“John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando” Review by Nick Navarro
Cooperative zombie shooters have been a staple of multiplayer gaming for years, which means any new entry in the genre has to work a little harder to stand out. After spending time with “John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando,” it’s clear that developer Saber Interactive isn’t trying to reinvent the formula. Instead, the studio focuses on delivering a chaotic, action-heavy co-op experience built around satisfying gunplay, massive enemy hordes, and class-based teamwork. The result is a familiar but enjoyable shooter that knows exactly what kind of game it wants to be.
Set in the near future, the story revolves around a scientific experiment designed to harness the energy of the Earth’s core. Naturally, things go horribly wrong. The experiment accidentally unleashes a mysterious entity known as the Sludge God, which begins corrupting the environment and turning humans into zombies. In response, the scientists responsible for the disaster hire a group of mercenaries to contain the outbreak and eliminate the undead threat. The premise is intentionally ridiculous, leaning into the kind of pulpy B-movie tone you might expect from something carrying John Carpenter’s name. Unfortunately, the writing itself doesn’t always land, almost never really. Dialogue can be painfully cringe at times, and the characters rarely evolve beyond their basic archetypes, which makes the story more of a backdrop than something worth getting invested in. Where “Toxic Commando” really succeeds is in its moment-to-moment gameplay. Designed primarily as a four-player cooperative shooter, the game throws players into semi-open missions packed with enormous zombie hordes powered by Saber’s Swarm technology; if you played “World War Z,” then you know what I’m talking about. The system allows huge numbers of enemies to appear on screen at once, creating chaotic battles where survival depends on teamwork and constant movement. Missions take place across contained maps with clearly defined points of interest, encouraging exploration while still keeping the pace fast and focused on combat.
The gunplay itself feels tight and responsive, which is exactly what a game like this needs. Toxic Commando offers a sizable arsenal of sixteen primary weapon types, including shotguns, SMGs, sniper rifles, and pistols, alongside melee options like machetes and crowbars. Weapon feedback is strong, and tearing through waves of zombies rarely loses its appeal thanks to the sheer scale of the encounters. Gun customization adds a little bit to the experience, allowing you to improve your loadouts while progressing through the game. Classes play a major role in shaping the cooperative experience. “Toxic Commando” features four distinct classes: Strike, Medic, Operator, and Defender. Interestingly, characters aren’t tied to specific roles, meaning you can choose any character you like and assign them to whichever class fits your preferred playstyle. Each class includes its own special ability and skill tree, and leveling a class up to 40 unlocks additional upgrades and variations for those abilities.
The Strike class focuses heavily on offense, using its Fireball ability to deal large amounts of area damage and eliminate groups of enemies quickly. It also carries more ammunition and grenades than other classes, making it particularly effective at clearing dense zombie swarms. The Medic serves as the squad’s primary support, using its Healing Aura to restore health to nearby teammates, with upgrades that can transform the ability into ranged healing or a powerful burst that restores permanent health. Operators function as versatile support specialists thanks to a combat drone that can attack enemies, revive teammates, repair vehicles, and interact with various mission objectives. The class also excels at vehicle usage, offering bonuses that improve durability and fuel efficiency while driving. Meanwhile, the Defender fills the tank role by deploying a dome-shaped barrier that blocks incoming attacks while damaging enemies that enter it. With upgrades that increase durability and modify the barrier’s behavior, the Defender is built to hold the line while the rest of the team deals damage.
Vehicles add another wrinkle to the gameplay. Players can jump into a variety of rugged rides designed to smash through zombie hordes while traveling across the maps. These vehicles serve both as transportation and as a way to plow through enemies when the battlefield becomes overcrowded. Despite the strengths of its gameplay systems, “Toxic Commando” clearly works best as a cooperative experience. Playing with friends allows the class abilities and large-scale battles to shine, turning missions into chaotic, funny, but also rewarding fights for survival. Playing solo, though, for me, isn’t nearly as enjoyable. AI teammates can feel unreliable, and without real players coordinating strategies, the experience loses much of its energy.
Even with those shortcomings, “John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando” still delivers a solid cooperative shooter. The story may be shallow, the writing can be awkward, if not bad, and the characters aren’t particularly memorable, but the core gameplay loop of exploring maps, upgrading classes, and mowing down massive zombie hordes remains consistently entertaining and fun to do. It feels like a deliberate throwback to classic co-op shooters, combining modern progression systems with the kind of straightforward action that defined the genre years ago. For gamers looking to team up with friends and blast through waves of undead monsters without overthinking things, “Toxic Commando” provides exactly that kind of experience. This will probably be said a lot, though it may not redefine the genre; when everything clicks, it’s a chaotic and satisfying zombie shooter that knows how to deliver a good time.
7.5/10
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Related: Nick Navarro Reviews
Gaming since I was given an original Nintendo as a kid. I love great storytelling and unique ingenuity. When both collide in a single game, I'm a happy gamer. Twitter/IG @NickNavarro87
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