‘Turbo Overkill’ Somehow Translates to Gamepad More Masterfully Than Anticipated (Console Review)

Boomer shooters have been seeing quite the renaissance over the past few years, and I’m never going to complain about that. While military shooters may be the bread and butter of online gaming, these tight and cohesive single-player games are more than enough to tickle my fancy. While I initially overlooked Turbo Overkill when it was released on PC in 2023, its arrival on consoles was more than enough to get me interested. It’s fast, furious, and works so much better on a Gamepad than I could have ever imagined, and I’m kicking myself for not giving this one a play sooner.

Chainsaw Leg Goes Brrrrrrrrrrr in ‘Turbo Overkill’

Its vibe, name, and culture are immediately reminiscent of ’80s straight-to-VHS action movies. And that’s something I quickly loved about Turbo Overkill. As Johnny Turbo, the most aptly named protagonist ever, I could chop and shoot my way through hordes of enemies. I started with a pistol, quickly earning a shotgun, uzis, Gatling guns… you name it, it’s likely here. But the cream of the crop is the Chainsaw Leg. While sliding and ripping through a line of enemies who explode into comically huge mists of gore, I could pop off shots with the variety of weapons I had in my arsenal.

Turbo Overkill isn’t afraid to be over the top, and I was expecting its story to be suitably so. And as I continued playing, with each new act adding additional gimmicks, I was awestruck by how much variety lies under the surface. Don’t let the simplistic graphical style fool you; Turbo Overkill has depth. Every stage feels like its own adventure. And it’s one that I would suggest you explore to its full extent. There are plenty of collectibles, weapon unlocks, and augments.

It’s adrenaline in digital form, purely condensed and injected directly into my eyeballs. Every moment, it felt like Turbo Overkill just kept pushing the envelope further and further. I couldn’t put it down, but I also made sure to savor every moment I could. It’s better taken in bursts, rather than binging the whole game in a single session.

Chop Until You Drop, Even On Controller

I think the most impressive part of the console release, however, is how well things function on a controller. Sure, not everything is perfect; swapping between guns using the D-Pad does feel slightly cumbersome. While I do wish that the option to map controls was available, especially when it comes to swapping weapons, I eventually learned to compensate, but it’s not the most accessible shooter available. Beyond this gripe, I didn’t find much to complain about. It feels responsive, quick, and easy to learn. There’s just a lot to keep track of, and some players may prefer alternate control schemes.

At first, it felt incredibly fast. I thought to myself, “How am I supposed to keep up with this?” And then I learned the first basic lesson of a Boomer Shooter: Get Gud. Yeah, I had to turn down the sensitivity for a while, honestly, but after that? I was smashing through these levels like it was going out of style. Great aim-assist to make up for that finer precision of a keyboard and mouse — combined with great controls throughout — make Turbo Overkill a joy to experience.

If I felt more confident in my skills, I could turn off the aim-assist. But in a game like Turbo Overkill, I wouldn’t suggest it. Precision is necessary here, and I didn’t want to waste any bullets. Those were meant for the meat bags I was blasting through, not for the walls or the floors.

A Solid 60FPS Makes Every Level of ‘Turbo Overkill’ Feel Buttery Smooth

It’s hard to say anything new about a game that’s already been out on the market for roughly 2 years, but its console port is excellent. It’s graphically solid, and it also has a great framerate that I never saw dip during my play sessions. Plus, the ability to play this on a bigger screen and not need to futz around with my PC to get it to work on there is a major plus.

Outside of the electrifying campaign, an endless horde mode and arcade mode are available to prolong the life of this shooter. And they’re extremely solid. Nothing groundbreaking, but still solid nonetheless. Plus, any FPS that gives me a photo mode to take rad action shots gets a point in my book, even if it is a little janky at times.

If you take one look at Turbo Overkill and go “Damn, this looks cool as hell,” you’re the target audience. Even if this doesn’t look like something you’d typically play, do yourself a favor and download the demo. It offers far more depth than you’d think, incredibly satisfying gunplay, and a killer soundtrack. It may have rocketed up my list of all-time favorite FPS games. If loving Turbo Overkill makes me a boomer, point me in the direction of the nearest Golden Corral. It’s time to get messy.

Verdict: Highly Recommended

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Turbo Overkill is available now on PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5. A code was provided by the publisher for the sake of review. Reviewed on Xbox Series X.