Turbo Dismount Preview

Turbo Dismount is Secret Exit’s sequel to their 2009 ‘personal impact simulator’ and iOS success, Stair Dismount and it’s outrageous fun. After spending a few minutes figuring out what was going on I found myself in fits of laughter as the little crash test dummy protagonist, Mr Dismount, was sent hurtling time after time off ramps, through brick walls and into the path of oncoming traffic.

The premise is simple: choose a level and a vehicle, set up a few obstacles if you wish and then let the carnage ensue. With satisfying ragdoll physics, vehicle destruction and the ability to replay your efforts from multiple angles in slow motion, Turbo Dismount ticks the right boxes for that ‘just one more go…’ quality.

Players are given a choice between differing vehicles to send crashing around the level ranging from a tricycle and shopping cart to a monster truck and sports car. Each vehicle has its own pros and cons so choosing the right one for each level makes a real difference especially when going for a high score. Between runs, obstacles can be placed and rearranged or taken away altogether. Put down a few speed boosts to help launch your firetruck up that steep ramp or place an oil slick and brick wall in the road just to see what happens!

Points are scored based on how much damage is dealt to Mr Dismount and his surroundings. Maximising the destruction and breaking as many bones as possible will reward you with a higher score and a better ranking on the worldwide leaderboards.

The controls are easy to master: hold left click and drag the mouse to move the camera and use the wheel to zoom in and out. Middle click changes perspective and holding space will set the amount of acceleration. Beyond this there are a few on-screen buttons to change vehicles, obstacles, steering and poses.

Changing pose will move Mr Dismount out of the driver’s seat and place him in a number of different and highly irresponsible positions for maximum silliness. Trust me when I say that it is hilarious to watch as he tries desperately to hold on to the back of a truck while it spins through the air or casually sits on the front of a car as it speeds towards a ramp. There is an actual gameplay mechanic to be found here however, as changing pose will alter the weight distribution and affect how the vehicle responds in various situations. The effect is subtle but it’s enough to allow for an added layer of detail and depth to the otherwise straightforward gameplay.

Turbo Dismount retains the simplistic visual style of its predecessor; it’s blocky and uncomplicated, utilising clean textures and solid colours. This goes in the game’s favour as it serves to dampen the brutality in what could otherwise be considered a very violent game. Turbo Dismount is being developed in the Unity engine for multiple platforms and while it isn’t a particularly great looking game at the moment, I’m sure improvements to the visuals will be made as the game’s development progresses.

The audio in the game is a little more hit and miss. While the sound effects are great, the crunching of breaking bones and the smashing of metal on metal adding a layer of satisfaction to proceedings, the music actually gets quite annoying. The tracks are upbeat, slightly funky and reminiscent of much older games such as SimCity 2000 or Transport Tycoon but quickly become tired and irritating.

All in all Turbo Dismount is a great little title to waste a few hours on. It’s silly, addictive but most importantly, it’s good (if a little sadistic) fun.

 

The game is currently available through the Early Access section of the Steam Store and as such is likely to improve and change as development continues. As I was in the process of writing this preview, the game was updated with a new vehicle and the addition of a first person mode for added nausea.