Total Overdose: A Gunslinger's Tale in Mexico

The game's audio, variety of weapons and moves keeps you interested for a while, but the game isn't that long and is very repetitive, which certainly kills any buzz you originally had.

Its repetitive structure and bland storyline creates a somewhat shallow experience, yet at the same time there's depth to be found in the combo combat system and the many side missions to partake.

When it works, Total Overdose is a surreal blur of bullets keeping time to the merengue. But for each of those moments there are an equal number that run together into an indistinguishable mush of gunning down guys in sombreros to Latino rap.

Total Overdose doesn't take itself too seriously; and you shouldn't either. It's a fairly solid action game that puts the emphasis on style.

Total Overdose may be another unashamed clone, but its amusing Mexican underworld storyline and crazy acrobatic moves make it a load of irresistible fun.

Action game fans ought to be able to settle in and blast their ways through Total Overdose's relatively brief campaign with reasonable levels of enjoyment. Just be prepared for one extremely cheesy ride.

While substandard scripts and voice acting can be forgiven, when someone pays upwards of £30 for a game lasting ten hours maximum they do not expect to be faced with fiddly controls or to be confused by poorly thought out level structures.

As much as I would like to recommend that people see the insanity that unfolds, the shoddy play will likely drive most gamers into a mental institution. [Jan 2006, p.138]

There was never any doubt that Total Overdose would fall foul of one of its genre's various pitfalls, but it's unfortunate that it ultimately had to be one as irksome as excessive length... At its best, the game still shakes up a loud and spicy Mexican cocktail, but what it's added to the mix has been more than enough to weaken the taste. [Nov 2005, p.103]

An amusing, individual game that delivers an initial hit of fun but whose essential concept becomes stale. [Nov 2005, p.121]

The style aspect of the game is fun, and the simple run and gun missions are enjoyable. However, some technical glitches, horrible enemy AI, a weak plot, and some under whelming gameplay features manage to keep it far from great.