Turbo Overkill

There’s been a sudden increase in boomer shooters in the last five years, and when I say sudden I mean a lot. Whether it’s the indie scene or remastering of forgotten classics, boomer shooters are more prevalent than ever. I’d even go as far to say the genre has become oversaturated. Sorry to sound mean with that statement, but goes to show how many care for this style of game. What started off as a few entries paying homage to the past became four to five new releases for each year. Right off the top of my head I can list off Dusk, Cultic, Forgive Me Father, Prodeus, the remasters of the first two Quake games, Blood being re-released and then re-released again last year which I barely noticed, Project Warlock, Amid Evil, Boltgun, Selaco, etc. People really love boomer shooters, and it’s nice to see retro game design shine to this day. Especially since modern shooters such as the plethora of Call of Duty games sacrifice fun for realism and immersion. That isn’t to sh*t-talk the devs of those games or people who like them, but….. Well it kind of is. Now I should probably tell you that I’m not crazy for boomer shooters the same way I care for RPGs, metroidvanias, or puzzle games. I’m just an avid enjoyer who occasionally finds one good from time to time. There was even a point where I reviewed five in the span of one year. 

Although as I explained a few minutes ago, the genre has become somewhat oversaturated with not much to separate each entry aside from art style and aesthetic. I struggle to describe major gameplay differences between Boltgun and Amid Evil aside from a few minor mechanics. Both games follow a simple formula and see you doing the same thing for five to ten hours straight. Dash around, shoot everything in your path, find a secret or two, and move on. The foundation of what makes a boomer shooter sounds like a bit, but it’s simple. It’s what makes them appealing as you can just turn your brain off, and gain dopamine every few seconds blasting hordes away. It’s shallowness with layers of mindless fun, and for a lot of people that’s what video games are. Something to kill time with during breaks or at the end of a long day. Games are supposed to be fun, and I heavily agree with that statement. However, I also agree with the statement that games should be more. Which brings upon the argument of whether games should be art or not. Short answer is yes, we are not having this conversation again, and just because a game isn’t deep in terms of writing doesn’t mean it can’t be deep in other ways. A few weeks ago in my Mega Man essay I talked about how there’s art in good game design. Ideas that are thoughtful and mesh well together. Evolving by either building on mechanics or expanding them with future games. Good example being how different the new Doom games are.

I guess this is where my frustrations with boomer shooters come in. I really liked this genre back in 2023. At the moment I only played six of them, but once you play 10 you’ve seen everything boomer shooters have to offer. The metroidvania genre gets a lot of flack for being oversaturated as well, but at least I can tell you the difference between Hollow Knight and Nine Sols. One’s more focused around exploration and thoughtful play, and the other is a more combat experience that sees you pushing every mechanic and type of countering to the limit. Ender Lilies has you experimenting between options and builds, and The Lost Crown has you using time manipulating powers to explore the world rather than just traditional metroidvania games. Captain Wayne sees you blasting hordes of enemies in a tropical setting. Dread Templar has you blasting enemies in a demonic edgelord setting. Boltgun has you blasting enemies in the Warhammer universe. These games are great, but I think you understand what I’m trying to say. Repetition in both gameplay and ideas. I hold the belief that boomer shooter devs need more to separate their games apart. We need extra spice so these fun , good enough games can elevate themselves to greatness. 

Thankfully we have started to see some attempt at that in more recent memory. Boomer shooters attempting to explore cool ideas rather than just the basics. While not a massive fan of it, 2024’s Mullet Madjack was an anime styled FPS where players mowed down enemies not just to reach an end goal but because of a timer they had to keep feeding to prevent instant death. Cruel does a similar thing too, but instead of a timer it’s the stress of being chased from an ever growing fire. While not boomer shooters, you got games like Roboquest and Metal: Hellsinger. Games taking influence from recent Doom games, but adding twists such as rhythmic combat or transforming Doom into a roguelike. Boomer shooters and indie shooters in general can evolve differently when enough work is put in. Such is the case with Turbo Overkill, developed by Trigger Happy Interactive and published by Apogee Entertainment. The game entered early access back in 2022 and hit its 1.0 release in 2023. Successfully managing to build up high levels of hype thanks to a good early access period, and well communicated feedback with each update. Turbo Overkill was an ambitious game and it’s a good thing the final release didn't disappoint. Currently sitting with a 10/10 score on Steam, making it one of few games to have a perfect rating.

A sweeping success for the lads at Trigger Happy Interactive who then went on to remake all of Total Chaos, a popular survival horror mod for Doom 2. It’s clear that Trigger Happy Interactive knows what they are doing. They understand how to make confidently designed games, listen to their players, and improve with each step forward. Turbo Overkill has been recommended to me by a ton of harcore indie shooter players, mainly my friends. The rush and joy they feel pumping hours into it, and hoping I would feel that excitement too. For a long time now I pushed away the idea of playing this game, because I was getting burnt out on boomer shooters. They insisted this one would be different, and eventually I caved in. Bought the game during a sale and played it on and off for the last few weeks. Turbo Overkill was a game I thought I wouldn’t enjoy especially during the first few hours, but warmed up as I delved further in. I don’t think the game is perfect, but there truly is something special here compared to a majority of boomer shooters. Today we’ll be talking about Turbo Overkill and why it may deserve your humble attention.

Story

Johnny Turbo, former cop and son of a well renowned hero in a cybernetic future where mankind has begun to colonize planets within and outside our solar system. Johnny was once an ordinary man trying to follow in his father’s footsteps. Working alongside his comrades and AI assistant S.A.M to arrest criminals and potential terrorists threatening to take over the system. Johnny was skilled, fast, and resilient when it came to his job, but one day all of that came to a halt. When a job he was assigned goes horribly wrong and he gets shot by multiple armed crooks at once. He loses his hand, multiple organs are reduced to nothing, and he’s bleeding out in the streets. Sheer luck is what saved him as his body was found, brought to a clinic, and engineered back into good condition. A majority of limbs are now mechanical prosthetics designed to easily fit themselves with lethal augments most crooks are running around with these days. A concept Johnny never found himself agreeing with as he’s afraid of losing himself in a world where technology has the power to take over the human mind. Which is exactly what happens after the surgery.

He’s been contracted with a new job by city ruling corporation Teratek to hunt down and capture a rogue AI named Syn. A machine Johnny is quite familiar with, and scientists back then tried to develop Syn to help out the people. Giving them self awareness and access to layers upon layers of info on the internet. However, Syn deduced that humanity was corrupt and the only way to set it back onto the right path was to assimilate with them. Taking over individuals whose bodies are implanted with more than 70% cybernetics, and finding a way to mutate through flesh combined with technology. Growing by the day and chasing civilians out of their homes. The only people left who are somewhat sane are criminals and mercenaries allying themselves with Syn. That or they want a piece of that power. Johnny’s job is to find Syn and face off against three mercs who are currently after her. The three biggest crooks he ever faced with one of them being the reason  why is what he is now. Armed with a multitude of firearms and a chainsaw for a leg, Johnny will slash his way through hordes and become the hero mankind has needed once again. 

A beautiful star.

Gameplay

Now I assume a majority of you reading this review are either boomer shooter fans or played one at some point. Turbo Overkill should feel right at home for you, but there’s enough cool features and mechanics to separate itself from most boomer shooters. In fact, I would say it’s more in line with Doom Eternal than it is with classic shooters like Quake and Blood. In this game you’ll find yourself zooming through levels, gunning down enemies, and picking up resources to keep the pace going. Health isn’t regenerated but instead needs to be refilled using healthkits. Same goes for ammunition, and each gun you hold requires specific ammo to function. The plasma SMGs use energy along with the chaingun. The shotguns need shells, and the rocket launcher requires rockets. Standing still is a death wish as enemies are always running in on your position, come in large groups, and deal massive damage if they manage to land a hit. You need to constantly be on the move and landing blows to cut down the approaching danger. A typical boomer shooter, but remember that there are ideas that set Turbo Overkill apart from other games. Such as your leg, which is a chainsaw. With the easy press of a button Johnny can whip the chainsaw out. Sliding along the ground and cutting into enemies. Most enemies die in one hit and are lined up to other enemies, so it’s all about positioning yourself correctly..

You have the ability to double jump, grapple to certain points, run on specific surfaces, and dash two times before a short recharge. This dash can also be used while in the air, and Turbo Overkill has a cool assortment of platforming challenges testing your skills. Sometimes they serve as fast ways of moving around in arenas to avoid enemy fire or reposition. Enemies will drop cash when killed, and this cash can be spent at vending machines to buy items. The two major purchases are weapon upgrades and augmentation perks. The weapon upgrades not only improve deadliness of guns, but also unlock alternate fire modes for weapons. Some will release a powerful projectile, and others transform a gun into a different weapon. Such as the plasma pistol turning into a high concentrated rifle, or chaingun becoming a flamethrower. Augmentation points are what allows your journeys to become more varied and strategic. Adding some depth to a game whose combat is quite simple. They function similarly to augmentation in Deus Ex. You can outfit your perks to specific points of your body, and they grant bonuses. Such as gaining health upon killing dudes with your chainsaw leg, or absorbing item pickups when within range. Choose carefully as these perks are pricey and you only have so many slots..

There’s times where you’ll fight a boss or face off against enemies using only one specific gun. Switch up your arsenal frequently, so you can master your weapons or know what works best in specific scenarios. Turbo Overkill as its name suggests is a joyride. A game that wants players to have mindless fun all the time, and it achieves it successfully.  Let’s just hope it’s all enough. To shred every single one of the demons in your path. Transform into the greatest chainsaw wielder mankind has seen. A lovely, beautiful star.

Thoughts

Here’s a fact that goes against everything I've been saying thus far. I initially didn’t really enjoy Turbo Overkill. The game bored me at first and I have reasons as to why, but overtime it became a boomer shooter I liked. I’d even go as far to say this is one of my top ten boomer shooters. Turbo Overkill as the name suggests is something you gotta let loose to fully appreciate. Turn off your brain and endorse the madness. The game isn’t trying to be the hardest nor intense game in the world. It simply wants to be a boomer shooter, but at the same time throws in enough tricks to prevent it from being too generic or stale. Turbo Overkill feels like it was made in response to the massive success Doom Eternal and Ultrakill are. It takes ideas, but doesn’t fully copy them. It sets its own personality and pays tribute, which is what you want from a game whose genre is all about paying tribute. The combat is the biggest focus of this game, and Trigger Happy got it right. With guns that feel amazing to wield, good enough enemy variety to make each encounter strategic, diverse arenas that make use of your traversal abilities, and character progression. You are always on the move in this game. Bouncing around like a pinball, getting shots in, and using your chainsaw leg to dash to the other side of a mile long room in ten seconds. Every upgrade for your guns feels worthwhile as you unlock new options on how to take on combat. Tools to turn difficult fights into cakewalks such as a charge up shot for your combat shotgun that blows up everything within its explosion. A flamethrower for the chaingun, clogging the rocket launcher so you can shoot five rockets at once, etc. I like how the handing out of your tools is paced. You start with two useful enough pistols, but then you move from medium scaled to larger guns. With the final weapons being a satellite strike laser and duel chainsaw arms that instantly kill anything it slashes. You essentially become Denji from Chainsaw Man placed into Cyberpunk 2077. So how's that last chapter guys? Anyways....

It’s not just the guns that increase in strength.  Your traversal abilities and sidearms grow too. As you acquire double jump boots, a micro homing missile launcher for your arm, and turbo time. It turns you into May Payne, so now you get to be the world’s most emotionally conflicted teen and world’s most emotionally conflicted man addicted to painkillers. It doesn’t stop there. Separating this game further from other genre entries is the augmentation system. Perks you can equip that grant Johnny further strength. Allowing you to build your own Johnny and play slightly different than other players. I say slightly, because even if you don’t play with augmentations the game’s challenge stays and scales the same. A criticism we’ll get to shortly, but when you take them into consideration you can make a completely broken build. Whether turning the homing missiles into instant death shots, or acquiring endless health and armor from chainsaw kills. This game wants you to break it as soon as possible. Achieve its power fantasy through both good play and thoughtful choices. However, this does bring me into my first criticism for this game. Opening hours are ridiculously easy even for a boomer shooter. I suspect I was supposed to play this game on a higher difficulty, because those early levels are mind numbingly boring. A reason why I just wasn’t overboard with Turbo Overkill at first. Enemies that are cut down in seconds, arenas that are too open fielded so you can just circle strafe around everything, and handing the best perks early. Two perks I had equipped at all times were the ones that give you ammo and health for leg saw kills. The health/armor pickups they give are ones that allow you to go above 100% health. A majority of minor enemies appear in groups and can be killed with one good slide, so not only did I have double what I needed but I was basically unkillable. Only dying to the first boss. 

It wasn’t until somewhat into act two did I feel like the game’s challenge really got rolling. With stronger enemies who can kill you in seconds if you stay in one place too long. Another reason I think this game felt too easy at first was how generous the ammo pickups were. You get six guns in the first act alone from what I remember, and both the micro missile wrist launcher and turbo time. When one gun runs out then switch to the next. Then switch back because most likely you found some pickups for it, and by found I mean just a few feet away. I remember people having a similar complaint with Doom 4, so that’s why with Doom Eternal they narrowed ammo capacity. This game just gives you too much ammo to the point I never had to think about what gun I went into combat with. There was even one level I beat just using the plasma SMGs alone, because I’d unlocked the upgrade that converts them into a rifle. A rifle that fires each shot more slowly, but the tradeoff wasn’t too bad as it allowed me to preserve ammo more easily. There’s a phrase that says, “If players are given the option to optimize the fun out of a gun they’ll do just that,” but for me I’m not exactly sure if I did or not. As I said, you’re pushed to break this game as soon as you can. The devs want you to live a power fantasy. There’s joy to be found in being overpowered. A ton of people love Risk of Rain 2 for this reason, and the roguelike I got invested into last year was the earlier mentioned Roboquest. A game about becoming an overpowered one man army. The first act is easy, and then act two has a steady increase.

What may have happened was that when this game was released into early access back in 2022 they had a good idea of what they wanted. Those first few levels tested what Turbo Overkill can be, and with each update they improve. Their level design became more advanced and the same goes for the mechanics. This happens a lot with early access games, especially the shooters. The first few levels are simple, and then the next ones are more properly designed. Despite criticisms of how mindnumbingly easy the opening hours are, I didn't mind it. As the game did get better, I could see the developers were learning. Taking feedback from players as reviews rolled in. That is how you handle an early access period. You don’t just refuse to listen and create an end result where nothing has changed. Where you sit there and wonder, “Why did this take so long?” The final act of Turbo Overkill was specifically a highlight for me. With a satisfying conclusion that makes the nine to ten hour runtime worthwhile. Turbo Overkill is a surprisingly long game. More so than other indie shooters, and it’s due to how each level is thirty or so minutes long. I do feel like the level runtime could be trimmed down in some areas. There are sections that could be cut and nothing would be lost, but there’s just enough variety in levels to prevent them from turning into snooze fests. Last year I complained about Doom: The Dark Ages and how it felt like it was not doing enough to make the end hours worthwhile. This game does.

The story ended up being surprisingly good, but much like the game’s difficulty it took a bit for Turbo Overkill to really rev up. The first act is light on story with levels ending with pressing a terminal button. Then driving your car to the next. It feels disjointed, but around act two & three they start containing cutscenes that properly end stages and signals transition into the next. Back to what the story is, it's essentially about the rise of AI, technology, and the consequences. Giant influence from Ghost in A Shell can be detected within this game. People augment themselves to the point they’re more machine than man. Unable to think clearly as it psychologically begins to affect them. Giving artificial intelligence the ability to think and having to account them as their own individual beings. Wondering if AI will outsmart and begin to replace humans seeing how they have easy and instantaneous access to vast databases and knowledge on the internet. Fear of artificial intelligence going too far, or people who want to use this technology to become gods. An entity who can rule the world through manipulation, control, and corruption. Johnny is not the most complex protag in the world, but the game does enough to make us see him as human rather than just a vessel the player controls. With one scene in act three where he stares deep at a reflection of himself. His skin now mostly being made of metal, and glowing red eyes replacing the pupils he once had. This reflection leads us to ask if Johnny is still himself. If he’ll walk out the same person by the end of this journey. If we are the same through letting rapidly advancing technology influence and change who we are as human individuals. Of letting companies control and own our very lives. A deep question asked in a game about…. Chainsaw legs and arms...... A lovely, beautiful star.

Other comments I have include the art direction looking very nice. Contains various bright colors that light up the streets you run through. Soundtrack can be a banger ranging from synthwave to even heavenly tracks. There’s some surprisingly good voice acting, and Gianni Montegrano himself voices one of the three mercs you face. That guy appears in just about every major indie boomer shooter these days, so something to always get excited for when a new title gets announced. So overall Turbo Overkill gets a recommendation in my book. Didn’t immediately start off great but eventually therapeutic chaos. Glad I stuck around till the end, and now I’m considering picking up Total Chaos. Been hearing good things about it. In the end I am going to have to give Turbo Overkill a 9/10 for excellence at best.

9/10, Excellence