Killing Floor 3: Does a Bloody Good Headshot Save a Zed-Filled Mess?
AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·
*Killing Floor 3* boasts excellent headshots, but RPS reckons it stumbles with a dull progression system, familiar Zeds, and technical glitches, ultimately failing to innovate in a crowded co-op shooter market, and ultimately not being a whole lot more than a medic with a pea shooter, mate.
Alright, mates, let's talk about *Killing Floor 3*. Rock Paper Shotgun's James Archer (cheers, James!) took a crack at it, and while there's some juicy brain-splattering to be had, it sounds like Tripwire Interactive might have stumbled a bit.
The headshots, apparently, are *chef's kiss*. We're talking wedding-china-filled-balloon-popping levels of satisfaction. But after hours of Zed-slaying, the big question is: does it offer anything beyond that initial dopamine rush? Archer reckons not really, which is a bit of a worry, innit?
The core gameplay loop is familiar: blast hordes of increasingly grotesque Zeds, earn dosh, buy bigger guns. Classic *Killing Floor*. However, the move to specialist characters – locking perks to specific heroes – has ruffled some feathers. Tripwire's planning a backtrack on that, mind you, but Archer argues it doesn't fundamentally change the Zed-killing experience. Each specialist has a rechargeable ultimate ability, which sounds cool, but ultimately only amounts to a handful of kills amidst the chaos. Imagine a medic with a rocket launcher. It sounds cool but doesn't add much to the squad dynamic, does it?
And speaking of teamwork, *Killing Floor 3* seems to have taken a step back. Where the original *Killing Floor* encouraged cooperative play – welding doors, patching up teammates – this sequel leans more towards everyone being a lone wolf with a super-powered attack. Think five lead guitarists and one poor drummer trying to hold it all together. Sounds familiar?
The Zeds themselves? A bit stale, apparently. Fewer types than in *Killing Floor 2*, and the new bosses, while big and jumpy, don't exactly reinvent the wheel. There is one exception, though: The Husk can now jetpack to higher ground and flame you from above. A genuinely nasty surprise that might force you to think about changing tactics. Apart from that, it all comes down to shooting at weak points. Headshots, headshots, headshots. Did I mention the headshots were good?
But even the satisfying gunplay has its issues. The bosses, even on normal difficulty, are massive bullet sponges that suck the joy out of the slaughter. Instead of precise shots, you end up just hip-firing everything in sight. The satisfaction of popping heads gets traded for bullet economy, and it just doesn't hit the same. Plus, certain weapons – especially those used by Medics – lack that meaty punch. Starting with a dinky machine pistol that feels like a Happy Meal toy? Bloody hell, that's rough.
Tripwire's attempt to address the underwhelming guns comes in the form of an attachment crafting system. Earn XP, gather materials, slap stat-boosting bits onto your weapons. Sounds promising, but the actual bonuses are so minor they barely register. A laser sight that adds 4% accuracy? A foregrip with a -5% recoil penalty? Crikey! Unless you're a hardcore min-maxer, it's just tedious busywork. The perk upgrades suffer from the same problem: lots of grinding for minuscule improvements.
Then there's the technical side of things. Performance issues, stuttering, Zeds glitching through the scenery... the whole shebang. Archer reports playing on an RTX 3090 and *still* struggling to maintain a smooth framerate. That's not exactly encouraging, is it? All in all, James Archer concludes that *Killing Floor 3* barely iterates on the formula, and even takes steps backwards in gun design and tech. Compared to the likes of *Helldivers 2*, *Warhammer 40,000: Darktide*, and *Deep Rock Galactic*, it just doesn't stack up. Good headshots and a foregrip that adds 2% accuracy just aren't enough, are they?
Tags: Killing Floor 3, FPS, Co-op Shooter, Zed, Review
Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun