Title : Left 4 Dead Format: Multiple (PC Version Reviewed) Publisher: Valve (STEAM) Reviewer: Wonda-I3oy

Let’s face it there is no shortage of online games on the PC but there is a shortage of QUALITY online games on the PC. Every now and then a game comes along that refines the genre and pushes the benchmark to where we all want gaming to be. Graphically stunning and super smooth with-out the need for a UBER high end gaming machine that you have to sell a kidney to finance. Excellent story and polished and involving game-play that has you drooling for more.  A game that grabs you and has you saying “Just one more game before I go to bed” a phrase which is repeated long into the night, not all that common nowadays in the gaming market. That game is LEFT 4 DEAD....

L4D is a team based online FPS but not as we know it....Why? Well because Valve have done something no-other developer has managed to do so far. Actually create a game that MAKES online players work as a team (and I cannot stress this enough) or the penalty is none other then....DEATH. Each round consists of 2 teams of 4 players, the human team or “Survivors” must battle to get to a “SAFE ZONE” through wonderfully created dark atmospheric levels while the “INFECTED” team must stop them at all costs. Sounds easy right?  Wrong. The infected team consists of 4 mutants.....a Smoker, an incredible tall zombie like creature with a tongue that grabs  and incapacitates survivor’s  around the neck from huge distances and drags them close where they get pummelled. A Boomer, hugely overweight slow zombie with the power to get sick on command, with infectious sick that alerts hordes of zombies to attack the survivor that just got “painted bright pink”. A Hunter, impressively agile and powerful wolf like zombie that can leap great distances, with an audible roar and deals acute damage if not dealt with very quickly. And last but not least a mid level boss “The Tank” a grotesque half man half....err... well something else, that can down a survivor with 2 hammer punches that usually appears if survivors are making too much progress too quickle other then....DEATH.

Team survivors are a basic bunch compared to the “Infected” with limited weapons including hand pistol, small sub machine gun and slow firing single barrel shotgun, which can be upgraded at various points throughout the level to a powerful M16 machine gun and the massively powerful quick firing double barrelled shotgun. Add to the mix some medi packs and pain pills with the odd Molotov cocktails for dealing with tanks and massive hordes due to Boomers sick, pipe bombs with a audible bleep that the infected hordes think is dinner and follow to their doom. The only real plus for the survivors is the audible cue that all the infected team give off. Smokers constantly cough, while Hunters roar when set to pounce and Boomers make the most god awe-full regurgitating sounds....nice at the start to hear, but vital if you want to be successful in dealing with the Infected as you progress.

Teamwork is something of a filthy word online, not many people want to play nice and share! And therefore go their own way and play as they want. If this sounds like you then maybe you should stay with CS:S (Counter Strike) as you will quickly find that both you and your team will if separated will be dealt a swift death and in that order..as once you die in L4D there is no re-spawn for survivors and you are forced to sit out the remaining round. There is no doubt in L4D that the survivors have the raw deal, with relentless waves of infected gunning for you the tension that is so hard to make in games, is here in abundance. That’s why when you do finally limp and crawl to the safe zone you feel and incredible amount of achievement and camaraderie....a Band of Brothers scenario if you will. And when you successfully complete the round the tables turn and the hunters become the hunted if you will, and a chance for much payback is on the cards.

L4D is not without faults, the servers seem to be very un-responsive at peak times (easily fixed with steam updates) and there can be a steep learning curve to get the very best from the game. But the pros far out- weight the cons.

All in all, L4D is arguably the best online game I have played, and it gets better the more familiar you get with it....In no time you will find yourself using “Combos” i.e Smokers grabbing and you painting survivors with sick for maximum points. Not only does it have a fine offline mode to boot, played with steam friends online where is really shines, it will no doubt have you “INFECTED” (you see what I did there) with its sheer playability and addictiveness.

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