Killsquad

After two years of early access, Killsquad is launching in a strong position to build on a solid, playable, and enjoyable foundation.

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"Killsquad is a fast-paced, co-op Hack and Slash game for up to 4 players with five hero classes to choose from. The game features short, action-packed contracts and a variety of weapons, skills, gears, and talismans to customize your character. However, it has lots of grinding and is known for its bugs."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Reviews

63%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,506 reviews

story86 positive mentions

grinding136 negative mentions

Fun and engaging combat with a variety of characters and abilities.
Great graphics and smooth gameplay, making it visually appealing.
The MOBA-style leveling system allows for dynamic gameplay and adaptability during missions.

Repetitive gameplay with limited content and few maps, leading to a lack of variety.
The loot system is underwhelming, with most items feeling similar and lacking meaningful upgrades.
Low player base makes it difficult to find matches, often resulting in solo play which can be frustrating.

story
956 mentions
9 % positive mentions
86 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The game's story is minimal, with many players noting a lack of lore and narrative depth, describing it as a series of repetitive missions without a cohesive plot. While the gameplay mechanics, such as leveling up during missions and character customization, are engaging, they often overshadow the absence of a compelling storyline. Overall, the game is seen more as a fun co-op experience rather than a narrative-driven adventure.
- “The story is nothing to write home about, and the game is mission-based, not sandbox, but it's a good timekiller if you're playing with friends!”
- “The most notable difference is that this game incorporates some concepts from the MOBA genre, as characters will always start at level 1 in each mission, and level up to 10, unlocking skills on the go.”
- “The game is still pretty thin on the story/lore side of things, but that's usually not a deal breaker for ARPG players.”
- “Not much of a story, lore, and quest behind the game, but the gameplay is really fun, with a bunch of different playstyles and loot.”
- “The weakest point I saw was the mission-based system, where you level up temporarily in the missions, but revert back to level one each time.”
- “There doesn't appear to be any reason for each mission re-leveling 1 to 10 and gating your skills behind killing enemies so that you start every mission weak as hell.”
gameplay
630 mentions
40 % positive mentions
55 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is generally praised for its smooth mechanics, engaging combat, and fun character abilities, particularly in cooperative play. However, many players find the repetitive mission structure and lack of meaningful progression to be significant drawbacks, leading to a sense of monotony over time. While the core gameplay loop is enjoyable and offers a mix of action RPG and MOBA elements, it suffers from issues like poor map design and a lack of content, which can diminish long-term appeal.
- “Nice mechanics, smooth and balanced gameplay.”
- “Very fun game with satisfying gameplay.”
- “The core gameplay loop is pretty solid.”
- “The gameplay loop is weak in my opinion, and repeating missions ad nauseum feels like a chore - you can't expect this game to compete with the likes of other stellar co-op games like Left 4 Dead, Killing Floor, or Risk of Rain with content that feels like it will become stale after 30 or so hours.”
- “The gameplay is just boring. Combine 4 skills with enemies that either shoot from afar or just walk at you in the exact same patterns and you have an incredibly stale gameplay loop.”
- “The core gameplay loop is just not fun. It lacks an open world or anything besides doing the same type of missions over and over again.”
graphics
278 mentions
57 % positive mentions
37 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the overall visual quality, smooth animations, and appealing art style. However, some players report performance issues, such as frame rate drops and graphical glitches, particularly on lower settings, which detracts from the experience. While the visuals are often described as polished and attractive, there are concerns about a lack of variety in environments and some dated elements that feel reminiscent of older games.
- “This game is in general very fun, the graphics are great, the mechanics well thought out.”
- “Graphics are gorgeous!”
- “Let me be short and on point: the graphics are awesome, the team of this indie company are small but passionate, they do updates, blogs, YouTube videos on a regular basis, and they are firmly committed to this game.”
- “The lighting is headache inducing, worse on lower graphical settings. The bugs are still run enders, and given how long some of the missions take, it's not fun throwing away Dota-level time investment.”
- “Graphics are 2007 era; it's an isometric 3rd person game where you walk down corridors that are not procedurally generated. The areas are so lackluster with no identity that you'd think it might be procedural generation.”
- “Even with rigs significantly higher than a GTX 660, we still had to drop our graphics to low/very low during gameplay because there were a lot of FPS drops for me and my friend.”
grinding
138 mentions
1 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
99 % negative mentions
The game's grinding mechanics are a mixed bag, with many players finding the repetitive nature of farming levels and equipment both tedious and predictable. While some enjoy the grind for its sense of progression and the thrill of acquiring new gear, others criticize it for being overly simplistic and lacking meaningful rewards. Overall, the experience can be fun, especially in co-op play, but it risks becoming monotonous for those who prefer more varied gameplay.
- “Very fun game and not too grindy.”
- “The game is grindy, and while you can sort of enjoy using it as a vehicle to have fun with a friend, it's hard to ignore how repetitive and uninteresting play is.”
- “Grind fest with progression close to zero, you just grind for the sake of grinding and I could understand it if there was a crazy complex progression system, but there isn't, it's really simple.”
- “You will need to replay levels and do some grinding, but honestly, it has not been bad so far.”
optimization
86 mentions
16 % positive mentions
58 % neutral mentions
26 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is widely criticized, with many players reporting severe performance issues such as memory leaks, high CPU usage, stuttering, and frequent frame drops, particularly during intense gameplay and menu navigation. While some users have experienced smooth performance at high settings, the overall consensus is that the game is currently in a poor state regarding optimization, necessitating significant improvements from the developers. As it is in early access, players are hopeful for future updates to address these critical issues.
- “I'm happy for what is in the game and hopefully they will listen to the community and implement some well-desired optimizations.”
- “It's in early access, and there are some optimization and bug issues as expected, but developers are passionate and working hard on the game.”
- “Performance is very smooth at max settings, and I had no weird bugs or crashes.”
- “The game suffers from some very serious performance issues, namely a nasty memory leak and obscenely high CPU usage (mine was reaching 95% usage and almost 90°C / 194°F while playing this game).”
- “The game's optimization issues persist, causing frame drops and occasional unplayability.”
- “However, the game is in a horrible state when it comes to optimization.”
stability
54 mentions
7 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
93 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern, with numerous players reporting persistent bugs, glitches, and connectivity issues that can disrupt gameplay and lead to mission failures. While some users note improvements following recent patches, many still experience freezing, frame rate drops, and problems with multiplayer functionality, making the game feel unplayable at times. Overall, while the game shows potential, its current state is marred by instability, particularly for those expecting a smoother experience in early access.
- “This game is great for an early access game. It is fun and not buggy for the time I've played. The blend of Diablo-style play with awesome characters really makes me want to play more. This game will be successful, and I hope that it has a long life.”
- “Runs great, fluid and fun combat, linear but satisfying progression, easy to jump into, end-game/replayability, mouse/controller support, and cross-play late 21 along with more future content.”
- “If it wasn't for the constant sound loop glitches, frame rate drops, and P2P connectivity which disconnects one of us more often than not, causing us to lose all loot we've obtained up to that point, I would've kept playing... and will play again once those issues are ironed out.”
- “Still as buggy as it was a year ago, to the point where missions are unplayably broken.”
- “Half the time you take on a special mob, the game freezes when the chest drops after killing them and kicks 1-2 players.”
music
44 mentions
32 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
18 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it satisfying while others feel it lacks impact and variety. Many users express a desire for a more dynamic soundtrack, especially during combat, as the current music often drowns out important sound effects. Overall, while the music is not considered the worst, it is seen as an area needing improvement to enhance the gaming experience.
- “The game is a hidden gem for me, really fun and challenging combat, missions feel like they are a good length and the music is pretty satisfying.”
- “Music and sounds are good although the score could use some more variance.”
- “But I like a good soundtrack while fighting and doing missions.”
- “The sounds in the game need a major overhaul: guns sound weak, music drowns out monster sounds, etc.”
- “Wow the recent changes really add to what I thought was an already excellent experience, better shop, new enemies, maps now have way more presence and colour, sounds are better but music is too quiet and ultimates are deafening.”
- “It is also worth noting that music and sound design is mostly pretty awful; there is this sort of white noise sound that pings to let you know enemies are coming which is very unnecessary.”
monetization
30 mentions
10 % positive mentions
43 % neutral mentions
47 % negative mentions
The game currently features no microtransactions, even for cosmetics, which has been positively noted by players who appreciate the lack of monetization in an era dominated by such practices. However, some speculate that it may adopt a free-to-play model with cosmetic microtransactions in the future, raising concerns about its long-term sustainability. Overall, players enjoy the game but express uncertainty about its future monetization strategy.
- “Overall, this game is a solid experience, with tons of content, a genuine fun and unique gameplay that is ridiculously addicting, and no microtransactions.”
- “Not a single sight of microtransactions, even for cosmetics.”
- “One of the upsides is that it doesn't have microtransactions (yet).”
- “This game feels like it's going to be a free-to-play game with 'cosmetics only' microtransactions.”
- “This game very much feels like the bones for what logically would be the sort of cash grab, but of course as it stands at the moment this is purely speculation.”
- “Great game otherwise, I hope you change your mind and include some microtransactions or the like to make it sustainable long term.”
replayability
28 mentions
29 % positive mentions
61 % neutral mentions
11 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the fun combat and material farming that encourages repeated play, others criticize the lack of content and randomly generated levels, leading to a feeling of stagnation after the initial experience. Many users express a desire for more end-game content and character options to enhance replay value, especially given the low player count and limited single-player options. Overall, the potential for high replayability exists, but it hinges on future updates and content additions.
- “Great RPG game with high replayability.”
- “Very fun game, think Helldivers meets Diablo; great replayability, great fun.”
- “Controls for me were smooth, replay value was great; while the level system threw me a bit at first, I caught on relatively quickly and had a blast learning how the different characters worked!”
- “I wish there was more content to fill in the progression gaps and add replayability, because I'd keep playing it after I beat the final mission.”
- “Sadly, I bought this for myself and 3 friends and after a few days of playing, it has nothing new to experience or any replayability.”
- “But they had the nerve to charge $20 for a game that has some of the least amount of content and replayability I've ever seen.”
character development
18 mentions
33 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
17 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is noted for its sleek and clean design, with unique characters that have interesting sci-fi backstories. While players appreciate the dynamic gameplay and the potential for growth in power, there is a desire for more depth and long-term character development, particularly in end-game content to enhance replayability. Overall, the character designs receive mixed reviews, with some being praised and others considered lackluster.
- “Great character design, each of the characters plays uniquely with cool sci-fi backstories.”
- “I'm hoping they have end-game content that allows for continued character development and increased replayability.”
- “Far from my usual sort of game as I like games with some depth and long-term character development, but this is one of the best examples of its type.”
- “It looks fine; it has some character development as you grow in power as you progress through the level.”
- “As for character designs, they are meh (i.e. space Jason, Cayde from Destiny, and weeb nun).”
humor
16 mentions
75 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
25 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its witty voice-acting and numerous pop culture references, which many players find entertaining. However, some players feel that frustrating gameplay elements, such as losing progress after lengthy missions, detract from the overall comedic experience. Overall, while the game shows potential for humor, player experiences vary significantly.
- “Voice acting is quite funny, with plenty of lines referencing pop culture and memes.”
- “Funny game, lots of potential!”
- “Very funny and easy to play.”
- “Playing a 30-minute mission, only to die at the last boss and losing all the benefits you painfully tried to grind, is not funny.”
- “I played only a few minutes, and it was not funny.”
- “I played only a few minutes, and it was not funny.”
emotional
6 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players find the emotional experience of the game to be impactful, particularly praising the visceral feel of combat, which delivers a satisfying sense of weight and impact with each hit. However, some users suggest that enhancing the background music could further elevate the emotional atmosphere, similar to titles like Payday 2 and Hotline Miami. Overall, while the game is enjoyable, it is still in early access and could benefit from some refinements.
- “The feel of combat is very visceral; by that I mean every hit feels like it has weight and impact and hits all those good emotional checkmarks that make hack and slash games so satisfying to play.”