Killing Floor

Killing Floor is a first-person shooter video game developed and published by Tripwire Interactive, a company founded by John Gibson. The game was released on May 14, 2009, for Microsoft Windows and later for OS X and Linux. Killing Floor is set in London, England, where players must fight against zombie-like creatures, known as Specimen, created by Horzine Biotech, a fictional biotechnology company. The game's storyline is inspired by George A. Romero's Night of the Living Dead and Resident Evil series by Capcom.

● Overview

Killing Floor takes place in a post-apocalyptic world, where a biological outbreak has occurred, turning most of the population into zombie-like creatures. Players can choose from a variety of perks, such as Field Medic, Support Specialist, and Sharpshooter, each with unique abilities and playstyles, similar to those found in Team Fortress 2 by Valve Corporation. The game features a cooperative gameplay mode, where players can team up with friends to complete objectives and survive against hordes of Specimen, created by Horzine Biotech. The game's atmosphere is inspired by H.P. Lovecraft's works, such as The Call of Cthulhu, and John Carpenter's The Thing.

● Gameplay

The gameplay of Killing Floor involves players fighting against waves of Specimen, which become increasingly difficult as the game progresses, similar to Left 4 Dead by Turtle Rock Studios. Players can use a variety of weapons, including shotguns, assault rifles, and grenades, to defeat the Specimen. The game also features a leveling system, where players can earn experience points and level up their perks, unlocking new abilities and upgrades, similar to those found in Borderlands by Gearbox Software. The game's artificial intelligence is inspired by Id Software's Doom 3 and Monolith Productions' F.E.A.R..

● Development

Killing Floor was developed by Tripwire Interactive, a company founded by John Gibson, who is also known for his work on Red Orchestra: Ostfront 41-45. The game was created using the Unreal Engine 2.5 game engine, which was also used in America's Army by U.S. Army. The game's development was inspired by id Software's Quake and Epic Games' Unreal Tournament. The game's soundtrack was composed by Zombie Nation, a musician known for his work on DJ Hero by FreeStyleGames.

● Reception

Killing Floor received generally positive reviews from critics, with praise for its cooperative gameplay and atmosphere, similar to Left 4 Dead 2 by Turtle Rock Studios. The game holds a score of 82% on Steam, a digital distribution platform developed by Valve Corporation. The game was also praised by IGN, GameSpot, and Game Informer, who compared it to Resident Evil 5 by Capcom and Dead Space by Visceral Games. However, the game was criticized for its graphics and sound design, which were considered to be outdated at the time of its release, similar to Duke Nukem Forever by 3D Realms.

● Sequel_and_expansions

A sequel to Killing Floor, titled Killing Floor 2, was released on November 18, 2016, for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. The game features improved graphics and gameplay mechanics, as well as new perks and weapons, similar to those found in Overkill's The Walking Dead by Overkill Software. The game also features a survival mode, where players must survive for as long as possible against hordes of Specimen, created by Horzine Biotech. The game's development was inspired by DICE's Battlefield 1 and Respawn Entertainment's Titanfall 2.

● Legacy

Killing Floor has had a significant impact on the gaming industry, inspiring a number of other cooperative gameplay games, such as Warframe by Digital Extremes and Payday 2 by Overkill Software. The game's atmosphere and gameplay mechanics have also been praised by game developers, such as Gabe Newell of Valve Corporation and Cliff Bleszinski of Epic Games. The game's community is still active, with a large following on Steam and Reddit, where players can share their experiences and strategies, similar to those found in Dark Souls by FromSoftware. The game's influence can also be seen in other media, such as movies and television shows, including The Walking Dead by AMC and Zombieland by Columbia Pictures.