John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando
Developer: Saber Interactive
Publisher: Focus Entertainment
Platforms: Xbox Series X, PlayStation 5, PC (Reviewed)
Release Date: 12 March 2026
Price: $39.99 USD – Available Here $59.95 AUD – Available Here
Overview
Zombies. Undead. Ghouls. Living Dead. Living Undead. ZEDs. Walkers. Biters. Many such terms all point to the same nightmarish threat. The same relentless creatures of rotten flesh, driven by an insatiable hunger, relying on overwhelming strength in numbers, and they are always out to get you. Over the decades, the gaming industry has been absolutely flooded with them. So much so that it would be completely silly to try to list all the games and massive franchises centred entirely on surviving the zombie apocalypse.
On the surface, John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando might just seem like another tiny droplet in that vast, bloody sea of co-op shooters. However, bearing the name of the legendary ’80s horror maestro brings a certain expectation of cinematic flair and over-the-top, pulp-action goodness. It promises vehicular combat where you can plow heavily armored trucks through seas of the undead. Pair that with an open-ended mission design that lets your squad tackle objectives your own way, and extensive weapon customisation, and you have a recipe for bloody good fun. But is there anything of actual substance buried under the hood, or is it just a shiny, blood-splattered chassis? Let’s gear up, hit the gas, and find out!
Story
Set in a near future, a science experiment made to harness the energy of Earth’s core went haywire and released an entity called… Sludge God. Uh, okay? Pretty specific name for an eldritch entity that just appeared, but we will write that off as a charming quirk of its B-movie DNA. In true grindhouse fashion, the Sludge God doesn’t waste any time. It immediately begins terraforming the planet, transforming fertile Earth soil into a suffocating expanse of tar and toxic mud. Naturally, any humans caught in the sludge are promptly mutated into mindless, shambling zombies. However, the scientists (who started this whole mess as it is) come up with a plan to stop the Sludge God. They hire a team of elite mercenaries who go by the appropriately gritty name of (cue the dramatic drumroll)… the Toxic Commandos. With the campy, high-stakes plot firmly established, the real question remains: how does the actual gameplay feel once you’re behind the wheel and knee-deep in gore? Read on to find out! (This is what’s usually called establishing a cliffhanger, but this time in writing)
Gameplay
Before you can jump into the fray, there is a mandatory tutorial level which, strangely, remains quite surface-level; it teaches you almost nothing about the deeper mechanics, focusing strictly on how to point and shoot or drive the heavy vehicles.
Once you’re through that brief initiation, the game opens up, allowing you to choose between four distinct classes: Strike, Medic, Operator, and Defender. Each operative comes equipped with a unique skill tree and a signature special ability that dictates your role in a squad. The Medic provides essential healing, while the Strike class clears paths by launching devastating fireballs into dense hordes of zombies. The Defender class has a barrier shield that can block ranged attacks and damage any enemy that enters it. My personal favorite, the Operator, utilizes a lethal drone gadget that independently seeks out and neutralizes threats.
My copy of the game also came with a Blood Pass edition, and despite its reasonable $ 12.99 price, it is rather underwhelming at this stage. Currently, you get one gold skin for all the weapons, a weapon charm, and a hat. That’s it. Funny enough, there is a promotion on Twitch at the same time where you can get more (and better) cosmetics simply by watching people play John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando – all that for the low price of exactly $0. You can also get more free stuff by linking the game with your Prismray account, and although the game has some more cosmetics included in Bloody Pass slated for April and July at this stage, it would take a lot of convincing to make me shell out $12,99 for only three cosmetic items.
Returning to the core mechanics, the sheer variety of the arsenal is impressive, offering everything from rapid-fire SMGs and assault rifles to heavy-hitting shotguns, precision snipers, and melee weapons. The progression system feels rewarding; as you level up each firearm through combat, you unlock a deep array of attachments that allow you to customise performance to your specific playstyle.
While every mission provides a clear primary objective, the true beauty of the game lies in its exploration. Veering off the predetermined path often rewards you with hidden optional areas packed with high-tier loot and experimental weaponry. This exploration is seamlessly integrated with the vehicular segment, which is easily one of the game’s highlights. There is a primal, satisfying joy in the traversal mechanics, whether you are crushing dozens of zombies under your massive reinforced wheels or tactically managing your winch and throttle to dig your vehicle out of thick, treacherous mud.
Visuals
While it is far from being a perfect experience, John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando stands as a marvel of technical optimisation, particularly regarding its implementation of DLSS and frame generation. In many modern titles, these features can feel like a crutch for poor optimization, often resulting in ghosting or blurred textures. Here, however, they are utilized without any visible compromises to image quality. My first boot was with those settings enabled by default, and I didn’t even know I had them enabled until I went to toy around with settings. The results are nothing short of stunning: the environment manages to look incredibly smooth and razor-sharp simultaneously, while character movements remain fluid even during the most intense encounters. Furthermore, the global lighting is as close to perfection as it can be. While many games recently have boasted about supporting DLSS, FSR, and frame generation, this might be the first true textbook example of how visuals can be elevated to the next level when these features are properly and thoughtfully implemented.
Audio
While we are on the subject, it would be a glaring omission not to address the involvement of John Carpenter himself. Given that his name is literally in the title, his influence is impossible to miss. His creative fingerprints are all over the project, specifically regarding the development of the game’s overarching narrative and its atmospheric musical score. It is quite evident that his presence contributed significantly to the game’s distinct personality, perfectly capturing the nostalgic vibe of classic ’80s pulp horror cinema. The soundtrack is superb as well as the voice acting, although when it comes to sound design, some weapons could use a bit more “oomph”, notably shotguns and sniper rifles.
Overall
At this stage, John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando shows a tremendous amount of promise, establishing a rock-solid foundation for what could become a staple in the co-op shooter genre. The important thing is that the core gameplay is incredibly engaging, and playing it with a team that knows what they’re doing is an absolute blast, especially on higher difficulties. However, the game currently sits at a bit of a crossroads. Further updates and the steady rollout of upcoming content will undoubtedly be the deciding factor in whether this title achieves long-term success or fades away. What is available now is just enough to lure you in and showcase the potential, but the package feels a bit lean. With a campaign consisting of only eight missions plus the tutorial, the story unfortunately seems to reach its conclusion just as the stakes start to get genuinely interesting. The saving grace at this point is the addictive gameplay loop that persists even after the credits roll. Experimenting with the vast arsenal, grinding to unlock various weapon attachments, and mastering the nuances of the different classes provide plenty of incentive to keep playing. It is a definite recommendation, particularly if you can convince a buddy or two to join you in this bloody and sludge-filled mayhem.
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