystopian future. On a side note, I’m heartily sick of cyberpunk as a genre, but putting that to one side, let’s get shooting…
As with most FPS games these days, a story is usually shoehorned into proceedings somewhere, and this is exactly the case here with Turbo Overkill.
We play as Johnny Turbo (I feel this may not be his real name) and it should come as no surprise to learn that Johnny is a cybernetically enhanced one man army, complete with hidden arm rockets and a chainsaw leg. That must play havoc with a wooden floor…
Anyway, after returning to the home town of Paradise, we discover that the entire population has fallen under the control of Syn, a rogue AI. Strapped for cash, we take on the job of getting rid of Syn once and for all. So, kill the greatest (or worst) AI of all time, defeat the rival bounty hunters who want to claim the prize, and blast our way through an enslaved population? What could possibly go wrong?
Retro-Inspired Visuals
The presentation of Turbo Overkill is extremely retro, putting me in mind of the original DOOM. The enemies and the environments are suitably pixelated, with everything getting very blocky indeed when enemies run right up to you. The levels themselves are pretty large and sprawling, with a multi-level layout that works really well. The platforming elements in the game, such as jumping from boat to boat to cross a stretch of water all look pretty good too.
Of course, as it is a cyberpunk game, you’d expect the scenery to be very neon and Blade Runner-esque, and you certainly won’t be disappointed in that regard.
Turbo Overkill’s Audio and Soundtrack
You’ll find that the sound of the game is pretty much par for the course too, with many gun shots and various explosions to be heard, alongside a pumping soundtrack that keeps the action moving with momentum. That is nowhere more apparent than in the boss fights, which in themselves are great little sections. The best part is the speed that Turbo Overkill runs at, which is super solid throughout, with no slowdown of stuttering to be seen.
Chainsaw Carnage
Now, these types of games live or die (sorry) on the quality of the gameplay, and here the developers have excelled. Running, jumping, sliding, wall running, or entering slo-mo “Turbo Time”, all the elements are here and they blend into a delicate gameplay souffle. Sliding in particular is a lot of fun, as once you have a bit of speed up, you get to unleash the leg chainsaw which will slice and dice any enemies in your way. You can even use it in boss fights to open them up for critical damage.
Out of the box, Johnny has a double jump, which came as a surprise to me as despite playing through the tutorial, nowhere is it mentioned. Honestly, for a minute I thought the game had crashed when there was a platform I couldn’t get up, but it turned out that there is a double jump. However, once you get to grips with the movement, Turbo Overkill is quite reminiscent of DOOM Eternal, where everything feels like it is on fast forward, and the quickest trigger finger wins!
Guns, Upgrades, and Augments
Obviously, the guns that you find make a big difference to the game, and discovering a shotgun laying around, or a pair of sub machine gun type things makes things a lot better. Every weapon also has an alternate fire mode which can be unlocked too, and as usual there are also cybernetic upgrades to be found, bought and fitted. Every enemy that we kill gives us cash, and that can be used at various vending machines to either run upgrades, buy ammo or bolster the weapons.
This is always a good plan as the bosses that crop up are always big and nasty, and while they can take some killing, the effort is worth it, mostly as each one provides an augment or special power to use. Combining all the weapons, movement skills and augments turns Johnny into a killing machine, and it is here where Turbo Overkill really comes alive.
Turbo Overkill is Bonkers, But in a Good Way
Turbo Overkill is bonkers – that special kind of bonkers that makes you sit back after a set piece fight and think “Did I just survive that?”. It is fast, furious, and insanely fun, with a cool retro vibe married to modern day speed and mechanics.
If you like a boomer shooter, then this is an easy sell. If not, give it a try anyway: you might just be drawn in.
Shoot Those Links
Turbo Overkill: The Cyberpunk Boomer Shooter Hits Xbox, PlayStation and Switch – https://www.thexboxhub.com/turbo-overkill-the-cyberpunk-boomer-shooter-hits-xbox-playstation-and-switch/
Turbo Overkill is the rejuvenation of the original 3D first person shooter – https://www.thexboxhub.com/turbo-overkill-is-the-rejuvenation-of-the-original-3d-first-person-shooter/
Buy Turbo Overkill on Xbox – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/turbo-overkill/9P3DHKKS75F9
