I've been playing the Killing Floor 2 beta for a couple of days now. It's a pretty limited version of the full game so it's hard to come away with a defining opinion. I know a lot of people here have expressed interest in the game, so hopefully everyone can get a beta key through that giveaway.
So far, I can safely say that it's more Killing Floor. If you liked the first game, you will like this game. If you didn't then it's hard to see why you would like this version. Having said that, why the hell wouldn't you like the first one??
You can clearly see the difference between the two. The first game was essentially a modification of Unreal Tournament 2004. The server browser and all of the GUI was derivative of that game. Here we have an update, not only in the technology, but also in the sense that it no longer feels like a mod, but a fully realized game. Unreal Engine 3 is a nice step up from Unreal Engine 2 and the level of detail has increased substantially. The GUI and server browser are all snappy, modern, and easy to use.
The gameplay is largely the same, Part of that is due to the fact that the zeds of KF2 are mostly the same as KF. There's one new creature in the beta, but he's not much different than the lowly clot. According to the official site there are to be more added. The boss has some unique tactics, but he's handled similarly to the original Patriarch. I'm hoping to see some unique challenges from the other new bosses they are adding. Some zeds have learned new tricks (climbing rails, for instance), but it will all feel familiar to those that have played the original.
One of the most intriguing tweaks they have made to the game is the leveling system. There are still separate classes (medic, berserker, commando, support, etc), but only those four are in the beta -- more to come in the EA version. You still passively increase your skills and effectiveness by reaching new levels, but there are now 25 levels instead of 6. I reached my first in about 90 minutes, so you can see that the early milestones come a little more quickly than they did in the first game. In addition to passive skill leveling, every few levels you can also choose talents. These have the potential to allow you to customize your abilities a bit, which is nice.
I've spent most of my time playing on just two of the three included maps: Paris and Biotics Lab. Many more will be added. In addition to looking great, each level seems to be a good deal more complex than its predecessors. This is good in that it greatly increases the variety of options you have for retreat, but it also means you'll probably spend a lot less time entrenched in a single spot on the map. It's hard to find a spot that doesn't have at least one disadvantage. And once welded doors have been broken down -- they're gone for good. Another important change is that it's now possible to sabotage yourself a bit by shooting out light sources. You can see how that might put your team at a disadvantage. I hope that isn't a source of future griefing, but the levels they've included so far have plenty of natural light, and you could probably just move if it became a problem.
You've all seen the videos featuring the gore system. It looks good. My favorite part is seeing the levels get increasingly more soaked with blood and gore as the rounds go on.
Like I said, it's really early and there are only hints at what will be included in the final game. It's also difficult to tell how the perk changes and unknown new enemies might change the game at this point. Fans should be happy with the upgrade. If you were put off by the older engine when you played before, then you might enjoy this version more. If you didn't like the game the first time, then you're going to want to wait and see how it looks in a few months before making a decision.
Hopefully I'll see some of you out there.
would you pay that much for a burger? I took my family there ONCE for dinner & the bill was over $70 for 
.
If I have to eat out, I'm a fan of the KFC $5 fill-up. That's a decent deal these days.
