Left 4 Dead 2 | Review

Well it has been about a year since the release of the original Left 4 Dead.  Yet, already we have the sequel available to us.  After reading many boards it is without a doubt many gamers can’t help but feel spectacle about the quick release and if it will even be worth your $50.  Is there enough new quality upgrades that will make zombie fans everywhere love this title even more than the previous?  Did Valve rush this title too quickly and now were stuck with a game with too many glitches that probably should have just been an update?  We have had our copy of Left 4 Dead 2 for two good weeks now and we can assure you that there is plenty new material in Left 4 Dead 2 that will make your bones chill.  From several new melee weapons to new special infected zombies you will have your hands full for weeks to come.

Now with a different alternative to massacre your zombies melee weapons are finally introduced and give a new playing style to the game.  Its obvious to think “Hey, I would rather use a AK-47 or a Auto Shotgun over a melee weapon in a zombie apocalypse”.  Although after using your Electrical Guitar to clear a group of zombies surrounding you or a friend it becomes so much more fun and rewarding.  Introducing the baseball bat, cricket bat, axe, crowbar, katana, electric guitar, frying pan, machete,  police baton and the chainsaw you will find many ways to decapitate your endless swarm of zombies.  We also found that melee weapons came in handy when killing special infected in about one or two swings. Every melee weapon does a good amount of damage so try not to hit your friends.  I would not recommend using the following weapons in expert mode unless you have good reflexes or are very aware of your surroundings. I found myself being shot many times by teammates or even being owned by a single zombie.

Left 4 Dead 2 brings us a new game mode called Scavenge. Like Versus you can create a lobby with up to 8 players and have up to 4 players on each team.  In this mode the survivors will have too move around the map picking up several different gas tanks and filling a generator up while defending themselves against on coming horde and the opposing team of special infected. This gives a good amount of replay value to the game, if you are ever bored with Versus mode this one will also need lots of teamwork on both sides.  Survival mode is also here with different chapters to play from along with the bronze, silver and gold medals you can obtain. If you loved the hardcore play of expert in the original Left 4 Dead be prepared to kick up your game a good notch.  Expert mode in Left 4 Dead 2 is BRUTAL.  There is no stop to the hordes and if communication and fast reflexes aren’t being used to your advantage be prepared to start over in each chapter over and over again. You will definitely be impressed with the revamped AI.

Now if you’re looking for a more hardcore experience (I will say that you’re crazy) you can switch on realism mode. Realism mode can be switched on in either Campaign mode or even Versus.  Here you will find that all halos surrounding your teammates or even around certain weapons will not be shown on screen unless your cross hair is directed over them. This means communication and forcing team effort from all members is a must or expect to be overwhelmed very quickly. Zombies can take more body shots so aiming for the head or even the legs would be the best way to go to make it out of any campaign.

Since Left 4 Dead it took me a while to warm up to Versus mode but my mind was quickly changed once I played as one of the 4 special infected(yes, that is including the tank). Now the game mechanics has it down very well. Online battles are very competitive like before and now with survivors having a larger arsenal and the infected have…well…more infected, I love playing this mode with my friends. Newly added “Spitter” with its highly toxic acid and the “Jockey” being able to take control of Survivors movement leading them into fire or even off buildings(this one is fun) give this title a good new twist. This is not to mention the original 4 from the original Left 4 Dead and last but not least the “Charger” which is in my opinion probably the best new addition to the game. Each special infected has its own sound in the game when spawned or near the survivors to give you a heads up when one is among your friends so playing with the volume down is something I would not suggest if playing seriously.

All 4 survivors surprisingly have solid and humorous personalities which are far more enhanced than the previous title. The game takes place through the southeastern United Sates so think of Georgia to New Orleans and each have accents well fitting.  Dialogue is pretty good and is triggered and not over used at specific points in the game which polishes this title off very well. Its obvious that the team took enough time to make solid main characters that wouldn’t overly talk there asses off and make us want to put the controller down instead I kind of wait to hear Ellis say something funny. Most of the levels are in broad daylight or dawn.  I thought this would take away the rush you get from killing or going through the chapters but Valve really pulled it off well.

Valve has been around for a while now and has plenty of titles, some that I own myself,  even now with their unique Steam application.  With as much graphical upgrades as they could possibly give Left 4 Dead 2 you can’t help but notice it’s age.  The mall chapter in the first campaign seems like its missing a lot and since much of it looks the same and the level really becomes a drag halfway through.  Even it now being the first month of its release I feel as if the servers are horrible even from different locations but I know that can be fixed.  I’m hoping they are able to give us down loadable content as far as different skins for the survivors or even weapons.  I know these might be available for PC users sooner than the Xbox360 users but we can only hope and wait, at least this is a solid game “as is” and has plenty of replay value. Let’s not mention the sounds from the guns to cutting open zombies just sounds killer on almost any TV. Valve you have not disappointed us yet and you continue to stick to your roots. How long can they stick to the same game engine? Who knows, but I suggest we all enjoy it for the time being I would hate to see Half-Life episodes or a new Counter Strike turn into a complete mess. Regardless, without a doubt this title is worth every penny.

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