The zombie shooter genre holds a very fond place in my heart, but it feels like it’s been a while between drinks… I’m getting the itch. Here to scratch is John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando, a co-op FPS in the same vein as Left 4 Dead or Killing Floor. You are a part of a four-person suicide squad, heading into a heavily zombified landscape to deal with the ravenous horde.
Unloading clips into zombies is always fun, but doing it with your mates is even better.
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In this universe, zombies are a result of man’s hubris. Like a great zombie Balrog, the squid-creature that caused the outbreak came about because we dug too greedily and too deeply. You and your team head into the infected zones, looking to build a weapon to destroy the source of the infection.
Each map is semi-open, with buildings to raid for weapons and items. Theres a big emphasis on vehicles, building on Sabre Interactive’s history with the Snow Runner series and World War Z.
The missions often involve grabbing a vehicle, getting from Point A to B and splatting zombies on the way. They almost all culminate in a defensive siege where you choose structures to build, like electric fences, barbed wire or mounted guns.
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These defensive moments were a real standout for me; nothing beats tossing a live grenade into a huge horde of Zombies.
It’s not all just hordes of the one type of zombie either. You have ordinary Roamer zombies, Nukers that explode on impact, Stalkers that snipe from behind the horde, and Snares that grab and trap isolated players. There’s also four classes that you can switch between at will, which focus on damage-dealing, defense, healing or vehicles as specialties.
What I love about John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando:
- Guns feel great across the board.
- Gun and vehicle customisation are strong.
- Zombie hordes are huge and lots of fun to fight.
- Defence missions are a lot of fun.
- Co-op zombie shooting is always great with a good crew.
What I don’t love about John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando:
- Missions can get repetitive.
- AI companions are pretty simple.
- Having a good party is essential.
Is John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando worth your time?
If you’re hankering to unload into a horde of zombies, or plough right through in a tricked-out vehicle, then yes. If you have a group of friends to jump in with, then this is a blast. But, if you’re playing solo, be prepared for simple AI or the randomness of online
John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando is out now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam.
Access to John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando was supplied to Quest Daily for the purpose of this article.
