John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando - Review - Xbox

John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando is a gloriously messy, loud, and knowingly schlocky co‑op shooter that embraces its B‑movie DNA with absolute confidence. It's a fast, punchy horde‑shooter that feels like a spiritual successor to Left 4 Dead and World War Z, but with its own identity built around vehicles, open‑map mission design, and a campy 80s‑infused narrative about eldritch sludge, doomed mercenaries, and the end of the world.

The setup is pure Carpenter energy: a scientist accidentally unleashes the Sludge God, corrupting the land and turning people into grotesque undead. A squad of mercenaries, the titular Toxic Commandos are hired to clean up the mess, only to be partially infected themselves during the opening mission. Their power suits keep the corruption at bay for seven days, giving the campaign a ticking-clock urgency.

The tone is intentionally cheesy, leaning into 80s action tropes, synth-heavy vibes, and constant quips from the four playable characters. It’s not trying to be The Thing, it’s closer to The Toxic Avenger with guns, sludge, and explosions. The writing is light, but it works because the game knows exactly what it wants to be: loud, silly, and fun.

Combat is the star. Weapons feel weighty and modern, with tight aiming and satisfying feedback as you blast through hordes of sludge-mutated zombies. Each class—Strike, Medic, Operator, Defender, has distinct abilities that matter, especially on higher difficulties. The cooldowns can feel a little long, but the roles are well implemented and encourage teamwork.

Enemy variety leans on familiar archetypes (exploders, grabbers, heavies), but the sheer number of enemies on screen keeps encounters tense and chaotic. Missions often escalate into arena-style holdouts where repairing turrets, electrified panels, or barricades becomes essential. One of the game’s biggest twists is its vehicle system. Missions take place on larger, more open maps where trucks, buggies, and armored rides become essential tools. Vehicles can be repaired, refueled, and upgraded, and some come with mounted guns or team-healing perks. They’re not just transport, they’re part of the strategy, especially when using winches to pull down barriers or extract objectives. The driving feels surprisingly robust, clearly inspired by Saber’s MudRunner and SnowRunner, adding a tactile, muddy chaos to missions.

The campaign is short at just nine missions, but designed for replay across difficulties. Each class has its own skill tree, weapons level up individually, and there’s always something new to unlock. The progression can feel grindy, especially if you’re chasing late-game upgrades, but the core loop is strong enough to keep sessions fun. The new Retrieval update expands the game’s post-launch content with new mission types focused on extraction, recovery, and high-intensity objective runs. It leans into the game’s strengths: chaotic horde encounters, vehicle-heavy navigation, and teamwork-driven objectives. The update also smooths out some progression pacing and adds more replay hooks, making the endgame feel more substantial and giving veteran players new challenges to tackle.

Pros

• Strong, satisfying gunplay with distinct weapon feel

• Fun, chaotic co-op that shines with friends

• Vehicles add a unique twist to the horde-shooter formula

• Great 80s-inspired tone, music, and atmosphere

• Open maps encourage exploration and improvisation

• Retrieval update adds meaningful replay value

Cons

• Campaign is short at nine missions

• Progression can feel grindy

• Enemy types lean heavily on familiar archetypes

• Ability cooldowns can feel too long

• Solo play is less compelling than co-op

Toxic Commando isn’t trying to reinvent the genre, it’s trying to make it fun again. And on Xbox Series X/S, it absolutely succeeds. With punchy combat, great co-op energy, and a wonderfully trashy Carpenter vibe, it’s one of the most enjoyable mid-budget shooters of the year. The Retrieval update strengthens its longevity, and while it’s not the deepest horde shooter, it’s one of the most entertaining.

XPN Rating: 4 out of 5 (GOLD)

Toxic Commando is available now!