Episode 2 of “boomer shooter” Turbo Overkill hits this Halloween

Just in time for a cyberpunk-Halloween, episode 2 of Apogee and developer Trigger Happy’s retro shooter Total Overkill is almost here.

Boomer… Shooter?

When is a retro-shooter not a retro-shooter? When it’s a “boomer shooter”… I guess. Not that I really know what that fairly new designation means exactly, though I’m assuming it’s just a neat new way of saying something plays ‘retro’ but has some modern elements mixed in.

I say that because Total Overkill is definitely all of that. We reviewed the first episode of the game the it arrived on Early Access, and loved its mixture of classic shooter formulae and modernish looks and feel.

And now that same aesthetic returns for episode 2, which is set to deliver more rapid-fire action this Halloween. As you’ll see too, part 2 will also stock a heck of a lot more than just stuff you’ve already seen in the original episode.

The next stop on Johnny Turbo’s bloody crusade to defeat the omnipotent AI Syn dials the action and carnage up to 11 with expansive campaign levels, chainsaw-mounted motorcycle combat, and three new weapons. Cook up Syn’s finest with the microwaving Plasma Gun, paint targets for furious orbital strikes with the Ion Blaster, or aim down sight with the Telefragger, a sniper rifle that says “no” to bullets and “YES” to teleporting inside foes, exploding them from within.

Johnny’s odyssey through the neon-drenched dystopia of Paradise picks up from Episode 1’s riveting conclusion. Take revenge for the loss of Johnny’s best friend by revving up the new Chainsaw Bike and tearing through massive stages at full throttle. As the city burns, reach greater heights with the new Grappling Hook and rapidly dash from point to point, Spidey-style, getting the jump on unsuspecting goons. Tap into Turbo Time, Johnny’s ultimate power, to move at warp speed while the world slows around him, slaughtering foes before they can blink.

Apogee press release

Just a note about Turbo Time here too, in that it actually spins out of the classic third-person shooter Max Payne. Apparently Apogee Entertainment head Scott Miller was the originator of that particular mechanic, and he’s been itching to see it used again. As noted, Turbo Time is the new generation of that slo-mo gameplay, brought to life in part by Turbo Overkill’s creator, Trigger Happy’s Sam Prebble.

“Everyone who plays Turbo Overkill should feel like the coolest bounty hunter imaginable,” said Prebble. “My first-person shooter dreams are driven by a power fantasy where gunning down mercs is as natural as breathing. Episode 2’s levels and weapons synergize to give you that exact feeling.”

Sam Prebble, Trigger Happy

Look for Turbo Overkill Episode 2 to appear for the PC (via Steam) this Halloween, October the 31st.