By KEVIN HOOVER
Few things in gaming are more fun than mowing down swarms of the undead, and John Carpenter agrees so much that he’s lending his name and talents to the upcoming JOHN CARPENTER’S TOXIC COMMANDO, from Focus Entertainment and Saber Interactive. Recently unveiled during Summer Game Fest, the title seems to lean into the multiplayer zombie-slaying FPS mold cast by 2008’s Left 4 Dead and most recently followed by 2021’s Back 4 Blood, although the trailer does drop hints of vehicular slaughter á la the Dead Rising series.
Carpenter has always been vocal about his love for gaming, and in speaking to tech site WCCFTech about his upcoming project, stated:
“It’s exciting to be collaborating on a new video game with Focus and Saber. Look, I really like shooting zombies. They keep telling me that they’re called ’the infected.’ Please. They’re ghouls, dude. They blow up real good and there are a ton of them. People are going to love this game.”
Tim Willits, Chief Creative Officer at Saber Interactive, went on to add:
“We’re excited to partner with our friends at Focus again and thrilled to collaborate with the legendary John Carpenter on this project. His unique vision, unparalleled expertise in storytelling, and ability to create immersive atmospheres have helped us to elevate this all-new, 80s-inspired experience to the next level. His works have been an inspiration for years and it’s an honor to work alongside him to deliver a truly unforgettable adventure.”
The game’s synopsis reads, “A science experiment to extract power from Earth’s core goes horribly wrong, waking the so-called Sludge God, an entity capable of transforming people into zombies. Players will be able to play solo or cooperatively, choosing from a variety of deadly equipment (such as grenades, katanas, and regular weapons) and special abilities to create the perfect loadout against the undead nightmare.”
Whether the underlying narrative makes for a good story is inconsequential; watching throngs of zombies gristle down at the business end of heavy artillery will likely always crease a smile across the face of even the most seasoned gamers, and with a planned 2024 release date across PC, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, they won’t have to wait much longer.
JOHN CARPENTER’S TOXIC COMMANDO is currently accepting sign-ups for an upcoming Closed Beta.
