Killing Floor was a game I bought on impulse during one 2012 Halloween sale and played off and on following one particular LP that got me interested in KF, and it only took me a few months ago to get back into the fray.

Let's talk about the gameplay:
* As a F.o.B., I quickly realized that KF does not hold the player's hand, only briefly explaining what one can do during the first wave (you can toggle the hints back on in the settings later) before letting the player ride their bicycle without their training wheels for the rest of the game. One thing I highly suggest any new player do, before any actual game play, is to look at the controls as KF has a control scheme that is similar to yet very different to the more common FPS game on PC. Another thing to take note is that unlike most FPS games, there is no crosshair; the player must accurately adjust their firearms to properly fight off the main threat (dubbed "specimens"), but players do have the ability to aim down their ironsights, so accuracy is not complete guesswork. By killing the specimens, players earn money that they may spend at the trader's shop between waves to buy more guns and ammo, which is a vital thing players must realize if they are to survive the horde. With all of these things, one might feel that their FPS background might translate well into here. Allow me to quickly dismantle that idea now, as most players (myself included) need to unlearn certain habits if they plan to succeed. Lone wolves rarely survive alone without the proper know how of dispatching each threat, and very rarely will standing in one spot without moving a step yield victory. Should one step into the multiplayer (which is where many say is where the real fun is), there is a strong emphasis to work as a team and support one another to reach the end game. Yet another big separation from most FPS games is that there is no PvP bar a community made mod (that does not come with the base game), and the game will spawn more enemies with more health if there are more players on the server, which reinforces the "united we stand or divided we fall" mentality needed to succeed (and if one is not particularly attracted at the notion of playing with others, there is a solo mode to realize one's dreams of being a one person army). The game is challenging enough that even on Normal difficulty, new players will have some struggles making it to the end of the game's waves. And if the players do get to the end and win or if they lose? They must start the next game from scratch and build their way back up to their zeniths (If this idea does not sit well with you, do not buy this game). Fortunately, Tripwire Interactive devised a way to make this less of an uphill battle in its unique Perk system. Unlike many other games, there is a RPG-esque leveling system for Perks, which are the classes of this game, each with its own emphasis in its choice of weaponry and along with them their own strengths and weaknesses. I will say right now that leveling perks after a certain point does become tedious, but the reward for achieving higher ranks allow for that perk's guns to be discounted further and become stronger (some weapons may not apply), which make the climb progressively easier. One thing I found that added to the game's charm is that the added difficulties are just there for players looking for a challenge, one may never have to step out of their comfort zone if they choose not to.

* The gun play is very solid. The guns sound crisp and each have their own distinctive feel, and while some weapons won't necessarily feel or be good at first glance, the game is free enough to allow the player to build their own loadouts to cater to their needs.

* The maps are very varied. One may be playing in a wide open space with nary a spot to hide and relax at for a moment or be bogged down into a chokepoint heavy corridor fest. As of the time of this writing, there are 26 maps that are included in the base game and the maps all look very nice and have their own quirky themes while also fitting with the idea of being specimen hotspots the player(s) must neutralize.

Let's now talk about non-gameplay elements:
* For the most part, one is not going to find an ongoing plot within the game and the characters themselves are just simple avatars with a bit of backstory to explain their involvement in the game. Plot isn't very strong here as it would be in Left 4 Dead or Amnesia, but a plot is a bit unnecessary in a game where it is the player(s) pitted against waves of enemies that stand between the players surviving and dying.

* Voice acting is rather miniscule and lackluster. There is a total of maybe three character voice packs save one exception, but once again, with waves of enemies, I'd figure one would be more preoccupied with trying to stay alive than attempting to act out an entire Shakespearean play within the span of 30 minutes to an hour.

* The enemies - I have to give Tripwire props in this regard, the specimens the player(s) must fight are very distinctive with their own unique abilities and are recognizeable by their silhouette alone in a manner akin to the mercenaries of Team Fortress 2. If one wants any chance to survive, they need to be familiar with each specimen's traits and abilities because as the saying goes, "...knowing is half the battle."

* The community - I have a skewed opinion in this regard, but the community here in KF is one of the nicest and friendliest around. If one has the courage to ask, there usually is an answer for that question and most players are willing to assist their allies should they ask. While this game is far from having no toxicity, most people here are just looking for a good time and those griefers or negativos are few and far between. Do not be too concerned that people are out to forsake others, it rarely occurs.

* The DLC - Every piece of DLC, whether it be the weapon packs or character skins, are COMPLETELY, 100%, unnecessary to win. At best, they just support Tripwire and make the stuff look cool. At worst, one still has a look only shared with people who also bought those packs.

Conclusion: If one is willing to play through the grind and gain the skill and knowledge to survive, Killing Floor is absolutely worth the $20 entry gate. If not, please look elsewhere as this might not be the right fit. As a game that has been around for about 5 years now, the game is pretty frequently discounted every sale or so, so keep an eye out for those sales. If KF is on sale, I absolutely recommend buying the complete bundle if it dips under $20 as it is a steal to buy at even $5 for the base game. But, if you think you are interested in having the DLC and unsure if you are willing to buy it later, I'd still recommend buying the complete pack during a sale as one would get ALL THE SKINS AND WEAPONS for a fraction of the cost than if they were to have bought just the base game at discount and get the DLC after the sale ends.

Killing Floor was a game I bought on impulse during one 2012 Halloween sale and played off and on following one particular LP that got me interested in KF, and it only took me a few months ago to get back into the fray. Let's talk about the gameplay: * As a F.o.B., I quickly realized that KF does not hold the player's hand, only briefly explaining what one can do during the first wave (you can toggle the hints back on in the settings later) before letting the player ride their bicycle without their training wheels for the rest of the game. One thing I highly suggest any new player do, before any actual game play, is to look at the controls as KF has a control scheme that is similar to yet very different to the more common FPS game on PC. Another thing to take note is that unlike most FPS games, there is no crosshair; the player must accurately adjust their firearms to properly fight off the main threat (dubbed "specimens"), but players do have the ability to aim down their ironsights, so accuracy is not complete guesswork. By killing the specimens, players earn money that they may spend at the trader's shop between waves to buy more guns and ammo, which is a vital thing players must realize if they are to survive the horde. With all of these things, one might feel that their FPS background might translate well into here. Allow me to quickly dismantle that idea now, as most players (myself included) need to unlearn certain habits if they plan to succeed. Lone wolves rarely survive alone without the proper know how of dispatching each threat, and very rarely will standing in one spot without moving a step yield victory. Should one step into the multiplayer (which is where many say is where the real fun is), there is a strong emphasis to work as a team and support one another to reach the end game. Yet another big separation from most FPS games is that there is no PvP bar a community made mod (that does not come with the base game), and the game will spawn more enemies with more health if there are more players on the server, which reinforces the "united we stand or divided we fall" mentality needed to succeed (and if one is not particularly attracted at the notion of playing with others, there is a solo mode to realize one's dreams of being a one person army). The game is challenging enough that even on Normal difficulty, new players will have some struggles making it to the end of the game's waves. And if the players do get to the end and win or if they lose? They must start the next game from scratch and build their way back up to their zeniths (If this idea does not sit well with you, do not buy this game). Fortunately, Tripwire Interactive devised a way to make this less of an uphill battle in its unique Perk system. Unlike many other games, there is a RPG-esque leveling system for Perks, which are the classes of this game, each with its own emphasis in its choice of weaponry and along with them their own strengths and weaknesses. I will say right now that leveling perks after a certain point does become tedious, but the reward for achieving higher ranks allow for that perk's guns to be discounted further and become stronger (some weapons may not apply), which make the climb progressively easier. One thing I found that added to the game's charm is that the added difficulties are just there for players looking for a challenge, one may never have to step out of their comfort zone if they choose not to. * The gun play is very solid. The guns sound crisp and each have their own distinctive feel, and while some weapons won't necessarily feel or be good at first glance, the game is free enough to allow the player to build their own loadouts to cater to their needs. * The maps are very varied. One may be playing in a wide open space with nary a spot to hide and relax at for a moment or be bogged down into a chokepoint heavy corridor fest. As of the time of this writing, there are 26 maps that are included in the base game and the maps all look very nice and have their own quirky themes while also fitting with the idea of being specimen hotspots the player(s) must neutralize. Let's now talk about non-gameplay elements: * For the most part, one is not going to find an ongoing plot within the game and the characters themselves are just simple avatars with a bit of backstory to explain their involvement in the game. Plot isn't very strong here as it would be in Left 4 Dead or Amnesia, but a plot is a bit unnecessary in a game where it is the player(s) pitted against waves of enemies that stand between the players surviving and dying. * Voice acting is rather miniscule and lackluster. There is a total of maybe three character voice packs save one exception, but once again, with waves of enemies, I'd figure one would be more preoccupied with trying to stay alive than attempting to act out an entire Shakespearean play within the span of 30 minutes to an hour. * The enemies - I have to give Tripwire props in this regard, the specimens the player(s) must fight are very distinctive with their own unique abilities and are recognizeable by their silhouette alone in a manner akin to the mercenaries of Team Fortress 2. If one wants any chance to survive, they need to be familiar with each specimen's traits and abilities because as the saying goes, "...knowing is half the battle." * The community - I have a skewed opinion in this regard, but the community here in KF is one of the nicest and friendliest around. If one has the courage to ask, there usually is an answer for that question and most players are willing to assist their allies should they ask. While this game is far from having no toxicity, most people here are just looking for a good time and those griefers or negativos are few and far between. Do not be too concerned that people are out to forsake others, it rarely occurs. * The DLC - Every piece of DLC, whether it be the weapon packs or character skins, are COMPLETELY, 100%, unnecessary to win. At best, they just support Tripwire and make the stuff look cool. At worst, one still has a look only shared with people who also bought those packs. Conclusion: If one is willing to play through the grind and gain the skill and knowledge to survive, Killing Floor is absolutely worth the $20 entry gate. If not, please look elsewhere as this might not be the right fit. As a game that has been around for about 5 years now, the game is pretty frequently discounted every sale or so, so keep an eye out for those sales. If KF is on sale, I absolutely recommend buying the complete bundle if it dips under $20 as it is a steal to buy at even $5 for the base game. But, if you think you are interested in having the DLC and unsure if you are willing to buy it later, I'd still recommend buying the complete pack during a sale as one would get ALL THE SKINS AND WEAPONS for a fraction of the cost than if they were to have bought just the base game at discount and get the DLC after the sale ends.