XBOX REVIEW | Killing Floor 3

Welcome back to the blood-soaked chaos. Killing Floor 3 cranks up the carnage with brutal gunplay, relentless waves of Zeds, and a slick new dystopian edge. Developed by Tripwire Interactive, this third instalment in the cult-favourite co-op shooter series brings faster combat, deeper customization, and a darker tone that leans into body horror and corporate dystopia. Whether you’re tearing through mutants solo or coordinating with a squad, Killing Floor 3 delivers high-octane action with a satisfying crunch.

Killing Floor 3 builds on the franchise’s chaotic co-op roots with faster, more tactical gameplay and a darker, dystopian setting. Set in 2091 under Horzine’s corporate rule, the game introduces grotesque new Zed designs and smarter enemy AI that demand teamwork and quick reflexes. The six-player online co-op remains central, but now feels more refined thanks to deeper class perks and expanded weapon customization. Whether you’re modding your arsenal or coordinating with your squad, the action is relentless and satisfying.

Visually, the game leans into body horror with slick environmental storytelling and sharper textures on Xbox Series X. The industrial soundtrack and punchy sound design heighten the tension, while accessibility options like difficulty scaling and controller remapping make it more welcoming to newcomers. With brutal combat, dynamic Zed Time, and replayable missions, Killing Floor 3 doesn’t just deliver gore,  it delivers grit, strategy, and style.

Things I liked!

• Gameplay | Set in the year 2091, under the rule of Horzine Corporation, players are plunged into a dystopian nightmare. I started playing solo, you begin in the Stronghold, the area you load into whenever you boot up the game. Here, you can choose one of six specialists, each with their own unique ability tree, gadgets, and throwable items. I began as the Commando, who’s armed with assault-style weapons and equipped with a drone that deals insane acid damage when unleashed, along with a hand grenade as the starting throwable. I’ll cover the other specialists later. After a few solo rounds to get to grips with the controls and gameplay mechanics, I jumped into a multiplayer match. Matchmaking is straightforward, sometimes I’d join a game already in progress, other times I’d start alone and random players would quickly join in. In Killing Floor 3, you can play with a party of six, including yourself. Each run consists of five standard waves, with difficulty ramping up each time, followed by a final boss wave where you face off against a massive monster such as the Impaler, the Chimera, and the Queen Crawler. There are three difficulty options: Normal, Hard, and Hell on Earth. When playing solo, you’ll face fewer enemies than in multiplayer, but I had far more fun teaming up with random players. Cooperation is key, especially on Hard or higher. If you stray from the group, you’ll likely get overwhelmed, go down, and start bleeding out. When that happens, you’ve only got a short window for a teammate to revive you. If no one manages to reach you in time, you’ll respawn at the end of the current wave.
  
  
• Controls | I found the controls really easy to pick up, much like other first-person shooters, everything feels familiar, which definitely helps. At any one time, you can carry two main weapons plus a sidearm. Pressing both bumper buttons activates your specialist’s unique gadget, provided it’s fully charged. Pressing up on the D-pad lets you issue commands to your team, such as “follow me” or “request ammo” or “health,” which is especially useful in multiplayer if you’re not using a headset. Aiming is spot-on, fluid, and feels very responsive.

• Specialists | I was impressed by how much depth each specialist offers. Every class has a unique skill tree that goes up to level 30, with over 30 upgrades including passives, gadget boosts, and throwable enhancements. You earn proficiency points by killing Zeds or helping teammates, which unlock new skills over time. Maxing out all six classes takes serious commitment. Each specialist plays differently. The Commando is a balanced fighter, while the Firebug uses flame-based attacks like a scorching ring gadget and Molotovs. The Engineer excels at crowd control with sonic turrets and shrapnel mines. Sharpshooter focuses on precision, using a homing arrow launcher and cryo grenades. The Medic keeps the team alive with healing and revives, essential on higher difficulties. Lastly, the Ninja is a fast melee fighter with a grappling hook and stun throwable. Every class feels unique and encourages different tactics, keeping gameplay fresh.
  
  
• Visuals | Killing Floor 3 fully embraces its dystopian horror vibe, with sharp textures, moody lighting, and grotesque Zed designs that stand out. The visuals are crisp and consistent, high-resolution assets, smooth frame rates, and dynamic lighting all help build tension, especially during those quiet moments before the next wave hits. Zed Time is still a standout, turning frantic combat into stylish slow-motion carnage. While the environments serve their purpose, they’re more functional than memorable, though the industrial grime and body horror touches add a gritty atmosphere. Performance-wise, everything ran smoothly throughout my time playing, with no visual bugs or graphical hiccups to report.
  
  
• Sound | Each weapon sounds distinct, from the roaring flames of the flamethrower to the sharp bursts of gunfire from your machine gun. Environmental audio is equally impressive: petrol tanks riddled with bullet holes hiss as fuel escapes, followed by a rip-roaring explosion when they finally give out. The voice acting, however, is underwhelming and could use improvement. On the music front, Killing Floor 3’s soundtrack is a full-throttle mix of industrial metal, dark synthwave, and aggressive electronic beats, perfectly matched to its dystopian setting and relentless gameplay. It heightens the tension during combat and adds a gritty pulse to quieter moments.
  

Mixed & disliked!

• Story | There really isn’t much of a story to be found in Killing Floor 3. Instead, there’s a very weak plot: the evil corporation Horzine Biotech is mass-producing Zeds (mutant enemies) for military and commercial purposes. Players take on the role of Nightfall, a resistance group fighting back against Horzine’s experiments and trying to prevent their bioweapons from being unleashed across the globe. There’s no single-player campaign; instead, the story is conveyed through intro and outro cutscenes tied to each map, along with occasional character banter. Unfortunately, it’s all a bit too easy to miss and tends to fade into the background. The voice acting is underwhelming, often flat and out of place. I think the developers missed a trick by not integrating the story more effectively into Killing Floor 3.

• Limited Maps | There are currently only eight maps available. While some offer solid defensive positions for coordinated team play, like players guarding staircases while others cover ledges or ladders, I found that after around ten hours of gameplay, they all start to look a bit too similar and tend to blend into one another. That said, a few do stand out visually. City Streets impresses with its brutalist, dystopian aesthetic, while Radar Station is a personal favourite thanks to its creepy, moonlit atmosphere tucked away in a gloomy forest. More maps are planned and will be released as free content in future updates.

How long did I play the review before publishing? 13 Hours
How long to beat the story? 5 Hours
How many Achievements did I earn before publishing? 26/33 OR 490/1000G
How long to achieve 1000G | 36 Hours
You’ll love this game if you like these | Sker Ritual, Back 4 Blood and Deep Rock Galactic

CONCLUSION

Score: 82/100

I’ve had a lot of fun playing Killing Floor 3, and it’s definitely a game I can see myself returning to now and then, especially when new maps are added. While it does include microtransactions, they’re purely cosmetic, and I never felt they were pushed on me. Gameplay is fun, often chaotic, but it always feels fair. The difficulty can ramp up quickly on higher levels, but as long as you stick with your team and avoid wandering off, you should be fine. Visually, I was pleasantly surprised, and the sound effects and music really elevated the experience. Also when playing multiplayer I never had any issues finding a team in matchmaking to play with, it’s great to know others are also enjoying Killing Floor 3.

“Killing Floor 3? More like Thrilling Floor 3, because I keep falling back in!”