John Carpenter's Toxic Commando Reviews
John Carpenter's Toxic Commando is a fantastic, mid-budget AA shooter that knows exactly how to deliver mindless, cooperative fun. The Swarm Engine remains a technical marvel, and the integration of specialized vehicles gives the game a unique flavor in a highly saturated market. While the grueling prestige system, the lack of map variety, and the frustrating always-online requirement for solo players hold it back from true greatness, the $39.99 price tag makes these flaws much easier to swallow. Grab three friends, mute the game's cheesy dialogue, put on an 80s rock playlist, and enjoy the carnage.
John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando is a game that, while it doesn’t break much new ground, manages to stand out for its style.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
If you’re into co-op shooters, zombies, ’80s synth vibes, and the chaos of defending a church with three friends while someone barrels a flaming truck through the gates like a maniac, John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando is an easy pick. Enjoy responsibly!
Review in Unknown | Read full review
As much as I liked the game and what it does differently to others like Left 4 Dead, namely the open levels and powers, I still feel like it’s a game that just won’t have the staying power of the classics. It’s slow and clunky at times and it doesn’t have a massive amount of replayability. I hope people will have more fun playing with friends, but for now, I think there are better options to play.
John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando is an absolute blast to play solo with bots or with friends online. It has enough unique nuances that give it a different flair compared to Left 4 Dead and Back 4 Blood. The gameplay is solid, each class feels unique with their own perks, the driving is tight and it has a fun B-movie presentation. While it’s a bit annoying that it’s requires to be online at all times so people can join, playing with bots is as enjoyable as playing with others for the most part. John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando is one of the most enjoyable games of the year and it features big dumb fun. Whether to play solo or with friends or randoms, if you enjoy a good shooter, John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando is for you.
John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando is not without its flaws - but it fulfils its promise of chaotic and messy fun to jump into and enjoy with mates.
After many hours, John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando knows what it wants to be but falls short of its full potential. At its best with friends, gunplay and co-op mechanics shine, creating chaotic, memorable gameplay. However, repetitive mission design, limited enemy variety, and grindy progression hold it back. It shines in short bursts but struggles for long-term engagement.
John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando is exactly the kind of mindless romp you need after a long day – the story isn’t too taxing, the characters are fun, and the action is engrossing; despite a positive gameplay experience, the recursive loop of menu hopping and resource gathering, particularly in the endgame, can be frustratingly bloated, taking away from what makes the game fun to keep revisiting.
In conclusion, John Carpenter's Toxic Commando is a brutal and honest diversion that doesn't intend to revolutionize the genre, but it does manage to give it a unique character thanks to its inspired art direction and masterful soundtrack. A must-buy for anyone who grew up with the Maestro's cult classics and is looking for a solid alternative to the usual names in the cooperative genre, including World War Z itself. Naturally, the game isn't perfect and is currently somewhat limited in content, although, for the record, Saber Interactive is a master of long-term support for its projects.
Review in Italian | Read full review
John Carpenter's Toxic Commando is honestly just a really good time, espeically with 4-player co-op as it was designed. Saber Interactive built something with genuine soul here, and leaning hard into Carpenter's 80s horror vibe was a smart choice.
John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando* is a chaotic co-op shooter that mixes fast-paced combat with vehicular gameplay, emphasizing movement and unpredictability. Inspired by Carpenter’s action-horror style, it embraces excess and irreverence rather than realism. Its identity stands out through this bold approach, even if its success in a crowded market is still uncertain.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Everything about John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando just works. SnowRunner with Zombies about sums it up. So far, I’m having an absolute blast. With each completion giving me enough to upgrade something to make me feel a little bit stronger. I haven’t been able to complete a very hard mission yet, but I’m getting so close. With a couple more levels and full communicating squad, that Sludge God will be mincemeat.
John Carpenter's Toxic Commando delivers chaotic co-op fun boosted by Saber Interactive's impressive Swarm Engine, but it's a lightweight Left 4 Dead clone that's better in short bursts.
The presentation of John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando is solid; while the graphics aren’t particularly impressive in terms of technical prowess, the action is satisfying, leaving us with a production that has no obvious flaws.
Review in Greek | Read full review
Best enjoyed with friends, John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando has some solid, if not amazing or transformative gunplay, paired with some fun class abilities and a more open-world approach to the genre’s typical level design. The narrative can be gripping, making for an engaging first playthrough, but there isn’t too much to come back for after that.
Toxic Commando is a culmination of a lot of Saber’s hard work and I do love the blending of the genre’s into a single game. Mixing their experience with co-op shooters, horde shooters, and the adventure racing games was a brilliant idea. While I do wish they would have went a bit more on the powers for the classes and enemy designs, as well as go a bit crazy with the level design and art.
Toxic Commando is a fun-to-play coop zombie shooter that allows up to four players to squad up and take down some zombies. The game plays it safe and doesn’t really add too much to “innovate” in an otherwise crowded genre, yet it plays surprisingly well for a game. If you have a squad of your own, give it a go and see how visceral zombie slaying feels.
John Carpenter's Toxic Commando is a very fun game, even if it doesn't bring any huge innovations to the genre.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
In its current state, it’s a mostly smooth ride with a few bumps in the road. A fun game night with friends, for sure.
John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando feels like a shallow attempt at making a Left 4 Dead-like game. A lot of it feels like style over substance, with poor writing, an empty world, and an underdeveloped story. Even though fighting off hordes of zombies can be fun, it quickly becomes dull when it’s one of the only good things you have going for yourself.