The Killing Floor

[Aki]

Because that floor deserved it, dammit.

Jokes aside, this was recently released on Steam. It's another co-op zombie game, though in a bit of a different category from L4D. You play as one of six members of a Disaster Response Force. The disaster? Some company (Horizon) cloned themselves a whole bunch of "Specimens" and augmented them in various ways, and then one Scientist augmented himself (including, among other things, hacking off his left arm and grafting a CHAINGUN WITH MISSILE LAUNCHER ATTACHMENT in it's place) and released the specimens (claiming them to be his "Children", the man's a bit ...off in the head, you see).

So you and your buddies must kill wave after wave, starting with a wave of "clots" (slow shambly types) at first, during which all you have are grenades, a pistol and a knife. After the intial wave, you are directed to a trader who will sell you guns (you get money for killing the zombies). This trader moves about in the level, forcing you to move about the level to replenish your ammo stores and/or swap weapons. Finally, after the last wave, you have to fight the Scientist ("The Patriarch") himself. And he's not alone - small groups of zombies will help him out from time to time during the fight.

Furthermore, there's a "perk" system with six perks, all of which can be leveled up. There's a medic (gets bonuses to using the healing syringe), the Support (welds doors shut faster than anyone else, gets bonuses to using shotguns), the Commando (can see the mostly-invisible "Stalker" zombies from 4 meters away, gets bonuses to use of the assault rifle), The firebug (bonuses to FLAMETHROWER, BOOYAH), The Berserker (Like melee? This is for you! Butcher zombies like no one's business! The shambler-types can't grab you and hold you in place and you get damage bonuses to melee), and the Sharpshooter, who gets bonuses to use of the Lever-action rifle and the "handcannon" (a Desert Eagle pistol).

It's real fun if you like blasting zombie by the boatload. Don't expect much of a story though, heh.

The Trailer

Some sample footage. The player's clearly a bit new (and/or unperceptive. He misses obvious zombies pretty often) and at one point almost kills himself with a grenade. But it gives you a good look at the first and second waves.

Another bit of sample gameplay. The players in this are a lot better and more organized. Not suprising, really - aside from "AndyB" (whom is the player who recorded the vid), almost everyone is one of the developers.

[Terastas]

I only had one problem while watching the second clip: Does the welder run out of ammunition really fast, or do all six players have the exact same voice actor?

I think that was one of the little-known perks of L4D; even if you didn't have a microphone, you could tell who was reloading, was hurt, needed ammo, etc., all based on their four individual voice actors.

Looks awesome aside from that. . . Though I know we'll all be thinking differently once the prepubescents get their hands on this. Listening to the same guy announce that he's reloading every three seconds was just a mild irritation, but having to listen to that on top of a kid demanding chocolate milk would be too much for me.

[Aki]

I only had one problem while watching the second clip: Does the welder run out of ammunition really fast, or do all six players have the exact same voice actor?

Yes and no on the Welder. It has infinite ammo but it only has a limited charge (Ie you use it, it drains down while in use and charges while not).

I'm not sure if they share the same actor (as sometimes the voice seems a touch different) but if they don't, they're all doing the exact same accent. It's so hilariously bad. "I AM WELDING THIS DOAH!"

I think that was one of the little-known perks of L4D; even if you didn't have a microphone, you could tell who was reloading, was hurt, needed ammo, etc., all based on their four individual voice actors.

That's true enough one of the weaknesses of the game, but KF needs slightly less team awareness - it's not like L4D where something will pin and kill you without a team mate's intervention.

Looks awesome aside from that. . . Though I know we'll all be thinking differently once the prepubescents get their hands on this. Listening to the same guy announce that he's reloading every three seconds was just a mild irritation, but having to listen to that on top of a kid demanding chocolate milk would be too much for me.

Haha, yeah, well that's true of any online game. I find those sorts funny anyways, because they do stupid stuff that gets them killed.

[Terastas]

I find those sorts funny anyways, because they do stupid stuff that gets them killed.

True, but they also have a tendency to drag others down with them (assuming they don't "friendly fire" your arse before they get p0wnd).

[Aki]

I find those sorts funny anyways, because they do stupid stuff that gets them killed.

True, but they also have a tendency to drag others down with them (assuming they don't "friendly fire" your arse before they get p0wnd).

Nah, they tend to like to rambo off and die. It's great - the game seems to focus on lone wolves when it catches wind of someone on their own. And it's really hard to rambo off like that because the zombies will actively attempt to surround you, heh heh.

Friendly Fire is, thankfully, off by default. With good reason too - KF definately does not seem a game conducive to FF being on. Never mind that an entire class (Berserker) is based around wading into melee range with the zombies (And thus at risk of being shot seven ways to sunday by his own team), simply being a medic becomes an incredibly hazardous duty, as one must weave through bullets and zombies to reach a wounded team mate (Who probably won't notice you - even with FF off I've had to chase people so I could heal them) and likely get shot by them too while they try to hit a zombie.

Not to mention the griefing potential. You could wipe the entire team during the lull between waves simply by dropping five 'nades into the trader post, since everyone huddles in there to grab guns and ammo.

[Morkulv]

Whats with the zombie-mods today? Damn, ever since L4D its just one after the other.

Anyway, I saw footage of this mod earlier and it looked ok, even though I think the graphics look outdated and some levelparts are really boring. I think this game would be better with the rag-doll physics of say, the Source-engine. Still it looks like a good effort, but I can't really say since I don't have Unreal Tournament 2004.

[Aki]

Whats with the zombie-mods today? Damn, ever since L4D its just one after the other.

Anyway, I saw footage of this mod earlier and it looked ok, even though I think the graphics look outdated and some levelparts are really boring. I think this game would be better with the rag-doll physics of say, the Source-engine. Still it looks like a good effort, but I can't really say since I don't have Unreal Tournament 2004.

It's not a mod. There is a Killing Floor mod for UT2K4, but it's not this KF (and that KF has been around since before L4D). This KF is still on largely the same engine (UT 2.5) but it's got much better (if incredibly brown) graphics, badass slow-mo deaths (which slow down everyone, so sometimes it turns on while you're reloading or healing which is funny. EXTREME RELOADING.) and all kinds of stuff. It does have ragdoll stuff (along with delicious gibbing).

The base maps are pretty good and there are some amazing community made one. I played one based on "The Hive" from the original Resident Evil movie.

It was the best Hive recreation in any zombie game ever, IMO. They copied it perfectly.

Only downside is you need all the players in at the beginning since the first wave never really ends (and thus anyone who joins after doesn't spawn-in, and anyone who dies is dead for the entire duration of the map).