Door Kickers

The game has six main campaigns, each with a different amount of missions. As a player completes a level they will be rewarded with up to three 'stars' depending on their performance during that mission—stars are used to purchase weapons and equipment for the operatives. Single missions are missions not tied to a campaign and can be completed at one's own leisure without having to worry about permanent squad casualties. Door Kickers also features mapping and modding support.

Missions can be of eight varieties: Clear Hostiles, Hostage Rescue, Bomb Defusal, Stop Execution, Protect the VIP, Arrest Warrant, Dope Raid, and Robbery in Progress.

The player views the game from a top-down view. Areas not in view of the squad are marked with a blue or black fog-of-war. In some missions there are multiple points at which one is allowed to deploy operatives, allowing for strategical collaboration between the group. The player is able to manually draw out walk paths for their officers and plot out orders along the path with their mouse, as well as specifically manipulate where they look. A pause feature allows the player to path several characters at the same time and have them simultaneously perform their orders.

Hence the name, Door Kickers relies heavily on breaching rooms. The game gives players several options in doing so, however, and allows them to fine-tune every detail due to the pathing mechanic. Players are able to order operatives to breach rooms in a variety of ways, such as with breaching charges or just kicking it. They are also able to order their characters to throw flashbangs or other grenades into the room before allowing their operatives to rush in. Once again, the player is able to map out specific paths for the operatives to follow, allowing them to finely control exactly what each operative does at any given point: they can be ordered to cover each other and engage enemies through simply adding look orders to their path.

The team also has the ability to handcuff enemies with arrest warrants, rescue hostages, defuse bombs, and escort and control a VIP; these actions can be performed by the player by simply issuing the relevant instructions on an operative's path.

In some missions, off-map sniper support is offered.

Door Kickers was positively received by critics. Rock, Paper, Shotgun stated "Door Kickers is a smashing top-down tactical masterclass, with enough missions to shake a nightstick at, randomised enemy placements to add further variety, and a bundled level editor allows devious designers to create their own maps and missions…Door Kickers is a complete package of planning, panicking and policing."[5] Indie Statik proclaimed that "...It’s a thing of beauty and manages to capture the planning and satisfying execution of more complex strategy games, as well as the gung-ho and the popping-off of growly man in military shooters. (...) It’s probably the best man-shootery game I’ve played in years." In a Giant Bomb Quick Look,[6] Matt Rorie praised it and said he liked the game quite a bit.

Rock, Paper, Shotgun: Best Tactics of 2014[7]

A sequel, Door Kickers 2 – Task Force North, was released through Steam Early Access on November 3, 2020. While the game was initially planned for a Q4 2016 release, the game received substantial delays and was trapped in development hell for several years.[8] An official release trailer debuted on February 4, 2020, teasing a Q2 2020 release date ― however, this too was pushed back several months.[9]

Door Kickers 2 is set in the Middle East and features improved weapon variety, equipment, AI, and various new gameplay features in a 3D environment. Many of the features that were criticized in Door Kickers were improved in the sequel, such as the stealth mechanics.

Door Kickers: Action Squad is a spin-off created on behalf of KillHouse Games by another studio, pixelshard. The game was first teased on August 1, 2017 in a comic on the KHG website.[10] A day later, an official trailer was released.[11] The game strays from the series' traditional top-down gameplay in favor of a side-scrolling action game.