Killing Floor 3 is the third and long-awaited installment of the Killing Floor franchise. It has been almost a decade since the last iconic game, and they have some big shoes to fill because of how iconic Killing Floor 2 was.
To those who aren’t familiar with Killing Floor, it was heavily inspired by the cult classic Left 4 Dead franchise, starting the series back in 2009, even before the release of L4D 2.
With zombie horde shooters having an all-time high popularity, Killing Floor established itself as arguably the best in the genre. Tripwire Interactive had massive success with both Killing Floor 1 and 2, so will the game follow the same trend after 9 years? Here are my thoughts on Killing Floor 3 after over 20 hours of playtime.
A Gory Return to Its Roots
While I haven’t sunk ungodly hours into Killing Floor games before, I’ve played enough of Killing Floor 2 to grasp what separates it from other zombie horde games. The common idea is that there are endless zombie waves, and your goal is to survive or finish the objectives.
So, things can get stale really quickly, but it is as simple as it gets. Killing Floor 2 revolutionized the genre by incorporating numerous elements into a simple concept.
Killing Floor’s long list of unique zombie types, otherwise known as Zeds, creates more chaotic but balanced gameplay. There are also perks or classes that add more layers to the co-op play because of their skill trees, unique weapons, and tools.
In Killing Floor 3, it’s the same story, but with a modern feel. The classes, which are called “perks” in the game, have an engaging skill tree for you to explore and experiment with. Each perk pushes you to level up more, as certain skill levels don’t just blandly add stats, but offer gameplay-altering choices that can be a foundation for a certain build or playstyle.
The starting loop will almost instantly hook zombie fans who haven’t tried Killing Floor games before, and the perk and weapon customization features keep you reeled in for even longer.
However, this is also the first sign of fatigue a player can experience in the game because of its grindy and repetitive nature.
Surprisingly, You’ll Never Get Tired of Playing Killing Floor 3
As you pace yourself on learning all the stages, zeds, mechanics, perks, and weapons, you’ll want to play more and more.
The progression is a bit slow, since it takes a really long time to level up, as your experience bar gradually gets higher as you level up. You’ll experience some stretches where you’ll “need” to play a few long matches to level up more than once to unlock the next skill, and sometimes, it can feel underwhelming.
However, there are other features that keep you engaged, such as the loadout system. You can craft mods and customize your weapons. Since perks can use weapons from other perks, it becomes way more thrilling. Imagine a Ninja with a tank build, who can also buy the Medic’s healing weapon to support other players in two different ways.
Killing Floor 3 becomes extremely fun when you look for these combinations and unique interactions, especially when you are playing with five other players.
Maxing out perks can take a while, but it is gratifying. Maxing out a perk averages to around 25 hours, making it upwards of 100+ hours to max out all six perks. At that point, playing could get a bit stale unless you are playing with friends.
After Mindlessly Grinding Out Hundreds of Waves, You Start to Appreciate the Little Things
To be perfectly candid, I did a lot of hours of grinding before the game’s release to master the ninja class, and as I mindlessly solo’d all the stages on normal, I started to see cool interactions that I never knew existed.
Small details like a Bloat flailing at you with its head already chopped off or hitting the neck of a Siren, preventing it from screaming, make you appreciate KF3 even more. There are some things they could’ve done better rather than adding these details, but it is still a fantastic start for Killing Floor 3.
you may tell the developers put a lot of thought and care into making the game. After all, it has been over 9 years since Killing Floor 2. It is exciting to see what they come up with next. You can surely expect some new content every season, as well as some fun occasional events.
The Verdict
While Killing Floor 3 still lacks depth compared to its predecessor, it is still one of the best zombie games of the decade. Killing Floor’s winning formula remains well-embedded in its third title, and it is the most ambitious zombie horde shooter of the decade.
It is easy to get lost playing hours and hours of countless waves with a ragtag group online, and it gets even more fun when you are playing with friends.
For the price of $39.99, it is definitely worth every penny, and you’ll see the game grow even bigger in the future with its live service support. I would highly recommend the game if you are a fan of zombie shooter games, especially if you can get some friends to play with you. For solo, it could get a little lonely out there with all the heavy grinding.
Killing Floor 3
Killing Floor 3 is one of the best zombie horde shooters out there. It has a highly-addicting gameplay loop, especially when you are playing with your buddies. The game has a lot of depth and replayability. It’ll surely turn the heads of players who are craving for the next zombie survival shooter game.
A copy of this game was provided by the publisher for review. Reviewed on PC
Enzo Zalamea
Enzo is a staff writer at Prima Games. He began writing news, guides, and listicles related to games back in 2019. In 2024, he started writing at Prima Games covering the best new games and updates regardless of the genre. You can find him playing the latest World of Warcraft expansion, Path of Exile, Teamfight Tactics, and popular competitive shooters like Valorant, Apex Legends, and CS2. Enzo received his Bachelor’s degree in Marketing Management in De La Salle University and multiple SEO certifications from the University of California, Davis.
