Posted by Rob "HollywoodRS" Sporer on November 20, 2009

The LV. Cap: Left 4 Dead 2 Review

Categories: Columns, Featured Articles, Gaming, Review, The Level Cap | one response

This week, we are introduced to a group of four new survivors, Coach, Rochelle, Ellis, & Nick, as they fight their way through this mysterious outbreak in order to be rescued. However, this time we are making our way through Savannah, Georgia and ending in New Orleans, Louisiana. So, how do our four new survivors match up to the original four we meet a year ago?

Left 4 Dead 2
Xbox 360 & PC
Developer: Valve
Publisher: EA
ESRB Rating: M For Mature
Price: Xbox 360 – $59.99; PC – $49.99

Valve shocked and surprised the world when they announced at this year’s E3 that they would be releasing Left 4 Dead 2, just a year after releasing the first game. No one knew this was coming and honestly, Valve did an amazing job at keeping this under the radar of everyone. So, how does a game that was in-production for only a year, if that, match up to it’s predecessor that was an instant hit and Game of the Year contender?

Pros
I’m So Pretty, O So Pretty – You can tell that Valve made some improvements to their Source engine. Left 4 Dead 2 is a better looking game than its predecessor. Everything about it just looks better from the zombies, special infected, and levels. The updates also let the Source engine do so much more. From the fire in the hotel to being in the middle of a hurricane in Louisiana *cough*Katrina*cough. There are some parts of the game where you really need to concentrate on what is going on around you because you will only have the light from your flashlight to guide you.

It’s A Home Run! – Left 4 Dead 2 brings the inclusion of melee weapons into the Left 4 Dead universe. Now instead of running around and pistol whipping zombies you can bash their brains in with an assortment of goodies. Baseball Bat, Crowbar, Electric Guitar, Katana, and a Chain saw are just some of the melee weapons included in the game. Now, you really don’t have to worry about inflicting friendly fire onto your teammates because you are to busy running around with a katana slicing off zombies heads.

I’ll Have A Holy Bartender – More guns and more fire power are always a good thing when fighting off the oncoming zombie apocalypse. Now, you can Rambo your way through the on coming hordes of zombies with an AK-47, Combat Rifle, Grenade Launcher, and Incendiary & Explosive Ammo. But wait, there’s more because now you can throw a Bile bomb (Boomer throw up) on zombies and they will attack each other.

Say Hello To My Little Special Friends – You know what they always say, the more the merrier right? Well now, we have three new special infected to welcome to the family. The Spitter, Charger, and Jockey will make you want to stick together with your team because wondering off can have deadly consequences. They also add a little more flavor to playing online because you aren’t going through three special infected over and over again.

I’m A Scavenger – The first Left 4 Dead featured a regular versus mode and then survival for its online multiplayer modes. Both of those game types challenged you as a player and team. Now Left 4 Dead 2 brings the introduction of Scavenge. Players go through three rounds with a time limit as they try to fill a generator with 16 gas cans. Each can you successfully pour into the generator, your time is extend.

Cons:
Lag You’re It – I don’t know if it’s an internal thing with Valves servers or something within the game, but there is a TON of lag while trying to play online. This doesn’t help when you are trying to run away from an on-coming zombie horde or playing as zombie trying to take out a survivor that got left behind. Getting hit with serious lag can make or break you winning a match or completing a campaign with your friends.

Same Old Problem, Same Old Game – Just like in the first game if a zombie hits you in your back as you are running, it stops you completely. I’m sorry, but if I am going forward and someone punches me in the back, I’m not going to stop running to see what’s going on. No, I’m going to run even harder or it will give me a little added push.

Overall, Left 4 Dead 2 is everything I thought it would be. It does the first game justice and expands on the story. The inclusion of new weapons, melee weapons, special infected, and multiplayer modes will keep you coming back to this game until Valve surprises the world again and announces Left 4 Dead 3 at this year’s E3 (Not true). If you loved or enjoyed the first game then you will love or enjoy this one. Valve knows what they are doing and has never let me down with their decisions or directions they take their games. Even with it’s little problems, Left 4 Dead 2 is definitely a buy because you never know when you might need a little trying in surviving the on-coming zombie apocalypse.

Hopefully, we will learn how this mysterious outbreak happened or if both groups of survivors will ever meet and have to work together to survive again?