I LIKE TO MOVE IT, MOVE IT
HIGH The chainsaw leg is as awesome as it sounds.
LOW Awkward control mapping.
WTF Does the tale of Johnny Turbo really need audio logs?
The streets of Turbo Overkill are a juxtaposition of day-glo and detritus as neon signs and hologram palm trees tower over the rainy underbelly of Paradise City — a typical cyberpunk landscape, elevated by a chunky, pixelated aesthetic.
As a first-person shooter with a retro bent, Turbo Overkill puts players in the bladed boots of Johnny Turbo, a cyborg on a quest for revenge. Battling his way through an army of mercs, punks and an evil A.I.,
Loitering is a capital offense in Paradise City, but Johnny isn’t one to dawdle and earns every bit of his surname as he battles through an army of mercs, punks and an evil A.I. Split-second evasion becomes as important as a quick trigger-finger as enemies materialize out of thin air, and players are well equipped with an out-of-the-box double jump and air dash to quickly re-position.
Equally important is the lack of punishment for miscalculated leaps. Plummeting into the abyss during a high-flying fracas results in a quick respawn with zero progress lost — encouragement for increasingly drastic maneuvers.
Most noteworthy however, is Johnny’s chainsaw leg. At any point, players can transition from a sprint into a toothy slide, deploying the chainsaw to quickly carve through weaker opponents. Often enemies will charge in single file, offering perfect opportunities to hurtle through levels in a shower of carnage.
Augments can be purchased to boost firepower, expand player’s movement options, or even gain back health for every enemy mowed down by the chainsaw. Whether in mid-air or zipping up a half-pipe with his chainsaw, Johnny is fully maneuverable and the level design takes full advantage of this. While there’s hardly a bad one in the bunch, the first and third acts hold the most memorable stages.
Of particular note, the hovercar highway in the first act tasks players with navigating airborne traffic. Leaping from car to car, dodging enemy fire and landing headshots where possible is exhilarating and cinematic, all while leaving control firmly in the player’s hands. Another favorite is the late-stage, low gravity battle. With an uncanny contrast of quick dashes and lazy, floating descents, it offers a new spin on Turbo Overkill’s bedrock of movement and speed.
In a larger sense, arenas are open and organic, allowing players to deploy Johnny’s abilities in whichever way they see fit. Jump pads and magnetic walls offer suggestions, but there is no one ‘right’ path through an encounter, and finding my own perfect line through the armada of enemies never ceased to be engaging.
Unfortunately, the joys of traversal are let down somewhat by an inflexible control scheme. There’s only one configuration offered, and it is not remappable.
While I had several problems with the controls, the worst offender is the weapon wheel. Mapped to the left and right D-Pad buttons, switching weapons requires players to take their thumb off the left stick, leaving Johnny motionless on the battlefield. Consequently, I found myself favoring jack-of-all-trades guns such as the SMG and shotgun, rather than exploring more esoteric offerings.
To be fair, I was intrigued by weapons such as the telefragger (a sniper rifle that teleports the player) or the ion cannon, which calls down a giant space laser to decimate foes, but never felt as though I could spare a moment to manage the switch amidst the hectic firefights. While this may seem like a nitpick, movement is paramount in Turbo Overkill, and my experience was marred by the nagging sense that I couldn’t fully engage with the “shooter” part of this first-person shooter.
Technical foibles aside, Turbo Overkill more than earns its place in the pantheon, and frankly, the gimmick of a chainsaw leg alone was probably enough to win me over. That said, the thoughtfully crafted encounters coupled with the creative level layouts buoy Turbo Overkill beyond its simple appearance. Ultimately, the peculiar grace of navigating the violent streets of Paradise City just feels good, and every element of its design reinforces that rock solid core.
Rating: 8.5 out of 10
— Ryan Nalley
Disclosures: This game is developed by Trigger Happy Interactive and published by Apogee Entertainment. It is currently available on PC, PS4/5, XBO/X/S and Switch. This copy of the game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the PS5. Approximately 15 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, and the game was completed. There are no multiplayer modes.
Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated M and contains Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, and Strong Language. The official summary is as follows: This is a first-person shooter in which players assume the role of a futuristic bounty hunter (Johnny Nitro [sic]) trying to prevent a powerful AI from taking over a city. Players infiltrate building/facilities and use a chainsaw-like weapon, pistols, and electric
shotguns to kill enemies (e.g., cyborgs, street punks). The frenetic run-and-gun combat is accompanied by realistic gunfire, large explosions, and frequent blood-splatter effects. Some attacks result in dismemberment/decapitation, causing bloody chunks to stain/litter the environment. Cutscenes depict additional acts of violence and blood/gore: a cyborg thug’s entrails used as a tool; a first-person view of a character’s hands blown off. The word “f**k” is heard in the game.
Colorblind Modes: There are no colorblind modes available.
Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: This game offers subtitles however, while character dialogue is subtitled, audio logs are not subtitled during normal gameplay. Audio logs can later be replayed from a menu offering a transcript. Subtitle size is relatively small and cannot be resized. Typically, dialogue does not overlap with action, but when it did I found it difficult to keep up with the small print during fast gameplay. On-screen indicators highlight which direction the player is being hit from, and a large
on-screen message appears when health is low. I did not experience major issues when playing without sound, but the missing subtitles for audio logs and small print mean this game is not fully accessible.
Remappable Controls: No, this game’s controls are not remappable.
Following this introduction, Ryan dove headlong into the 16 and 64-bit eras, culminating in the year 2000 with a fateful visit to the local game shop.On the recommendation of a saintly store clerk, Ryan picked up a copy of Deus Ex and, shortly thereafter, embarked on the vain quest to find a game that tops it.
This journey has led Ryan to GameCritics where he attempts to articulate why he still finds this medium so compelling.When not playing or writing about games, Ryan can be found watching competition reality television with his wife, their dog, and three cats.
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