jeffbase34

I bought this game last year due to all the hype and great reviews. With the sequel coming out this week, I bumped it to my priority list, and played the game for the first time last week.

For awhile, I was impressed by the presentation. Zombie kills were good and messy, causing random blood splatter on the walls. Shining your flashlight into a dark room to see a horde come at you was stunning. However, the textures on the objects looked very last gen.

I started playing the single player, and quickly released that this is not a true single player game. There are no cut scenes, no story, no feeling of progression. It is just a collection of short levels. I gave multiplayer a try, and it was fun for awhile then very repetitious. All you do is just shoot and run. The weapons felt wimpy. I got no real feeling of accomplishment.


I understand the appeal of a multiplay online shooter, but games like BF1943 offer numerous options beyond just run and gun. I experienced all the game had to offer within a few hours. Needless to say, I won't be buying the sequel.

nemein

Frankly the fact it is just a run and gun is why I like it. You can sit down, run through a level in about 30-45min and then move on to something else. No grand strategies you have to try to work out w/ people, usually no PvP (unless you play the 8 player version or get an asshole in the group) which in turn usually means very little trash talk and all the other garbage that's turned me away from the other online games. I agree there's not much to it, but I still enjoy it and am looking forward to the sequel. Each to their own...

Groucho

You do realize that there is a reply button on this forum, and you don't have to start a new thread every time you have something to say?

jeffbase34

Reply to what?

This forum is not that crowded with threads, and I think it's a bit ridiculous that to expect me to spend time searching through old thread history to check 100% that Left 4 Dead was never talked about on here before.

As a reader, I don't like seeing old threads resurrected. I find that more annoying.

Groucho

I was able to find the original thread in less than 15 seconds:

http://forum.dvdtalk.com/video-game-...hlight=left%2A

lordwow

Thank you for your opinion.

DRG

Survival is supposed to be the accomplishment. What difficulty were you playing at?

maxfisher

I'm not sure that I've ever played Left 4 Dead by myself, but it absolutely kicks ass for split-screen, system-link and online co-op. I've probably played through the original four scenarios around 50 times each. It's frantic action, has a great creepy vibe and really stresses teamwork in a way few games even attempt. The controls are tight and you rarely feel like you died due to the game taking a cheap shot. It is pretty much pure gameplay, though, and if cutscenes and stories are an imperative for someone to enjoy a game, they're probably not going to like it.

glassdragon

Oh groucho. All we are missing you now is sitting in a lawn chair screaming "Get off my lawn you dadburned kids'

Groucho

I just want that thread bumped so somebody can explain to me how to enable "8 player co-op".

Michael Corvin

I approve this post...

and second this one.

tonyc3742

L4D takes the best part of FPSes, the excitement and tension, removes the direct competitiveness (except in Versus of course) and makes it extremely simple to get into, while adding a cool horror theme and lots of suspense. It's definitely a fun pick up and play, kill-a-lottype of game. Anyone who's used IDKFA should like the concept of L4D. Lots of FPSes have a lot of stealth in them now, which some aren't a fan of.

That said, though I've played it singleplayer, it's definitely much better and more fun in multiplayer, and that's where its legs come in as well. Based on the demo, I'm not really intrigued by L4D2, I won't boycott and say it should have been DLC/update/expansion, but it doesn't have the 'spark' L4D did for me.

nemein

I disagree that this should have been folded into the larger thread. Since it is mainly a post criticizing L4D potentially it would have been read as a So I think having it as a separate thread is ok... but then again I'm not a mod in this forum so I'll leave it up to those who are whether or not to roll it into the larger thread.

slop101

If it were up to Groucho, this entire forum would be just one huge thread.

nemein

Have to agree so far the "support" for L4D has been kind of sparse. There's been only 2 DLCs (survival was kind of fun, but the new scenario was a joke both in length and how long it took them to get it out) in a game that by its very nature could have supported more. I have to say based on the demo though I'm looking forward to the sequel (Gamefly is shipping it today ). The new weapons/abilities and some of the new setups (sprint to the siren to stop the undead flow for example) look to be taking the game in some fun/new directions. Hopefully they'll do a better job w/ the DLC this time though.

rocketsauce

I was actually wondering the same thing. I didn't play the first one but have heard and read all the hype behind it. Because of this I DL'ed the demo of the sequel and played it. I pretty much agree on all points of the OP. But this being the internet and the game being about zombies be careful of criticizing it. If this game also had pirates in it you would have been banned already for talking negatively about it.

Groucho

I don't think the game is "beyond reproach" because it has zombies. That's a bit ridiculous. The is well-loved for a number of reasons, including:

• Great co-op play that encourages teamwork and communication
• Dynamic levels that change every time you play
• Pure gameplay. No cutscenes or tutorial levels. Just jump in and start shooting

superfro

Yet I have a feeling were L4D2 delayed till February some people would think it would cause the collapse of the holiday gaming season and possibly industry all together.

nemein

I think that's where the game really shines. Even in the single player mode, every time through a level is different.

rocketsauce

I was being a tad bit facetious...

It was just funny because the OP kind of got jumped on for saying he didn't get why this game was so popular.

rocketsauce

What about the levels change? The number of zombies that come out at a certain point or from what direction they come from? I've only played the demo so maybe it's not a good representation.

tonyc3742

Yes, the number and placement of Infected varies some, and you may or may not encounter certain Special infected in any given level, and they will appear in different places. There are certain places that are likely to have weapons, but what weapons are there change too.
Theoretically the "Game Director" (the AI that sends in the zombies) will react to how you play as well. (obviously the difficulty level you're playing on has an effect as well).
I don't think every level playthrough is *that* different, but it's different enough to keep you on your toes.

I too would like to know why zombies, pirates, and ninjas are so well-loved. They're cool and all but it seems all you have to do is stick in a zombie, pirate, and/or ninja and suddenly the kewl kids are all "OMG! LOL! Z0M8I3S!". It's the biggest, unfunniest, in-joke i've ever seen. (Note: as Groucho states, that is not in any way meant impugn what L4D does well, and I don't think it would work as well if you were fighting living humans or even aliens.)

Nausicaa

What isn't great about Left 4 Dead?

The game is fast, tense, and very very well designed. I also love the 'camp' atmosphere, with the dorky movie posters and character dialogue.

Still, I will admit the game doesn't have much lasting appeal in terms of single player gameplay, but I think it's one of the best multiplayer experiences out there - especially versus mode. I play it with friends a lot (probably gone through each campaign, No Mercy especially, several hundred times), and it never seems to get old. The game plays differently every time, and there's plenty of strategy to think about, especially when playing as infected.

The sequel is going to build on the best parts of the original. New special infected, melee weapons, more dynamic maps, etc. I'm really excited!

actyper

Best 4 player coop game ever, period...

stupiddimbulb

Oh look, the troll is back to start up shit, after having hilariously failed in his last dozen-or-so wastes-of-threads. Do Earth a favor and take a very high jump off a very tall cliff.