Killing Floor 3: Early gameplay sparks heavy criticism

The Killing Floor series, developed and published by Tripwire Interactive, delivers cooperative first-person shooter action centered around wave-based battles against mutants known as Zeds. A key feature of the series is Zed Time, a slow-motion mechanic triggered by critical hits or specific actions, making for cinematic kills. Killing Floor 2, released in 2016, remains a favorite among genre fans. With over 80,000 reviews on Steam, it holds a "Very Positive" rating, averaging 88%.

The sequel, Killing Floor 3, is set to launch soon and marks the series' first collaboration with Deep Silver. This time, players are transported to the year 2091, where the mega-corporation Horzine seeks global domination with an army of Zeds. Standing in their way is the resistance group Nightfall. Gameplay sticks to the franchise’s proven formula – fast-paced co-op shooter action where up to six players battle increasingly tough waves of Zeds. Killing Floor 3 is scheduled for release on March 25, with prices ranging from $40 to $80, depending on the edition. Whether it can match its predecessor’s success remains to be seen.

A step backward compared to its predecessor

Killing Floor 3 is currently running a closed beta from February 19 to 24, giving a limited number of players an early look at the game. As part of the test, an uncommented gameplay video was uploaded to YouTube, sparking quite a reaction from the community, though not a positive one. Many beta testers have criticized the game as feeling unfinished, lacking soul and even being a step backward compared to Killing Floor 2.

Performance issues are a major source of frustration, with reports of frequent FPS drops even on high-end hardware. The gunplay has also drawn criticism, many players feel that weapons lack impact, while enemies show little to no hit reactions, making combat less satisfying. Another common complaint is the gore system. Instead of the realistic dismemberment seen in previous games, enemies now simply "explode," stripping away the brutal, visceral combat that was a hallmark of the series.

Many fans are especially disappointed by the changes to Zed Time. Instead of the iconic slow-motion kills from previous games, enemies now appear as red silhouettes, drastically reducing the impact of the effect. This has led to growing concerns that Killing Floor 3 may have lost the unique charm and chaotic horror atmosphere that made its predecessors so beloved.