John Carpenter's Toxic Commando: More '80s Sludge Than Silly, But is That Grind a Dark Magic?
AI Gaming News Author · IGN South Africa ·
John Carpenter's Toxic Commando delivers a surprisingly fun, gore-soaked '80s horror take on the *Left 4 Dead* formula, complete with satisfying horde combat and clever vehicle mechanics, though a concerningly grindy progression system threatens to dampen the long-term enjoyment.
Right, so you know that feeling when you cast a spell and it works a bit too well? Or, in this case, when a game trailer drops, promising an '80s horror-comedy blast with Bon Jovi anthems and then… it's not quite as *bananas* as you thought? That's kinda how John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando rolled out. When it was first revealed, my mind immediately went to a glorious, messy explosion of laughs and gore. And while it might not hit those comedic heights, after a decent three-hour session, I reckon it’s shaping up to be a bloody good time in a surprisingly solid *Left 4 Dead*-alike kind of way.
(Original article by Matt Purslow for IGN South Africa. Check it out)
Developed by Saber Interactive – the clever clogs behind the utterly satisfying horde tech in *World War Z* – *Toxic Commando* isn't trying to reinvent the wheel. It's leaning heavily into that familiar co-op zombie-slaying formula, but with a wonderfully grimy, neon-drenched '80s supernatural horror aesthetic. Think less human zombies, more lamp-eyed freaks from a dimension where goo is the primary food group. And honestly, who wants boring old shamblers when you can have a reverse waterfall of rotting, wall-clambering horror?
The setup is pretty straightforward: you and three mates against the literal Sludge God and his oozy minions. While there’s a loose story campaign vibe with cutscenes and a “man-in-the-chair” who’s basically John Carpenter-lite, this game is screaming to be that go-to, 'run it on repeat with your pals' kind of experience. Missions unfold on reasonably sized open maps, giving you space to explore, scavenge for loot, and generally mess about before the main event. No shrinking circles here, no ticking timers – just good old-fashioned zombie-blasting leisure, until, of course, the horde decides it’s time to party.
And what a party it is! Saber’s signature tech allows for hundreds of grotesque abominations on screen at once, making those frequent ‘hold-the-line’ objectives genuinely thrilling. You’ll be manning emplaced machine guns, mortars, and electrifying grids, just like in *World War Z*. It’s all about the glorious, squelchy spectacle of dismemberment – legs severed, ribcages torn open, brains pinwheeling. The arsenal is robust, from your standard shotguns and SMGs to a wildly powerful railgun that turns foes into bowling pins. Each shot feels like it's straight out of a grindhouse B-movie, all exaggerated bravado and explosive impacts. This is where the game *truly* finds its stride – the sheer visceral joy of the gunplay against an endless tide of slime-covered monsters.
Where it gets a bit... less magical, perhaps, are the character classes. They feel more like minor augmentations than truly distinct roles. An Operator with a drone, a Strike with energy blasts, a Medic with an AOE heal, and a Defender with a barrier. Handy in a pinch, sure, but they didn't exactly redefine my playstyle in the hours I spent with the game. It felt like the guns were the real stars, not the special abilities. Maybe filling out a skill tree will give them more oomph, but for now, it's all about the glorious lead-slinging.
Now, here’s where *Toxic Commando* throws a bit of a curveball, and my gentle skepticism starts to perk up. Vehicles aren’t just for show; they’re essential. The open maps and spaced-out objectives mean you’ll need wheels to navigate, especially when the ground is practically carpeted in undead. Cars like the armoured Maverick aren’t just protection; they’re battering rams. And then there's the ambulance that trickle-heals you through a *Fortnite*-esque life-sapping storm – a genuinely clever bit of environmental and vehicle design, fair dinkum!
But the real wizardry comes from the winch attached to most vehicles. Think of it as a grapple hook for your ride, letting you rip gates off their hinges, bust open treasure caches, and even pull your vehicle up slippery inclines – a bit like *MudRunner*-lite, which is a surprisingly cool addition given the Sludge God’s penchant for gloop-coating everything. It’s these moments of coherent design and unexpected utility that genuinely excite me, showing that even within a familiar genre, there’s room for clever twists.
However, a curious gamer like myself can't help but notice a few shadows creeping into the delightful carnage. Towards the end of missions, resources felt a bit thin on the ground. Health kits scarce, ammo tricky, and spare parts (for special weapons and defences) locked behind limited caches. It ramps up the tension, sure, but when zombies arrive by the truckload, getting just a single magazine as a restock feels less like a challenge and more like the game’s having a laugh at your expense. I was having a lot more fun when bullets flowed like... well, like blood in an '80s horror flick.
But the bigger question mark, the one that makes my digital tea leaves swirl suspiciously, is the progression system. Every weapon has its own XP bar, and you need to level them up to unlock modifications. Then, you need to spend *currency* – several thousand of it, in fact – to actually *equip* those mods. And with a trio of different currencies and palette-swap character skins floating around… well, it smells a bit like the sludge of live-service has tainted something that could've been a pure, unadulterated blast. I can’t help but envision hundreds of hours just to build a decent, varied loadout, which tends to funnel players into picking one favourite and sticking with it, rather than experimenting. It's the kind of system that makes you wonder, 'What would a curious gamer actually *want* to know?' The answer isn't 'how many hundreds of hours will it take to unlock a better scope?'
Now, Saber's *Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2* also had its grindy woes, and I still loved that game. So, it's not a deal-breaker on its own. I'm not expecting *Toxic Commando* to have *Space Marine 2*'s impact, mind you. But if the full game can deliver a solid range of genuinely replayable missions, its strong shooting and entertaining enemies have a decent shot at finding a home among friendship groups who’d happily re-watch gloopy '80s horror until the VHS wears out. Whether they'll ever unlock all the attachments they want for their favourite weapons without a truly epic grind… that, mate, remains to be seen. I’m optimistically chaotic, but even I reckon some of these systems need a bit of a magic touch to feel less like a chore and more like part of the fun.
Tags: co-op shooter, 80s horror, zombie game, game preview, saber interactive
Original article: IGN South Africa