Valve's Latest Offering Does Not Disappoint
In theory, Left 4 Dead may seem like an almost ridiculous gamble to take. The formula: take two of the most tired genres in popular culture (zombies and first person shooters), combine them to make something both fresh and fun, and through the combination remove anything that resembles a story or character development. Not only does it sound like a gamble of long odds, it sounds as though it could never, ever work. But if any studio could pull it off, it would be Valve, and they have succeeded admirably.
"Zed's Dead, Baby"
As far as storytelling goes, Left 4 Dead is about as bare bones as you can get without falling back into the Atari generation of gaming. The basic idea is that a disease has broken out, and all that who become infected transform into a shambling mess of rotting skin and guttural rage. Those that manage to somehow dodge the disease find themselves faced with an impossible situation: finding safety in order to continue breathing.
That's where you come in. As a Survivor, you fill the shoes of one of four playable characters. Your objective: attempt to safely navigate each level so that you and your teammates can be evacuated. This process (go from point A to point B) occurs over four different chapters, each with five sub-levels, and each sub-level finds its end in the form of a safe room (the one place survivors can safely take a breather, and restock on much needed health and ammo).
This can be done either via the single player campaign, where you and three bots attempt the journey together, or through online co-op. Up to four can play at once, which of course ratchets up the fun significantly.
Though the process of moving from one place to another may sound simple, players will find that is anything but. Standing in between you and salvation is a very angry group of zombies.
"Not Your Father's Zombies"
You'll be putting a lot of bullets into once-warm bodies over the course of the game. In a given chapter, expect to kill upwards of a thousand undead if you're going it solo. And though the idea of wading your way through that many corpses may sound like an exercise in tedium, Left 4 Dead is anything but an interactive version of "Night of the Living Dead."
For a game that focuses on a single type of enemy, you will find a surprising amount of variety. All told, there are six different variations of zombie, each with its own method of stopping your pulse.
First, you have the Horde. Comprised of literally dozens of your standard issue walking corpse, the Horde can pop up at any time, and is never happy to see you or your team. These suckers are fast, mean, and more than capable of tearing you to shreds if you're not paying attention. As far as abilities go, they can vault over fences, smash down doors, and generally make you very, very dead.
Moving on from there, you will find a number of divergent, or "special," infected. Five different classes ranging from the Smoker (a seven foot tall hacking freak that can pull and crush Survivors with it's tongue), to the Tank (think of the Incredible Hulk chalked full of PCP), these guys will not make your life easy.
The baddest of the baddies, however, is the Witch. A one-hit-killer with a penchant for weeping, she needs a sign that reads "Do Not Disturb."
As a little bonus, Valve has included an online competitive element in which you can run rampant as any of the special infected save for the Witch. Your goal: kill off the players who have taken on the role of the Survivors, or, if you spawn as a survivor, simply make it to safety. The game takes on a whole new flavor online, and is mostly enjoyable.
"Atmospheric Disturbance"
Survival Horror is a tough genre to pull off. The player has to feel overwhelmed, that whatever may be lurking around the next corner will most likely kill them in some horrid fashion. And though it looks like a shooter, sounds like a shooter, and talks like a shooter, at its heart L4D is survival horror at its finest.
As far as your playground goes, Valve has done a remarkable job conveying the sense that something has gone horribly wrong. Piles of rotting bodies, partially destroyed apartments, and a general sense of disarray can be found in each and every chapter. Evidence that you were not the first to attempt escape can be found as well, as each level is littered with makeshift walkways and hastily scribbled notes on walls.
The sound play is excellent as well. Ambient noises such as distant gunfire and the anguished wailing of the undead help fully immerse the player in the world that they are now a part of. The music, used heavily to announce the arrival of a special infected or the coming of the Horde, is nothing short of spot on, with each track fitting each situation perfectly.
Combine these two elements (the setting and the music), and you have a world where nothing feels safe. Valve, in all of its sadistic glory, does nothing but abuse the gamer from start to finish. Even something as simple as opening a door will make you think twice, and making it to the safe room, though it does offer a brief moment of relief, will simply punctuate the fact that you still have a long way to go before evac.
Of course, this sense of dread isn't as intense on the easier difficulties, but ramping things up to advanced or expert will most likely scare the crap out of you. Odds are, you're not going to make it. At least not until you get really, really proficient at killing.
"Downside of Being Dead"
In spite of its many strengths, Left 4 Dead does have a few weaknesses. Though many players may find a few minor issues here or there, nothing in the game can be considered a deal breaker.
Yes, the environments are wonderfully detailed, but the Source engine is beginning to show its age. Textures can run a little on the bland side, and zombie limbs occasionally to poke through solid walls. Those expecting Gears quality graphics from every single game they play might be a little disappointed, but again, this game excels in all the right areas so the graphical geriatrics should be forgiven by more reasonable players.
Left 4 Dead is also a little light on the content side of things. Though twenty chapters (four main chapters with five sub-chapters each) may sound like a lot, it really isn't. Your average play time will run anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half, though that will be subject to change depending on the difficulty setting. Bottom line, you'll see everything the game has to offer in a handful of hours.
A final area of potential disappointment lays in the weapons department. Those of us spoiled by having thirty seven guns to choose from may find the meager supply here a little on the skimpy side. Two shotguns, two automatics, one pistol (that you can duel-wield), and a hunting rifle are pretty much all you get. Toss in a couple of chuckable grenade types, and that's all she wrote. Again, this is a very small issue, and should be counted as a very minor ding against the game.
Its so much fun, and the re-playability so high, that this short length and lack of weapons are very small issues, especially given Valve's track record with post-release support. Gamers can rest assured that this lack of levels (and hopefully arms) will be remedied in due time.
Overall
One phrase that could be easily attached to Left 4 Dead would be "Plain and Simple." The concept, the gameplay, and especially the story are all as cut and dry as gaming gets. Given the general attitude that all gamers want is "bigger, better, and more bigger better," it's refreshing to see that Valve has taken the philosophy "plain and simple" and applied it to where it counts most: the game is fun, plain and simple.