5.12.2009

Firstly, there are many elements of this sequel that are vast improvements over the original Left 4 Dead. The graphics have undergone a welcome upgrade and are now very pretty indeed. The zombie physical models have also been greatly improved and it's perfectly possible to chop off individual limbs using the great selection of mele weapons (more on this later).The game levels (5 in this sequel, 1 more than the 4 maps of the opriginal game) are all very well crafted and feature some brilliant map design. One even features dramatically dynamic weather which is a real treat to play through. I also love the southern American settings. Thematically very different from the original game,they add another sometimes humourous element to the game play.The range of available weapons, weapon add-ons, mele weapons, pickups etc. has been vastly expanded and ther's now definitely a weapon of choice for every style of play - whether you enjoy picking off zombies with head shots from afar or getting up close & personal with the combat shotgun. I should also add that the weapon sound effects are very meaty and are a big improvement over those of the original game. You can almost feel the thump as the combat shotgun blasts hot lead in to the encroaching hordes of hungry undead! Great stuff!However, in my opinion all is certainly not well with this game. I should make it clear that I don't really play co-operatively on-line, prefering to play with the AI. And this is where the problems start. In some respects the AI is very clever - zombies are now better at navigating complex obstacles (which they need to be - the maps are far more complex). However, the AI of your team mates occasionally leaves a great deal to be desired, particularly when it comes to the speed at which they are prepared to rescue you from the clutches of special infected. Frequently I've been left dangling from the tongue of a smoker, or being pounded against the ground by a charger, while my marvellous team mates have sat down in the nearby safe room having a quiet damned smoke!Moving on from this, the other thing I think is very poor is the frequency at which the player is forced to face special infected. It seems that every couple of seconds (no, literally) there's YET ANOTHER charger, smoaker or jockey coming at you, some times in pairs. In the original game facing a special infected was a real event which required the team to work together to bring down. They have now been reduced to the level of a frankly immensely irritating hinderance to progress through the level.I am also very far from impressed with the amount of dammage that the player takes from "normal" infected. I enjoy using some of the mele weapons - particularly the commedy frying pan and brutal katana - but being surrounded by hordes of undead while you frantically chop, chainsaw or wallop away at them is ultimately counter-productive due to the amount of damage you take in the process. Add in the very high numbers of special infected and you end up with a gaming experience that errs on the side of frustration rather than fun. Which really is a shabe, because all the other updates to the game have made this a vastly more complete experience.L4D II on paper ought to be a far more complete and enjoyable experience than the original L4D. However, frustrating "director" programing have, in my opinion, largely spoiled what could and should be an enjoyable experience. Ultimately this is a good game that isn't as much FUN TO PLAY as it's predecessor.It's possible that playing on-line with competent commerades will provide a better experience. However, the few times that I've joined co-op internet games L4D 2 has suffered from the same problem as the original - players that think they know best, charging off in to the distance and quickly getting their team mates killed.Ultimately I really want to love and enjoy this game as an experience. However, poor programing choices have left me feeling somewhat cold and frustrated towards it. I'm sure that these issues could be fixed with an update, but given the previous behaviour of Valve we as players are more likely to seee L4D III before any significant improvements to this game.1-2 WEEK UPDATE===============Having played every campaign in the game 3-4 times, I must say that I've been left with a feeling of deep contempt for the game. The friendly AI in particular is abysmal. Completely incompetent to take on the hordes of special infected that are thrown at you willy-nilly by the director AI. And on the subject of the director AI - I was under the impression that it has the capability to alter the player's path through a level. I've never seen it happen. Not once. As far as I can tell the player's progress through a level is entirely linear. Yes, the weapons, graphics, gadgets and variety of infected are much better than the original L4D, but it's so much less fun to play that I'm wondering what the point was. Graphics and toys are great, but NOT at the expense of game play.Severely unimpressed.

20.11.2009

Almost exactly one year after the exceptional Left 4 Dead was released, here we are with a full blown sequel. Having played the game all evening yesterday, I can safely say that it is a worthy purchase and adds to the co op gameplay championed in the original.Left 4 Dead 2 traces a journey from Savannah to New Orleans and introduces 4 new characters into the mix - Coach, Rochelle, Ellis and Nick. They play exactly the same way as the original 4 characters and the controls are the same as well. However, like the original, Valve have managed to create 4 characters that you will warm to the more you play.The humour and continuous dialogue throughout the action injects character into what is essentially a simple premise; Get to the extraction point and shoot all the infected.This time round there are 5 campaigns to complete and they all have a very different look and feel to the 4 campaigns in Left 4 Dead. The big addition to the campaign mode is the inclusion of guantlet moments, crescendos where you have to move from A to B to stop an alarm or a trigger of some kind to stop the infected horde from hunting you down. You have to move quickly, but moving as a team is more important than running off on your own. These moments add a new dimension to the game and will be tough to get through against a good team on versus. Also, the finales have been reimagined so that you're not just holed up in a cupboard meleeing and shooting in relative comfort. The melee weapons are an excellent addition and once you start using them you will find it hard to go back to Left 4 Dead. Decapitating an infected with a guitar or frying pan will not get old and the occasional use of a chainsaw is what we should expect in a zombie game.On top of the original special infected from the previous game, we have 3 more that have been designed specifically to break teams up. The Spitter, unsurpisingly, spits a corrosive substance onto the floor that slowly spreads. The usual effect is for the team to disperse into different directions allowing for other special infected to pick off anyone caught on their own. The Charger is a large brutish special infected who will charge straight into the survivors before grabbing one and pummelling them into the ground. Finally, we have the Jockey who will literally jump onto your head and force you away from the survivors. These new additions are superb, but the big change is the way in which they interact with each other. It genuinely feels like they're working as team so it feels like you're up against a human team in versus. For example, a Spitter will spit causing the team to break only for a Jockey to suddenly appear and guide a survivor straight into the green acid. You have to keep your wits about you and always be aware of where your team mates are as you will need them, especially on the higher difficulty settings. It seems that Valve's promise to force teams to crawl over the finishing line rather than blitz through each campaign with ease has been realised.It is worth noting that you can play any campaign in single player with 3 AI controlled characters. They're ok, but they will occasionally just stand there when you're being molested by a Smoker which can get annoying. Also, you can play 2 player splitscreen and via system link.On top of this, versus mode has returned and the above inclusions and changes make this mode even more frantic than ever. There is no greater feeling in a game that working with your team mates to orchestrate complete and utter chaos in the opposition with carefully crafted special infected traps. The new special infected compliment the old although they still die far too easily for my liking. Scavenger mode is an interesting addition to the multiplayer aspect that I have yet to try, but it involves retrieving cannisters within a time limit against a team of special infected. Also, Survivor mode is in the game as well.Overall, it is difficult to find any fault in this game. If you did not like the original, there is nothing here that will change your mind. It is still the greatest co op game in this generation and for those who adored the first, you will find enough variation and additions here to keep you happy. For me, I think it is a superb game that is unique in this generation of consoles as it is a game that rewards genuine co operative play. New special infected, guantlet moments, variations to the finales, uncommon infected, interesting mini games (optional in certain levels), 4 new characters to warm to, more weapons and an exceptionally imaginative achievement list all add up to create one of the games of the year. Valve don't do bad games so get online, hook up with 3 mates and go and shoot zombies in the face - you'll enjoy every minute.

4.1.2010

Well if there was ever a game that had allot of positives and negatives this is weirdly the most balanced. The positives seeming to directly attack the negatives. The game play is almost identical to the first with no real change however the feel of the game is radically different.First of all unlike the first every mission in this has an extremely different feel to it. Personally I think that the campaigns suffer for being done mostly in the daylight. I think it makes it easier to spot the special infected against the sky lines and allot less sinister. This is in fact like resident evil apocalypse allot of the atmosphere in three of the campaigns has been ditched in favour of ramping up the action.But you know what I don't care. The levels are so well designed and the missions so much fun, you don't notice the reduction in atmosphere. It's still an adrenaline thrill ride just a different kind. Besides allot of the sinister feel in the originals disappeared after you'd played through a campaign more than once. More importantly the dark unforgiving evil nature is still their honestly there's nothing quiet like being chased through an amusement park by a demented clown and a crowd of zombies as one of your friends vanishes from beside you as a charger smashes you all to the ground. That combined with the utter terror that is the grain field on the way to the petrol station means this game has some truly terrifying moments.There is also the new kit additions. I'll say up front that most of them work. The red dot flawless and possibly the most useful upgrade they could have added. The new guns are endless fun and give you a much broader scope for working out how you play (personal favourite AK). I do think some of the items are a bit weird and not 100% necessary though this opinion may change when I start playing this on the higher difficulties. Regardless though this was what I'd expected of the first I was always a bit annoyed with the poor array of items and guns in the first game and the second game delivers in spades.The new special infected are endless fun and really do change the game dynamics (charger is not a good thing to meet in an ally way). And make the game just that much more challenging without radically changing the balance in the zombies favour. Giving more options for taking down the survivors without being overpowered. I also like the addition of the minor special infected such as the swat officers, Hazardous protection and ... clowns *shivers*.One major con though is that the single player is almost completely useless for one reason. I have never seen such inept computer AI's as the ones sabotaging your experience masquerading as your friends. Honestly you could replace them with lemmings and they'd be better at watching my back simply because they'd actually do what I ask rather than just watching with a bag of popcorn as I die. I've actually had situations were I've been attacked by a jockey and been dragged of a roof. The AI's then proceeded to take a massive long walk around the level to get to me so they could wake the jockey of me????? FING SHOOT IT YOU MUPPETS!!!!! Not helped by the fact that the characters are un-likable morons that I feel no attachment to and have less charisma than a dead frog.But even the AI's legendary thickness still fails to ruin this game for me. All in all I love this game, it's not the same as left 4 dead and it has it's bugs and issues but all in all this is an incredible game that has made some brilliant improvements to a great game defiantly worth the £35 I paid for it. I'd liken myself to an abused spouse, L4D2 has a temper and some attitude problems and I keep waking up to find he's murdered all my friends and replaced them with wooden boards. But, I just keep coming back for more like a druggy for his fix this game is just to addictive to hate.

26.8.2011

Info from the back of the case:Left 4 Dead 2 delivers four intense game modes and new Survivors - plus more campaigns, more weapons, and more zombies than the original.Advanced technology creates solo, co-op, and multiplayer experiences each time you play. Also includes support for split screen play.My review:Does everything it says on the tin and more! Superb game that improves on the original with better campaigns, more infected and more weapons.Excellent single player campaign with varying levels of difficulty, which will keep all gamers from casual to hardcore, entertained for hours on end. Even better with a friend in tow as it comes with split-screen for both online and offline play.Differentgame modes include:-Campaign - progress through story as survivors-Survival - hold out as long as you can-Versus - play as survivors, then as infected-Scavenge - cross between survival and versusall of these options (i think) come with an alternative option known as realism which ups the difficulty dramtically and forces good communication and team work. All of these campaigns can be played on or offline. Additionaly game of the week modes often include unique gameplay experences that challenge the player in different ways.Multiplayer is where I think this game both shines and loses a lot of points. Each game mode can be replayed hundreds of times for fun and giggles but does get tedious once someone stops pulling their weight, especially on the harder difficulties.The option to vote to kick people is a blessing in the case above but has also put me off joining random games as it usually entails unfair dismissal due to ignorance of events or just plain stupidity.Many host online games such as versus and campaign and many can easily be found with the quicksearch option but unless you play the way they play and often perfectly, it'll be a vote and then kicked.That is not say I dislike multiplayer, i've had many a good experience with campaign multiplayer. Campaign multiplayer, be it realistic or not, is home to a more mature player in my opinion. More team based action and progression makes this a good choice for new players and veterans.The problem with multiplayer is versus mode. While it is exciting to be an infected like the boomer, charger, hunter, jockey, smoker, spitter or tank. Many people in random games charge off to do damage before the infected team is ready often leading to poor end game results. Often parties will just run through as survivors and get killed as quickly as possible to play as the infected again.My advice then is to take a friend on split screen, or invite one to a group so that the majority cannot kick you and your friend and you can play the way you want to play. Better yet recruit as many of your friends as possible or find people on forums that are decent to play against/with. The atmosphere will be a lot better :)TL:DR version - excellent game, better with friends, excellent with large groupsRead full review...

20.11.2009

For newcomers: L4D is an online first-person shooter in which you and three others team up against hordes of zombies (which can include four opposition players). A computer-controlled 'Director' dynamically alters the difficulty level depending on how you're doing. Do not buy L4D or the sequel if you only wish to play single-player.The rest of this review is chiefly for the purpose of informing those who've played the original L4D.First things first, Left 4 Dead 2 has not come too soon. This is a proper sequel, not an expansion. For one thing, we get five all-new campaigns. On top of this are the cosmetic improvements, such as the slightly improved graphics, and the ability to lop off individual zombie limbs.There are subtle changes to the game dynamics, like the inclusion of more, smaller horde rushes. And then there are the big changes to the game structure, as when the Director changes the scenery to force you through a different route.Those who played the demo (from The Parish campaign) will have enjoyed the chase to the alarm. These chase sections are repeated numerous times, most memorably during the Dark Carnival campaign, where the team must dash along a rollercoaster to hit a switch, whilst common infected swarm and smokers take pot shots from the gantries.The final 'boss' battles are, in some cases, slightly more complex than the original. For instance, at the end of Dead Center, the team must gather a certain amount of fuel for their escape vehicle, negating the oft-used camp-and-defend option. I won't spoil the conclusion to The Parish, the last campaign - it should simply be experienced. You'll also be excited/terrified to know that the finales now throw tag-teaming tanks at you from time to time.Each campaign now has its own semi-special infected. For instance, the labourers in Hard Rain can't hear your pipe bombs because of their ear-guards, while honk-nosed clowns in Dark Carnival lead groups of infected like undead pied pipers.The new weapons are fantastic. Headshotters will take particular glee in the new 30-round clip sniper rifle, whilst the more maniacal will find heaven in the barrel of the devastating grenade launcher. There are also new pickups in the form of the bile bomb, which attracts the horde for 30-odd seconds, and the adrenaline shot, which does what it says on the syringe.The only slightly unwelcome new inclusions, in my opinion, are the weapon upgrades: incendiary and explosive rounds, and laser sights. For me, these additions detracted slightly from the atmospheric, survivalist experience when they appeared as mods in the original game, so I'd rather they'd been left out of the sequel.Other than that, it's an essential purchase, especially the superior, cheaper PC version.

4.4.2010

I have to admit that when I first heard about Left 4 Dead 2 I was a bit sceptical about it. I already played the first part of the game and I really liked it. But when Valve came out with the sequel to the first part after such a short time I was wondering if it would be worth the money to get the second part as well because I couldn't imagine that the game would be a whole lot different than the first part.And of course the concept of the game stayed the same. And the concept isn't really complex: After a disease the population has turned into zombies. And you and 3 other survivors who are immune have to make your way through all kind of scenarios.

3.12.2009

I was a big fan of the original L4D and played it to death, mainly because of the unadulterated simplicity and satisfaction you could get from releasing a double barrelled shotgun into a zombies face, but if there were a few gripes to be had, this sequel, lets call it L4D2, quashes those gripes.Firstly in the first game, although the weapons were good, they were limited, in this version you have extra ways to decapitate the undead, grenade launchers and laser sight upgrades are new along with a new bile bomb for tossing. Then there's up close, now presumably one of the designers was formerly a chef because when you've got a face full of zombies trying to gnaw your ear off you have your basic three steps to a fillet steak: No1:- Tenderise the meat (With baseball bat),

30.5.2010

Left 4 dead 2 (like it's predecessor) is really an online game however it has a single player mode where you can play with computer controlled teammates but it's not what you buy the game for.The game is built round four survivors who are battling their way to safety through zombie hordes.There are 6 campaigns with around 4 levels in each. you fight through zombie hordes with weapons such as shotguns, machine guns, pistols, swords, cricket bats, baseball bats,crowbars, molotov cocktails the list goes on.There are special zombies with unique abilities that crop up from time to time such as a tank which is strong and powerful and takes a lot to kill,

26.11.2009

The controversy surrounding this games release and how it was basically DLC (Downloaded content) at full retail I'm sure put a lot of people off as it did me some what, I rented it and gave it a whirl to see how it fares. For a start this is far more than just DLC, this game gives more campaigns than the first and even more content.There's several modes:.Single player.Campaign.Survival.Versus.ScavengeFans of the first game will almost certainly know most of the modes, scavenge however is a new mode. The aim is to collect certain objects and bring them to a location, it's a team game and while you're doing that the opposing team spawns as the infected to try and stop you before switching sides.

11.1.2010

Being a huge fan of zombies and a huge fan of the original Left 4 Dead, I couldn't wait to get my hands on this baby. The amount of different types of game can be staggering (single player, offline CO-OP, campaign, scavenge and survival) but there's enough in there so that if you don't like all of it, you'll still find enough to do to keep the interest.The characters in the original L4D were all well and good, and I've heard some people moan about how they didn't like the way these new characters; Nick, Rochelle, Ellis and Coach, didn't seem to get on. This isn't exactly true - the more you play the game, the more new dialogue you're presented with showing the characters' relationships to one another.

22.11.2009

L4D2 is based in the South of North America as you can tell by the accents of the survivors.To start with there is the actual game surroundings- the graphics have improved, the sounds are dynamic and the layouts are brilliant, with some spots shutting off if you are not doing so well.The character development is clear throughout the game, starting off without even knowing each others names and describe the special infected simply by their looks. They even seem to not trust each other.The weapons vary and the introduction of melee weapons is a great addition- especially if you are surrounded by a horde of hungry zombies, and it is brilliant to switch on the chainsaw!

19.2.2010

Left 4 Dead 2...Where do I start with this game, I personally am a Left 4 Dead fan so When I heard about this I HAD to buy it.When I got L4D 2, I was amazed at how much more improved the graphics were within 6 months and the game actually has a storyline of how the 4 survivors met (In L4D1 there is no character Introductions). The Addition of Melee Weapons is a real treat! I'm not one for using pistols so what do I do? "Guitar Here!" Oh? Looks like i could have fun with this... There are 6 melee weapons and baseball bat on occasions but each have their advantages, either way they all produce the same enjoyment of smashing and slashing a zombie to bits with your hands.The Addition of Fragmentation and Incindinary Ammo to the guns is an amazing addition,

13.7.2010

I brought this game about half a year ago and i bought it just on word of mouth since i never really played this sort of game genre of zombie apocalypse style shooter. Now i am so glad i purchased this and i can't believe i missed out on left 4 dead 1 so i bought that too. I play this game nearly all the time and i bought this after i purchased the overhyped modern warfare 2 which wasn't as good as this game. Doing the single player campaign was a must for me, i didnt want to do it online because i wanted to get into this game for myself and its great to see a variety of common infected to surround you and then get ambushed by the special infected at numerous points in the level which happen randomly and at different points everytime you play.The characters are a real bunch of...

10.1.2010

When I got Left 4 Dead 1, I was very impressed. The game play was intense, and the emphasis on team work was brilliant.The graphics are also amazing (Especially in maximum settings, and 1920x1080 resolution).A sequel from Valve is normally something that takes years to be released. Left 4 Dead 2 is only one year on. I, and many others, were uncertain of the quality of Left 4 Dead 2. But since buying the game, all uncertainties are gone.The game play is near twice as intense. So many more zombies, some new lethal special infected, and improved graphics. Zombies now can fall into multiple pieces when shot, slashed, smacked, exploded, etc. Team work is even more essential than before. The new weapons,

29.7.2011

Some people say its not so good for solo and that its brilliant for multiplayer.That is true but don't let that put you off as this is still great offline as its the only first person zombie shooter on the Xbox at this moment of time.There is a good range of campaigns and multiplayer modes to last you a while and its a different experience each time you play.Some extreme zombie fans or even Call of Duty fans may see this game with not a varied amount of guns and the fact the zombies can sprint at you.The zombies make the game more tense and interesting and I do agree that there is not as many guns on Left 4 Dead as a Call of Duty,however this game does include melee weapons that make the game

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