John Carpenter's Toxic Commando Reviews
John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando is the best game in years to carry the Left 4 Dead torch forward, not because it copies the formula, but because it understands why that formula worked and builds on it with open regions, vehicles, and swarm pressure that feel purpose-built for co-op. The bot experience is serviceable on easier settings but cannot replace human coordination when the game demands real teamwork, and while the cosmetic economy can get a bit pricey, it never gets in the way of the core progression. At $40, it punches above its weight, and with the right squad it is exactly the kind of co-op shooter that sinks its hooks in and does not let go.
John Carpenter's Toxic Commando is a loud, proud, and stylistically sharpshooter that shines brightest when you're tearing through hordes of gunk zombies with a group of friends.
There are some genuinely standout moments, but I can't help but look back at the likes of Left 4 Dead and just wish Toxic Commando had that same level of charm. It's just missing something-a little personality-a hook, the kind that made Left 4 Dead endlessly replayable.
If you're simply looking for pure shooting and explosions and don't mind the game's relatively small scale, John Carpenter's Toxic Commando can still be a decent option. Its large scale set pieces are something you rarely see elsewhere, and the satisfying gunplay makes blasting through hordes of zombies genuinely enjoyable. Beyond that, however, Toxic Commando mostly shows its flaws. Both its level design and core gameplay feel monotonous, dated, and lacking in excitement.
Review in Chinese | Read full review
In a world of shooters that take themselves far too seriously, John Carpenter's Toxic Commando is that punch of slime in the face that makes you laugh while you're drowning in it: a co-op game that lives for nights spent with friends. It's Left 4 Dead wearing B-movie makeup, with vehicles mowing down zombies like grass and a soundtrack that takes you straight back to the VHS of The Thing.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Quote not yet available
Can the Toxic Commandos save the planet and defeat the evil Sludge God?
A decent attempt to create something similar to Left 4 Dead and its numerous imitators, which will be enjoyable to play with friends for at least a couple of days. Unfortunately, not all the maps are fun to revisit, and the game shows almost every enemy type too early, long before you reach the finale.
Review in Russian | Read full review
Legendary director John Carpenter lent his name to this zombie-filled co-op action game, which is acceptable but doesn't quite measure up to the quality of the master's films.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
John Carpenter's Toxic Commando is a solid fun time. It isn't a revolutionary game in the four-player co-op genre, but all of the changes it makes have a positive impact on the experience. The performance is very good all around, and despite having a linear storyline to follow, it's replayable thanks to the classes, skill trees, and number of things to level up. For those looking for a return to a co-op experience that's about more shooting and less thinking, Toxic Commando is it.
Perhaps John Carpenter's Toxic Commando is far from offering anything new in a market already quite saturated with cooperative shooters for up to four people against demonic enemies. But this may be its greatest virtue, as the game refines everything that came before and, as a result, offers a light, balanced and an enjoyable adventure, especially playing alongside good friends.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Effective entertainment for those nostalgic for Left 4 Dead. It attempts to introduce its own innovations to the formula, and although it doesn't always work, it's still fun. Just make sure you play it in multiplayer mode.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
John Carpenter's Toxic Commando doesn't reinvent much within the cooperative shooter genre, but it's fun to play and the addition of vehicles proves to be a winning feature.
Review in Italian | Read full review
John Carpenter's Toxic Commando is a solid co-op shooter that plays to its strengths in a group of friends — the weighty gunplay, impressive horde battles and Carpenter's synthesizer soundtrack give it a genuine B-movie charm.
Review in German | Read full review
John Carpenter's Toxic Commando is a fun, chaotic title, which, especially in cooperative mode, can offer moments of pure fun, but which lacks that definitive leap in quality.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Bearing the legacy of Left 4 Dead and Back 4 Blood, John Carpenter's Toxic Commando lands with an almighty bang when it comes to gunplay and spectacle defence sequences against armies of undead numbering in the thousands. It's unfortunately saddled with lame writing and meagre fresh ideas, which can thankfully be ignored as you unleash armageddon with bullets and explosions with your friends.
Toxic Commando unleashes massive hordes, dirty humor, and eighties-flavored co-op action, delivering fast, spectacular fun, though its short campaign is stretched too far by grinding.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
The missions offer horror fans some fun moments, and it remains an engaging diversion and an ideal way to pass the time with friends or other gamers you have matched with.
John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando is an interesting mash-up of different ideas. Slaughtering the roamer hordes in the game is extremely satisfying, and the greater difficulties are brutal. It is excellent for players looking for a hardcore co-op zombie shooter with open-world exploration. The vehicles add a nice touch and make it feel like you are in a true zombie survival movie. It is an overall enjoyable experience, but it could do even better with more content and more rewarding weapon upgrades.
During my time with John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando, I often found myself having a really great time as I explored the various maps that were laid out before me, but over time, this did become rather tedious, with very few points of interest that weren’t very interesting. In terms of gunplay, it was very fun and responsive, allowing for fast kills of zombies, while also benefiting from a variety of abilities at my disposal that helped me when I was in a tough spot. One of the more unique gameplay mechanics for me was using the vehicles, as they allowed me to explore a lot more easily while also using the winch to access new locations and even find loot throughout the game, which made the adventures easier. Overall, the gameplay was a lot of fun, but the story and voice acting were quite underwhelming as I was rather bored when it came to cutscenes and often found myself trying to remember why I was doing a mission in the first place.