The Evolution of Killing Floor
Every game has a backstory, and with Killing Floor, it is a tale that tugs at your heartstrings as you come to realize that this game is a labor of true love and dedication. Let’s step back into the past:
The Beginnings - Killing Floor Mod - 2005
Many Killing Floor players do not know that there was a mod version before Killing Floor 1. But there was. And for you to understand how the entire franchise came to be, you have to start from the very beginning.
Alex Quick and his team first came up with the Killing Floor mod for Unreal Tournament 2004, which was designed to give players the ultimate survival horror experience. The idea here was to be different. While many other mods were keen on realism or military themes, which were all the rage at the time, Alex and his team wanted to create a cooperative game that focused on disaster relief in the face of mutated specimens in the modern world. The specimens in this case were zeds, which were the result of a failed experiment by Horzine Biotech, and they varied in terms of size, abilities, and aggression.
Given this concept, the game borrowed a leaf from the Invasion game mode but lacked the sci-fi elements in this game, opting instead to focus more on the horrific aesthetic. The end result was so realistic that it inspired claustrophobia in many of its players and fans, which was why it had such a big pull in the first place.
The Setup
While the game setup was simple, the gameplay was not. In each game, players of up to 6 per team would be dropped onto a map where their only goal was to survive the successive waves of zeds heading their way. Each wave of zeds was more brutal than the previous one, and players had to work together to protect themselves from these creatures. In between the waves, they got chances to buy ammo, armor, and weapons so that they could make it through the next wave. One of the best aspects of this mod was the Welder, which allowed players to seal doors and create safe zones from the zeds, but these were not completely impenetrable.
The Uniqueness of the Game
Players loved the mod from the first time they loved it. To start with, the weapons felt much heavier and realistic than the floating physics that were characteristic of most games in this era. Take the recoil, for example. It was so high that it felt like one had fired a gun - even the player would move back a little. Secondly, the aims were much more accurate than those of other shooter games that relied on crosshairs. And finally, the ‘bullet time’ mechanic actually slowed down time, which allowed players to prepare their shots and stances while the zeds were still stuck in time.
The Reception
You would think that the fact that the game was notoriously hard would turn people against it. However, the opposite happened. People loved how unpredictable and strong the zeds were, and they also appreciated that they had to work with others to win. Another thing you would have thought would be a detractor would be how hard it was to get ammo since it was costly and scarce. But again, players loved the challenge and had no problem searching the map for weapons so as to save money.
Even so, players had some recommendations. The medic was a special concern at first because players had to be still to receive healing, which was hard to achieve, what with a raging battle. They also did not like the concept of running in circles because the zeds were fast, and they asked for better camping spots, which would allow them to prepare for attacks. And while they did not mind scavenging for ammo, they wanted more weapons.
The Changes
Thanks to recommendations from players, this mod, like the actual game series, as we will see, went through a number of changes over the years. The 2006 version was credited for adding zeds like crawlers and sirens, while the 2008 version introduced the perks system that is still in use today. What’s more, as the years progressed, the game moved away from the story modes and invested heavily in the survival modes because they were much more challenging and enjoyable for the players.
The Release of Killing Floor 1 (KF1) - 2009
Seeing the success of the Killing Floor mod, Tripwire Interactive decided to transform this project into a co-op shooter game, paving the way for the KF franchise as we know it. So, what changed?
The Setup
The storyline remained the same, such that the zeds were the products of a botched biotech experiment, and players were survivors who had to eliminate these creatures. However, Tripwire knew that releasing KF to the masses required a great deal of changes to make it accessible to players at all levels. As such, they changed the game design to some extent.
For one, they introduced the perk system. Unlike other shooter games in this period, KF1 allowed players to level up within the system and hold onto their progress as long as they kept performing tasks that would make them better. Players could track this through the HUD in real time, which motivated them to work for the higher levels with more abilities.
Another key change was the polishing of the game mechanics to account for feedback that Tripwire had seen in the mod. For instance, since many people had trouble using the syringe for healing, this was overhauled for simplicity. The same was seen in other mechanics, such as the welder, thus ensuring that the game was accessible to players at all levels.
Also, this game mode introduced a final wave where players would fight against The Patriarch, who could not only turn invisible but also had the special ability to heal. They had their work cut out for them, and as was typical for KF players, the challenge was welcome.
The Reception
Killing Floor 1 held on to many of the features that players had come to love, such as the lack of crosshairs, the kickback from the weapons, and the slow-motion. Thanks to staying true to these aspects while making practical changes like perk progression, players had a lot of positive feedback. Some of them praised the progression system, others loved the variation in difficulty levels, and others liked the voice acting that gave this game its personality.
But there were some criticisms. Newer players felt that the early levels were too hard and asked for a change that allowed them to match their games to their perk levels. At the same time, some players felt that some weapons, such as the Sharpshooter’s Crossbow, were too powerful, while others recommended the addition of a new zed that would force them out of camping spots. All these recommendations led to discussions among players as well as some changes in subsequent releases.
The Modernization of Killing Floor - K2 - 2016
KF1 had an Indie feel, which tied to its mod beginnings. But a few years down the road, Tripwire saw it fit to modernize the game by making some ambitious changes.
The Setup
Unlike the previous game, which had been set in London, this new version transported players to Continental Europe. They went from escaping the zeds in the dark streets of Britain to fighting for their lives in between high-tech labs with the backdrop of modern cityscapes. Just like players had done in the past, they worked in groups of up to 6 and fought hard to defeat the zeds.
What Changed and What Was the Reception?
Tripwire managed not to veer too far from the original KF themes. But with their ambitious plan to modernize the entire game, they made a few tweaks that had players talking.
To start with, while the early access game only had 4 perks, these had increased to 10 by the time of the game’s full release. That meant that players no longer had to choose between 4 roles. What’s more, they now had a rotation of bosses, which made the waves much more exciting as they never knew who they would face in the end.
The addition of the massive evisceration and trauma system was especially huge. With 22 points of dismemberment, there was so much that players could do with this system that fighting off the zeds felt like a walk in the park. Plus, they enjoyed the feedback on their shots.
It also helped that this version of the game was a bit more horrific than the previous ones. Whereas blood had often disappeared from the map, now it stayed on. So, if a fight went down in a lab, then the blood would be visible long after the zeds had died. To make things more interesting, Tripwire invested a lot in high-quality graphics and sounds that made these bloody scenes all the more gory. And while you might think that players took issue with this, they loved it!
Sprinting also became possible, which players argued helped them move faster within the game, unlike with KF1, where they had to pull out knives to move fast. But it’s not just players who were getting better. Zeds, too, could gain new moves as the waves progressed, and some of their new abilities shocked players quite pleasantly.
While most players happily embraced these changes, many of the veterans felt that the game had leaned too much on sci-fi, and they urged Tripwire to go back to the horror roots.
Stepping into the Future - KF 3 - 2025
If you thought that KF2 was modern, KF3 shifted gears by transporting players to the year 2091. And this changed things quite a bit, as you would imagine.
The Setup and Key Changes
Killing Floor 3’s premise was that Horzine had finally succeeded in creating its bio-engineered army after its previous failures. So, this time, the players, who were part of a rebel group, were tasked with taking on this army before it took over the world. As you would expect with a successful bio-engineered army, the zeds were much smarter - even the Husk could use a jetpack!
With the zeds taking on a life of their own, how did Tripwire set the players up for success?
Rather than having players choose perks, the game now required players to choose specialists, each of whom had a different story and skillset. Arsenals also improved by a great deal. Rather than upgrading weapons by tiers, players could now collect schematics to customize their weapons to match specific behaviors. It also helped that every specialist had tools designed for their role, like the syringe bag for the healer, to ensure that they had what it took to keep up with the twists and turns.
Movement was another big change. From climbing to sliding, players were more mobile during combat, unlike previous releases, where they had to hurdle in place to avoid defeat. This change was essential, seeing as the zeds were now making new maneuvers, such as the Siren extending her neck enough to reach players. To add to this, the maps were no longer flat corridors, and players had to make their way through rooftops and multi-floor buildings to stay alive.
The jury is still out on this version, but so far. While some players feel like this new version also leans heavily on sci-fi, many of the reviews have been positive, especially when it comes to the weapon customization, movement fluidity, and high-quality graphics. And the monetization is a nice touch.