When pizza meets tactics… and kind of forgets the toppings.
Let’s be honest: when I heard Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was getting a turn-based tactical game, I was immediately intrigued because in the vast (emphasis on the word vast) array of TMNT games there hasn’t been one in this genre. I had visions of Michelangelo tossing pizzas as grenades and Leonardo delivering motivational speeches mid-battle. Thankfully I wasn’t in charge of choosing abilities, but I can say the game that was delivered feels like a mixed slice; one-part solid strategy, one-part reheated leftovers.
The core idea is strong: guide our favorite crime-fighting reptiles through grid-based battles against the Foot Clan some years after the deaths of Splinter and Shredder. Each turtle has unique skills; Ralph is a bruiser with some hard-hitting attacks, Donnie specializes in gadgets like the Dark Knight, while Mikey skateboards and breakdances his way to victory. At first, it’s satisfying, with the gameplay almost feeling like a dance with the movements. You’ll flank enemies, set up combo attacks, and shout things like “Shell yeah!” because you’re playing a game from one of your favorite 80’s franchises; maybe it was just me. But after a few hours, the missions start blending together like leftover ooze in a sewer. The strategy gets predictable, and the enemies have all the tactical depth and complexity of a soggy slice of New York pizza.
MSRP: $19.99
Platforms: PC
Price I’d Pay: $19.99
Visually, the game walks the line between “stylized comic book” and “painted miniatures.” The turtles look great and have a lot of character in their animations. Michelangelo looks awesome as he is stop-motion breakdancing or riding his skateboard and flipping over an enemy. Environments on the other hand are decent, but you’ll get really familiar with alleyways, sewers, and suspiciously identical warehouse interiors. The colors however across everything really does pop, its bright and colorful just like the 80’s cartoon.
I haven’t read the TMNT comics in quite some time, so I am not totally up-to-date with them outside of the fact that there is a new girl turtle that they didn’t know about. The story in Tactical Takedown centers on Karai and her leading the Foot Clan after her father, the Shredder’s death. Splinter has also died, and the Turtles are all kind of living life separately in NYC, after the Foot Clan invades the sewers where Mikey is still staying and steals something, he sets out to reunite with his brothers to stop the new plot. The story isn’t groundbreaking, but I really felt that some of the lines were extremely melodramatic and over the top. I know this was kinda the norm back in the day, but this just seemed odd here, I don’t know why.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the soundtrack for this game which honestly goes harder than it needs too. I mean it’s a tactical TMNT game but man, the music really slaps here. Truly the only thing that could have made it better was a version of Ninja Rap. The narrative doesn’t have any vocals which is a shame, but I understand, as Tactical Takedown isn’t a AAA game, but it does deliver in some big fun and a lot of nostalgia.
TMNT: Tactical Takedown is a decent time if you love the turtles and aren’t expecting a revolutionary tactics game. It has heart, humor, and enough ninja action to keep fans entertained, truly my only issue is the writing in some areas but even its not enough to distract from how much fun this tactics game is; just like my first time trying pineapple on pizza, I was surprised with how much I really enjoyed this unique mash-up and wouldn’t mind another tactical Turtles game.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
