Left 4 Dead? More like Left 4 Awesome!

So, I recently got a new computer for Christmas. I have been itching to get some games that would actually flex it's muscle some. I finally broke down and bought the Valve Complete Pack off of Steam. Included with that package is the amazing Left 4 Dead.

I will tell you, I am not usually a fan of anything that substitutes a number for a word, but I have to make an exception. This game is fried gold. The basic idea is that you are a member of a group of four (get it? Left four dead) survivors that are trying to make it to someplace you think is safe. In one mission it's a hospital, another is a boat dock and so on. Each level is broken into multiple acts that are broken up by save points known as "Safe Houses." Once at a safe house, you restock, patch up wounds and then make on your merry way again.

The weapons are pretty standard zombie movie and First person shooter stock. You get shotguns, machine guns, hand guns and rifles. Each has their own strengths and get an upgrade during the course of the level. You also get explosive devices such as pipe bombs and molotov cocktails to use, but be careful because you can only carry one such device and they are kind of rare. One neat little thing in the game is your ability to use items lying about in much the same way. For example, if you find a can of gasoline you can throw it into a crowd of zombies and then shoot it to cover them in fire.

The zombies themselves are more along the line of the modern "28 Days Later" variety. They are not always the slow shambling horde that will stumble towards you. These zombies will swarm you and cover the ground quickly, making the threat of being overwhelmed a true threat in any place that is open enough for not entry ways to be covered.

Add to that, there are special zombies. Each one has a special ability that will ruin your day. One has a tongue that will pull you away from the group, another will cover you in vomit that will attract all zombies in the area to you and even one that is pretty much a Zombie Hulk.

What story there is, is standard zombie faire, to the point that it's almost satirical if not for the grim and grisly events that happen in it. The game is very serious, but never to the point that it becomes melodrama. The characters in the game are also quick to make a joke.

One such example is when your characters pass a wall spray painted "God is Dead" one of the characters will shout "OH NO! THE ZOMBIES KILLED GOD!!!" The one liners aren't fast and furious, but when they show up I always find myself at least chuckling. Overall though, there is no real story to speak of and one isn't honestly needed. You are one of four people that are trying to survive. That's really all you need to know.

The game's most important part though is the group dynamic. You can play single player with the surprisingly good AI or play through each campaign with friends (or strangers) online. There is also a very fun versus mode that pits two teams of 4 against each other as survivors and special zombies.

Overall, this is a great game and I can't recommend it enough to FPS and zombie fans. Check it out on the PC or on Xbox 360. And check out this video to see what you're missing out on...


Click on the video to go to youtube and to see the higher quality video

Carl's Score: 9 out of 10