First off, I just want to say this is a good year for First Person Shooters. We had the release of Tiny Tina’s Wonderland, then I had my hands on with Postal 4, and now I’ve had a chance to play Turbo Overkill. Don’t be deterred by the game at first glance.

This game is an augmented mix of fast-paced chainsaw-legged, gun toating, wall-running, cyberpunk-filled throwback, with easter eggs from some of the most well-known movies of the 80s and now, with inspiration from the most well-known classics such Duke Nukem, Quake, Dusk and Doom to just name a few. Turbo Overkill does not just pull inspiration, it takes it to a new level by taking some of the best aspects of those classic games and adding its own spin, all from Publishers Apogee Entertainment and Developers Trigger Happy Interactive

The story starts off with you, the main protagonist Johnny Turbo, tasked to rid Paradice city of advanced AI that plans to take over the world with an army of augmented minions. Shoot your way with a variety of weapons such as duel pistols, SMGs, and my favourite, the double-barrel shotgun. Not to mention that all the weapons can be upgraded by adding a secondary fire mode, such as the trusty double barrel can also fire grenades, or the machine gun can be upgraded to have a flamethrower as a secondary, but weapons are not just the only thing that can be upgraded.

Remember, this is a cyberpunk game, and what’s a cyberpunk game without augmentations. Starting off, you have the unmistakable leg chainsaw that helps you deliver a sliding kick of blood and gore to your enemies. Along the way, you can pick up special boots that help you wall run or a micro launcher that can be fired from your robotic arm, and after you fire a burst of those rockets you flick your enemies the middle finger to top it off.

As for how the game plays, well, gamers who love their classic FPS games will feel at home, but also won’t be the best straight away. It still took me a few tries to get the slide right for the chainsaw leg, and with sections that involve wall-running, I found it to be personally trying at times. If you haven’t gotten a hang of it, some parts of the game may be at a standstill and best to come back later. Besides that, all the basic controls are there when using your keyboard and mouse.

Now for the small issue, I had. I know a bug or two is always in any game but, in one instance I had to restart the level for a door key to spawn where it was supposed to, but the fast pace of the game kept me from possibly seeing any other bugs. I am sure regular patches will be released to fix even the single one I encountered.

The game’s synth and guitar riffs are what you expect from a cyberpunk-themed game, keeping the mood going and the adrenaline high, and I can easily chill out and listen to the game soundtrack outside of the game. Another positive mention is the game’s graphics and aesthetic is what makes everything pop. At a glance, the visuals look kind of dated, much like the classic FPS games like Quake or Doom with their rough edges, but when you look closer this is on purpose. The finer details when you take a second to look around show in the game level design and weapons. The massive levels you run around in are intricate in their design, and when it rains you can see the water effects. Not bad at all, considering the game is made with the Unreal 5 Engine.

Sadly the game is only single-player and does not have a multiplayer, and it’s quite unfortunate because this game would have been perfect to share with friends in a deathmatch multiplayer. Hopefully, they add that in the future.

Overall Turbo Overkill brings us a mix of all that was enjoyable in the classic FPS games, with that splash of the cyberpunk genre. From the plethora of weapons to use along with a combination of tried-and-tested game mechanics from classic and modern games. Not to mention, it’s just good to have some dumb fun shooting, strafing, and sliding with a chainsaw leg, one of the most unique and badass melee weapons ever. I highly enjoyed Turbo Overkill, and even with the lack of multiplayer, the single-player campaign brings the variety that you want in a game.

Written by: Simon Hayward