Killing Floor 2 vs Killing Floor 3

Tripwire Interactive’s Killing Floor does not try to reinvent the wheel in its cooperative first-person shooter game. It’s a bit like other shooting games, where you team up to battle hordes of enemies. But what makes it stand out and keeps fans coming back for more is its unique style. This game first appeared in 2009 and is all about crazy and over-the-top fun.

When Killing Floor 2 came along, it carried on the tradition with even more exciting gameplay and a wave of new and old enemies to take on. It really nailed it, and it’s safe to assume the sequel, Killing Floor 3, will hit the ball out of the park. But before we dive into guesswork, let’s separate facts from fiction in Killing Floor 2 vs. Killing Floor 3.

What is Killing Floor 2?

Killing Floor 2 is a buffet of gore-filled fun that bravely wears its heart on its sleeve. Playing alone or in a team of five, you spend much of your time killing Zeds, healing teammates, and knowing when to escape the heat. It’s a simple cooperative shooter where you must also conserve your ammo or get corned by the gone-wrong lab specimens. Tripwire Interactive doesn’t spare the gore, either. There’s something satisfactory about popping your foe’s head off after a momentary episode of struggle.

As a shooter game, don’t expect a tight narrative to guide your missions. The game provides little details to get an idea of what happened and why you are there. The sequel carries the action forward from Killing Floor. A month later, after Horzine Biotech’s awry experiments overpowered London, they are back again, this time spreading chaos all over Europe. And what else is the perfect ingredient to add to a game other than chaos? Killing Floor 2 is more like a Mission Impossible reenactment because almost everything can go wrong.

What is Killing Floor 3?

Killing Floor 3 is an upcoming title that will wrap up the year in style for the franchise’s fans. After close to a decade-long wait, fans will venture the streets again, armed to the teeth, battling the grotesque-shaped monstrosities. The studio revealed the upcoming title during Gamescom Opening Night Live 2023, with developers dropping tiny hints.

The game’s official description reads, “It’s 2091, and Megacorp Horzine has produced the ultimate army: an obedient horde of bioengineered monstrosities called zeds. Now, only the rebel group Nightfall stands between these infernal creations and the future of humanity”. Despite only having a few details to go by, Killing Floor 3 looks like a game that’s worth getting excited over.

Gameplay

At the core of Killing Floor 2’s gameplay are repetitive missions. You face the same challenges over and over. The enemies get progressively harder to battle after every wave, culminating in a final boss battle. The game randomly chooses the boss you battle based on the last wave. Thankfully, the trigger-happy approach makes it easy to take down the hordes of Zeds. Speaking of Zeds, the game uses the same number of enemies as the original. You’ll face off with the standard fodder and additional types, including screaming witches, bloated vomiters, and gigantic foes with chainsaws for arms.

Moreover, weapon handling is something the game doesn’t take lightly. However, you get a limited supply of weapons and ammo. You might find ammo scattered on the map or have some classes stock you up, but these are rare events. So, to make it out alive, you must use a tactical approach as things start heating up. It’s a constant struggle to save your resources or go on a wild ammo rampage. Plus, if you die while conserving ammo, you lose the Dosh survival bonus for that round.

On the other hand, Killing Floor 3 is shaping up to be another exciting FPS coop shooter game. In a team of six, you join the rebel group Nightfall to vanquish the army of Zeds. These Zeds are now supercharged with exceptional skills and use a bunch of different weapons. You must work together with your team to defeat them all.

“Killing Floor 3 is the next installment in the legendary action/horror series. This intense FPS puts you in the boots of a Nightfall specialist, joining forces with up to five teammates to battle waves of zeds, earn dosh, unlock skills, and build the ultimate arsenal”, the gameplay description reads.

Graphics

Killing Floor 2’s over-the-top graphics are a major selling point of the game, thanks to the Unreal Engine 3. Watching the Zed’s mutilated bodies drop on the floor after a barrage of bullets bore holes in their bodies is intense. You might start with small weapons, but once you earn enough points to access the bigger guns, the gore moments come to life. If you think Mortal Kombat is absurd, Killing Floor 2 takes things up a notch higher.

Now imagine how excellent the upcoming title’s graphics will be now that it will use Unreal Engine 5. A press release from the developer stated, “Harnessing the power of Unreal Engine 5, Tripwire will build upon the legacy of the series, realizing its gruesome graphical vision”.

Verdict

If you’ve not played the game, Killing Floor 2 is an absolute delight. It is meticulously crafted to perfection. Everything, from character designs to weapon handling doused in heavy metal music, adds to the visual spectacle. At the heart of the wave-based carnage is a rewarding, progressive system that will keep you coming back for more.

Since Killing Floor 3 uses this as its foundation, we can only expect better gameplay as more bodies hit the floor. The trailer looks great so far, and we can’t wait to see what’s in store. But until then, it’s safe to side with Killing Floor 2. 

Tripwire Interactive has yet to give a date for the upcoming game’s release, but you can always check back with us for updates and a full game review once it drops.

So, what’s your take? Have you picked a favorite yet? Will you pick up a copy of Killing Floor 3 when it drops? Let us know your thoughts on our socials here.