Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, so I may receive commissions for purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you.
About:
ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+ (Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Crude Humor)
Publisher: Graffiti Games
Release Date: April 22, 2021
Single Player
Steam || Xbox || Nintendo || Amazon
Story:
As the name suggests, you plays as Turnip Boy after he’s caught not paying his taxes! Mayor Onion repossesses Turnip Boy’s greenhouse, but takes him on as an assistant to repay his debts. What ensues is pure chaos in the best possible way. You think you’re going on simple fetch quests to get Turnip Boy’s home back, but there’s so much more to it. Exploring this vegetable world unlocks more and more secrets and clearly something fishy is going on…
Visuals:
Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion is done is super adorable, vibrant pixel art. I know it’s totally overdone, but I enjoy it, and this game looks particularly great. Veggie Village and the surrounding areas are bustling with life! The NPCs are all various fruits and vegetables, and the enemies are not your typical baddies. Snails and bunnies? Well, they are vegetarians…
Sound Effects + Music:
I adored the music in Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion. It’s so upbeat and catchy, fitting the silly nature of the game perfectly. The sound effects are simple but effective. Some of them are quite humorous, such as when you pick up a health heart.
Gameplay + Controls:
Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion is a 2D adventure game with some Metriodvania elements. In fact, I’d call it a Mini Metroidvania, since it does use that game format but on a much smaller scale. Turnip Boy is given tasks by Mayor Onion, but can also pick up side quests from the other residents. You’ll run into areas that are blocked off, which you’ll have to return to later after unlocking some other equipment or feature. So there is quite a bit of back-and-forth, but the map is quite small, so it’s not tedious or overwhelming. Abundant signage is also helpful, since there is no map.
Controls are very easy and intuitive. Turnip Boy can walk/run and attack. There’s no jumping, thus zero platforming. Just move Turnip Boy around and interact with objects, NPCs, and enemies. Combat is pretty easy. It’s just a matter of hitting the enemy the appropriate number of times, nothing sneaky or tricky. Of course, some enemies, particularly bosses, have some wacky patterns and more health, but nothing that can’t be handled. Health is also quite generous, as you can collect it from fallen enemies or hidden in foliage.
But this isn’t just a straightforward adventure. It’s very meta and hilarious. Turnip Boy will find paperwork on his travels, but they’re not collectibles in the traditional sense. He’s meant to shred them! You’ll also pick up various hats that you can wear at anytime. They don’t seem to do anything except look cute.
The final boss’ identity is fairly obvious and it’s not the most difficult fight. The game as a whole trends towards easy, which I appreciated. It’s a very accessible game for all skill levels. Of course, defeating the final boss isn’t the end of the game, nor is it the actual final boss. After the credits roll, jump back in and keep going!
Replayability:
Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion is a short and very enjoyable game. For me, it’s a one and done, as there isn’t anything new to be gained from playing it again. I enjoyed my time with the post-game content and that’s enough for me.
Overall:
I adored Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion! It’s a Metroidvania for those of us who suck at Metroidvanias. There’s a fun story with some real truths mixed in. It’s just an overall great time, and I highly recommend it.
Leave a Reply