What’s better than killing a couple zombies here and there? Killing hundreds….everywhere!
Created by Valve, Left 4 Dead is a game of its own. With zombies around every corner you never really know when you’re going to be attacked. The game makes it very clear through hints and shouting that the only way to survive is through sticking together. When a zombie attacks you, you need your team to save you. But the just normal zombies are overrated, so the game also adds something of its own with their ‘Special Infected’.
Hunters – A basic street thug based character; hunters approach you in a crouch based stance. The main attack is to leap at you and pin you on the ground while ripping you apart. The only way to be freed from a Hunter is to have a partner attack the Hunter. The hunter is fairly weak while not pouncing. You get one main shot as a Hunter to take down an enemy. If you miss then it is common for this Infected to be taken care of.
Hunters Score – 08/11
Smokers – Named as they should; Smokers are very easily recognized for their tall appearance and trail of toxic ‘smoke’ around them. As a Smoker your main purpose is to launch your tongue at people and try to strangle them…. No Joke really that’s it. Like the Hunter the Smoker is only good from the distant battles.
Smokers Score – 06/11
Boomers – Easily noticed; Boomers are the fattest of zombies. Their main purpose is to throw their Bile on people. Now this may not sound very threatening but the bile blinds you and also attracts a horde of zombies no matter where you are at. The Boomer can also be used as a suicide bomber, when destroyed his bile will land on everyone in the proximity.
Boomers Score – 09/11
A non Playable Character The Witch can literaly tear you apart. Easily found due to the moaning and crying which can be heard when approached, there is a good reason why the Witch is a NPC. You must move very slowly around this infected for, if startled, will dominate the one who startleed it. If this was you by chance dont bother running away for it will chase you down. Your entire team must fire upon this creature. If you have a molotov now is the time to use it for it will slowly drain her health. Because she is not a playable character I will not score her but I will sure give her an
A for Effort
Tank – Tanks are special infected which are given to you as a bonus or just timing. When playing as the Tank you can either throw a giant piece of the ground at your enemies or just blatantly charge them swinging. When attacking the tank have your entire team separate and concentrate fire on him. If done right the tank should be no match for you.
Tanks Score – 07/11
Gameplay and Sound 16/20
The game provides with four scenarios that you and your team must survive. You and your team must get through 5 stages of the level in which you will have your teamwork and reactions tested. The 5th stage of each level consists of your escape. You have to survive wave after wave of the zombie infection. Each finale has multiple “Special infected” that will continue to spawn until you are finished. Even tanks will appear. Depending on your difficulty you can get anywhere from 1 to 3 tanks attack you.
Once your rescue vehicle arrives you have a very short amount of time to get out of there before you and your teams are destroyed. Everything will spawn like rapid fire. Tanks will continue to spawn even without you killing them. I have tested this and unless they have patched it, have had 4 tanks attack at once. It honestly doesn’t matter how pro you think you are; you’re not going to survive after that.
Your handgun is one of the most reliable weapons you will have in the game. With unlimited ammo, your handgun will be there for you when you most desperately need a weapon. If you’re really looking for a different approach to the game only use the Dual handguns that you are allowed to grab after a certain amount of time.
Multiplayer in the game allows a maximum of 8 people to play, with 4 playing as Human and 4 as the Infected. Playing as the infected will allow you to finally see what it is like to be a zombie. No, you are not going to be playing as a defenseless common zombie, but rather one of the special infected randomly.
The sound that is put into this game and the score is remarkable. Every turn you take adds to the ambiencelike you are just going to be attacked. The game gives each level like a movie, so just as in a movie when the climax of the level hits the sound becomes even more dramatic and you just have to expect something bad to happen. The music also takes a turn when each wave of zombies comes to attack.
Creativity 08/10
A game based on zombies, Left 4 Dead plays each level totally different. There is no storyline besides the basic human instinct to survive and get out alive. Sound played a huge part of this game, that climatic music would arrive and you knew that something was about to go down, you will not be sure what or where all you know is where your gun is. Aside from the Guns in the game Left 4 Dead allows you to carry an explosive; Pipe Bombs and Molotov’s. Pipe Bombs have a little beeper on them that attracts other Zombies around it. A little fire should also do the trick. Molotov’s explode with fire on the ground to wherever you throw them. Although they will seem to still be coming give it time…they’ll go. Gameplay becomes very repetitive after a while with the basic zombie killing instincts. There are no real thinkers in the game or puzzles that require you to think. Teamwork plays a big part in the game also. You’re stronger together than you are alone. The game will sense when you’re alone and zombies will attack you like no other. The Expert Difficulty is not for the faint of heart. If you’re looking for a real challenge this will be what you are looking for.
Graphics 08/10
Graphically this Left 4 Dead doesn’t have much to complain about. When the game was first released there were several glitches that were quite obvious to any gamer. But after the release of several updates and patches the game regained its title as a zombie killing phenomena.
Overall Left 4 Dead will be an extremely fun game for a solid few hours. Then you realize that you’re still killing Zombies. Great game if you’re looking just to play a round or two like you would an Arcade game.
Creativity 8/10
Sound 9/10
Graphics 8/10
Gameplay 7/10
Total 31/40
