Thu Nov 17. 2022
When it comes to zombie shooters, there have been numerous attempts to create something original in the genre – and most of them have been just copies of the previous, with one or two added features. Some games have managed to stand out from the crowd though – and in some rare cases, even non-commercial projects have caught the spotlight.
Killing Floor started out as a freeware modification for Unreal Tournament 2004, which was subsequently adopted into a complete commercial product that's now enjoying a steady fan base (which, as of recently, has expanded to Mac users as well).
Gameplay
Killing Floor has several players fighting together as units in a special response team in an outbreak of zombies. The gameplay is very dynamic, with levels being divided into several parts, during which players need to survive against an oncoming wave of zombies. After each section, they can visit a store to purchase better weapons, using money that's earned by killing zombies.
Some of the weapons are slightly unbalanced though, some positively, some negatively, as the shotguns tend to be a lot more useful than the other weapons for their price, as an example (and weapons like the flamethrower see less use because of their low price/usefulness ratio). The zombies' AI is commendable, on the other hand, as they don't always rely on blind rushes to get their “job” done.
Graphics and System Requirements
The game uses the Unreal Engine 2.5, which is getting a bit old for today's standards. You can see some repetitive textures here and there, as well as the engine's “trademark” square-patterned light beams. However, this makes it very good for older computers which can enjoy it without much strain, and this has helped the game retain its player base despite the heavy competition from other similar games such as Valve's Left 4 Dead and its sequel.
The atmosphere is a bit more serious/grim than that of Left 4 Dead though, with some references to demons and Satanism, as well as more brutally-looking zombies and effects. The characters are more generic and not as uniquely designed as L4D's, though that doesn't kill the atmosphere and it's still enjoyable to exchange voice commands as you're on your way to the next wave.
Other
The game has a few bugs in several occasions, one of which may prevent you from progressing on a level, though it can be averted in most cases. It can also get somewhat repetitive fast, so try using some of the more underutilized weapons if you want to spice up your experience and feel that the game's getting dull.
Conclusion
If you're crazy about horror-themed entertainment, Killing Floor is one of the games you must not miss – it may not be as polished as Valve's series, and may not have as many players behind it, but the fun you can have in it is still on par with its competition.