Silent Hill Townfall

Silent Hill has made a grand comeback as of late, and Townfall takes the iconic franchise in a more experimental direction – focusing heavily on psychological storytelling and building atmospheric tension. Early teasers suggest a strongly narrative-driven experience that leans into surreal horror and several plot twists, and that will be coupled with thrilling exploration and mind-bending puzzles – and it’s definitely one of the hottest games of the near future.

Your mileage will vary on that, but one thing that it probably isn’t worth delving into is the story. For a game that shouldn’t have to focus all that much on narrative, Toxic Commando certainly tries. In a nutshell, you control the self-proclaimed squad as they take on a mysterious job to deliver a mysterious container. All hell literally and figuratively breaks loose, and after ending up infected, they work together with their new benefactor to take out the very source of the infection. Sounds simple enough, yet it’s dotted by horrible dialogue (“Is there a Mr Gallagher?” Really?), awkward humor and non-existent chemistry between the cliched characters. Why Saber constantly insists on it, especially with the sheer number of cutscenes, is bizarre, but you can mercifully skip them.

"Still, at least the shooting is responsive enough – the number of options to customize in that regard is also great – and you’ll get very good at sweeping the hordes aside. That’s usually when the game will ramp up the challenge."

Where Toxic Commando ultimately delivers, even if it doesn’t massively shine, is in the action. If you’ve been hankering for some Left4Dead-style action with minimally intrusive gimmicks, then you’re more than covered. You’ve got wanderers roaming out on their own, seemingly waiting for you; mobs that appear as tensions rise, forcing players to deal with them or risk getting overrun; and, the usual favorite, swarms spilling over themselves in waves upon waves, like a barely contained undead ocean. It’s all you can do to stay out of the way, unloading everything and hoping it buys enough space before the next tide rolls on in.

All the usual weaponry is on hand – shotguns, assault rifles, submachine guns, etc, which can be customized with attachments. You can only carry one primary at a time, with a secondary slot reserved for pistols, and a melee slot for crowbars, bats, machetes, etc. Then there are the special weapons discovered on each map, ranging from two types of grenade launchers to an ineffective LMG and a railgun that’s excellent against heavier targets.

While the variety is all well and good, you’ll have to stick with one option for extended periods of time to level it up and unlock the ability to equip certain attachments. Over time, you can increase a weapon’s tier, which increases its ammo and certain stats, like penetration, or prestige it, resetting the progress for the sake of some unlocks. It would be all well and good if the currency gains on Normal and below didn’t feel so lackluster, but even if you can get past that, this is a fairly standard, by-the-numbers weapon upgrade system that sadly lacks any imagination.

At least the skill trees for each class are slightly better. I focused mainly on the Strike, and delighted in turning my palm blast into an eye-in-the-sky that obliterated those below. However, once again, there are several other nodes devoted to unexciting options like “extra grenade” or “faster reload speed,” which is a shame.

Still, at least the shooting is responsive enough – the number of options to customize in that regard is also great – and you’ll get very good at sweeping the hordes aside. That’s usually when the game will ramp up the challenge. I definitely noticed mobs becoming more frequent, even on the earlier stages of Normal difficulty in co-op, not to mention the imminent arrival of special infected. Unfortunately, Toxic Commando doesn’t really do much to innovate on the same, right down to the Tank that barrels towards a person and grabs them while constantly slamming them into the ground.

"If you’re content enough to weather the storm without any tools like mortars, traps and turrets, then by all means skip those Spare Parts, but they can serve as a neat distraction, especially when trying to gather additional currency for unlocking attachments (and even cosmetics)."

Nevertheless, they each have unique roles – I especially liked how a blast from the stalker would tangle your vehicle in roots, requiring you to manually shoot them to continue. It’s a nice “Why aren’t we moving?” which quickly turns into “Why aren’t the rest of you dealing with this?” if you’re the driver before pre-emptively stepping out and taking care of the issue yourself (not projecting, of course). However, aside from spawning the team on different points of the map at the start of each mission and changing up the optional objectives, don’t expect much more in terms of “randomness”, which definitely impacts the replay value.

The option to drive around the map before heading to the next objective, gathering supplies like Spare Parts, special weapons, ammo and whatnot, is also intriguing. Driving can occasionally become an issue, especially if you’re in a vehicle without a wench and get stuck in the mud, but at least they each have unique functions, like the Ambulance’s healing, and the controls are on point.

If you’re content enough to weather the storm without any tools like mortars, traps and turrets, then by all means skip those Spare Parts, but they can serve as a neat distraction, especially when trying to gather additional currency for unlocking attachments (and even cosmetics). It is a little egregious that Spare Parts are also required to refill on ordinance (the special weapon caches are at least higher rarity), and that not all locations for the climactic fights provide at least one of the resources for each team member. But, as tedious as it can sometimes be to go out of your way to a location for the same, especially with how lackluster the different points of interest can be, it is worth it.

Except when sometimes playing solo, and that’s purely due to the knockdown system. When you or your teammates are downed in co-op, there’s a limited time to revive you. It can be extended by slaying zombies around (and shortened as they deal damage), but once you’re out, a teammate must find you in a sludge cocoon or whatever to bring you back. Special seeds, which offer bonus rewards if carried until the end of the mission, can serve as a self-revive in this state.

But if you’re solo and taken out without having a seed on hand? Thanks for coming – now repeat the whole mission. No checkpoints, nothing. I can’t even blame my AI teammates in such circumstances because the bosses and special infected hit hard enough that I don’t have time to wait for their revives. And best of all, the timer to extend your downed state is based on kills, not on, say, damage dealt. So if you’re surrounded by special infected, not even a fully upgraded magnum will save you.

"All in all, Toxic Commando should be taken at face value – as a dumb, arcadey shooter that you can spend the weekend with other people and maybe waste some time on solo (just beware that there’s no offline option). Nothing less but certainly nothing more."

Which is a shame because, solo or with teammates, the greater difficulties are where Toxic Commando really shines. Swarms become far more common; healing and other resources become rarer; and you’ll actually need to train hordes, if not coordinate with teammates, to take out special infected faster, rather than face-tanking or simply accepting that oversized death grab. It’s tense, and the rewards are much more satisfying – it’s a shame that the lack of checkpoints in solo doesn’t make it worth the risk if you’re trying to farm currency for attachments and upgrades. Then again, it may be a worthwhile challenge for those who have mastered co-op and want something a little more challenging to really feel something (especially since there isn’t much more content on offer).

Performance Mode served me well enough on PS5, even if I had to ignore image quality at longer ranges to save my eyes. The frame rate stayed mostly stable, which is saying something given the sheer amount of chaos happening on screen. Overall, fidelity is nothing to shout about, and the odd few bugs can be seen, but nothing too crazy.

All in all, Toxic Commando should be taken at face value – as a dumb, arcadey shooter that you can spend the weekend with other people and maybe waste some time on solo (just beware that there’s no offline option). Nothing less but certainly nothing more. Whether Saber deigns to build on this further remains to be seen, but hopefully it focuses on more content and less awful storytelling.

This game was reviewed on PlayStation 5.

Saber Interactive’s co-op action games have become known for how large the attacking hordes tend to be. How much of this feature was developed over the course of  Space Marine 2?

At Saber, we have our own proprietary engine called The Swarm Engine, which we have developed for many years. With Space Marine 2, we pushed that technology much further. The scale became more epic. The battles became more cinematic. We refined animation blending, pathing, collision, and large-scale combat readability so players could fight enormous swarms without losing clarity. It wasn’t just more enemies, it was better enemies in bigger, more intense battle spaces, all coordinated with our signature AI Director.

Now with Toxic Commando, we’re blowing it out of the water.

"The scale became more epic. The battles became more cinematic."

We are introducing new enemy types, more randomness in swarm behavior, and a much more advanced AI Director. That AI Director constantly evaluates the battlefield and orchestrates encounters so they feel dynamic. On top of that, we’re doing it in a much larger world with vehicles, terrain deformation, and far more strategic options for players.

Because the world is bigger and more systemic, the swarms aren’t just something you shoot, but a coordinated attack where you and your teammates need to use everything in your arsenal to survive, with every battle playing out differently.

With Saber’s proprietary Swarm Engine, we can create truly unique, over-the-top battles at a scale that very few studios can achieve.

Aside from the standard hordes of enemies, what kind of special enemies can we expect?

Aside from the standard hordes, we have designed a lineup of special enemies that adds a lot of variety to the battles. For example, the Skunk is infected with a toxic substance that releases a red infectious vapor, poisoning you over time while also boosting nearby enemies. So, if you ignore it, the entire horde suddenly becomes more dangerous. The Stalker is a ranged threat with both basic and charged attacks, but what really makes it unique is its ability to root vehicles in place. When that happens, you will be forced to jump out and destroy the tentacles blocking the vehicle. The Nuker is our explosive enemy that detonates in close proximity, and we’ve even added a Fire Nuker variant that leaves behind a burning hazard zone, turning safe ground into a temporary death trap. Then there’s the Goon, a big, tough disabler that will rush you, grab you, and pummel you to death if your friends don’t react quickly. These enemies aren’t just stronger versions of the horde, they are designed to create layered combat and force groups to change tactics. And of course, we have a few more surprises waiting for players to discover.

Will there be any epic boss fights that promote a greater degree of teamwork and problem-solving?

One of our main goals with Toxic Commando was to move beyond the traditional “big enemy with a big health bar” and create true event-style battles that require teamwork, coordination, and problem-solving. Thanks to our proprietary Swarm Engine, we’re able to combine massive, dynamic swarm encounters with unique special enemies and then layer in over-the-top, boss-like encounters. At the center of it all is the Sludge God, the creator of these creatures, who doesn’t just spawn enemies but creates chaotic battle situations by manipulating the environment and unleashing creatures that can be dynamic during the battles. Some encounters aren’t just about shooting a boss, they require players to manage the swarms while adjusting to environmental threats and responding to special enemies. We really focused on adding variety not only to the core combat loop but especially to the big event battles that really make the game fun to play.

"Thanks to our proprietary Swarm Engine, we’re able to combine massive, dynamic swarm encounters with unique special enemies and then layer in over-the-top, boss-like encounters."

How large of a role will vehicles play in the course of a standard mission?

Vehicles play a major role in a standard mission where they are not just transportation, but part of the core gameplay loop. The world in Toxic Commando is large and dangerous, so navigating the environment is far more effective in a vehicle, especially when the enemies start to close in. Players who aren’t driving can lean out the windows to fire their weapons or man mounted guns on certain vehicles, which makes travel a combat-filled experience. Your main truck is also equipped with tools that directly impact survival, including an EMP charge that can clear out large numbers of enemies and a grapple hook that helps pull you free from mud or other terrain hazards. Some of the most fun moments happen when multiple players each have their own vehicle, moving together across the map, forming a deadly caravan. It is always my most enjoyable moment in the game when we have multiple vehicles driving across the world.

Saber Interactive is also known for its ultra-simulationist driving games like SnowRunner. Will any of that DNA make it into Toxic Commando in terms of having to deal with crises that involve vehicles?

Yes, absolutely. At Saber we’ve developed a deep expertise in vehicle simulation through games like SnowRunner, and we’ve taken a lot of what we learned there and applied it to Toxic Commando. That said, we were very careful about balance. Our vehicles are rooted in realism with weight, traction, terrain interaction all parts of the experience, but they’ve been tuned to ensure that getting around the world feels fun and engaging rather than punishing. At its core, Toxic Commando is an action game with vehicles, not a hardcore driving simulator, so the priority was always making sure the vehicle gameplay enhances the experience instead of slowing it down. We had to strike a balance between authentic vehicle behavior and over-the-top action, and we feel we’ve found a sweet spot where the driving adds tension and strategy without ever distracting from the core combat experience.

How customizable will the vehicle be? Are we stuck with the mounted machine gun on top or can we swap it out for something else?

Vehicles in Toxic Commando have been designed around strategy and world unpredictability. Because vehicles spawn dynamically, both in terms of type and location, we’ve assigned specific mounted weapons to specific vehicle types. So, if you find a certain truck or armored vehicle, you’ll know what kind of mounted gun it comes with. We made that choice intentionally. While players can improve vehicles characteristics through their class progression tree, each vehicle’s features and abilities remain fixed and cannot be altered. This encourages players to think more strategically when using vehicles in the world. It also reinforces the dynamic nature of each mission. There may be times when you spawn into a level and there isn’t a vehicle nearby, forcing you to either search for one or push forward on foot. That unpredictability is part of the game, and it makes various sessions play differently. However, each vehicle is visually customizable — for example: changing the color, swapping out honk sounds, adding graffiti, modifying the headlights.

"Because vehicles spawn dynamically, both in terms of type and location, we’ve assigned specific mounted weapons to specific vehicle types."

Aside from the story itself, will Toxic Commando feature any other form of player progression?

Yes, Toxic Commando features player progression beyond the story itself. If you’re familiar with Space Marine 2, you’ll recognize many of the core progression philosophies we have in Toxic Commando. The game includes class-based progression tied directly to the classes you choose to play. The more you use a specific class, the more you advance it, unlocking improvements and strengthening that role over time. This progression carries outside of individual sessions, so even after a mission ends, you continue building your long-term class.

In addition to class progression, there’s also weapon progression and upgrades. As you play, you earn resources that can be spent on improving weapons and items, allowing you to tailor your loadout to your preferred playstyle. We wanted players to feel rewarded for time invested, while also giving them meaningful choices about how they evolve their characters. The result is a system that supports replayability, encourages experimenting with different classes, and reinforces that sense of growing stronger the more you play.

How can you describe the overall flow of a mission in Toxic Commando? Will it be more free-form, or a more linear experience where we’re basically running from point A to B?

Each mission in Toxic Commando is built around a clear overall objective, but how you get there is much more flexible. We didn’t want it to feel like a straight line from point A to point B. Instead, missions are structured to encourage exploration and player choice. Along the way, there are side objectives that can be completed in different orders, and finishing them provides valuable in-session rewards that can make the final encounter more manageable. Players can approach both side objectives and the main objective in different ways depending on how they want to play, available vehicles, and how many resources you think you may need for the final objective.

We also introduce a layer of unpredictability by randomly shifting certain objective locations, which helps make repeat playthroughs feel different. If a squad wants to, they can rush directly toward the primary objective, but in our experience the most fun comes from searching the world, hunting for side objectives, discovering rewards, securing better positioning, and really engaging with the environment. That blend of structured goals and free-form decision-making gives each mission its own feel while still supporting replayability and team-based strategies.

"We also introduce a layer of unpredictability by randomly shifting certain objective locations, which helps make repeat playthroughs feel different."

On PS5, PS5 Pro, and Xbox Series X, what performance targets are you aiming for in terms of resolution and frame rate? Are there multiple graphics modes planned?

On Xbox Series X, we’re targeting 2160p at 30fps in Quality mode and 2160p at 45fps in Performance mode. On PS5, we’re aiming for 2160p at 30fps in Quality mode and 1440p at 45fps in Performance mode. PS5 Pro targets 2160p at 30fps in Quality mode and 2160p at 45fps in Performance mode. We currently have two graphics modes planned — Quality and Performance — across both platforms.

Xbox Series S continues to be an important part of the ecosystem. What were the biggest technical challenges in scaling the game for Series S, and how did the team approach optimization?

The Xbox Series S is an important platform for Saber, and we fully support it. We’ve already put our proprietary Swarm Engine on the platform in previous titles, so going into Toxic Commando we had valuable experience in understanding how to scale large-scale battles and complex systems to run smoothly within its hardware profile. Our goal was never to compromise the core experience that defines the game, but to ensure that it performs consistently and feels great to play. We’re proud of how Toxic Commando runs across all platforms, including Series S, and we feel confident that players on every system will experience the intensity and scale that make the game special.

How are you leveraging features like the PS5’s SSD and DualSense, or Xbox’s Velocity Architecture, to enhance immersion and loading performance?

At this stage, we haven’t implemented any platform-specific features such as DualSense haptics, adaptive triggers, or Xbox Velocity Architecture.

With next-gen hardware allowing for larger worlds and more systemic complexity, was a version for Switch 2 ever considered? If not, was that primarily due to technical limitations, scope considerations, or platform strategy?

We have not ruled out the Switch 2, we will continue to assess the platform, and make a determination at a later date. We have a great track record with the Switch and we look forward to developing as much as we can on the Switch 2.

"There’s a strong emphasis on cross-class synergy in Toxic Commando."

With four distinct classes, how much ‘cross-class’ synergy is there? Are there specific ability combos that only a full 4-player squad can pull off?

There’s a strong emphasis on cross-class synergy in Toxic Commando. While each of the four classes is viable on its own and can contribute meaningfully in any squad, the system really shines when players coordinate their abilities. We intentionally designed class skills to complement one another. For example, crowd control abilities can set up high-damage plays, defensive tools can create safe zones for objective work, and support mechanics can extend survivability during overwhelming swarms. The goal is to reward coordination and communication without punishing experimentation. When a full squad syncs up and pulls off a coordinated chain of abilities during a chaotic battle, that’s when the system really shines.

Is the player progression (unlocks/upgrades) tied to the individual character, or is there a ‘Meta-Progression’ that benefits the whole squad?

Progression in Toxic Commando is player-based. Your class advancement, unlocks, and weapon upgrades are tied to your individual profile and carry across sessions, so the more you invest in a specific class or loadout, the stronger that character becomes over time. That long-term growth is personal and reflects how you choose to play.

That said, once you’re inside a mission, there are shared elements that encourage squad cooperation. Certain in-session resources, like spare parts can be used to build turrets and defensive structures, that everyone can use. There’s also a resource called “sludgite” that is shared across the group, so it doesn’t matter who picks it up. So while the overarching progression is individual, the moment-to-moment survival and tactical advantages inside a mission are very much a collective effort.

In SnowRunner, getting stuck is the game. In Toxic Commando, if a vehicle gets stuck in the mud during a multiplayer session, how does that shift the team’s priorities? Does it turn into a ‘horde defense’ moment while one player handles the recovery?

You’ve got to get out and push! I’m joking. But the mud can definitely become a problem if you’re not careful. While Toxic Commando isn’t built as a pure vehicle simulation, terrain still matters, and getting bogged down at the wrong moment can be a problem.

Luckily, your main truck is equipped with a winch that can pull you out of sticky situations. Other vehicles aren’t always as forgiving, and if you can’t get your way out quickly, teammates may need to jump out and defend while the driver works to free the vehicle. And in worst-case scenarios, the squad might have to abandon the vehicle altogether and push forward on foot.

But we’re happy to say that things have changed since then, and Toxic Commando is a title that takes the tried and tested co-op shooter formula and makes it so interesting that it could very well be quite hard to put down. Zombie hordes are coming at you, brought to life by the very same engine that made the Tyranids such a terrifying threat in Space Marine 2. The vehicles, and how you use them in the field, are crucial to the success of your missions. Your squadmates are a bickering bunch, their banter often relieving the tension while keeping you invested in their safety.

However, Toxic Commando’s vibe goes beyond its gameplay elements and how well they work together. It lands because it’s presented so well, the chaos that’s baked into its very DNA being framed by its premise and the agency it gives to its players. And it all comes together into an experience that can have you putting down your controller after a particularly intense run, wondering what the hell just happened.

How does the game achieve that balance between its many elements, though? That’s what we’re here for. Let’s dive in!

A Premise That Facilitates Chaotic Gameplay

Let’s begin with what we know of the story. You’re one among a bunch of misfits whose skills with their weapons far outweigh their social ones, forced to work together in the face of a challenge. The zombie hordes were once your fellow citizens of Earth, and you and your team must now mow them down as the planet’s last line of defence.

But there are a ton of zombies to take out, and the rules of conventional warfare have been tossed out the window. What’s left is a battlefield in which you’re allowed to get as inventive as you please when dealing with the threats around you. Your opponents have the numbers, but with the entire battlefield as a stage upon which you practice the art of killing, using it to your advantage is all but necessary.

It’s a premise with a lot of promise to bring some spectacular action set-pieces to the table, Saber’s Swarm Engine being more than capable of rising to the occasion. But more than that, it’s the perfect narrative frame for a gameplay loop that thrives when its players begin to push the boundaries of what they can do when they’re out on missions. That’s also reflected in how the player classes and their respective abilities are built to work together, but can manage quite well on their own in the hands of skilled players. Your team could choose a balance between the two, tackling a few objectives solo and meeting back up to take on a bigger challenge.

The context of what you’re doing becomes as important as what you do on your missions in Toxic Commando, making it quite immersive as a result. Of course, there are the missions themselves.

Maps Made For Mayhem

Everything we’ve seen of the game so far points to mission structures and level designs that work well together to support unpredictability. It’s a facet of the experience that underlines every moment of its gameplay loop, being deliberately baked into the game’s design as a pillar that props it up.

Many shooters give you ways to take on multiple enemies, but what happens when those enemies just swarm you with eye-watering numbers, overwhelming you with ferocity and relentless aggression? Well, Toxic Commando has you finding new ways to answer that question, with even simple objectives often transforming into full-blown encounters against zombie hordes that don’t stop coming.

Believe us when we tell you that the sheer panic you’re going to feel when you stand your ground and aim down the sights of your barrel at an oncoming wave of zombies is real, and is going to mess with your aim. The game forces you to make errors and then regain that lost momentum by switching up your approach. Even early missions in this one are built on that principle, incorporating an almost constant need to think on the move and execute any plans with precision.

For instance, an act as simple as waiting for an elevator in one of the early missions quickly becomes a firefight against a zombie horde in which your only objective is to survive until you’re able to make your escape. Knowing what we knew about the world’s state from a narrative standpoint, along with how the game’s soundtrack dynamically paints the unfolding tension, made that fight feel far longer than the thirty or forty seconds it took for the elevator to get to us. And it took far longer for our nerves to settle back down.

However, moments of calm are few and far between in Toxic Commando, and we think most of you are going to be quite glad to be playing it with your friends. The way its missions are structured, along with how its level design supports fighting off zombie hordes without making things unfairly tilted towards either side, feels so engaging that it’s quite hard to stop playing it.

You keep expecting something to go wrong, and the world takes Murphy’s Law quite seriously. It’s often when you feel like there’s a moment of respite to be had that disaster strikes you and your squad, forcing you to fight back and snatch every possible advantage to guarantee your survival.

Controlling Chaos In The Field

At its core, Toxic Commando isn’t just making you fight to control space on the battlefield. It makes you try and control the ebb and flow of battle, turning even dire situations to your benefit in the midst of some frenetic gunplay.

You might load into a mission with a clear game plan, your team feeling ready to take on whatever challenges are lying in wait. Your plans are going to be thrown to the wolves sooner than you’d care to admit, and so often that you’re going to ponder about saving some time and just winging it once you spawn in.

And that’s precisely where Toxic Commando truly shines. You’re required to be ready to discard your strategy at the first sign of trouble, and then use anything and everything you find along the way to ensure you’re getting to where you’re going. Your squad is a bunch of misfits, each of them meant to be a loose cannon who is prone to acting on impulse rather than as part of a coordinated unit.

Chaos isn’t just an element of the battlefield, but is also an inherent part of the agency that the game offers its players. It’s a potent weapon that you’re going to learn to wield with confidence to ensure that you survive every ordeal you’re put through over the course of the game. It’s a sort of push-pull momentum, a perpetual tug-of-war that you’re playing with the game’s systems that lends a very unique and restless energy to the gameplay on offer.

You’re painted as the underdogs right from the get-go, a fact made painfully clear when you see a zombie horde coming at you with unerring focus. But the game also gives you everything you need to fight back and try to win each battle you’re in on your own terms. You’re just going to have to coordinate with your squad, working together and being ready to lean on each other when your plans go awry.

You’re given fancy rides and lots of guns. But victory in Toxic Commando isn’t just about shooting as many bullets as you can into an oncoming horde of zombies, or running over groups of them with your giant wheels. It’s about how you use those bullets and wheels to maximize their destructive potential that makes the game so enjoyable.

Is This The Next Awesome Shooter?

We certainly hope so. It’s got so much potential to be a lot of fun, and could stay that way for a while if Saber manages to keep you coming back for more. But with a lot to do already on the table when the game releases, the developers could sit back and listen for feedback on the release build.

That feedback’s looking reasonably good for the playable demo, and there’s no reason to see why things may change when the full game makes its way into its players’ hands. But at this moment, Toxic Commando is looking like a solid FPS title that can stand out in a crowded space thanks to how it has been built around mayhem.

That makes for some tense situations and tight gameplay, a potent combination that’s made even better by some excellent narrative framing and characters whose disagreements often result in some much-needed comic relief. It could very well turn out too good to be true, but we’re thinking that this one is going to grab its fair share of fans who’d swear by its unique brand of action.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

Crimson Desert

The big one, with arguably the most hype, is Crimson Desert. It’s been a long journey towards release, and no matter how many interviews or videos we see, it has something new to reveal every time. Can it meet all the hype? Maybe. Maybe not. One thing that’s for sure is we’re looking forward to scouring Pywel for secrets, learning the ins and outs of each character’s fighting style, and wreaking havoc with our favorite mech/dragon/bear mount when it launches on March 19th.

Pokémon Pokopia

A Ditto imitating a human deciding to open a farm and bring on other Pokémon to help from the team behind Dynasty Warriors – sounds about right. Far be it from Pokémon Pokopia, out on March 5th, to just be Nintendo’s take on “Palworld” but with a 20 to 40 hour story, post-game content and even four-player co-op, there should be just enough to hold you over until the next generation arrives.

Marathon

Even as a Destiny player who’s been disappointed by many Bungie decisions over the years, I have to admit – Marathon doesn’t look half-bad. Maybe it’s because the six Runner Shells actually have compelling kits, or due to the quality of life features, or the killer presentation – from that sick match loading screen to the extraction. Either way, Marathon should have some impact when it launches on March 5th – whether Bungie can keep that going is another issue.

Planet of Lana 2: Children of the Leaf

Following up on the original’s gorgeous hand-painted aesthetic and environmental storytelling, Children of the Leaf promises to be even bigger and more mysterious. Which is all well and good, but it’s also packing plenty of new mechanics, including expanded traversal options. If it can mirror the original’s cinematic excellence, Planet of Lana 2 could very well be a dark horse when it arrives on March 5th.

Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly Remake

If Fatal Frame proves anything, it’s that the camera is sometimes mightier than the gun and also sometimes just as ineffective against angry spirits if you can’t aim right. Fortunately, Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly Remake has a lot more going for it – including a new over-the-shoulder perspective, gorgeous overhauled visuals, and new features like holding hands – perfect for trying to survive the night. It’s out on March 12th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2, and even includes a new ending over the original.

John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando

There’s something about the cheesy, 80s action movie-esque mayhem that Saber brings to the table in John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando. Maybe it’s also about seeing the Swarm Engine applied to zombies, ensuring plenty of massive hordes that you don’t know whether to shoot or gawk at (the former. Always the former). After the surprisingly fun demo, we’re keen to go commando even more when the full game launches on March 12th.

Docked

Of course, Saber Interactive doesn’t just want to cater to your urge for co-op chaos. No, it also knows there’s an audience for operating big machinery and solving real-world problems, like in Docked. As the lead operator of a dock wrecked by a hurricane, it’s your job to keep the cargo moving, managing and operating heavy equipment, bringing in contracts, and building it back up. It’s out on March 5th for just $29.99 on Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC.

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection

Maybe you’re interested in the antics of Azuria and Vermeil, two kingdoms at odds while the Crystal Encroachment wreaks havoc. But if you’re just here for the monsters, Monster Hunter Stories 3, launching on March 13th, has plenty to throw at you. From old-school classics like Yama Tsukami to the contemporary, Malzeno, Narwa, Ibushi and Arkveld, there is a lot to choose from. And best of all, you can obtain variants with Habitat Restoration, including a fiery Zinogre.

Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War!

Speaking of surprisingly fun demos, Starship Troopers may very well be back courtesy of Auroch Digital’s raucous new first-person shooter, which launches on March 16th. No building or resource collection here – it’s a straight-up, Boltgun-style retro shooter where you slay many, many bugs. Does it feel a little Helldivers-esque at times, especially with the drop pods? Well, sure, but full circle and whatnot, and how can you possibly say no to Johnny Rico himself?

GreedFall: The Dying World

The other game to drop the “2”, that too before Overwatch, is GreedFall: The Dying World. Furthermore, it’s out on March 12th, finally exiting early access after an…ambitious entry on September 24th. But there’s new content, improved combat, more companions, additional quests, and even more to come, including a PS5 and Xbox Series X/S release. Maybe it can finally redeem the GreedFall name, such as it is.

Screamer

I’ll admit to some consternation, especially after JDM: Japanese Drift Master tried to fuse manga and street racing, but Screamer is clearly on another level. Boasting anime cutscenes, multiple playable characters, and the ECHO for power-ups like Strikes and Boosts, it’s a surprisingly intriguing mix. The futuristic setting and team racing modes, where your crew can take on others, are just the icing on top when Screamer launches on March 26th.

WWE 2K26

WWE Creative being dull and CM Punk headlining a new video game – name a more iconic duo. Thankfully, the latter means a new 2K Showcase focused on his best matches and some fantasy warfare against Legends that could have been. Other notable features include the return of Inferno, I Quit and 3 Stages of Hell matches, the ability to stack tables, and over 400 characters, perhaps the largest in history (and that’s not including DLC following the post-March 13th release).

Scott Pilgrim EX

Toronto’s time-space has been messed up, with fantastical threats like Robots and Vegans laying claim to the city. Who better to fight back, other than literally anyone else, than Scott Pilgrim and friends? Following up on Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, this is a new beat ’em up from Tribute Games with seven playable fighters, four-player local and online co-op (with drop-in/drop-out supported) and a progression system centered around Badges. If you enjoyed Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game, then EX may be up your alley when it launches on March 3rd.

Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection

Following up on the well-received Battle Network Legacy Collection, Mega Man Star Force gets its own compilation on March 27th with all three titles and their versions. And considering the dozens of hours you can invest in each, complete with a new gallery and online play for battling, it may be just what the Doctor (not Wily) ordered.

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach (PC)

One of the least surprising announcements of all time – thanks ESRB and Kojima – Death Stranding 2: On the Beach nevertheless promises to be the most stunning version when it releases on March 19th. It includes Ultrawide support, upscaling and Frame Generation across DLSS 4, FSR 3 and XeSS 2.0, and even lets you enable Decima’s own Pico upscaling tech. Combine this with hardware requirements that are more than achievable – just maybe buy a new SSD – and it may very well warrant another playthrough.

A Zombie Horde Shooter in the Spirit of Left 4 Dead

John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando is, at its core, a cooperative zombie horde shooter in the lineage of genre touchstones Left 4 Dead and Back 4 Blood. Built around relentless swarms and frantic firefights, success hinges on teamwork and coordinated crowd control rather than lone wolf heroics. While, on paper, Toxic Commando seems a rehash of established formulas, its focus on scale and replayability – alongside a few aces in the hole – give it a unique spin.

Swarm Tech Powers Hundreds of On-Screen Enemies

Developer Saber Interactive are leveraging the same Swarm Engine technology they deployed to great effect in 2024’s Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, enabling large-scale battles flooded with hundreds of enemies. Notably, the technology has historically balanced the spectacle of swarming hordes with stable performance, suggesting Toxic Commando should maintain smooth gameplay even when undead chaos rules the screen.

Built for Four-Player Co-Op With AI Support for Soloists

The game is built for four-player online co-operative play via matchmaking or private lobbies, with AI teammates ensuring solo players can still experience the campaign by stepping in when squads aren’t full. If you’re planning on tackling the hordes alone, be warned; the game’s latest overview trailer advises you’ll be swiftly overwhelmed. Full crossplay is confirmed at launch, making it easy to rally a team regardless of preferred platforms.

John Carpenter Lends Creative and Musical Input

You might be wondering what hand the legendary filmmaker has in the game, save for lending his name. Well, he’s contributing creative input, offering guidance, feedback, and story direction, while also shaping the soundtrack with his signature synth-driven atmosphere. In other words: his DNA is imprinted throughout. Escape from New York is an obvious touchstone – both visually and sonically – but The Thing’s twisted horror and Big Trouble in Little China’s pulpy humour also give Toxic Commando its distinct tonal identity.

Four Playable Classes

As you’d expect of a co-operative shooter, your squad will be composed of distinct archetypes. In Toxic Commando, there are four classes: Strike, the damage-focused aggressor, the unstoppable brickwall Defender; the Medic, whose job is to keep everyone alive, and the Operator, a tech-adept support class. Each skillset and ability is designed to synergise, although all four can plunge into the toxic wastelands as a Strike; there’s nothing stopping you.

Each Class Offers Unique Progression Paths

Each of the four classes will feature their own upgrade path via dedicated skill trees, providing further opportunity for differentiation. What’s more, there are over thirty possible customisations to explore per archetype, with weapon specialisations rounding out the options. These systems go way beyond cosmetic identity, ensuring unique, potentially surprising synergies can emerge simply by expanding your chosen class’s abilities.

Weapon Upgrades are Extensive

Beyond earning Skill Points to level up your chosen character, Toxic Commando also ships with an extensive suite of weapon upgrades. Upgradable specs include the weapon’s accuracy, its range, handling, damage dealt, fire rate, penetration, magazine capacity, reload speed, and mobility. And that’s not all. Attachments can be augmented too; sights, barrels, magazines, grips, and so on, for each gun. There’s more: paint jobs and cosmetic charms mean you can match the look of a gun to your vision. All in all, with sixteen weapon types – from standard machine guns to secondary pistols, melee weapons, and mission-specific heavy ballistics – there must be hundreds, if not thousands, of weapon permutations on offer. The only caveat: weapon upgrades come at a cost of in-game currency – more on this later.

Vehicles are as Critical to Success as Guns

If you’ve seen anything so far of John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando, you’ll know already that traversal and combat isn’t limited to hoofing the swamps on-foot. Vehicles will play a significant role in every mission, and they’re arguably one of this horde shooter’s defining features. Get behind the wheel of sedans, pick-up trucks, or ambulances, turret-mounted humvees, heavily armoured HGVs, and more. Each ride has its perks – and can be customised with detritus littered across the map – although, surely, capability to negotiate the roughest terrain has to be up there as the most crucial prerequisite.

Hostile Terrain is its Own Challenge

If Space Marine 2 influence Toxic Commando’s combat, then Saber’s other ventures – unyielding off-road sims SnowRunner and MudRunner – lend their design sensibilities to vehicle traversal. You’ll have noticed the sludge – the game’s dripping with gloopy stuff – and if you’re motoring a run-of-the-mill vehicle you’ll need to steer carefully else you’ll get stuck. That said, careful driving isn’t in the zombie apocalypse playbook, so more often than not your team will need to work together to fish your stricken vehicle out of the slurry before the hordes descend.

Missions are Packed with Extra Objectives and Distractions

The game’s semi-open maps don’t operate with simple point-to-point objectives. No, throughout you’ll encounter countless side tasks, emergent distractions, and layered mission structures to encourage exploration and keep you from sprinting to the finish line. Giant tentacles must be blasted into mulch, environmental equipment needs repairing, hidden stashes are primed for looting; the objectives your team decides to take on are variable and dynamic, balancing risk with reward. Sure, you could gun it for the main objective, but will your squad have the resources to survive once you get there?

Nine Launch Maps With Free Post-Launch Content Planned

At release, Toxic Commando will feature nine maps; each massive, and each with unique missions and challenges. Although a full roadmap hasn’t been detailed, publisher Focus Entertainment has confirmed free post-launch additions including new missions, enemy types, weapons, and vehicles, suggesting, perhaps, that foundations are laid to continually evolve the game’s co-operative eco-system from day one.

Grind Concerns

Certain hands-on previews and playtests have suggested a potential heavy grind in early builds, particularly around weapon progression where upgrades, attachments, cosmetics, and even the gun itself, need to be financed by in-game currency. While this remains speculative until balance is finalised, with three versions of Sludgite – the game’s crystalline resource, scattered throughout with value tiered by difficulty – plus parts and scrap to collect, the road to tailoring your character and weapons looks as bumpy as each map’s slime-ridden tracks.

Release Date, Platforms, and Price — and a Steam Demo

John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando is released unto the world on March 12th, and will be playable on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. And, speaking of Steam, there’ll be an early chance to get your hands dirty thanks to a free dem.. As for price, the game’s Standard Edition retails for £34.99 / $39.99, with the enhanced “Blood Edition” available for £43.99 / $49.99.

Two Editions and Pre-Order Bonuses

Toxic Commando Standard Edition includes the base game, while the deluxe “Blood Edition” includes access to two future paid DLCs and a golden weapon skin and charm pack. Pre-ordering either edition nets you Leon’s Secret Stash, with exclusive weapon and character skins hidden inside.

PC Requirements

For the John Carpenter’s John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando demo on PC (and likely a decent baseline for the full release), the game targets 1080p at two clear tiers. On the low end, it’s aiming for around 30 FPS on Low settings with a Ryzen 5 1500X/Core i5-8400, 16 GB RAM, and an RX 580/GTX 1070-class GPU with 8 GB VRAM. For a smoother experience, the recommended tier shoots for roughly 60 FPS at 1080p on Ultra, pairing a Ryzen 5 5600X/Core i5-11600K with a stronger RX 6800 XT or RTX 3060 Ti, while still sticking to 16 GB RAM and 8 GB VRAM. In both cases, you’ll want about 58 GB of space and an SSD is required.

You get to bring your buddies along on a couple of missions that are designed to show you the ropes and get you accustomed to the game’s unique brand of chaos. It’s fully co-op (though bots are available), and you’re getting a taste of the zombie hordes that the Sludge God has unleashed upon the Earth. The demo’s a great chance to find your groove and figure out a working strategy with your fellow comrades before the game launches on March 12, 2026.

If you haven’t been keeping tabs on this one, Toxic Commando is a co-op FPS title that promises a unique blend of chaotic action and precise gunplay interspersed with vehicular combat and underlined by creativity and controlled chaos. If that sounds like fun to you, you’re probably going to want to make the most of the demo’s limited window of opportunity. Check out the game’s official Steam page for more details on what to expect.

Although many PC players are quite happy with the chance to try the game out for themselves, the lack of a demo on consoles is turning out to be a bit of a sore spot for the title. You can see the tweet and the comments for yourself below.

John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando launches on March 12th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC.

https://x.com/JCToxicCommando/status/2024426333527322689

That includes the mission structure, player classes, characters, weapons, vehicles, and more. It’s every bit as crazy as we expected it to be, and this one might be a good reason to bring your buddies together for a few hours of mayhem.

Set in a world where horrifying, vicious zombies form the controlling majority of its landscape, you take control of one of four mercenaries tasked with ending their threat. You’re given a fleet of cool vehicles and an extensive arsenal of weapons to do so, along with the complete freedom to assemble your team in any way you like and join your pals in battle on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

Saber’s proprietary Swarm technology is on full display here and provides a great follow-up to the release date announcement trailer that made waves last year. You’re going to want to hold off on any thoughts about trying this one out solo, however, as that’s a sure-fire way to have your brains unceremoniously eaten. A free demo will be available from February 19th to March 2nd, so it’s the perfect time to go hands-on before launch.

With horror legend John Carpenter also involved in the game’s writing, Toxic Commando pits you and three other players against hordes of zombies that are out to get you in the wake of a failed experiment that has the scientists who created it scrambling to contain its adverse effects. It’s a simple premise that sets up the gameplay loop well, and the game brings a lot of potential to the table.

With the title garnering many positive impressions at Gamescom 2025, the new game makes solid use of Saber’s proprietary Swarm engine that has delivered solid results in titles like World War Z and Space Marine 2, Toxic Commando is definitely a title to look out for when it releases in March 12, 2026.

The trailer featured a mix of gameplay and cutscene footage, and put quite a bit of emphasis on the immense level of firepower that players will have access to. Much like its announcement trailer, the new trailer also doesn’t take itself too seriously, instead focusing on making sure players have a good time as they mow down hordes of enemies.

Some co-op gameplay mechanics showcased in the trailer included the ability for team mates to use different vehicles, and even help each other out when a car gets stuck in a ditch. The trailer lines up quite well with the reports we had seen about the co-op shooter from back in July.

John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando is coming to PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, and is slated for release in early 2026.