Review: Killing Floor Incursion – PS4/PSVR

Shooters were once few and far between on PSVR. Well, good shooters were, at least. These days there’s no shortage of digital shooting galleries and Killing Floor Incursion is the latest to join the PSVR’s library. But is it any good? Does this horror-shooter pack a punch? Will you be left weeping in the corner of the room? No, not really. But you’ll have a ruddy good time nonetheless.
Given that Killing Floor Incursion is a PSVR game, you’re going to need a PSVR headset. You’ll also need a couple of PS Move wand controllers. The PSVR Aim controller is not compatible with Killing Floor Incursion, and your DualShock 4 will be no use to you either. This is a game that lives and dies by the PS Move wands and their implementation. Thankfully it’s pretty good.
Killing Floor Incursion is the third entry in the Killing Floor series, and the first to be released on virtual reality headsets. There’s a bit of a disconnect between Incursion and the previous games, so think of it more as a standalone release rather than a continuing extension of the originals. Heck, it might actually be a full-on sequel, but the story wasn’t that great so I wouldn’t have noticed.

Normally I’m chomping at the bit when it comes to stories in games. Yet I’ve found myself not really caring that much when it comes to PSVR games; I just want to be let loose in whatever world I’m occupying and do my own thing. This is true for Killing Floor Incursion, too, so the disjointed and – let’s be honest – crap storytelling gets a pass. You’re never bogged down with overstretched cut scenes and the story is more or less fed to you while you play through the campaign.
Killing Floor Incursion is a bit of a slow burn if you go the proper route. By that I mean not skipping the tutorial section. I initially did skip it and then instantly regretted it as I had no idea how what I was doing when the Zeds came to eat me. My advice is to got through the tutorial. It’s a little longer than it needs to be, but you’ll be much better equipped for fighting the undead when you know how to change weapons, move, etc, etc,.

Gameplay itself is as simple as go from one point to another, kill some zombies along the way, keep moving, kill more zombies. Maybe you’ll do a mini-puzzle of sorts, maybe you’ll need to collect something, but you’ll always have zombies to kill. And that’s OK. It helps immensely that the controls have been nailed down perfectly. Granted, it does take a bit of getting used to teleporting (yes, no free-movement here in the zombie simulation!) but once you’ve gotten the hang of it, everything else will follow.
Game Info:

• Developer: Tripwire Interactive
• Release Date: May 1st, 2018
• Price: $29.99/£24.99/€29.99

Gunplay is satisfying, albeit a little simple. Enemies aren’t all that difficult to kill, save for the bosses, but it’s super satisfying to teleport in front of a Zed, hold up your pistol sideways like a proper gangsta, and then pop one in the undead’s skull. The disgusting visuals and equally grotesque sound effects make every head-pop a pleasure. I’m sick, I know.

Much like the non-VR Killing Floor games, you’ve got tools at your disposal. You’ve got a torch, a pair of pistols, and you can even collect machetes. The coolest part about this, for me at least, is holstering the mini-swords on your back, then when you’re in a tight spot with little ammo, you can simply reach over your shoulder, grab your zombie slicers and go nuts. There’s the option to throw them, but like in any other PSVR game, throwing is bollocks. It’s inaccurate and I’d prefer if developers just left it out of games until the technology is there.
You’re not confined to just using pistols. There’s a fair variety of weaponry to use in Killing Floor Incursion, and each is better than the last. Shotgunning is – and I’m disgusted with myself for saying this – beautiful. Pumping shell after shell into the head’s of Zeds shouldn’t be so damn nice, but it is! I know I’m repeating myself here, but this is a prime example of sound effects and visuals coming together in VR to really sell the experience of being a badass zombie slayer. So yeah, get yourself a decent pair of headphones and revel in the squelchy goodness.

The campaign is a fairly lengthy affair clocking in at around 7 hours, though that may vary depending on your playstyle. I took a laid back approach as I wanted to explore every nook and cranny of Killing Floor Incursion’s levels. Not because it was a breathtaking visual treat, mind you, but because I’m a nosey git and I like to take my time with games. That’s not to say the game isn’t a decent looker. The visuals are perfectly serviceable, though the tutorial level may give off a bad first impression. In the pristine room with bright lights and sharp edges, imperfections are easy to see, but once you’re let loose and you progress through the game itself, these imperfections blend into the background as the overwhelming chaos sits firmly in the foreground.
Once you’ve done your time in the campaign, it’s not going to be a game left in the digital closet. There’s actually a really decent second mode called Holdout. It’s more in-line with what you’ve probably played in previous Killing Floor games, and you’re able to play with a buddy, too! I haven’t spent that much time in it, but I’ve had enough of a run to know that Holdout is where the meat of this experience will be. Use the campaign to get yourself trained up, and then jump into Holdout with a friend with Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Know on your Spotify. Trust me. It’s good.