Valve may have the zombie, co-op shooter category all tied up nice and neat with Left 4 Dead and the upcoming Left 4 Dead 2. However, Tripwire Interactive has recently announced that the co-op zombie shooter for PC, Killing Floor, will be making its way to North America sooner than expected.

The Steam-powered shooter, Killing Floor, features co-op survival action with a number of different weapons that span the likes of non-linear play areas and a neat little perk system. The game looks pretty good to be a budget-priced shooter and by budget-price I’m talking being available at retailers for $19.95.

A complete list of the game’s features can be found below. However, you can learn more about this game and its possible thwarting of the popularity of Left 4 Dead over here in the States by visiting the Official Tripwire Interactive Website.For more gaming news, updates, insight and media, be sure to stay tuned in with Blend Games.

Key features:

• Co-op game mode for up to six players obliterating multiple waves of specimens
• Persistent Perks system, allowing players to convert their in-game achievements into permanent improvements to their character’s skills and abilities
• Over 40 Steam Achievements, including “Dignity for the dead” for killing 10 enemies feeding on dead teammates’ corpses and “Hot Cross Fun” for finishing off 25 burning enemies with a Crossbow.
• Watch those crucial and violent creature deaths in slomo “ZEDtime”, even in multiplayer
• Solo game mode for offline play
• 9 different monster types trying to eat your face off, armed with everything from teeth and claws, through to chainsaws, chainguns and rocket-launchers
• 14+ weapons for the players to chose from, ranging from knives and fire-axes up to pump shotguns, rifles and a flamethrower. Add in a welder, medical tools and body armor to help the players survive
• Players choose which Perks to play with, so they can best balance out a co-op team to survive the horrors
• Open, non-linear play areas: choose when and where to fight – or run; weld doors closed to try and direct the monster horde
• Fully-configurable, allowing players to change things as simple as the difficulty level or number of creature waves, or go so far as to set up their own favorite waves of monsters
• Includes SDK for the creation of new levels and mods