When it comes to online gaming, Valve is a name that inspires confidence. Games such as Counterstrike: Source and Team Fortress 2 are definitive multiplayer experiences, and even offline titles like Half-life 2 and Portal have become iconic in their immersive gameplay and wry humour. When they turn their hand to survival horror, then, you know the result will be something special.
Left 4 Dead draws its title from the four characters who serve as its protagonists, survivors of a mutated rabies virus that has infected the rest of the population. In order to escape with their lives, they must band together and protect each other from the hordes of Infected that want to tear them to pieces.
It’s this premise that drives the game and that makes it such an incredible cooperative experience. You simply cannot survive for any period of time on your own – wander too far from your teammates and you’ll likely be pinned down and eviscerated by an agile Hunter, constricted and choked by the long prehensile tongue of a Smoker or simply overwhelmed by hundreds upon hundreds of rampaging Infected. Stick together, on the other hand, and the four of you can share healing items, help each other up when you’ve been knocked down and hopefully make it to safety.
There are always four players in your team. If you’re the only one playing, the other spaces are filled by bots that will follow and protect you with adequate efficiency, but they’re really no substitute for human teammates. With full text and voice chat, as well as hundreds of pre-recorded voice commands, you can plan the best approach in any situation or warn each other of potential danger. More often, you’ll probably just share a laugh when your entire group is swamped by zombies or pummelled by a Tank. Left 4 Dead is a game clearly designed to be played online with other people, and it’s far more enjoyable this way.
The game employs Valve’s trademark Source engine, with a visual style that pays homage to the grindhouse zombie films of the 1960s. Effects such as film grain, vignetting and colour correction create a gritty cinematic feel, and even the loading screens are in the style of old movie posters with cheesy titles and taglines. The environments, both urban and rural, are highly detailed and capture a sense of post-apocalyptic ruin. The game’s music and sound are similarly well-executed – various string and brass cues signal the presence of particular enemies and help to heighten tension and shock the player. The different Infected have distinctive voices just like the survivors, whether it’s the growl of a Hunter, the gross heaving of a Boomer or the creepy sobbing of a Witch.
The game features four campaigns with five chapters in each, and in order to ensure effective replay value the game is powered by a “Director” (another cinematic reference) that evaluates the players’ performance as they progress and controls the pace to suit. If the survivors are doing a little too much surviving, it’ll up the ante with some extra hordes and Boss Infected, but if you’re struggling, perhaps you’ll find a few extra medkits in your path. The Director does an exceptional job of shaking up each scenario so that it feels fresh each time, but still you’ll find that each level can become a little repetitive when you’ve played them all to death. Thankfully, you can expect a host of downloadable content, including new levels, weapons and Bosses to eventually appear. Versus mode, which allows four additional players to take on the role of Boss Infected and try to hinder the survivors, also increases replayability with competitive team-based gameplay more akin to Team Fortress 2.
Left 4 Dead is a game that redefines not only cooperative online gaming but the survival horror genre. It’s a must buy – don’t miss it.
Review by Hugh Milligan
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