well here i am my first review, I've wanted to do one for a while now but never plucked up the courage but this game needs reviewing. since i was banned off xbox live I've missed out on allot of online gaming but my friends bought this on PC and so did i and i am very pleased. so i am writing this review for the PC version but i have the feeling that there is nothing different from the 360 version. so lets look at the game. Left 4 Dead is yet another post apocalyptic zombie horror game, but it is new in style and game play. you play as one of 4 characters that have survived the infection because you are immune to what ever has changed all the lovely common folk in to flesh eating crazed zombies. you have some how come together and travel as a group helping each other survive and get to an extraction point for rescuing. there is no story to left 4 dead you are just plonked in one of four levels (yes there are only four levels but I'll get to this in a bit) and fight for your life the entire time till the end. this is not your average zombie game with it being very new in style to levels, zombies and general and online game play and this is how I'm going to break it down for you. ZOMBIES the zombies are very different in this game to any other, well when you first take a look at them they are you average zombie stumbling about, standing still or puking but once they realize you are there that's it! these thing move and fast. you don't need any head shots or anything special to take them out just a few bullets anywhere will do, but i hear you ask why are they so easy to kill. individually the zombies are easy to kill but once they know your there or hordes come to attack you. (its very reminiscent of the film 28 days later) and this is what makes it tricky as you end up just emptying magazines of ammo in to a mass horde running your way hopping to hell that you don't get swarmed on your own. as an addition to the normal zombies there are also some specials Smoker : this is a zombie with a very long tongue which he uses to snipe you from a distance dragging you along the ground till he gets his hand on you and attacks you. Hunter : these are fast little things that crouch down and leap on you taking you down to the ground and pummels you in to it Boomers : boomers are big fat zombies full of puke at busting point, boomers puke on you which blurs your screen and attracts zombies to you so you get swarmed with very little vision. this also happens if you stand to close when you shoot it as boomers explode. Witch : witches are little girls that cry in a corner somewhere but don't be fooled they are left best alone, if you get to close you can startle them and its good by to you if you get downed by one. Tank : these are crazy huge muscly monsters and need the whole team working together to take them out before it punches you 50 feet or off a building top. LEVELS as i said there are only four levels to this game they are set out in a movie style each with a title and when you enter the game you see the poster for the level while it is loading and credits at the end (the credits show your stats throughout the game) if you where to play this on easy there is only about half an hour of game play per level if you play on normal about an hour and if you play harder setting they can take quite a while if you survive! you may think having a very short game will be boring after a while but its not as the lasting appeal is from the way you play and the online features. the levels are broken up in stages by Safe rooms witch you travel between and have time to rest heal and reload. and the each level is ended by fending off hundreds of zombies and specials till the rescue can pick you up. as for weapons there is not a great deal of choice you get a pistol as standard that has infinite bullets and a t the start of each level you can pick up a shotgun or a sub machine gun, later on normally about half way you can pick up more powerful weapons like an assault riffle a more powerful shotgun or a sniper rifle and if you can find a another pistol you can carry dual pistols. but then again you don't need a great choice as you find one you like and i prommis you won't think about anything else other then "die zombie die" you can also pick up molitoves and pipe bombs, pipe bombs are handy when you get pinned by hordes as the bleep when you throw them and all the zombies run toward it. GAME PLAY AND ONLINE This game has been designed around team dynamics you never play on your own as there is always four of you, you can play single player mode but the computer controls the other three characters and can often be frustrating as they don't help much or even hinder you by doing things like attracting hordes or startling witches, for the best game play you and your best of friends need to all get this and play together. when your with you friend on this game it is the best multilayer game you will ever play. you have to work as a team to survive, no going off on your own because you rely on your friends to fend off the hordes shoot specials off you as you can do nothing your self if they down you, pick you up off the ground and heal your sorry ass when you run out of medi packs or pills you spend the entire time screaming at your mates "AAAGGGGGGHHHHHHH HELP!!!! SMOKERS GOT ME" or "TAAANK" its so much fun and you will soon find your favorite levels or parts and replay them with your buddies again and again trying different tactics to survive. but Wait its not the same when you replay it as the game has something called the AI director witch randomizes the game, you could play it once and the first part could have hordes upon hordes of zombies and when you play it next time there could be only a handful so you never really know what around the corner which give the game a constant feeling of suspense so the game doesn't get boring and is re-playable a million times. and when your buddies are not about or you want a change in play you can play online games and play as the infected, where you are the specials and you hunt others as they try to make it to the safe rooms or try to survive against people playing as the infected which adds a layer of difficulty to the game. so lets review it please be aware that my scoring is if you and a bunch of mates are playing it, if you have no friends this game will suck and i suggest you gets some friend then force them to get the game. Presentation 7/10 there is nothing fancy about this game no hot looking menus, no stories, there is only one cut scene, there is nothing fancy in its presentation. it is presented as an all out zombie shooter and it doesn't fail at being that, if you want fancy crap go else where but if you want a game that truly feels like you in a post apocalyptic zombie infested situation fighting for your life against hordes of blood thirsty creatures this game has to be the best designed yet and it doesn't disappoint. Graphics 6/10 I've not seen the GFX on the 360 version but i guess they are adequate and the PC it depends on how high you run it, but there is nothing particularly great about the GFX on this game but they do the job. sound 8/10 I'm very glad that they did not fill this thing with lots of cheesy horror music, there isn't really any music while playing just some noises but the noises are really good and put you on the edge of your seat making you feel creeped out and scared, also you can hear all the zombies making noises and moving and you can hear the specials as they get closer making you sneak about think " oh shit where are they " Gameplay 10/10 I'm going to give this a 10 i know its high but when you play the campaign mode with friends there is nothing better. slaying hundreds of zombies, screaming to you mates to save you. its got tension and its fun and i think its got to be the best made zombie game and team game that has been made so far. you really feel as you are those people trying to survive against all odds and you have to work as a team giving you a sense of the real team dynamic you have to have in that sort of situation. if your not playing with friends its still fun but i'd give it only a 6/10 for single player mode Lasting Appeal 9/10 Now you'd think that with only four levels that are about an 45 mins to an hour each on normal mode you'd get bored of it quickly, but far from it with no story to do and its based on all out killing you can play this game for ever and the enjoyment never stops. the game has a long list of achievements that you and you friends will play over and over to get or you may just enjoy a level and want to do better at it, what ever you reason you will play it over and over. also with the AI director its different every time which helps as you are always on the edge of your seat wondering where the next horde is coming form. and if you want a change why not play verses mode and play as the infected and try to kill the survivors. but it is definitely a game you can pick up when ever you like and have a blast. total score 40/50 this is defiantly a fun game and i suggest that you get your mates to buy it too. i love a good zombie themed game but have always been disappointed with them but this one really does hit the spot and its just pure enjoyment in a can. if you want stories and background you will be disappointed but if you want something to pickup when you are bored or in the mood for mass slaying get this game. i hope you liked my first review it may be the only one i do but we'll see on how this was received criticism welcomed
Awesome first review mate. I have this game too and I agree, it's great fun. I was very impressed with it. Just the sense of dread you get when an army of zombies starts pacing at you is pretty unique. Playing with friends is awesome. Think you did a great job and did this game justice. Only criticism is grammatical, but that isn't too much of a problem in this capacity. Hope to see more soon.
me and a bunch of mates just played it on expert mode and its insane definitely more crazy and puts you even more on the edge of your seat and you basically have to fight back to back
Nicely done mate. I was thinking of buying this game, so thanks for your review. Hope you continue to put up some more.
I just want to Elaborate on the AI and the Director. The reason I want to is because I love how this game is Designed and It's AI is just Epic.
the director definitely adds so much to this game and makes you come back for more, as i said we played on expert and with the director its mad because you do think where the hell are they and you really don't want to come across something big or anything at all as even a zombie punching you takes you down in about 4 or 5 hits so if you are swarmed you a dead for sure. and specials take you down in one hit. i love this game even more now.
When playing Versus mode when you can play as a zombie (hunter, smoker, tank, boomer, and I think witch) the game goes from terrifying dark horror game to hilarious laugh fest.
Nope, no Witch-[Word that rhymes with witch but is entirely too obscene to say randomly, an additional term appended to the witch due to our epic first encounter]s in versus for the players to control, but you still can be the tank, which is rightfully awesome in its entirety. I loved Left 4 Dead - when playing with a group of friends, it becomes a fantastic experience, especially on the harder difficulties when it becomes less of a cakewalk and more like a fight for everyone's life. Though I will have to admit that the online play is oftentimes hampered by completely idiotic teammates who like to "scout ahead" without telling anyone, only to get barfed on/strangled/mauled/fall off a building - we leave these people to die and tell them "Tough luck, dumbass" (which really turns into a chorus when you get a bunch of caffeine-addled teenagers in the same room) over the microphone. But playing as the Infected is oh so much fun... even when you do get stuck as the same class OVER and OVER again.
hey man great review.. i need to download some good pc games off of torrents, and i needed to think of one.. this'll do thanks man
no don't!!! buy it, if you download it single player is crappy it is designed as a multiplayer game. just buy it!!!!!!!
really? well i guess i will... But other games like these that have single player, i will definitely have to download, as long as multiplayer on it sucks
Well, there is a way to get multiplayer working, pretty easy too. It does have single player, but it gets boring after playing with bots throughout the whole game. It is really designed as a multiplayer game, especially versus mode, which is multiplayer only, but im playing fine online.
Great review! this is possibly the worst game ever, only because of the fact that everytime I go downstairs to game at the net cafe I end up playing left for dead untill 4am, spending money I dont have.
this review really needs updating since they have made hundreds of fixes and now have updated it to include survivor mode which is awesome
i would love to play this game as it makes you feel you were a survivor of 28 days/weeks. but the game is in first person. but there is a way to change the perspective from first to third to shoulder and to overhead view. as can be seen here, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zAvm6mBduY&feature=related
game is great. challenging. worth it. not sure if you mentioned it but. 99.9% OF ALL FIRST TIMERS WILL MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE! what is that? spoiler - they will shoot the parked cars which sends a horde your way. either they will do that or run towards the witch's cry.
