Codename CURE

About

Codename CURE is a single player and multiplayer survival shooter game with horror, warfare, post-apocalyptic and violence themes. It was developed by Raptor Byte and was released on October 31, 2017. It received positive reviews from players.

Codename Cure is a first person, co-operative zombie game running on the Source Engine. With support for up to five players and providing immersive, fast-paced zombie fragging with fully dynamic and objective based missions. As a team of special military operatives utilising a range of powerful weapons and equipment (assault rifles, shotguns, sentry guns, supply chests and more), players are task…

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84%

Audience ScoreBased on 7,536 reviews

gameplay177 positive mentions

stability73 negative mentions

Fun and engaging cooperative zombie shooter with several distinct classes and gameplay modes.
The game is free, runs well on low-end hardware, and supports a large amount of modding and custom content via the Steam Workshop.
Enjoyable and challenging gameplay that provides a nostalgic experience reminiscent of Left 4 Dead and Half-Life 2, especially when played with friends or bots.

Limited variety of maps, game modes, weapons, and enemy types leads to repetitive gameplay over time.
Occasional bugs and technical issues, including zombie spawn mechanics and hitbox inconsistencies, detract from gameplay flow.
Small and declining player base makes finding multiplayer matches difficult, and server/client connectivity can be problematic, including issues with hosting servers or port forwarding.

gameplay
442 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
50%
10%
The gameplay of the game is generally described as a straightforward, fast-paced, cooperative zombie shooter reminiscent of Left 4 Dead, with simple but solid mechanics and class-based teamwork. While many find it fun, enjoyable, and addictive—especially with friends and mods—it is also noted as repetitive, limited in variety, and occasionally buggy or clunky, with underwhelming AI and some balance issues. Despite its dated graphics and lack of depth, the gameplay is praised for being accessible, satisfying, and a good free-to-play alternative that benefits from community mods and cooperative play.
- “It has that nice Xbox 360 graphics feel and the mechanics are easy to understand fast which makes shooting zombies satisfying visually and gameplay-wise.”
- “Gameplay done right with multiple classes to select with their arsenals and tools to go with.”
- “The gameplay is satisfying and brutal, especially in higher difficulty modes.”
- “Maybe back in the day when it was alive or something was more enjoyable but in its current state it is not very fun to play, the mechanics are lacking; also health-based movement speed is an awful idea dredged up from the deepest pit of the underworld.”
- “My last review was a lie, this game is bad, linear gameplay, move to point A to point B, the zombie spawns are terrible, they can literally spawn behind you, the same repetitive song all the damn time, bad classes, weapons deal no damage, and the survival mode is just bad.”
- “The gameplay is very repetitive and boring; the graphics are mediocre and the game feels like it's still in its early development stage.”
graphics
420 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
51%
16%
The game's graphics are widely regarded as outdated and basic, primarily using the Source engine reminiscent of Half-Life 2 and Counter-Strike, resulting in a retro or low-budget feel. While often criticized for being low quality, simplistic, or laggy, many players accept the visuals due to the game's free nature and focus on fun, cooperative gameplay rather than cutting-edge visuals. Overall, the graphics serve functional purposes on low-end systems but leave room for improvement to enhance immersion.
- “It has that nice Xbox 360 graphics feel and the mechanics are easy to understand fast which makes shooting zombies satisfying visually and gameplay-wise.”
- “Great graphics, and the zombies are realistic!”
- “This game is awesome, the graphics might not be 2015, but overall it's a beautiful game.”
- “This is probably from 2011 instead of 2017 from the looks of graphics and game design.”
- “It looks like N64 graphics but in a bad way.”
- “The graphics suck, the physics are terrible, and the zombie spawning/AI is terrible.”
story
225 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
71%
11%
The game lacks a cohesive or deep storyline, with many users noting there is essentially no plot or backstory beyond basic mission objectives like planting a bomb and escaping. Missions are repetitive and simple, focusing on fast-paced, cooperative zombie combat rather than narrative, leaving the story aspect feeling minimal or nonexistent. While some players appreciate the straightforward action and teamwork needed, the consensus is that the game could benefit from more story content and mission variety to enhance engagement.
- “Every match feels thrilling, and the story hooks me right away.”
- “I got inspired, I saw what a simple match could do to an unstable Russian player and a simple Spanish (I think) fella, I joined into their team and promised my friend I would protect the one he always called: "American" at any cost. The round was high, the zombie count was suiting, we were surrounded and knew that this could be the end. Bullets fired nonstop and bodies dropped dead one by one. Soon ammo became an issue. The "American" ran in to grab a box or two and got trapped. My friend rushed in with a battle cry, shooting zombies left and right. When his gun finally released a click instead of a bullet, he pulled the pin and blew himself up with a grenade, clearing a path for "American." We both fought well, yet the situation was dire. I regret the action I took in the face of such evil; I turned around leaving "American" behind. Seconds later, I was clawed down by the horde with a single word released before my end: "Sorry."”
- “The mission structure and premise is good. Each dynamic that each class offers in-game gives the team diversity that allows the group to prevent failure from a variety of situations that may jeopardize the success of the mission.”
- “The game has no story whatsoever, 10 weapons, and only 3 zombie types, but lord, is it addictive.”
- “There isn't really purpose and I couldn't find any trace of a back story.”
- “No story or added elements at all; the combat feels very bland with no sense of fun or accomplishment of killing zombies.”
music
194 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
57%
16%
The game's music receives mixed feedback: some praise the soundtrack as catchy, nostalgic, and fitting, with a few tracks being memorable or "fire," while many criticize the limited variety, repetitiveness, poor fitting to the gameplay, and loud or annoying volume. Custom music mods are often recommended to enhance the audio experience, as the default soundtrack can quickly grow tiresome and detract from immersion.
- “Verily, it is one of the most astonishing free-to-play multiplayer co-op games on Steam as it has that nostalgic theme of the old Source engine, giving you an experience similar to what we have in Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2 with a great soundtrack and nostalgic gameplay.”
- “The atmosphere is great and the soundtrack is amazing, but the animations are very crude (which you can fix with addons).”
- “Hands down the best soundtrack of any game ever made.”
- “There are only 2-3 music soundtracks which get old quickly.”
- “The music is poorly composed, generic, unfitting, and actually makes my ears hurt.”
- “The music doesn't fit at all and absolutely ruins the atmosphere of the game.”
stability
80 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
1%
91%
The game is generally buggy with glitches in AI, controls, enemy spawning, and occasional crashes, though many issues are expected due to its early access status. Despite technical flaws and some awkward mechanics, it runs well on low-end hardware and remains enjoyable, especially in multiplayer. Ongoing developer support and the game's free availability help mitigate stability concerns.
- “Awesome game, very well optimized and runs great with no problems.”
- “No glitches or bugs observed so far, very stable experience.”
- “The game runs great with short loading times, allowing you to jump into a game instantly.”
- “It is very buggy and confusing, truthfully quite a disgrace.”
- “Buggy, broken, and unfunctional.”
- “A very good game, I love it, but there are a few problems: the game is buggy as hell, the zombies are pretty buggy, and the game kinda lacks in content.”
humor
78 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game’s humor is widely praised for its goofy ragdoll physics, funny zombie animations, and hilarious glitches that often create absurd and memorable moments, especially when playing cooperatively with friends. The community’s playful interactions and modding scene add to its comedic appeal, making it a lighthearted, entertaining experience reminiscent of classic source engine games. Overall, humor in the game thrives on its charming silliness, player interactions, and unexpected in-game mishaps.
- “Low barrier of entry for anyone to make and publish funny and/or stupid custom maps with Hammer Editor.”
- “The modding community is great and has produced some amazing maps and good mods that fit into the world of Cure as well as some downright hilarious mods that make the game all the more enjoyable.”
- “(Okay, so funny story. Me and my boys were playing this level where you had to plant a bomb in a sewer system-like place. We got to this part where you had to ride an elevator to escape the sewers. I was running low on ammo and health so I placed the supply crate inside the elevator. Little did I know that when I placed down the crate and stepped on top of it to refill, I fell right through the elevator and crashed to the bottom of the map where I was stuck. Eventually, everyone on my team died except me and they all respawned where I was at the bottom pit where we were stuck until we got killed by the time bomb for not escaping in time. Lol.)”
monetization
37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
24%
68%
The game is praised for having no microtransactions or pay-to-win elements, offering a truly free experience uncommon in the genre. However, forced and frequent ads—especially those that appear on death and can cause lag or disrupt gameplay—are a major point of frustration among players. Many suggest adding an option to toggle ads or improving their integration to enhance the overall experience.
- “This game is free and completely without pay-to-win microtransactions, and has some variety in game modes.”
- “No microtransactions (kind of rare for a free-to-play game these days).”
- “A fun and truly free game without microtransactions.”
- “Also forcing ads in a Source engine game should be considered a hardcore sin.”
- “The addition of ads every time you die gets to be very annoying, as they are very loud and still play in the background if you click the "ok" button.”
- “The ads are delayed and there is no option to toggle them.”
replayability
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
56%
9%
Replayability for the game is generally mixed, with praise for its moddability, workshop support, dynamic level layouts, and varied difficulty that keep gameplay fresh. However, limited map variety, repetitive gun choices, and a small active community reduce longevity, making it less replayable compared to similar titles. While some enjoy the core gameplay and achievements for replay value, the lack of unique modes and content ultimately dampens its lasting appeal.
- “You can get a lot of mileage out of the game and it's pretty replayable, especially with all the custom maps, mods, and workshop support due to the game's inherent moddability as a source game.”
- “The modding community is great and the modes you have available are pretty much forever replayable.”
- “Multiple ways to play a mission implies lots of replayability, and since every experience should be different - who gets out, who doesn't, we don't know, you'll have to play and see.”
- “This heavily dampens the replayability since you're always going to be using the exact same sets of guns with no variation.”
- “The map making community is almost nonexistent, which is a big part of the game's longevity and replay value.”
- “My summary is that Codename Cure is neither original nor provides enough content to make it refreshing or worthwhile to spend time on when in comparison there are free to play zombie source shooters with an exponentially larger amount of content and replayability.”
optimization
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
44%
12%
Optimization for the game is mixed, with many users noting performance issues such as low frame rates and higher load times, especially on demanding maps. However, since it runs on the Source engine, it generally performs decently on lower-end PCs, allowing smooth gameplay for many despite some graphical roughness and occasional stuttering. Overall, while not perfectly optimized, the game remains enjoyable, with hopes for further improvements.
- “Awesome game, very well optimized and runs great with no problems.”
- “Even at early access beta this game is very well optimized and the game has an "arcadey feel" so it's not horror but rather laughter with people.”
- “The game uses the Source engine (the same one as the Counter Strike games, Half-Life 2, etc.), so it has lots of different functions without being unfriendly to performance (I have an old PC from 2011 with integrated graphics and I consistently get good framerates).”
- “Hopefully this game gets optimized at some point; it's basically impossible to play right now because the frame rate is so bad.”
- “Omg couldn't even run the game at lowest at 30 fps. Poor optimization.”
- “This sort of thing is often worsened by a fancy shader near the end of the map with a heavy performance cost, which, without culling, will always be drawn when you look in its direction even if it's in the basement at the end of the map.”
grinding
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
5%
21%
74%
Grinding in the game is often described as tedious and occasionally overly challenging, with certain achievements requiring extensive repetition and effort. While some players find the process slow and sometimes frustrating, others appreciate the absence of pay-to-win mechanics and level grinding, focusing instead on skill-based progression. Overall, grinding can feel repetitive but remains manageable for those enjoying cooperative play or aiming for completion.
- “Each one is long and tough, and yet they aren't tedious.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Some achievements are a bit tedious/hard like 10k kills and surviving till round 15 on insane difficulty.”
- “Trying to 100% the achievements is more grindy than I'd like.”
atmosphere
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
44%
28%
Reviews of the atmosphere are mixed, with some praising the tense, gritty, and creepy vibe that enhances the survival and co-op experience, while others criticize the lack of atmospheric elements due to poor graphics, music, and map design. Many feel the game has potential but falls short with simplistic maps and unconvincing audio, resulting in a diminished or absent atmospheric impact.
- “The balance between exploration and survival creates an atmosphere that feels both gritty and urgent.”
- “Maps are creepy in atmosphere and easy to get lost in, and if you get lost you're going to dread the remainder of your time being slowly eaten alive while being ditched by your teammates.”
- “The atmosphere of most, if not all maps seem creepy and add to gameplay, with unexpected twists such as a bridge or platform falling while you're walking on it.”
- “Bad animations, bad graphics, bad music (3 songs?), no atmosphere.”
- “No atmosphere, nasty graphics and simple maps.”
- “The maps are so incredibly simply-designed and provide absolutely zero atmosphere, with bad lighting everywhere.”
emotional
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional impact of the game is profound and varied, eliciting strong feelings ranging from heartfelt gratitude and nostalgia to frustration and even distress. Players report intense emotional responses, including tears and deep reflection, underscoring the game’s ability to evoke powerful, sometimes challenging emotions.