《約翰．卡本特：劇毒突擊隊》（John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando）是由Saber Interactive開發、Focus Entertainment發行的第一人稱射擊遊戲，預定於2026年3月12 日登陸PlayStation 5、Xbox Series X|S 與PC（Windows）。最大的特色，在於它並非只是又一款殭屍射擊遊戲，而是深深烙印恐怖大師約翰．卡本特（John Carpenter）的風格與精神，從世界觀設定、敘事調性到音樂氛圍，都充滿B級恐怖電影的張狂、粗獷與黑色幽默氣質。

在劇情方面，故事設定於近未來。人類試圖開發地球核心能量以解決能源危機，卻因一次失控的實驗，意外釋放出名為「污泥神（Sludge God）」的古老存在。這個邪惡實體迅速污染土地，並將人類轉化為不死的感染者，世界在短時間內陷入崩潰邊緣。走投無路的科學家們選擇最不正規、也最瘋狂的解決方案──僱用一支由傭兵組成的「劇毒突擊隊」。玩家所扮演的正是這群不算菁英、卻火力驚人又膽大包天的戰將，任務很單純：殺穿屍潮，把污泥神連同牠的不死大軍送回地獄。整體敘事並不走嚴肅末日路線，而是刻意強調誇張、荒謬與爽快感，呈現出像是經典邪典電影般的末世狂歡。

在操作與玩法上，是極度強調合作的FPS。核心體驗圍繞四人小隊展開，可以與三名好友組隊，也能透過連線加入其他玩家，或由AI補足隊伍人數。戰鬥節奏快速而混亂，屍潮會從四面八方不斷湧來，單打獨鬥幾乎等同於自殺。必須彼此救援倒下的隊友、共享彈藥、互相掩護，才能在鋪天蓋地的感染者浪潮中生存下來。Saber Interactive招牌的Swarm Engine（群體引擎） 再次成為關鍵技術，讓畫面中同時出現成千上萬的敵人，延續《World War Z》與《Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2》那種壓迫感十足的群體戰鬥體驗。

武器系統走的是「火力至上」路線，各式槍械、手榴彈與誇張的破壞性能力，讓玩家能夠傾瀉如地獄般的彈幕。射擊手感講求爽快與連續性，扣下扳機後幾乎沒有喘息空間，戰鬥節奏與屍潮推進形成一種暴力又流暢的循環。除了步戰，本作還加入半開放式地圖與載具系統，可以在戰場中找到各式交通工具。有些載具火力兇猛，有些具備特殊功能或實用工具，讓小隊能在荒土中高速穿梭，直接碾壓成群敵人。這種「邊開車邊屠殺」的設計，進一步強化了遊戲的爽快感與視覺衝擊。

在市場評價與玩家期待方面，自公開以來便獲得高度關注。約翰．卡本特親自參與世界觀與劇情構思，並負責音樂創作，對許多恐怖電影與遊戲迷而言具有極強號召力。再加上Saber Interactive在大量敵人同屏與合作射擊上的技術實績，使市場普遍看好本作在「合作爽快度」與「技術表現」上的穩定性。部分玩家也注意到，開發團隊本身曾表示最理想的遊玩方式是與朋友共同作戰，這讓本作在社交與團隊默契上的需求顯得相當明確，也意味著它對單人玩家的吸引力，可能不如對多人合作取向的玩家來得強烈。

整體而言，《劇毒突擊隊》並不是追求深層敘事或哲學反思的作品，而是徹底釋放壓力的末日合作射擊盛宴。以約翰．卡本特式的恐怖美學為靈魂，結合高密度屍潮、強烈火力輸出與重度團隊合作，打造出一種狂野、粗暴卻極具娛樂性的遊戲體驗。若最終成品能在優化、平衡與內容量上維持水準，可能成為2026年合作型FPS中，最具風格辨識度與爽快度的代表之一。

John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando is a first-person shooter developed by Saber Interactive and published by Focus Entertainment, scheduled for release on March 12, 2026 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Windows). What truly sets the game apart is that it is not merely another zombie shooter. Instead, it is deeply infused with the style and spirit of legendary horror filmmaker John Carpenter. From its worldbuilding and narrative tone to its musical atmosphere, the game fully embraces the wild, gritty, and darkly humorous sensibilities of classic B-movie horror.

In terms of story, the game is set in the near future. Humanity attempts to solve a global energy crisis by tapping into the Earth’s core, only for the experiment to spiral out of control and unleash an ancient entity known as the Sludge God. This malevolent force rapidly corrupts the land and turns humans into undead infected, pushing the world to the brink of collapse in a very short time. With no conventional options left, the scientists behind the disaster resort to the most unorthodox and reckless solution imaginable: hiring a mercenary squad known as the Toxic Commando. Players step into the boots of these soldiers—not elite heroes by any means, but heavily armed and fearless combatants with a simple mission: cut through endless hordes of the infected and send the Sludge God and its undead army straight back to hell. Rather than adopting a somber, despair-driven apocalypse narrative, the game deliberately leans into exaggeration, absurdity, and visceral fun, evoking the feeling of a chaotic, end-of-the-world celebration straight out of a cult classic film.

From a gameplay perspective, Toxic Commando is a cooperative-focused FPS at its core. The central experience revolves around a four-player squad, whether formed with friends, matched online with other players, or supplemented by AI-controlled teammates. Combat is fast, frantic, and relentlessly chaotic, with zombie hordes surging in from all directions. Attempting to survive alone is almost a guaranteed death sentence. Success depends on constant teamwork—reviving fallen allies, sharing ammunition, covering each other’s blind spots, and pushing forward together amid overwhelming waves of enemies. Saber Interactive’s signature Swarm Engine once again plays a crucial role, allowing thousands of enemies to appear on screen simultaneously and delivering the same crushing sense of scale and pressure seen in World War Z and Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2.

The weapon system fully embraces a “firepower above all else” philosophy. A wide range of firearms, grenades, and over-the-top destructive abilities lets players unleash hellish barrages of gunfire with barely a moment to breathe. Shooting is designed to feel aggressive and continuous, creating a brutal yet fluid combat loop as the advancing hordes fuel an unbroken rhythm of violence. Beyond on-foot combat, the game also features semi-open environments and drivable vehicles scattered across the battlefield. Some vehicles are heavily armed, others offer special abilities or practical tools, enabling squads to race across wastelands and literally mow down waves of enemies. This blend of vehicular mayhem and mass slaughter further amplifies the game’s raw power fantasy and visual spectacle.

In terms of market reception and player expectations, the game has drawn significant attention since its announcement. John Carpenter’s direct involvement in shaping the world, narrative, and musical score gives the project strong appeal among fans of horror cinema and genre-driven games. Coupled with Saber Interactive’s proven technical expertise in large-scale enemy encounters and cooperative shooters, the market is generally optimistic about the game’s stability and sheer cooperative fun. At the same time, the developers have openly stated that the ideal way to play is with friends, highlighting how heavily the experience relies on social play and team coordination. As a result, its appeal to strictly solo-focused players may be more limited compared to those who enjoy multiplayer cooperation.

Overall, John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando is not a game that aims for deep philosophical reflection or intricate storytelling. Instead, it is a full-throttle, stress-relieving cooperative shooter built around apocalyptic chaos and excess. With Carpenter-style horror aesthetics at its core, combined with massive enemy swarms, overwhelming firepower, and teamwork-driven gameplay, it delivers a wild, brutal, and highly entertaining experience. If the final release maintains solid optimization, balance, and content depth, it has strong potential to become one of the most distinctive and satisfying cooperative FPS titles of 2026.