L4D2: Demo Impressions

by sweep

So, I pre-ordered Left 4 Dead 2 on Steam. This got me access to the L4D2 Demo (Kind of defies the point of a demo?). I played through the campaign a few times on Normal, Advanced and Expert - always online. The playable Campaign is Priory, only chapters 1 and 2. I don't know if it's because I played L4D1 on 360 and 2 on PC but the changes that have been made feel very substantial. When I dismissed Left 4 Dead 2 initially on being too soon after Left 4 Dead 1, perhaps I had forgotten just how incredible the first game really is. I don't know if it's just not having played the first game for several months or if the changes really are as dramatic as they appear but...Fuck me. This game is awesome.

Ellis is ma boi :D
The first thing I noticed was a real weight to the characters and weapons. Everything seems bolder somehow. The pistols are back but have an added kick and chunky demeanour. Weapons now really are randomized, meaning the gear available to you at the beginning of the level will swap every time. There are at least 3 different kinds of shotguns - in fact there are lots of variations on every weapon type, usually only with cosmetic differences. However before you roll your eyes, the Silenced SMG sounds like fucking SEX. It is, truly, a joy to kill zombies with. Personally, I have grown rather fond of the Machete and AK combo. The magnum also has a special place in my heart.

The levels look sharp. Everything looks sharp. All the models have been updated, the Smokers and Hunters you grew up with have been altered to suit their new habitat. The Spitter, Jockey and Charger are all included, though for the most part the AI did a rather basic job of combining their powers - most of the special infected just ran at us until we shot them, which is fine for Chargers but Boomers require a more stealthy approach. I look forward to Vs mode, I can see all sort of shit being mapped out by zombie enthusiasts. Though the Hazmat zombies are yet to make an appearance, we discovered the SWAT zombies which can only be killed by shooting them in the back. This means if one of those bastards incapacitates you, you are fucked unless a team-mate quickly comes to pick you up. Or apparently unless you have incendiary rounds, which I have not yet found in my relatively extensive exploration of the demo.

The zombies themselves look awesome. Really, really fucking awesome. Blowing some zombie chump's arms of with an AK is perhaps the most satisfying feeling I have ever had in a videogame. We also got to test out the new "moving Finale" type events, where you have to run to switch of the alarm - until you do so, zombies will continuously horde at you. I have to say, I got a genuine rush from seeing a horde of zombies appear at the opposite end of the street and, knowing we would have to run through them, charging them down with a Frying Pan. Again, this is going to have obvious benefits in Vs mode as a team of survivors can no longer retreat to a small room or corner and melee their way through a finale with health intact. The new more powerful weapons seem to have been balanced simply by adding more zombies. This is never, ever a bad thing.

It's still very obviously Left 4 Dead, no surprises there considering the turnaround - but it really does feel like the changes that have been made are justification of a new title. I feel like a bit of a twat for saying so, as I was highly sceptical of Valve, but it really is a big improvement. The changes are not in the style or thematic content of the game, but in the execution and tightening of the gameplay. Your little team of survivors still spout humble one-liners, and in time you will learn to love them all. Ellis is my character, but Coach is my hero. Clumsily thrown Molotovs and idiotic Rambo attempts are still abundant and will make players feel right at home, as will the crude scribbles and dry humour on the safe-room walls. There are a few new items such as Adrenaline, which blurs your vision and gives you a small health boost. It also makes your aiming super sensitive so you can snap your view back and forth at an alarming pace. It's like the opposite of bullet-time, and replaces the usual pills slot. Melee weapons replace pistols, which is always a difficult call as they have a half-second swing cooldown - but they never need to be reloaded and never stop working, so no Dead Rising disappearing Katana syndrome.

The film grain is a really awesome decision, as is the southern-inspired music. One thing that got me slightly miffed was the decision to base the level during daylight, especially considering the torches which each player used to navigate the first game. It means you get to see a lot more of your environment, definitely a good thing as the modelling is excellent, but at the cost of the spooky atmosphere in what is, after all, a survival horror game. I have been assured that only 1 of the 5 campaigns is set during daylight, so we shall have to wait and see.

Ok, that's most of the big stuff. I'm going to go back and play some more. If anyone wants to get into my Zombie Survival Team my steam name is Sweep360.

Thanks For Reading
Love Sweep