[Dual Analysis] Turbo Overkill: A Comprehensive Review

Turbo Overkill, the latest creation from Apogee Entertainment and Trigger Happy Interactive, has charged onto the console scene, bringing its mature-themed, adrenaline-pumping FPS action to your living room. If you’re curious about how it fairs, you’re in for a treat with this in-depth review!

This isn’t just one review—it’s a two-pronged take from Ceidz, who played on the PlayStation, and EdEN, who experienced it on the Nintendo Switch. Together, they’ve shared their thoughts on what this game has to offer.

The game thrusts you into a dazzling cyberpunk world, as it delivers Apogee’s most intense FPS experience yet. You take on the role of Johnny Turbo, a character enhanced with hidden arm rockets and a chainsaw that swings out from his lower leg, great for carving up foes in a slick sliding move.

Returning to his troubled home of Paradise, Johnny discovers it overrun by Syn, a malevolent AI and its legion of enhanced minions. Driven by the need to escape his checkered past, Johnny sets out on an ambitious mission to destroy this formidable AI, all while competing against rival bounty hunters in a chaotic landscape where nothing comes easy.

Growing up with classic FPS titles, I couldn’t wait to see what Turbo Overkill had in store on the Nintendo Switch. Originally debuting on Steam in 2023, this game now demands your attention as Johnny Turbo, rocket-armed and chainsaw-legged, embarks on a high-stakes adventure.

In this pandemonium, Paradise has descended into madness under Syn’s grip, spreading faster than any modern-day threat, leaving Johnny grappling with the challenge of eliminating its minions and ultimately dismantling Syn itself.

The controls are what you’d expect from a first-person shooter. Johnny is steered using the left analog stick, while the right stick is reserved for aiming. With the B button, you can jump, even perform double jumps, and the R button handles dashing. Utilizing the X button, you activate a grapple hook, and the L button unleashes a satisfying chainsaw slide. The weapon arsenal is vast—primary attacks deploy with ZR and secondary with ZL; switch weapons via the D-Pad, and rain down micro-missiles with the press of Y. Turbo-Time, triggered by pressing the right analog stick, lets you slow time, maximizing your damage output in the heat of battle.

The rhythm of the game is simple yet addictive: Reap your foes to collect cash, use it to enhance your augments, upgrade your arsenal, and unlock abilities within your skill tree. Conquer bosses to absorb their unique powers and rinse and repeat through over twenty levels.

Ceidz picked up where EdEN left off, highlighting Turbo Overkill’s urgent, mature-rated violence. PS5 players can enjoy tearing through Paradise’s dystopia in different modes, including the narrative-driven Campaign Mode, the straightforward Arcade Mode for quick action, or test their endurance with Endless Mode.

Starting the game, you’re thrust into relentless action following the opening cutscene, with an early level doubling as a tutorial elaborating on the game’s Mature rating.

The experience is visually brutal, with enemy gore painting your screen in the middle of combat. The game’s controls lend themselves well to fluid, rapid movements, boosting Johnny’s rampage. A minor quibble, the main menu’s layout, doesn’t follow PlayStation’s convention of using the Circle button for backtracking.

Turbo Overkill caters to various skill levels with five switching difficulty modes, ranging from Virgin Blood to the daunting Murder Machine. The latter pushes you to the edge, punishing any misfired shot with enemies’ revamped aggression and output levels, noting cheekily the x6.66 carnage multiplier.

Aesthetically, the game pairs modern graphics with a nod to the retro spirit of classics like Doom and Heretic, with its exaggerated field of view and lightning-fast movements, enhanced at 60 frames per second on PS5. The viewpoint takes some getting used to, initially presenting an oddly low perspective.

Trophy hunters will revel in the robust list entailing a Platinum trophy assignment, featuring tasks like finishing all episodes on varying difficulty settings, collecting in-game items, and achieving specific in-game milestones.

In conclusion, Turbo Overkill merges nostalgic FPS vibes with current-gen polish. It’s a chaotic joyride with a storyline filled with unrestrained, robust fun that any fan of the genre will delight in exploring.

Initially launching on Steam in 2023, Turbo Overkill is now available on both Nintendo Switch and PlayStation. However, keep in mind the stark distinction in resolution fidelity between Switch and PS5, due to differing hardware capabilities, impacting factors like frame rate and load times, especially with SSD capabilities on Sony’s consoles. The game is priced at $19.99, with a Cross-Buy option for PS4 and PS5 downloads, maximizing its value. Overall, a thrilling addition to any gaming library, seasoned players and action enthusiasts alike won’t want to miss Turbo Overkill’s visceral experience.