Tax evasion, defeating a literal god, and now robbing a bank. Snoozy Kazoo and Graffiti Game love to keep everyone’s favorite mute Vegetable busy; this time, though, he wants all the smoke, and I’m right there with him. Turnip Boy Robs A Bank harvested certain concepts from its predecessor while seeding new ones, allowing it to blossom into a chaotic but badass adventure that I can promise will grow on you.
Just Killed A God. What’s Next?
Turnip Boy Robs A Bank is the sequel to Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion. Upon starting, players are pretty much caught up to speed on the events that transpired while Turnip Boy was off committing tax evasion. Since the downfall of Mayor Onion, Veggieville erupted into war. Instead of going on a quest to restore peace and unity, Turnip Boy gets a gun and, with the aid of mobster Dillitini, decides to rob Stinky’s Botanical Bank. Might I add this is two days after committing tax evasion and, I emphasize again, defeating A LITERAL GOD! All while keeping that signature smile on his face.
It would be best to play the first game, as the previous adventure has many callbacks. The game itself even recommends it, but it’s ultimately your choice. It’s been three years since the release of tax evasion, so characters aren’t so fresh in players’ minds, and upon meeting them, you’ll sit and wonder, “Where have I met you before?” or just flat out, “Who Are You?”.
While the two games differ in gameplay, writers Jennifer Kindl and Yukon Wainczak maintain the silliness and arbitrariness that made the first game stand out. While the main objective is to rob a bank, goofy characters, both edible and other creatures, will ask for Turnip Boy to help with side objectives, just like old times. Let me scale how different the quests can be in-game. One moment, you to “Find a Sodie Pop for Conductor Onion.” The next moment, you’re tasked with “Bring The Body Pillow to Gregg.” The mission is straight up called Gregg’s Waifu, by the way. Don’t even get me started on the dark web; know it includes bath water. I’m 23 going on 24, so millennial and meme humor isn’t new to me, and Turnip Boy is full of it. The game is full of internet callbacks and memes, so I understand it won’t be meant for everybody, but I can guarantee there will be a few chuckles and smirks when playing. If not, ok, “bloomer”.
Say Aloe To Roguelites
Turnip Boy still keeps its Legend Of Zelda-esque qualities, but this time, it turns the title into a roguelite game. Players will rob the bank multiple times with randomized rooms and weapons every run. The main objective is pretty simple: shakedown hostages and loot everything on-site. After a successful run, return to HQ, buy some upgrades, and do it again. When starting, things may appear slow at first, but things begin to pick up after about an hour and a half of playtime. Soon, Turnip Boy will have an arsenal of weapons and upgrades. There are two different difficulty settings, so players can substitute for more formidable enemies if things are too casual.
Speaking of weapons, Turnip Boy can have quite a variety. One minute, he’s shooting your standard pistol, and the next, he’s smacking security with a crayon or blasting needles out of a cactus. While the more practical weapons can be pre-equipped, the more fun and exotic weapons can be found in the rooms that Turnip Boy will visit. Once you’ve thought you’ve found your favorite, a new, more powerful one appears. There is a feature where players can store their favorite weapons in a locker and recover them when on a new heist, that is if they find the room it’s in.
Boss battles make a return and can be replayed on all runs. It’s an excellent method when farming money, but gamers need to use their time management skills; I mean, you still are robbing a bank. Each run has a timer that counts down at the start. Once it reaches zero, the swat team comes in to regain control. From there, Turnip Boy can push his luck, and, like in GTA, at five stars, you’re knocking on Death’s door. It’s not a recommended tactic, speaking from personal experience.
Rough Around The Hedges
Even though it’s identified as a roguelite, ten rooms will never be randomized. There are side doors shuffled in the buildings, but after some time, they can be expected where they can spawn. Ultimately, this only happens because there aren’t many rooms. On an added note, the doors to these rooms give hints on what’s on the other side of the door. What makes these types of games exciting is the randomness and being oblivious to what comes next. Turnip Boy, however, was lacking in that regard as it kept its story-arching narrative from the first game, taking away the exploration value.
Like the first game, there isn’t enough Turnip Boy to satisfy my need for more. It will take gamers 5 hours to complete the whole game, with another to complete all side missions and collectibles. Once the game is finished, I wouldn’t see a solid reason to return unless I show it off to a friend.
Conclusion
Turnip Boy Robs A Bank proves there is no rest for the wicked. Turning the series into a roguelite was not the wrong road for Turnip Boy. While not all the features of being a roguelite title weren’t implemented, I had a hell of a “thyme” with the game. Going in guns blazing, paired with the OST provided by James “Jake” Currier, was exhilarating in moments and more claiming and vibey in others. Finding my favorite weapons and talking to the colorful and sometimes disturbing cast of characters only added to that experience. The jokes and humor aren’t for everyone, but even looking past them, Snoozy Kazoo’s experiment paid off, leaving me anticipating Turnip Boy’s next federal crime.
This game was reviewed based on Xbox One review code, using an Xbox Series S|X console. All of the opinions and insights here are subject to that version. Game provided by publisher.
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