Total Overdose tells the tale of a convict Ramiro Cruz, who is released early from prison on the condition that he replaces his identical twin brother, Tommy - an undercover DEA agent, who was injured during a drug trafficking bust. Cruz must infiltrate Mexican gangs and drug cartels to bring them to their knees.
He is also pursuing a lead to discover who murdered his father some years back.
Only thing is, Cruz is your typical run-of-the-mill "loose cannon", who solves all his problems with his guns.
The game is a mixture of GTA and Max Payne, is drenched in Tequila and exhibits fabulous gun slinging action.
Players will be able to roam the city freely, either by foot or in hijacked vehicles, ranging from station wagons, trucks, dirt bikes, vans, or sports cars. Simply walk up to a car and hit the Triangle button - it`s as easy as that.
Driving is a little disappointing, as it feels like trying to control a tank on an ice rink.
I did, however, love being able to hang out of the moving car, picking up enough speed, and then jumping out at just the right time, sending the car screeching into on-coming traffic... ah, good times.
Luckily, actions such as these, unlike in GTA, seem to be overlooked by cops and other law enforcement, so players can steal and crash cars to their heart`s content.
The main story mission and some optional side missions determine gameplay.
Symbols will appear on the map in the lower right corner of the screen to help players get to where they need to be. Mini-missions also contribute to gameplay, leading the player where towards completing stages, which keeps the game rolling at a steady pace.
Players don`t have to travel around the city if they don`t want to, they can simply jump to whatever mission is available. Or take a taxi to get where they need to be.
Cruz has some outstanding moves that make this game worth its weight in Taco`s... He can perform impressive wall-flips, cartwheels, execute 360-degree turns and run up walls in slow-motion while dodging bullets.
These combos are called "spicy moves" and can be put together for some big combo bonuses.
One can only perform these moves until the adrenaline metre runs down. The metre does however regenerate so players won`t be without these abilities for long.
Throughout the game, Cruz will find power-ups that will add "special spice" to the game. A golden gun will automatically perform headshots on all enemies; the Tornado move will have him spinning with two Uzis in hand, spraying bullets everywhere; El Mariachi will equip Cruz with two machine gun guitar cases, Desperado style; and the El Toro move will make Cruz pummel through foes like a charging bull.
Along the way players will also find "Rewinds" that bring Cruz back a few seconds before death if an enemy killed him, as well as some extra health.
Cruz has a plethora of weapons at his disposal, from baseball bats and handguns to grenade launchers, assault rifles and dynamite. Players will also gain the ability to wield dual weapons at a later stage.
The sound track was enough to get my foot bopping and head swaying, with Mexican hip hop / rock and a collaboration of traditional trumpets thrown into the mix. I felt it fit the atmosphere of the game perfectly.
Graphics are mediocre and most of the scenery is dull and reused often, but it wasn`t bad enough to put me off the game.
In closing, as a GTA rip-off the game saves itself by having it`s own special flair. For all GTA fans out there, it`s a little over priced in my opinion, but I think this one is a pretty sweet package.
Don`t be loco... check it out - and while you`re at it, visit the game`s awesome Web site. I give it a 7/10.
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