Left 4 Dead

Un4gettable

I Love a zombie film. I've been watching them for years and it is quite possible that I've seen every single one ever released, even Zombie Strippers (which, to be fair, is probably the finest example of the genre). I've always preferred the ones that see the Infected running around as if on Speed, rather than the slow ambling dum-dums that are easily out-witted, easily out-maneuvered, and easily capped. The fast ones though, they make your skin crawl; and are all over you like a harem of zombie strippers on a fifty pound note wrapped around a rare steak before you know it.

I never thought I'd be in one of these rare pieces of entertainment though - not that I haven't fancied myself as a young Bruce Campbell. And I've resigned myself to the fact that Sam Raimi will never pick up his phone and call. So, please forgive my proud assertion as I divulge that Valve's Left 4 Dead has finally landed.

You may have guessed from the title (if you didn't know already), that Left 4 Dead is a survival horror title in the mould of, well, no other game that's ever been released really. Certainly it borrows heavily from film, 28 Days Later and the remake of Dawn of the Dead, and if no other game, Valve's very own Counter-Strike, but there really is little else like it on the market. You can watch gameplay footage on YouTube and see the resemblance to the CS series, especially the way characters move in their floatly-legged, 'we've just done ten grammes of whizz', type of way. The Valve-style first-person perspective will also be immediately familiar, of course.

Left 4 Dead in its purest form is a multiplayer game, and should be reviewed as such. While there's the obvious deathmatches and the like on offer, the meat is the four-mission scenario played with three other human players (you can start new or join existing scenarios at will). The single player experience, while identical in terms of plot and gameplay, is more of a pinned-on extra that doesn't offer anywhere near the depth of its multiplayer counterpart, there's little by way of the huge set pieces essential to the traditionally successful single player FPS. That's not to say that it isn't impressive in its own right, it is certainly a frightening and enjoyable experience, but the spirit of the game is found when playing with other people. The multiplayer game in fact doesn't need the set pieces, as working as a team with characters that react the way humans in a similar situation might do (mainly randomly firing into dark corners 'just in case' and accidentally shooting you in the back in blind panic), offers the profundity necessary to truly reveal the charm of the game. And so as we go forth we discuss Left 4 Dead as it has been developed and marketed to be: a co-op multiplayer title.

Following the brilliant five-minute opening movie - essential viewing that sets the scene beautifully and finishes at the very beginning of the game's narrative - the four of you are on top of an apartment building; an evacuation point steeped in supplies, guns and ammunition, the last of the rescue helicopters flies out of sight, there's nothing left to do but survive. It is the aftermath of an apocalyptic urban nightmare: everyone is Infected. Over the radio you hear a scrambled message of the whereabouts of another rescue point and you make your way tentatively down into the apartment. What you're confronted with is a building in ruins, the lights flicker on and off constantly, and gaping holes make obstacles of hallways, front rooms and kitchens. In the darkness lurks evil, red eyes sway, they look at you and you pop one in the brain before they move again.

Left 4 Dead is dark - nearly all of what I've experienced has taken place at night; skulking through pitch black corridors with only a flash light to guide the way (akin to the Ravenholm level of Half-Life 2). It is creepy like nothing you might imagine, knowing that you're a corner away from a hoard of maniacal, suicide-happy bloodlusting mentals means you're always somewhat afraid to venture forth and you do so with real trepidation. Typically of Valve, the lighting looks superb, beams bouncing off walls, strip lights, once disturbed, giving off a swinging artificial light reserved for operating theaters or third-world front rooms. And don't expect to see the Infected from afar often, they jump in and out of the light as they're only driven by their yearning for your flesh, not at all worried that they might turn an ankle on the copious amounts of debris scattered about the place.

While the game is intense, the tension never lets up - in any horror-themed experience the building on tension, and eventually the dread, is important in ensuring the that when you're scared, you're properly petrified - bad horror movies are always those that overdose you with gore so you become immune to its effect. Cleverly, when you face your enemy, and how often, are dictated by brilliant artificial intelligence, a feature coined AI Director. Instead of having predefined zombie spawn points the Director randomly defines when and in what volume the undead come running, so you never know when they're en route regardless of how often you play through (although if you're not careful you can do things that attract attention, like setting off car alarms). Better still, the Director monitors the performance of you and your fellow survivors. Shoot well, don't die, and more will come to test how good at living you really are. Do poorly, die often and the Director recognizes your foolishness and relieves the severity of the onslaught. Killing isn't the only thing that keeps you alive; there are sections that promote reservation in hostility - one particularly memorable moment was entering a dark underground car park, only the exit stairwell on the other side forcing a glow through the dank, concrete room. Ambling around is a darkness full of zombies, but all remain undisturbed if everyone in your squad can keep their nerve and make it through without using their flashlight. If only it was that simple; as mentioned before debris litters every floor; knock over a paint pot and you're spotted, in the middle of an open space with nowhere to hide, and lord help you if there's a boss in there...

Ah, the bosses. While you run madly away from, or directly at the swarming masses, around the levels boss beasties stalk you and their aim is, quite simply, to end you. They don't have the weapons so traditional to multiplayer-style gaming, but special abilities instead. Some are very tough, others can see in the dark, climb walls, and throw fatal strikes, some can drag you away from the relative security of your three comrades, and others spit bile that draws the Infected straight to you from all angles. You'll have to rely on your pals to survive such onslaughts, and the player-controlled bosses can team up with devastating effect at times.

And it is here where Left 4 Dead's strength really lies. Plenty of online-focused shooters aim to get players playing together as a unit, but most fail as gamers - like people as a whole - are selfish beasts. Here, if you go running ahead on your lonesome, you die on your lonesome. The only way to get through levels is to trust that your teammates will heal you and shoot zombies when you need saving, and that you return the favour. If you don't, they die, which means you do, ultimately. The bosses have abilities that can pin you, meaning that without assistance, you'll perish. If however, there is simply no chance of your rescue and they are forced to leave without you, you die, and more than likely they will too, but better then than now, right? However Left 4 Dead isn't completely unforgiving - in fact the easier difficulty settings make levels simple to compete in - should you reach one of the various safe houses scattered around a level those who perish will be 'saved' - somewhat unrealistic, but you'll be thankful as you've probably gathered, it isn't difficult to get yourself chomped up pretty quickly and you don't want the host player quitting a minute after the level has kicked off.

One possibly negative aspect is that the title might get repetitive after a few play throughs - this despite the AI Director chucking random zombie spawn points and adjusting difficulty on the run. The fact is that it is the same enemy acting in the same way each time you meet them, barring the bosses. Valve will be relying on two things to counter this: firstly upon their own regular updates that will need to offer new maps and scenarios, and secondly by allowing the modding community to run free - this seems likely as historically the developer has had an excellent relationship with their community.

Ultimately you simply must give Left 4 Dead your time. It'll compete with Call of Duty: World at War on release day, but there's no reason but for poverty itself, that you shouldn't potentially purchase both games. There's so much tension and just pure fun to be had here that it is quite impossible to ignore, and if you're a player that craves genuine team cohesion then this could be one of the most enjoyable gaming experiences you've ever had. The only thing this game is missing is a G-String clad and rotting Jenna Jameson.

91%

By Gary Flavell