Turbo Overkill Preview - Chainsaw Legs, Crazy Dynamics and Cool Soundtrack

Released in April, retro shooter Turbo Overkill recently got its second (of three planned) story chapters online games from the studio Friv2Online. On this occasion, we decided to dive into the game and tell you why it has such a high (95% positive reviews) rating on Steam.

Turbo Overkill is a retro style shooter that looks like the illegitimate son of DOON Eternal, Far Cry: Blood Dragon and Cyberpunk 2077. From the first project, here is an incredibly dynamic gameplay that combines hurricane firefights and platform jumps. From the second, a nostalgic vibe from the 80s, and from the third, a story about a cyborg mercenary doing dirty work on the streets of Paradise.

The scenario is centered on the adventures of Johnny Turbo, who confronts an evil AI that has taken control of all the inhabitants of the metropolis with implants - that is, all the inhabitants of the metropolis. Each mission is preceded by a cut-scene, but it makes no sense to talk about the plot as a whole: firstly, here it is in the spirit of the classic shooters of the 90s, it fits in a couple of lines of text, and secondly, you often want to skip the video in order to quickly break into the battle.

Yes, in Turbo Overkill gameplay is at the forefront. Our character moves only by running (there is a separate button for walking, but there are no scenarios in which it would be useful), he can double jump and double dash, and also slide, and in the latter case, the built-in chainsaws in his legs are activated, which allows cut enemies.

The movement system is complemented by very precise character control. Johnny obeys every button press, the slightest movement of the mouse. You can change the direction of your jump right in the air, run along walls, and be attracted to objects with the grappling hook. This is extremely convenient, given the multi-level design of locations and the need to constantly move in order not to fall under enemy bullets.

The hero is opposed by detachments of zombified opponents, from ordinary soldiers with machine guns to giants with rocket launchers and bosses. Different types of fighters are often combined, so you have to prioritize: say, first kill a horde of those who strive to get close and shred the protagonist to pieces, then deal with a big guy that shoots electric charges, and then finish off that little thing that does not pose a particular threat. Fairly easy at first, the battles become hardcore later, and in some episodes I had to return to the control point several times.

The mercenary's arsenal is represented by a large selection of firearms, which also has alternative attacks. The double-barreled sawn -off shotgun fires sticky grenades when you press the right mouse button, the minigun turns into a flamethrower, and the rocket launcher allows you to accumulate up to four missiles and fire them all at once.

In addition, Johnny has a mini-rocket launcher built into his robot arm, the chainsaw mentioned above in his leg, as well as a set of passive augmentations that can be installed in terminals scattered throughout the levels. They make it possible, for example, to restore health by killing enemies while sliding, speed up the dash, or automatically pick up coins that fall out of opponents: you will spend them on augmentations and ammunition.

Turbo Overkill provides an adrenaline rush: gunfights are in a good way difficult, defeats are not annoying, but only charge you with rage for a new run. The soundtrack plays a significant role in this, peppy and impulsive, it pushes to act aggressively and rush into battle, and not hide behind shelters.

However, the game does not always manage to keep pace. This is due to the confusing levels, coupled with the lack of a mini-map: here you can get lost and not understand where to go next, poking into all corners in the hope of finding the right path. The monotonous environment masks landmarks, and the game often doesn't mark targets, and in some cases you will find the dubious pleasure of a long wander through already cleared corridors. Although, in fairness, I would like to praise the locations: in some episodes they look amazing, causing delight.

When you start playing Turbo Overkill, you understand why this shooter has such a high rating: it takes your soul with clean gameplay and drags you into that bloodbath that you arrange for your opponents. However, over time, the realization comes that the game still has problems, and the real score should be a little lower. However, before leaving early access, the developers of the project still have time to fix the shortcomings. Let's hope they listen to criticism.