Total Overdose to me is like a blend of Grand Theft Auto and Max Payne but set in Mexico.
It stands out for its over-the-top action, vibrant setting, and unforgettable soundtrack. It’s a game that I played a lot, and it continues to hold a special place in my gaming memories.

One of the most remarkable aspects of Total Overdose is its gameplay. The game combines the open-world freedom of GTA with the stylish, bullet-time mechanics of Max Payne. The protagonist, Ramiro "Ram" Cruz, is on a mission to infiltrate and dismantle a drug cartel responsible for his father’s death. The combat is fast-paced and frenetic, featuring a wide array of weapons and acrobatic moves that allow players to take down enemies with flair. The inclusion of "Loco Moves": special abilities that let Ram perform spectacular, often humorous, attacks; adds a unique twist to the gameplay, making every firefight an opportunity for creative destruction.

Visually, Total Overdose captured the vibrant and chaotic atmosphere of Mexico with its sun-soaked landscapes (yellow filter) and bustling towns.
One of the standout features of Total Overdose is its iconic soundtrack. Latin-inspired tracks that perfectly complement the game’s high-octane action and setting. The bands Molotov and Delinquent Habits add an authentic and adrenaline-pumping backdrop to the chaos, enhancing the overall experience. The soundtrack remains memorable to this day, often evoking me a lot of nostalgia from simpler times. Sometimes i like to listen to 'Return of the Tres' by Delinquent Habits, that song is fire 🔥

Despite its age, Total Overdose remains a beloved game for me because of its creative and entertaining approach to gameplay, capturing the chaotic spirit of a Hollywood action movie set in the heart of Mexico.
However, Total Overdose is not without its flaws. The game’s controls can feel a bit clunky at times, and the camera can be unwieldy during intense action sequences. Some missions can become repetitive, and the game’s humor, while often entertaining, occasionally falls flat. Despite these minor issues, the overall experience is overwhelmingly positive and its a game i'll always remember with pleasure.

I tried to give this game another chance after trying it years ago. It didn't appeal to me then or now.

The positives are the gunplay and the soundtrack. Everything else was a chore. The game is set in this semi-open world environment, which doesn't help the pacing at all. In order to progress through the story missions, you must first unlock them by completing challenges, which are very repetitive.

I think I would have preferred it to be a linear shooter. From the looks of it, they did that for the PSP sequel, Chili Con Carnage. I might check it out one day and see how it compares to the original.

Calling this the 'Mexican Max Payne' is completely false and a joke, it is like if you called Mario the Italian Sonic because they both had nothing. Boring open world with nothing to do and no consequences or fun police chases for going on massacres, the shooting was easy and the difficulty comes from one shotting enemies, but you'll never truly die because you get 10,000 replays so it doesn't matter, and while the bullet time is fun (because it is fun in every game) there is absolutely nothing interesting. Story is also dumb offensive and isn't really 'criticizing' anything like what Postal does, and overall I think the main reason people still give this good ratings is purely because of nostalgia. The only things I liked was the "Loco Modes" which were special abilities you could use. They had a lot of different ones that could be used for a variety of situations giving you a lot of choice on when to use them, even if one was broken for me. Then the music was good, and I liked how it was tied to kill combos and ramped up. But overall, trash game.