Left for Dead Review by Massa
M.Josette Camilleri
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Left 4 Dead - First Thoughts
The long awaited and much discussed left 4 dead a zombie shooter that is set to set a new slandered for the genre. This is the latest release from valve the (much-loved) makers of Counter strike, half-life, team fortress and many others.
The game starts you out 2 weeks after the infection with the No Mercy episode, on the rooftop of an abandoned building. You must work your way through the zombie hordes as well as the various bosses in search of rescue. The second level takes you through a demolished sub-way station and into a warehouse. All along the way, thanks to the very advanced AI of this game, you will only face as many zombies as you can handle meaning you will never be completely overwhelmed if you work as a team. No matter what your skill levels are you will still enjoy the game. Another thing to note is that even when you begin to backtrack you will still find zombies waiting for you. |
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This AI Director is what sets this game above many others. Thanks to this AI, you cannot play the game two times in the same way, as nearly everything outside the safe room is randomly set. So playing the one time you might find a boomer (1 of the boss zombie types) round the first turn, the next time it might be all clear. It is also capable of “thinking” and of adjusting its method of attack to your style of play. So if you think the zombies are dumb think again. The same randomness applies to the ammo, weapon, pain pills and medi-pack pickups as they can found in various locations.
Another new feature is the co-op mode where you and up to four friends online or in LAN can join forces to survive the apocalypses together. Moreover, here is where the game really comes into its own. Blowing zombie heads off is fun in its own respect but when you throw in real life teammates, it takes on a completely new aspect of teamwork. This mode of play (combined with the fancy AI) also allows for nearly unlimited replays of the campaign. To continue to add to the replay value of this game there is also a versus mode where while one team plays survivor the other plays boss infected for a fight to the finish.
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You can face up to five boss zombie types. The boomer, mentioned above tries to spray you with his vomit in order to distort your vision and attract the horde. Smokers trap you with their very long tongue which holds you until another survivor rescues you or you are ripped to pieces.
The hunters are capable of very long leaps, and will undoubtedly make you leap a few times too. Also the tank (name says it all) and the witch which will only attack if startled and is said to be nearly impossible to kill. All these mixed in and among the regular zombies, which go from docile in the easy levels to sprinters in the expert level.
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To help you in your zombie slaying, you have what one might call, a simple array of weapons which include, an infinite ammo pistol as standard, a hunting rifle for those long range shots; an automatic shotgun which has a very strong close range shot and an assault rifle which is a good all rounder for all ranges. Your arsenal also includes Molotov cocktails, pipe bombs and mounted machine guns, for those tough infected mobs. These if found and used correctly make life much simpler.
From a graphical point of view, nothing but good things can be said about this game. It has some stunning true to life graphics and the requirements are not as high as one would expect having recommended requirements very close to call of duty 4 but with a smoother and more fluid feel.
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Overall, this game is epic to say the least! Stunning graphics, great game play and an AI director that is smarter than you are, all add up to a game that is surely going to make a hit. Whether you are a hardcore diehard gamer or a closet gamer with some time, some money and three friends looking for a laugh it is a true must play. Moreover, with millions already pre-loading the game to be able to play it at 12:01 the apocalypse will surely be short lived.
Now I am off to save myself from the zombie apocalypse. Gl m8s. ^MaSSa.B|aSt* signing out Graphics 4.5/5 Game play 4/5 Lasting appeal 4.5/5 Overall 4.3/5 Thanks for Massa from http://xtragaming.net/ |
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