KF1 vs KF2 Big Comparison: Changes, ZEDs, Bosses and Perks

This is a veteran player's long comparison of Killing Floor and Killing Floor 2, written during early access and kept updated through the SWAT era and later content (the final version notes that no more season updates would follow, and the future is Killing Floor 3). It lists what changed for players, ZEDs, bosses and perks, so KF1 players know what to unlearn. Numbers and patch notes reflect the author's playtime and can be outdated; the point is the way KF2 plays differently.

The Killing Floor 2 survivor crew from the official character artwork.

Changes affecting players

Characters. Every character has a full voice pack, unlike KF1's two voices. Added over time: DJ Scully (Digital Deluxe), Classic Masterson and Briar (owners of KF1), Anton Strasser (Red Orchestra 2 or Rising Storm owners, or Deluxe), Tom Banner (Deluxe or Chivalry owners, with the Zweihander), Oisten Jaegerhorn (free for following the game), Rae Higgins (base game) and DAR 2.0 (free), plus store DLC such as Mrs. Foster and Badass Santa.

Interface and movement.

• Sprint with left Shift (bindable) while holding a weapon, with only a small speed penalty.
• The HUD shows total carried ammo, not just the magazine.
• Most perks can go beyond 100 health or armor.
• Crosshairs can be turned off in the gameplay menu.
• Inspect weapons by holding reload.
• Bash with V; melee supports parry (up to 90 percent damage reduction) and block.
• The Trader is now a pod with a French female voice.
• Gear menu lets you customize characters with hats and accessories.

Economy and progression.

• From patch 1008 each weapon costs the same for all perks (by tier); there are no perk discounts.
• You spawn with Tier 1 perk weapons from level 0.
• Late joiners get a generous dosh amount; money is called dosh and piles last longer.
• Perks level only by earning XP from kills (more on harder difficulties).
• Every 5 levels (max 25) you pick one of two skills per tier.
• Ammo boxes refill one magazine for every weapon plus a grenade.
• Dropped weapons despawn after about 5 minutes.
• The game conductor (patch 1027) adjusts difficulty to team performance.
• Tier 5 weapons exist, and weapon upgrades appear as orange weapons.

World and matches.

• Welded doors show blue goo; unwelded doors stop bullets.
• Maps are dynamic (props, blood painting) and each map has hazards, such as in The Tragic Kingdom.
• Boss health bars and auto clot turn are gameplay options.
• Skip trader time requires everyone to agree; the last 10 seconds get a warning sound.
• A results screen with awards ends each match, and the vote kick does not show who started it.
• Player-dropped weapons glow red when empty.
• Goomba stomps work on any ZED.

Steam and platform notes

• Family Sharing works, but shared players cannot get item drops until they buy the game.
• No VAC at the time and the game does not support 32-bit systems; it is CPU demanding.
• Matchmaking was unreliable, so the server browser is advised.
• Linux, PS4 and Xbox versions were planned or announced after early access (PS4 arrived via PS Plus).
• Alt-tabbing may raise temperatures and cause crashes; special characters in names may not display.
• Perk data relies on Steam servers: if they are down you may see level 0.

Freebies corner

The Mr. Foster Dosh jacket, once a magazine and giveaway item.

Oisten Jaegerhorn, free for following the game's hub.

Alienware mask variants from a past giveaway.

The guide catalogues free or limited items: Oisten Jaegerhorn (follow the game), Tutorial cosmetics (finish Basic Training), Horzine Elite Mark 7 armor and 9mm skins (SWAT loyalty rewards), the Mating Ritual standard emote, beta tester wallpaper, Rising Storm 2 Vietnam weapon skins (Deluxe owners), and event items for Summer Sideshow, Halloween, Xmas and Cyberpunk, mostly via tickets with some missable objective rewards (hazmat suit, pajamas, steampunk outfit, MKB42, battle axe and others). Unlockable DAR skins come from reaching waves 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 in Endless mode. Weekly outbreaks and the Daily Objectives and Dosh Vault systems are covered too, as is Perk Prestige.

Summer Sideshow items from The Tragic Kingdom.

Melee overhaul

Aim at head level as before, but many ZEDs die from body hits too. Melee has directional swings:

• W (forward): overhead strike on a single target.
• A or D: horizontal sweep that hits many targets in front of you.
• S (backward): uppercut that lifts ZEDs.
• V: push or thrust depending on the weapon.
• Hold left click for a three-hit combo, right click for heavy attacks.

Big weapons hit low targets such as Crawlers, and the knife can now hit multiple targets.

ZED mechanics

• ZEDs teleport near the player if they lose line of sight.
• Hitboxes are accurate and ZEDs stumble from strong damage.
• ZED health scales from Normal to Hard but stays the same on Suicidal and Hell on Earth for mid and large ZEDs; trash ZEDs do not scale by team size.
• Some ZEDs have unblockable attacks marked by an orange outline.
• Autorage: when only about five ZEDs remain, they rush nonstop.
• ZEDs now have damage resistances and weaknesses (poison, electricity, microwave gun and others).
• The MEAT (Massive Evisceration And Trauma) system allows many more dismemberment types; gore can hurt FPS. Nvidia PhysX Flex was enabled in patch 1029.

ZEDs are tougher, smarter and more varied than in KF1.

Individual ZEDs

• Cyst, Clot, Slasher, King Clot (Rioter): Clots grab and hold you; you cannot jump out of grabs. Slashers sprint on higher difficulties. The albino Alpha Clot became King Clot (patch 1049) and later Rioter with armor; aim at the legs or use heavy hitters.
• Crawler and Elite Albino: weak (two 9mm shots even on Hell on Earth) but annoying; cartwheel attacks on high difficulties and gas clouds from albinos.
• Stalker: harder to see, kicks fast, spawns in squads; ULTRA FX detail makes them easier to spot.
• Gorefast: mostly unchanged but hits multiple times while moving and can block headshots with its blade in the SWAT update.
• Bloat: tougher skull, sprint charge on Suicidal and Hell on Earth, acts as a wall for other ZEDs and leaves bile mines.
• Husk: now a real threat: flamethrower attack on high difficulties, fire trail, panics from fire and microwave, backpack explodes when shot.
• Siren: smaller scream radius, weak to explosives, cannot be interrupted once she screams, and can no longer teleport (later versions).
• Gorefiend: double-bladed fast ZED added in patch 1049 with heavy melee.
• QuarterPound: a small Fleshpound variant from the Poundemonium weekly that appears in packs.
• Scrake: the main team wipe killer. Rages at 50 percent health on Normal, 75 on Hard and Suicidal, 90 on Hell on Earth. Spin attacks hit several players, and it can block headshots.
• Fleshpound: a bullet sponge with high resistances; rages after about 2 seconds, resists afflictions 75 percent while raged, and may spawn enraged on higher difficulties (up to 33 percent on Hell on Earth).
• E.D.A.R.S (Boomer, Blaster, Trapper): robots added in Summer Sideshow 2018; shoot legs and exposed cores, and they release an EMP blast when killed.

Bosses

• Hans Volter: cannot be burst down because he needs to heal each phase. Learn his audio cues for gas and grenades, keep your distance and use cover.
• The Patriarch (2.0): shoulder bash, grabbing tentacle, endless summoning below 40 percent health, loud footsteps. 50/50 spawn chance versus Hans.
• King Fleshpound and minions: introduced via the Poundemonium weekly; the minions are the real danger. Do not burst him down too quickly.
• The Abomination: the fourth boss, an armored Bloat with axes and a gas aura; breaking armor makes him faster. A Medic with Coagulant booster helps.
• The Matriarch: the fifth boss, with shields, cloak and EDAR summons; cover and focus on her cannon are key. When one player is left, bosses get a 20 percent speed boost.

Perks and multiperking

Multiperking arrived in patch 1049: skills from your perk can benefit weapons belonging to other perks, and weapons shared by perks give full XP to each. The guide then gives per-perk opinions, for example:

• Commando: trash clearing, spotting cloaked ZEDs and extending ZED time; Machine Gunner is highlighted for the Stoner LMG.
• Support: jack of all trades with welding and free armor; AA12 is the staple, and skills such as Salvo and Barrage are praised.
• Berserker: frontline fighter with high skill ceiling, no longer as godlike as in KF1.

Other perks (Field Medic, Demolitionist, Firebug, Sharpshooter, Gunslinger, SWAT, Survivalist) get similar role and weapon breakdowns in the original.

For related reading see KF1 vs KF2 and KF2 beginner basics.