Developed by the mad geniuses at Trigger Happy Interactive and published by Apogee Entertainment, Turbo Overkill is a blistering love letter to the golden age of boomer shooters, cranked up with a cyberpunk edge that feels both nostalgic and fresh. If you’re craving pure, unadulterated retro fun in a neon-drenched dystopia, this is your ticket to Paradise literally!! I dove in for a full playthrough on normal difficulty, and it delivered a game that’s hard to put down.
Pure Retro Boomer Shooter Mayhem with a Cyberpunk Twist
At its core, Turbo Overkill nails that classic boomer shooter vibe, fast paced, run and gun action where you mow down hordes of enemies without a second thought. But what elevates it is the jaw dropping cyberpunk setting: a sprawling, Paradise City overrun by Syn (evil AI) and cybernetic freaks. Towering skyscrapers pulse with holographic ads, alleyways hide splicing machines for upgrades, and every level drips with that gritty, high-tech/low-life atmosphere. I was genuinely reminded of one of my favourite comic books, Transmetropolitan. You plays as Johnny Turbo, a half man, half machine, bounty hunter with a vendetta, as you get flashbacks you see how he has become what he is and understand his mission for revenge. The satire is sharp and hilarious, poking fun at everything from AI overlords plotting world domination to the absurdity of corporate cyber augments gone wrong. It’s boomer humor at its finest, over the top, and packed with one liners that had me smiling throughout.
Levels Packed with Secrets and Satirical Depth
True to boomer shooter fashion, Turbo Overkill rewards exploration with hidden areas, secret rooms, and collectibles tucked into every neon lit corner. Levels are meticulously crafted, showing tons of love and thought from the devs, verticality encourages wall running I believe there is some strong inspiration from Ghostrunner, my skills shined bright here!
Some sections even echo BioShock’s eerie vibe: talking vending machines dispense snarky advice (and upgrades), underwater levels plunge you into submerged underground levels, and splicing stations let you hack together cybernetic enhancements on the fly. It’s a gorgeous shooter visually, with fluid animations.
Weapons That Are a Joy to Wield—Chainsaw Leg Steals the Show
The arsenal here is a highlight, with every gun feeling like a work of art. Weapons boast gorgeous, detailed designs and alternate fire modes you unlock via vending machine payments. The dual-wielded Uzis are a standout: pop the secondary fire, and you chuck one away for pinpoint accuracy, turning you into a long-range shredder. But nothing tops the chainsaw leg, it’s beyond epic and my my most frequently used weapon. You can slide around the floor and slice and dice enemies apart. Upgrading its features and adding perks is a must. Sliding around and destroying enemies allows me to recover some health. I must’ve chainsawed my way through half the game. Check it out for yourself!
Enemy variety keeps things incredibly fresh! No one cyber freak fights the same and you will figuring out he best way to take them out each time!
Stellar Soundtrack and Voice Work That Immerses You
The soundtrack is a banger, channeling OG Doom’s thumping metal riffs but infused with a cyberpunk synthwave tone, pulsing basslines that sync perfectly with my rampages.
The voice memos scattered throughout levels are a treat, narrated logs from Paradise’s doomed inhabitants, blending dark humor with lore drops. I found myself pausing mid-level just to listen, piecing together the city’s fall to Syn’s cult.
Perfect Length with Replayability Galore
Clocking in at around 8-10 hours for a main story run, Turbo Overkill hits that sweet spot, meaty enough for a weekend binge but not bloated. Factor in secrets, multiple difficulty tiers, and New Game+ with carried over upgrades, and you’ve got great replay value.
Regarding bugs: I read older reviews, where many people complained about glitches and deleted save files. But I did not encounter any. Trigger Happy has clearly ironed out the kinks since launch.
Why Grab the Ultimate Edition?
This edition includes a massive free quality-of-life update for all players, featuring new controller configurations, including gyro and adaptive trigger support for PS5. Additionally, it offers a 140-page digital art book and a soundtrack sampler. Along with a graphics upgrade and quality of life features.
Turbo Overkill stands out as a brutal, beautiful, and brimming with personality. If retro boomer fun meets cyberpunk cool sounds like your fun to you, rev up that chainsaw leg and dive in!!
Need more convincing here’s some more gameplay.
Available now on Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo
9/10
