That’s one bloody mess.
Do you like killing zombies, creatures, and other monstrosities? How about first person shooters? If answering yes to either of this two questions, Killing Floor 2 just might be the latest game on PS4 to get the shooter juices flowing. Killing Floor 2 is a particular style of game for a particular genre and those that love horde mode like experiences, will find a lot to love here.
Dead Zeds
First and foremost, Killing Floor 2 is not about story or exposition. I wanted to get that out of the way because it’s something a few folks might assume and ultimately walk away disappointed. There is little details and tidbits to figure out what transpired to make the world as it is, but there are no cinematics or even a campaign to speak of. Killing Floor 2 is a balls-to-the-wall horde mode experience. Similar to something more akin to the zombie’s mode in countless Call of Duty games. At this point and time, either players will be interested or not. I’m not a huge fan of horde mode alone but there were plenty of reasons why I ended up ultimately enjoying my time with the game.
MSRP: $39.99
Price I’d Pay: $39.99
Multiplayer: 1-4
How long to beat: 10+ hours
Combat is in first person, after picking a specific class to fight with, the game spares no time throwing the player into its crazy survival action. Its intense, feels responsive, and the carnage that ensues is fantastic. Hordes of enemies rushing to the player, the option to run only last so long. Fighting can range from using high powered automatic weapons, to up close melee. The different classes start with different weapons but as the waves of enemies are complete, points are earned that can be used in the shop containers. Ending a wave left me always rushing to the container to grab what I could before the next round.
I also appreciated that if I didn’t want to shop and just needed something quick, there is an auto purchase that will choose the selections for the player, a nice element. During fights, combat will sometimes enter a slow motion state if a ton of damage is done, or perhaps a grenade goes off. Every time it happens, I smile, though it can also be a moment to catch my breath as the round get intense. As each wave progressing, the enemy types and aggression seem to get worse. It’s very easy to get cornered and overwhelmed. After the last round is finished, a boss round occurs, offering a huge monstrosity to combat and take down, presented with a huge life bar to diminish. The game is a lot of fun, but even more so with friends.
Players can chose from either online modes or offline single player. The differences are minimal. Offline allows the same levels to be played, just alone. Aside from this and some players versus player elements possible in MP, what is seen on both modes is the same. With plenty of levels to choose or vote from, the battlefields stay interesting and fresh. Some are old farmhouses, another in the streets of Paris, or in a biological lab. For a game about killing monsters and other undead creatures, it’s a surprisingly colorful game which surprised me. Yes it’s dark and dreary, but the lighting here adds to the experience. The level design itself is pretty interesting as while each map offers a fairly robust arena like area to explore, the intricate halls, doorways, and designs of the map lead to little nooks and ways to turn the tide of combat, even from just a positional viewpoint. Want to stay alive, better keep moving.
Die again and again
For the price, content, and fun factor, I have very little to complain about. In fact, Killing Floor 2 is a great example of a core gameplay idea maximized to its full potential. Though the 12 maps will become very well-known after spending hours in the game and repetition overall will start to creep in with players, some much sooner than others. It’s a small issue though in my eyes as the core gameplay here feels and looks great and it’s a game that can be enjoyed online with friends and the online community. The harder the difficulty and more waves adding, the crazier it gets. Players looking for a great arcade online shooting experience really need to look no further. Killing Floor 2 is here to please.
Favorite moment: Surrounded by enemies, almost dead, getting a grenade off, and seeing the slow motion kill cam take effect. CLASSIC.
Worst moment: Getting really far in waves and loosing, it sucks but them the breaks.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
