• News

Turbo Overkill to spray blood and guts via Steam Early Access this April

The upcoming boomer shooter from the creator of the Doom 2's Total Chaos mod hits all the right notes.

Chris Jarrard

March 22, 2022 3:10 PM

1

In recent years, the boom in indie gaming has provided a nearly infinite stream of quality games that appeal to just about any niche one could imagine. One of the more popular niches being served in recent years has been that of the boomer shooter, elder millennial gunfest, or whatever the hell it is you call games such as Prodeus, Dusk, or Doom 2016. Marrying the iconic, frenetic shooter gameplay from the formative years of real-time 3D rendering with all the bells and whistles available to developers in 2022 creates quite an appealing product. Turbo Overkill is one such shooter, with a rock-solid pedigree and action for days. PC publishing legends Apogee have announced that Turbo Overkill is headed for Steam Early Access on April 22, 2022.

Turbo Overkill is a passion project for Sam Prebble, creator of the Total Chaos mod for Doom 2 and the heart of Trigger Happy Interactive, the studio under which Prebble practices his craft. Johnny Turbo is our hero and he is tasked with cleaning up the streets of Paradise, a dystopian cyberpunk metropolis. The town is overrun with mind-controlled cultists obedient to a menacing AI that threatens the survival of the whole planet.

What’s the best way to fight against this AI? By painting all of Paradise with a thick coat of cultist guts and grease. Accomplishing this task is where the fun comes in. Johnny Turbo is a master of the firearm and Turbo Overkill has some real beauties. Each can be upgraded and augmented as you go along, offering new and inventive ways to disrespect humanoid carcasses.

You’ll also do much of this killing in style as you pull off sweet-ass slides, wall runs, and death dives from the hood of your flying car. You even get the patented Duke 3D front boot kick. Style is second only to speed. The visuals manage to mix modern lighting and shading sensibilities with particle effects that could be ripped straight out of Monolith’s Blood 2. If you were fortunate enough to spend time with the ocean of mid-90s shooters, you’re likely to spend much of your time in Turbo Overkill smiling.

I suggested setting aside some time this April to get your mind and PC ready for a return to the good times. Make sure to grab a six-pack of Miller High Life and pull out your Judas Priest albums. Turbo Overkill may just turn you into a Turbo Lover.

Chris Jarrard

Contributing Tech Editor

Chris Jarrard likes playing games, crankin' tunes, and looking for fights on obscure online message boards. He understands that breakfast food is the only true food. Don't @ him.