TurretGirls: a chaotic mix of tower defense and on-rails shooting.
TurretGirls is a unique mix of on-rails shooters, tower defense games, and roguelikes. It was made by a company that clearly loves making games that put the fun first. This shooter doesn’t waste time with cutscenes or lessons like story-driven shooters do. Instead, it goes right into the action.
I was quickly interested in the idea of a single turret girl protecting generators while fighting off hordes of enemies. This is a unique blend of styles that I haven’t seen done so well before. The focus on fast-paced gameplay also makes it stand out in the crowded indie space.
TurretGirls has very little narrative depth. There is no story, no opening cutscenes, and no closing to connect all the parts of the game. You only get straight gameplay, which is pretty much what TurretGirls says it will be. At first, the lack of a story may seem disappointing, but it lets players focus only on battles, upgrades, and tactics. This isn’t the game for you if you want a story-driven experience, but it is great if you like repetitive, high-energy gameplay loops with unlockables and growth.
The main part of TurretGirls is directing your turret girl, who can shoot enemies while moving left or right along a set path. She can hit enemies in the air with her melee attack and side dash to avoid projectiles or attacks from the front.
At the start of each level, there are two engines that charge your super weapon. Some generators attack instantly with missiles, flamethrowers, or anti-air weapons, while others only charge the weapon faster. You need to keep these sources and yourself safe, because if you lose them all or die, the game is over.
At first, TurretGirls seems easy, but it gets harder very quickly. The enemy waves get more complicated as the days go by. The red enemies attack, the blue enemies aim from a distance, and the yellow enemies are focused on you. This color-coded method adds a level of strategy by making you carefully manage upgrades and decide which threats are the most important.
Because the game is on rails, movement is restricted. However, the intensity comes from making choices, timing attacks, and picking which generators to protect and improve. The fighting in TurretGirls is a mix of shooting and tower defense. Your goal is to kill waves of enemies while keeping your generators and super weapon charged up.
The machine gun, shotgun, laser, missile, and diffusion laser turrets all have different ways of fighting, and each has ten skill levels that give boosts to either the turret or the generators. Once the super weapon is fully charged, boss fights happen. After surviving powerful waves, it feels good to know you made it.
The puzzle part comes from managing resources. When you beat enemies, you get money that you can use to improve bunkers or generators. It can mean the difference between life and death, which changes to focus on: attack power, bullet size, or generator efficiency.
The roguelike progression adds to the strategy: taking damage lowers your money and slows your road to upgrades, so you have to be careful while still getting rewards for doing things well. The best thing about TurretGirls is the way you fight. Color-coded enemies, managing upgrades, and a wide range of weapons make the game very strategic all the time.
Of course, there are some problems. You can only play through the game’s three levels, so after a while, it can get boring. The first few levels are especially boring, and new players may struggle to understand what to do because there isn’t an introduction or clear instructions.
Even so, endless mode is fun for people who want to get high scores or cosmetic items, and the main battle stays interesting even after the first few stages. XP and unlockables are very important for moving forward. When you finish a level, your starting turret gains XP, which lets you use better weapons like lasers and diffusion cannons. These upgrades make later levels easier to handle by increasing power and usefulness.
Also, cosmetics like bras, pants, stockings, and hats are there for fan service, which is built into TurretGirls through health signs (the more damaged the turret girl is, the less clothing she has). This method pushes players to find a balance between offensive and defensive strategies. At the same time, they try to get better and unlock more content.
The way TurretGirls looks is good. The anime-style, cell-shaded pictures are clear and bright, and the character designs go well with the fan service parts without getting too explicit. It’s easy to spot danger on the battlefield because enemy and generator models are different.
The movements are smooth and fluid, especially when the turrets are upgraded or when enemies attack. There were no bugs or problems with frame rate during my playthrough, which keeps the fast-paced gameplay feeling smooth and responsive. The sound quality is fine, but not great. TurretGirls has one background track for each stage.
This track may get boring after a while, so players may want their own playlist for longer runs. Voice acting is in Japanese and can be turned off, which is a nice touch for players who want to be immersed or have a quieter experience. The sound effects for attacks, explosions, and turning on generators are satisfying and give clear feedback during intense fights.
The way TurretGirls combines on-rails shooters, tower defense, and roguelike development is very different from other games. Its focus on gameplay makes for a chaotic but enjoyable experience, and the simple controls hide a lot of strategic depth. Some people might not like the game’s lack of depth and limited levels, but the endless mode, unlockables, and fan service keep players interested.
The best thing about the game is how it combines strategy, fast-paced action, and rewarding progression. This makes it stand out in the field of independent shooters. TurretGirls is a good game to check out if you like strategy games with endless waves of baddies and anime-style graphics.
