Left 4 Dead

HOLY COW!!!!

I would say that is all I have to say but that is not even the beginning…

Left 4 Dead is a new co-op focussed FPS from Valve that is built on the same game engine that drives Half Life 2 and many other FPS games from Valve.  The game is a zombie shooter but Valve is quick to point out that they are not zombies but “infected”.  Whatever they are I don’t care as the game is just awesome.  There are a pile of reviews out there and they are all VERY glowing but I wanted to point out some of the happy points once more.

Replayability!!!

This game is nearly unendingly replayable.  Even though it only ships with 4 maps, the “AI Director” that is constantly changing things in the game does an impecable job of making every run through the levels a very unique experience.  Infected and “boss” characters are never in the same place.  Weapons, ammo and medical supplies are the same deal.  There are some places that you expect them but they are not always there or what is there is not enough for everyone.

Constant play will make you better but as you move through a level on even the normal difficulty, the “director” will start tweaking up the difficulty if you are playing with a demonstrably higher skill than deserved of the difficulty you shose to play.

Team Play!!!

There are truly few games that encourage as much co-operation as L4D.  Many times in the past, there have been attempts such as Team Fortress or the Battlefield series of games but the way that L4D is put together forces team play in a whole new way.

L4D, firstly, comes built with VoIP so players can stay in contact.  And frankly, after about 20 hours in the demo and the released game, I feel that having your mic ON and USED is a MUST.  Moving on from there, even on normal, it is intensely difficult to get very far on your own.  If you get pinned by a “boss” and there is no one around to help you, it is game over.  There are a few that have perfected running from start to finish but even that will not work every time.

Fear and Adrenaline…

There are many games out there that made one jump a little when playing but with the total lack of predictability in L4D, jumpiness and near screams of panic in the mic are a VERY regular occurance.  There is just so much ambience and immersion in the game that you really get swept up by it all and then, when you least suspect it…  BAM!!!  Some unexpected creature is on you and you are freaking out!!!  It is just great.

As a final little bit of commentary, I must say that I am VERY glad that I bought this game via Steam.  Steam is the online game buying service from Valve and I must say that it is a very nice service.  I will be doing a writeup on Steam soon.