Developer: Saber Interactive
Platforms: PC (Reviewed), PS5, Xbox Series X|S
Genre: Action, Adventure
Publisher: Focus Entertainment
John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando is a cooperative first-person zombie shooter developed by Sabre Interactive and published by Focus Entertainment. The game blends chaotic horde combat similar to Call of Duty Zombies with the gritty visuals and combat style of Gears of War while maintaining a mission-based structure from World War Z. This review was completed on PC, but the game is also available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
The game’s story is set in a world that is corrupted by toxic sludge and has turned people into horrific zombies. You and your squad take on the role of elite survivors attempting to stop the spread of this contamination. Throughout the campaign, your team works to eliminate the sludge infecting the world whilst also searching for a cure for your own infection.
The narrative unfolds across three acts with missions that took us roughly 10 hours to fully complete overall (difficulty level varies the gameplay time). Each mission lasts around 30 minutes, though depending on the route you choose, the missions can take longer, depending on your and your team’s gameplay style. As the missions progress, players gradually uncover more about the source of this disaster that leads to confrontation with the Sludge God, the entity responsible for this apocalypse. The game fits the tone perfectly for this over-the-top, chaotic style of horror.
The multiplayer side of the game is where Toxic Commando truly shines. The game supports online co-op with up to four players, complete with cross-play and cross-progression, making it easy to play with friends across different platforms. Players can join a game either at the beginning or during an ongoing run, which keeps matchmaking quick and accessible. Even if you start without a full squad, other players can jump in, or AI bots will fill empty slots and perform just as well.
Communication and teamwork become really important during missions. Usually, someone takes on the role of driver, someone navigates, and others focus on defending or clearing enemies. When playing with friends, even those located halfway across the world, the experience felt smooth and coordinated. Additionally, the in-game voice chat was excellent and clear throughout the game, which made playing with randoms even more fun.
In terms of gameplay, Toxic Commando shines in how accessible it is while still having some depth to it. The gunplay feels extremely satisfying. Weapons have weight, you feel the recoil, the firing is impactful, and reload animations are detailed and smooth. We felt that the shooting mechanics were really good.
One of the most interesting mechanics in the game is its class system. Players can choose between four characters, but those characters are mostly cosmetic. Instead, you can freely pair any character with one of the four classes: Strike, Medic, Operator and Defender. Each class has its own skill tree, allowing players to spend skill points to improve stats and unlock new abilities. This adds a layer of depth that you do not see in games like Left 4 Dead or Back 4 Blood.
The classes encourage team synergy, though some classes seem a bit more underwhelming than others. For instance, the operator’s kit with reference to its drone usage is interesting, especially with the use of vehicles; however, the more you level up the class, the more you introduce debuffs that are not so exciting. The defender’s kit is also a bit mundane, where the main ability is the usage of a shield, but this is more of a personal preference type of thing that is suited for all players.
Weapon customisation is another feature this game introduces. Players can equip various attachments and upgrades, creating different builds depending on playstyle. The game can feel somewhat grindy because certain weapons are stronger than others, but being able to upgrade gear and unlock them is highly satisfying.
What I really enjoyed was the vehicle system. Vehicles require a level of practice if you want to master how to navigate them, especially through sludge or muddy areas. However, once you become familiar with them, they make your missions so much more thrilling. Vehicles can even be customised, which adds another layer of progression.
Toxic Command uses a mission-based co-op structure where players are dropped into an area with a main objective but also plenty of optional activities. Each map contains: points of interest, loot areas, enemy hordes, and vehicles. What makes the design so engaging is that players can plan their own path through the mission rather than rushing directly to the objective. Since your starting loot is usually weak, exploring the map to gather resources is essential before tackling the final objective (collecting currency is always a plus). Most missions eventually come down to a defence scenario where players must hold a position against huge waves of zombies. During these moments, teams can deploy defences such as turrets, mortars, barbed wire barricades and more by using the spare parts they collected whilst exploring.
As previously stated, the vehicle system plays a big role in certain missions. One of the most memorable experiences for me involved driving an ambulance that provided a healing aura for teammates nearby. At one point, my friend and I actually drove the ambulance all the way through sludge-covered terrain to the final objective, barely holding it together while fighting off enemies, as it was such an essential asset. It was chaotic, but honestly, one of the funniest moments in the game, and the ambulance was not even required for any of the missions, but was more a personal choice to never leave.
Visually, the game looks stunning. The environments are dark, gritty, and drenched in gore that perfectly captures the grim tone of a zombie apocalypse. I always found myself amazed by how detailed and realistic the visuals looked, which took me by surprise. The horde system is especially impressive, with massive swarms of enemies flooding the screen in chaotic waves. The zombie designs are just as disturbing. There is a wide variety of infected enemies, many with unique abilities and attack patterns. Some of the special enemies are genuinely grotesque and feel like they have been pulled straight out of a horror movie.
The atmosphere across each map is strong, where some capture this abandoned feel, whilst others are filled with sludge or just chaotic zombie combat zones. Combined with heavy gunfire, frantic combat sounds, growling zombie noises and the chatter between your teammates, the game creates a really intense experience.
Progression in the game revolves around earning currency and experience through missions. As you play more, you unlock: character skins and recolours, weapon attachments, skill tree upgrades, vehicle customisation. The customisation options are decent, though they seem limited. Players who purchase the Blood Edition receive the Bloody Season Pass and cosmetic packs. Currently, the cosmetic pack mostly includes a gold recolour, which is underwhelming, but it also grants access to two upcoming DLC expressions, so it will likely include better cosmetics over time.
There are several instances of replauability in this game with customisation, skill tree progression, higher difficulty levels and achievement hunting. However, the gameplay loop can sometimes feel repetitive. The settings are different, though the structure where you gather resources, explore the map and end up defending the last area from a horde of zombies may get a bit boring over time.
Overall, I had a great time with John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando. The combination of fast-paced shooting, chaotic zombie hordes, and co-op teamwork makes it incredibly fun to play with friends. The class system, vehicle mechanics and weapon customisation all add layers of depth that keep gameplay engaging. Some may find the gameplay loop the same, but I will never find shooting a horde of zombies boring. Additionally, we were given codes to play with a full squad, and two of the other players had their own comments on the game.
First, Vroggo said the following, “Love the game. Zombie hordes are fun to shoot, and the cinematic scenes are great.
Something I noticed is that there’s definitely a grinding element to the game, where if you stick to certain classes and weapons as you play, they would level up faster. Levelling up entails better stats for the weapons you play with, more attachments for them, and you get skill points to unlock perks that go along with your class.
That is not to say you have to stick to a certain loadout since almost everything is unlockable in the long run (except for some cosmetic stuff from the Bloody Pass DLC like the gold skin for weapons, which is sleek imo). Play however it feels fun for you, but the game does suggest playing efficiently in its own way, which is how I prefer to play. Sometimes I’ll switch between an offensive Operator I’ve been levelling towards or play the Medic (my fav).
Having said that, there’s not a lot of leeway into experimenting with classes, unfortunately, since players will unlock every perk at some point, other than changing between abilities or just choosing what level ahead of time. Wish we could have, though, kind of like in Borderlands. Weapons, on the other hand, are very customizable, which I love. So many different weapons and attachments to mess around with! Lastly, it could just be me, but the loading after each game does take a while for some reason.”
Moody had the following to say, “Honestly, this game is just really fun and easy to jump into, whether you are playing with friends or running solo missions. It feels like a mix between Back 4 Blood and Gears of War, which works really well. The gameplay is chaotic in a good way, and fighting through massive hordes of enemies with a squad is always a good time.
My favourite part was being able to drive vehicles and ram into hordes of zombies, then jumping out straight into action, which felt so realistic. The gameplay is fast and super fun when playing with friends. Carrying out objectives never felt dull, and I always had a blast when encountering the zombies. It is such a thrilling game. I do wish to see new game modes or more expansion on the story, as it felt like we were rushing through the acts.”
If you enjoy co-op shooters and zombie games, John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando is definitely worth checking out. The intense atmosphere, satisfying gunplay, effective multiplayer design and endless zombie hordes create an immersive experience. For anyone looking for a chaotic co-op zombie experience where the narrative ropes you into mission-based runs, then be sure to check out John Carpenter’s Toxic Commanodo!
Overall: 9/10
This is S & S. We are world game explorers. We play games. We have played over 10,000+ games! We travel, we write reviews AND we play more games!!!!
