There is no denying that, in general, there are too many options, especially in action and shooter games. That is why companies must rely heavily on differentiation to attract players’ attention. If they don’t try out the new game in question and it doesn’t offer anything unique, they will simply return to the big names, which are already well known. However, John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando does a great job of differentiating itself from other shooter games where you have to kill zombies, to the point where it might stand out among an oversaturated market.
Bite the Bullet
A couple of months ago, I had the opportunity to see what John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando was all about. Even though I found the story quite cliché, the game made me feel like the protagonists of action movies who must save the world, which I enjoyed more than I thought I would. So, for the full build, I’m glad the story remained the same.
You take the role of mercenaries, who do jobs for the highest bidder regardless of the danger. But when the group accepted their latest assignment, no one on the crew expected to have to deal with mutant zombies. Sadly, not being truly prepared, the situation overwhelms the team, the mission fails epically, and everyone ends up infected with the same virus as the zombies.
Despite this, not all is lost, as the “client” who hired you is a scientist who knows exactly how to control the virus and help us channel it into new abilities. Congratulations, you are now a super soldier, although not a free one, because now you have to pay the scientist for ruining the first mission and saving the world in the process.
As I said, the story is pretty straightforward, but its ups and downs and action will keep you hooked. Also, unlike other games, in John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando, you have to work with the other NPCs, well, if you’re in Solo Mode, and each one has a distinct personality that adds an extra layer to the story.
Free the Horde
Since the story feels more like a side dish, the thing that will keep many players entertained is the gameplay, which, oddly enough, features some of the best gunplay I’ve seen in recent shooters, but also some of the most chaotic zombie hordes since World War Z, which isn’t a surprise, as we have Saber Interactive bringing their best for Toxic Commando.
The first thing I want to focus on, and one I enjoyed the most, is the actual crew. Personalities and bad jokes aside, they are extremely helpful when it comes to playing as them or bringing a few AI-controlled teammates to a mission. They shot whom I wanted them to shoot, used Spare Parts on the exact weapons or items I wanted them to use them on, and revived me whenever a zombie exploded next to me.
Another feature I loved was the ability to pick your preferred role. You can choose between four specializations: Strike (DPS), Medic (healer), Operator (Support), and Defender (Tank). While that’s not all, because each class has its own skill tree, so your build will be unique, even if you have the same role. For example, as a Strike, I preferred to use my points to make my “shockwave” more powerful and with greater range. However, when I realized my HP wasn’t enough, I refunded my skill points, which you can do at any time. This also encouraged me to try different builds.
You’ll be surprised to learn that you can expand your build more because you can choose two different guns and a melee weapon from the start, as well as modify them and upgrade their parts. Once in the game, you can find weapons or spare parts to open chests and get a third, more powerful weapon. Of course, on the surface, you’ll find many useful “tools,” such as four specialized vehicles, each with a special perk. Across the map, you can find an ambulance that gives out med kits, an impenetrable diesel truck with a flamethrower, an explosive police patrol car, and an armored car with a harpoon and taser built in.
Although it seems like there are many “advantages” for players, even with mutant zombies, John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando leans toward a more “realistic” adventure. By this, I mean you have to check your weapon specs carefully, because they try to replicate real ones. Also, just like in the real world, don’t expect everything to work smoothly all the time. For example, with cars or traps on the map, you need to get materials to repair them, and you’ll also need gas, lots of gas, to travel across the map. Believe me, you’ll want to search every nook and cranny, or you’ll quickly run out of ammo, grenades, and med kits.
Regardless of everything I say about the gameplay, my favorite part is definitely the Co-Op. Mainly because each player can create their own build, and of course, it’s an incredible help to advance through each mission if you have reinforcements. Not to mention that I love it when my partner drives while I use the armored car’s turret to take down the most powerful mutations on the map or fend off waves of zombies.
Another factor that enables uninterrupted gameplay is that the game is well optimized. I didn’t experience any FPS drops, errors, or bugs, even with a lot happening on-screen and too many elements, such as shooting a wave of 100 zombies.
While I praise many of the things Toxic Commando is bringing to the table, I feel it is quite niche, especially since it doesn’t seem very rewarding for casuals. Let me explain. Getting the weapon parts I mentioned, or even some customization options, will take a long time, and I mean a very long time. Yes, you can get more currency by increasing the difficulty, but I feel there’s a high wall to climb there for those who prefer a more casual experience.
Also, despite every mission being vastly different and featuring a couple of unexpected dangers, such as a mine field or different elite zombies coming at you, it still needs a long-term “hook” factor, as weapon parts and some recolored cosmetics might not be enough to keep the casual playerbase around. Still, we’ll have to wait and see how the game performs in a live environment, but aside from worries, it shows a lot of promise, and I’m excited to see what comes after launch.
Got Your Six
In the end, I enjoyed my time with John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando for its fast-paced gameplay, unique builds, and, above all, co-op mode. The story is serviceable, and the characters have a lot of personality, although it’s not exactly something I haven’t seen before.
Yet, what makes it all stand out is the care the team put into the gunplay and zombie horde mechanics, as these two lead to some of the most chaotic scenes in a shooter where you’ll be wondering what you have to shoot next and looking for a way to obliterate all the mutated foes coming your way. I really hope there’s more coming down the line because there’s a lot of potential here, and I’d love to see this motley crew shine in even more missions.
John Carpenter's Toxic Commando (PC Reviewed)
John Carpenter's Toxic Commando is one of the most polished modern co-op shooters out there, but it might need a few more things beyond its grinding to hook players into this post-apocalyptic mayhem.
Pros
- The atmosphere and optimization make it a great action game.
- The co-op works like a charm.
Cons
- Although the story moves quickly into the action, it is quite cliché.
- Having to grind so much makes it unsuitable for casual players.
