Game Review: Left 4 Dead

First up is the zombie flick inspired, apocalyptic first-person shooter Left 4 Dead, developed by Valve software. Let me start by saying I am a big fan of anything zombie (even George A. Romero's not so good zombie films, like Land of the Dead), so needless to say I was very excited about the release of this game. For whatever reason, the thought of undead corpses shuffling around in search of human flesh to consume (as well as the societal breakdown that always ensues) fascinates me. Anything that can virtually put me in the middle of such an experience without any of the real life drawbacks, like death, disembowelment, or zombification, becomes an instant favorite in my book. For this review I'm going to try to keep my zombie obsessions separate from my critique of this game and focus on what I thought made Left 4 Dead both great and not so great.

Gameplay: First and foremost, anyone considering purchasing this game should know one important factor; THIS IS A MULTIPLAYER GAME. For those of you who don't have Xbox Live, don't expect to get much playtime out of this game. In fact, unless you have a friend or family member to consistently play with, (there is a two player split screen feature) I would advise skipping this title altogether. There are only four scenarios to play through, each of which only takes about an hour (depending on how you play the game) to complete. Also, there is not much story element behind these chapters. It basically consists of go here to be rescued or stay here and die. Regardless, they are entertaining to play through, but the game really shines when you add three other friends, or completely random people, via Xbox live.

For those of you who have invested in a Gold Subscription, I would definitely recommend picking up this game. If you are a fan of survival horror, or even first-person shooters in general, Left 4 Dead is definitely worth checking out. While it tends to lead more toward the fast paced action shooter genre, there are elements of survival horror infused (limited health and sporadically placed ammo stashes) throughout the game. It is clear that the co-op gameplay was the main focus of this game though, and that it all hinges on being able to work together as a team in order to complete the level. In fact, if you do wander off, chances are that a hunter will pounce on you or a smoker will constrict you, pretty much ending your play time (unless a compassionate teammate decides runs back to rescue you). Though overall, the experiences tend to stay new enough to keep the game entertaining during the multiple times that you will play through the same scenarios. Provided you can find competent teammates (which is not as easy as it sounds, trust me), Left 4 Dead has enough replayability to keep the game entertaining for quite some time.

Graphics & Sound: Graphically the game is pretty solid. The character models look great and the environments are polished enough to give you that creepy feeling that something serious is about to go, or just went, down here. All four of the scenarios are unique and playing each of them makes you feel as if your actually taking part in a horror flick. On that note I should mention that Valve decided to present the game in such a way that the user is playing it as if they were actually in a zombie movie. Each chapter begins with a movie poster style loading screen and ends with credits that list the stats for that preceding gameplay. There is even a film grain filter that can be turned up or down to increase that old zombie film feeling. While this is creative and different, I feel that it takes away from the game in such a way that it almost spoofs zombie movies and gives it a less realistic feel. I actually turned the film grain off because it started to annoy me.

As for the sound, I have no complaints. The voiceover work is on par and believable and the environmental sounds really help to draw you into the action. The music borrows heavily from horror movies of the past (anyone remember the violin strings from Psycho) but it always gives a suspenseful feeling when it is due. It even manages to keep you in anticipation when nothing is happening at the moment, but you know that danger is right around the corner.

These are not your granddad's slow, shuffling zombies

Achievements: If you are a PlayStation 3 or PC user than you might as well skip over this section. It is usually only reserved for compulsive, completionist, Xbox 360 owners. Most of the achievements in this game are not too hard to get and are even fairly entertaining (ex: "Towering Inferno" and "Akimbo Assassin"), but, as with any other Valve games that I have played, there are those last few that might drive you nuts in your attempt to get them (ex: "Nothing Special" and "What Are You Trying to Prove?"). The achievements for this game will require multiple play-throughs as well as a fair amount of patience and some skilled teammates. I currently only have five left to get and have played the game for well over twenty-five hours. While hard, they are not impossible and anyone can get them with the right amount of skill and a little creativity (btw: it is possible to get "All 4 Dead" and "Lamb 2 Slaughter" with a second controller or a friend signed in as your guest. Just play a local private game and do what you have to do without worrying about the unpredictability of other online players.) If you are looking for a quick and easy 1,000 points, than this is not a game for you. However if you are looking for a quick and easy 500+ points, as well as some rather entertaining achievements to obtain than Left 4 Dead is where it's at. As I mentioned before though, those last few aren't a walk in the park and can lead to some broken controllers and/or pissed off teammates if one is not careful.

Final Thoughts: Left 4 Dead is a great game,...but with a little more time and a better storyline it could have easily been an amazing game. With the addition of more weapons (a well placed RPG would make short work of those troublesome tanks), a more creative story, and access to features that would make for more dynamic gameplay, this could have been a much better game. For instance, I think it would be much more interesting if they made the friendly fire consequences much stronger, but add a feature where the host can decide to turn it on or off if they wish. There have been many a time where I wanted to ditch an annoying teammate who is constantly low on health and keeps holding the team back because they don't know how to advance properly. A well placed bullet to the leg could have put an end to them quick AND make for good zombie bait as the rest of the team gets away. Not to mention I think other players would be much more aware of how they used their ammo if they knew that it mattered who (or what) you sprayed hot lead into. This may not make for good teamwork, but it would definitely add different elements to the gameplay, such as trust. If one knew that they would be sacrificed if they didn't pull their own weight, then I'm sure they would play with more enthusiasm, maybe as if their life depended on it. This is the zombie apocalypse after all.

The Wrap-up: If you are like me and take in so much information on a daily basis that the only way to get through it all is to read the summary, than this is the section for you. Four pages condensed into one paragraph. Enjoy!

Gameplay: Great for online multiplayer, but gets old real quick offline. May be able to make it last with a friend and an additional controller, but this game is made to be multiplayer. The only way to get the most out of it is to play it that way.

Graphics & Sound: The graphics are crisp and show a great deal of polish. As with most Valve games, attention to was paid throughout the entire game and it is evident. The sound and music works well too and really adds to the overall feeling of the game. Hint: Turn on the subtitles to see what going on ahead of time (special infected have subtitles and can often be read about before they are heard) or to read some really funny lines that might have been missed if your volume is down (apparently Francis hates everything).

Achievements: Overall the achievements for this game are fun to get. Many of them revolve around killing zombies or completing the campaign in certain ways and can be gotten in a few play throughs. Be warned, there are a select few that are by no means easy and can be really frustrating at times. If you enjoy killing zombies (53,595 to be exact) and being rewarded icon size images and text for your effort, than this game is definitely recommended. If, however, you are set on getting all 1,000 points than be prepared to invest a decent amount of time and skill.

Final Recommendation: Buy It and Keep It

If you like zombies and action shooters than get this game. As long as you have an internet connection and a Gold Subscription the possibilities are endless. If, however, you are looking for a game with a deep story and a hefty single player campaign I suggest that you look elsewhere. Oh, and one more thing. As the name should imply, this is not a game for kids. Its rated M (Mature) for a reason and I suggest that you don't get it for your child unless you want them sleeping at the foot of your bed until it's time for them to move out. On that note, merry zombie slaughtering to all and I'll catch you on XBL.