Imagine ‘Vegetales’ meets ‘Grand Theft Auto,’ and you get a surprisingly accurate sense of what awaits in ‘Turnip Boy Robs a Bank
Following in the footsteps of Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion, our god-killing Brassicarapa teams up with the pickled gang to exploit the chaos of the death of a god for pure financial gain. This dead-eyed member of the cruciferous family wields wooden buster swords, conch shells, cacti, and a straight-up Glock in his quest to rob the world’s largest, most randomly generated bank.
Turnip Boy Robs a Bank is a master class in absurdism, so you should immediately toss your expectations for this world. This second title from developer Snoozy Kazoo is just as jam-packed with clever, whacky humor as the first, maybe even kicking things up a notch with the sequel’s comparatively faster pace. You’ll find a joke in almost every corner of this game, which isn’t shy to barrage you with its clever comedic writing at every turn.
A great example of this is the dark web mechanic, which sees you buying new tools for your heist off a computer in your hideout. Just don’t click on that sketchy other tab someone left open, or you’ll bluescreen your vegetable rig and have to wait until your next run to use the computer again.
The comedy is obviously deeply entwined into the game’s premise and main character. Turnip Boy is an ever-smiling, beady-eyed little killer who never speaks a word and allows himself to be drafted into criminal activity at a mere suggestion. The trail of chaos left by this little creature is nigh incomprehensible, and he makes for a fantastic plush toy as well.
“Easily drawn into bank robbery for the Pickled Gang, ‘Turnip Boy Robs a Bank’ offers a gameplay loop that is simple and familiar. It follows the roguelike template near to the letter. You show up to the bank, fight through guards and shake up civilians, gather as much money as possible, and escape. Each level you visit via elevator is totally randomized, and you can buy upgrades and gear to make your runs easier and more profitable. Preparation for each bank heist begins in the gang’s hideout, setting the stage for the next robbery attempt.
Turnip Boy Robs a Bank breaks away from the formula with one big difference: a run is not necessarily until you die or beat the game. You’re encouraged, in fact, to escape the bank entirely before time runs out and the police arrive. RLosing all health before escaping results in a penalty of losing half your earnings from the robbery.
This certainly makes each run in Turnip Boy Robs a Bank feel more like, well… a bank robbery, but what it does to the layout of levels is a bit odd. Likely because you’re meant to turn around and backtrack, not every room you enter in the bank features a way forward. It feels like most don’t. You’ll run in, steal a bunch of stuff, then come back the way you came.
This may feel unusual if you’re accustomed to roguelike-level design that constantly encourages forward momentum. Ironically, for a game that has you running back through areas you’ve already been so often, I found myself lost in a lot of my runs, both in trying to find my way back to where I came from and in trying to find more avenues of progression in rooms I’ve already been in.
“In traditional roguelikes, you typically move forward, to the right, or towards the top of the screen. Turnip Boy Robs a Bank feels much more like a maze, and there were plenty of times when I had, say, a minute left on the clock and felt like I had already explored every room available to me in that run.
In addition to your typical roguelike collection of gathering resources, unlocking new gear and weapons, and upgrading to gather even more resources, Turnip Boy Robs A Bank features a wealth of side quests to undertake alongside your bank robbery. Untaking these quests gives you a great excuse to meet and interact with one of the game’s many comedic characters and, thankfully, pauses your run timer. So, you have time to take in the hilarious writing without worrying about your turnip getting busted.
Turnip Boy Robs a Bank also stands out in its difficulty settings, allowing you to play the game at various difficulty levels, from challenging to straight-up god mode. This means if you want to experience the game’s humor, you absolutely can without fear of getting your little turnip head bashed in by nightsticks.
The game’s music is wonderful, too, and does well to sell the sort of comedic parody of an action movie the game has going on. I swear, at times, the music sounded suspiciously close to some well-known soundtracks. Whether that was intentional or just my imagination, it enhanced the experience and definitely made me laugh.
Though the non-linear pathing in Turnip Boy Robs A Bank might be a bit of a hiccup for tried and true roguelike fans, the game is packed with hilarious jokes, clever weapons, and well-written characters to make relearning your basics worth it. Modestly priced at $16, you couldn’t ask for more from Turnip Boy Robs a Bank. It’s both a great sequel and a fun piece for entry-level newcomers to the series to enjoy.
The Final Word
Turnip Boy Robs a Bank is a fantastic roguelike entry that’ll retrain the way you’re used to playing games in the genre. Packed with great humor, simple but fun mechanics, and a dead-eyed killer turnip, there’s not a whole lot more you could ask for from Turnip Boy Robs a Bank.
9
Try Hard Guides was provided with a PC review copy of this game. Find more detailed looks at popular and upcoming titles in the Game Reviews section of our website! Turnip Boy Robs a Bank is available on Steam.