Killing Floor 3 review: A new generation of guts, gunplay & glory

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Over the course of numerous years, I’ve enjoyed countless hours playing Killing Floor 2 with my friends, often participating in livestream games with the developers, leveling up classes, prestiging them, and then repeating the process all over again. My excitement for Killing Floor 3 was off the charts; it was a game I had eagerly awaited since 2025. Fortunately, I won’t have to express my disappointment because I find myself pleasantly surprised instead! The gunplay and gore offer fresh and enjoyable sensations, and the levels, progression systems, and overall product seem like a strong foundation upon which years of development can be built.

A classic vibe with countless new bells and whistles

The basic premise of Killing Floor has consistently been straightforward: it’s a multiplayer first-person shooter game where you and up to five other players engage in battles against progressively stronger hordes of zombie monsters called Zeds. Each player selects a class, each with unique abilities and weapon sets (though any weapon can be used, your perk weapons provide extra experience for your chosen class). Additionally, each player has a distinct type of grenade and sidearm at their disposal. The objective is to eliminate the waves of Zeds, endure the rounds, eventually confront a boss battle, and ultimately emerge victorious, unless you’re playing Endless Mode or similar variations.

In Killing Floor 3, the essential elements remain unchanged, introduces some refreshing modifications to the gameplay, offers new levels, and enhances upon what made Killing Floor 2 successful. We have fewer character classes compared to before, but we still have six at launch: The Engineer (previously known as Shotgun/Support), Firebug, Commando, Medic, Sharpshooter, and Ninja (Melee/Berserker class). Although some favorites like the Gunslinger, Demolitions, SWAT, and Survivalist are absent for now, aspects of these classes have been incorporated into our starting roster, with more additions anticipated in the future. Considering this, I’m not too upset about a launch lineup that caters to both offense and support needs.

In simpler terms, the weapons in this game are quite impressive. Each character has just four primary weapons and a unique sidearm, but with the new weapon modification and customization system, these guns can be adapted to many different roles. As you progress through matches, you collect parts that let you add sights, silencers, larger magazines, special ammo types, and more to your weapons, making them function exactly as you prefer. For example, I customized the Engineer’s auto shotgun, the Bonebreaker, by adding a silencer, sight, lighter magazine for quick reloads, and slug rounds for increased penetration. The possibilities are limited only by the weapon itself, but it’s awesome to be able to tailor any gun to suit your needs. Unfortunately, the Ninja character has fewer options for customization compared to other weapons.

As a fanatic, I can attest that none of this would be enjoyable if the weapons weren’t a delight to wield, but they’re simply fantastic during combat. The exhilaration of decapitating Zeds remains unparalleled, and when I stumble upon a weapon I’ve personalized or a more potent one later on? Oh, let me tell you, there were instances where I erupted in joyous glee as I tore through hordes with a ghostbusters-like laser, or froze enemies solid before obliterating them with a powerful rifle shot. The gunplay feels spot-on, and the sensations when I’m on a grim reaper’s sprint still feel electrifying. It’s all amplified by superior movement and verticality compared to previous versions. We can dash, slide, and even leap over terrain to navigate the map, and it feels rewarding; in past games, I found myself cornered and dying a little too easily due to being stuck on terrain. Now, at least, I have the agility to escape from precarious situations a bit more effectively.

Progressing through Killing Floor 3 can be challenging at times, a pattern that was also present in its predecessor, Killing Floor 2. Initially, the lower levels are relatively straightforward, allowing players to experiment with the game’s skill tree and quickly accumulate points for their perks. However, as you advance, the grind becomes more intense, and earning higher-level perks seems to slow down significantly. This could potentially be seen as tedious by some players.

Despite this, reaching a point where you can tackle the game’s harder difficulties with weapons you’ve upgraded over time and perk level-ups that enhance your combat effectiveness is still enjoyable. In essence, it’s a rewarding journey to become an even more formidable force in Killing Floor 3.

Our undead friends have some new tricks

The main enjoyment of playing Killing Floor 3 comes from providing us with numerous exciting maps where we can shoot wildly, and a variety of formidable creatures to fight through. A crucial element of this has always been the design of the monsters, particularly their disintegration and reactions when you attack them. Thankfully, the maps and creatures in Killing Floor 3 seem like an impressive initial offering.

In this action-packed game, there are eight diverse maps that range from bustling cityscapes to hidden laboratory complexes, fortified woodland bunkers, and more. These maps seem significantly larger than those in Killing Floor 2, offering not just open space but also a multitude of traps, interactive elements, and strategic opportunities tailored to your character class.

One exciting novelty I’ve noticed is the inclusion of activatable traps. For instance, in the Army Depot, you can switch on a colossal turbine that attracts Zeds towards it and chops them into pieces. At the Radar Station, you can engage turrets hidden within the woods to buy time or thin the horde. These elements add an extra layer of excitement as you explore the maps, discovering their hidden depths and strategic opportunities as you refine your gameplay strategy.

In simpler terms, the map sizes in this game sometimes seem excessively large, which can be frustrating when searching for activated drop pods during downtime between rounds. These pods are essential for obtaining new gear, ammo refills, and upgrades. Unfortunately, these pods often appear far away on the map, requiring a significant amount of time to reach. This issue is somewhat mitigated in multiplayer games where players are spread out, but I believe a closer pod could be activated in solo play. The main goal is to buy, sell, repair, and move on to the next round as efficiently as possible. Additionally, the “skip shopping” button being identical to the flashlight button can lead to unintended skips when navigating through Killing Floor 3’s dark maps. Although I will eventually get accustomed to this, I’ve accidentally skipped rounds without purchasing items on numerous occasions while trying to turn on my flashlight.

Setting minor complaints aside, I’m really excited about the enhancements to monster design in Killing Floor 3. From the humble Clots to the mighty Fleshpounds, everything feels well-constructed and slaying them remains as enjoyable as before because they no longer automatically die when you detach their limbs this time around. The overall gore has received a significant upgrade, with decaying flesh and dismemberment evident from each shot fired at the undead. The bosses are also impressive, boasting a Crawler Queen that jumps through portals, an Impaler with a sword-head, and a heavily armored Chimera. Each of these monsters has multiple phases with unique aspects in each phase, making them challenging encounters to end matches. Tripwire even added an extra layer of tension by having creatures finish you off graphically if they reach you before your teammates can save you. This emphasizes the importance of quickly reviving your friends, but you can also execute some enemies in equally graphic ways, which is fantastic.

To be honest, what left me a bit underwhelmed was the absence of fresh regular enemies, aside from the bosses. The standard opponents here are just rehashed versions of those we encountered in Killing Floor 2, albeit with a few upgrades. I couldn’t help but wish for some novel minions to keep things interesting and add a bit more variety to the gameplay.

We’re killing it on this floor… for the third time

Anticipating the fun, I believe the enjoyment you’ll get from Killing Floor 3 will significantly rely on the gaming buddies you invite along. Luckily, crossplay between PC and consoles makes it easier than ever to join forces with friends. However, if you find yourself without a crew, the content might not sustain your interest for long periods. The difficulties serve as a means to create maximum chaos in this fight, with Normal being manageable solo, Hard being ideal for groups, and Hell on Earth being insanely difficult. Yet, despite these challenges, the content feels somewhat limited when it comes to grinding in the later stages by yourself. I’m satisfied with this initial offering. I’m excited to spend numerous hours playing Killing Floor 3 alongside my friends. I eagerly await seeing how this game evolves as Tripwire continues to add more to what I consider a strong foundation.

The content of this review is derived from a digitally provided PlayStation 5 version of the game. Killing Floor 3 will be released for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on July 24, 2025.

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2025-07-25 17:28