Review of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants Unleashed

Forgiveness might be a virtue, but one thing’s for sure—not when it comes to paying top dollar for late pizzas or a game that doesn’t hit the mark.

In my household, the 2023 flick Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem turned out to be a big hit. Both my young boys and I were thoroughly entertained. So, when I heard about Outright Games releasing a tie-in video game titled TMNT: Mutants Unleashed, I was all geared up for a continuation of turtle-inspired fun in the gaming world. Unfortunately, that initial excitement fizzled out quickly as the game, while bursting with potential and mimicking the movie’s visual flair, fell short in its execution.

Mutants Unleashed kicks off with an unexpectedly rich story set right after the events of Mutant Mayhem, capturing the turtles’ post-victory world where new mutants, cheekily dubbed "Mewbies" by our shelled heroes, pop up. These additions mainly serve as targets in the beat-’em-up style play. Interestingly, the game’s narrative introduces new teenage human pals for the turtles, adding more dimension to their interactions. One thing to appreciate about Outright Games, especially in their kid-focused titles, is the ample voice acting. For younger players, this element helps maintain the spirit of the film. Even though the plot leans more on side-story territory than headline action, it remains an intriguing tale.

Considering the turtles’ longstanding tradition with beat-’em-up games, I expected some solid co-op brawling. However, the combat elements felt half-baked. While it attempts to venture more into character action rather than the classic brawler style—something that could have been exciting if better polished—the execution felt off. Each turtle brandishes unique abilities and skills, but co-op play maxes out at two players. While the combat didn’t particularly grab my attention, I do appreciate how accessible it is, broadening its appeal to a wide range of gamers. Yet, unlike Outright Games’ toddler-centric titles like Bluey or Paw Patrol, this game is aimed at an older audience, which makes the combat’s simplicity more noticeable.

To my surprise, Mutants Unleashed incorporates some social interaction segments reminiscent of games like Persona and recent Fire Emblem titles. You can take a turtle to various events to bond with friends. However, these sections lack pace, often dragging on without much voice acting, which stalls the game’s momentum. The cooperative aspect is also barely integrated here. Consequently, it unnecessarily inflates the gameplay duration to over 10 hours, and unfortunately, the content doesn’t justify a 15-20-hour commitment. Adding to the mix, the Nintendo Switch version, while functional, is plagued with technical issues and painfully long load times. Boot-ups were so sluggish I initially suspected a malfunction.

Ultimately, TMNT: Mutants Unleashed emerges with some intriguing ideas that just don’t quite gel into a memorable game. The combat is serviceable, yet unremarkable, and the social RPG components, while novel, lack finesse. It’s especially frustrating because the storyline is engaging, showing glimpses of what the game could have been with some extra refining. The potential for something truly radical is there—it just doesn’t make its way out of the shadows.