Review of: Left 4 Dead

Reviewer: David Lam

Title: Left 4 Dead

System: Xbox 360

Genre: First-person shooter/Survival Horror

                Zombie Apocalypse, a scenario where the majority of the world is flesh eating hungry dead corpses. You are of the few survivors and have to survive the zombie hoards by shooting them in their brain which is their major weakness. You can be infected through bites and this genre has been showcased in books, movies, and videogames. In my opinion I think that everyone has at least once thought how they would do in a scenario like that. It is fiction and some think it would be enjoyable to live a an apocalyptic world like that. 

                Take a look at Left 4 Dead (the first one) a zombie apocalypse scenario produced by Valve. Valve, known for Team Fortress 2, has done another fantastic job. Left 4 Dead is simple with music that fits the game and graphics that are alright. The game is probably the simplest game I have played recently but it works. Just like the Italian Mafia, Left 4 Dead has simple but effective game play. There are 4 characters and there is no story since each different area features a different scenario. In one you escape from a city by helicopter and in another you escape by boat. This game is straight up simple just get from point A to point B as best as possible. You have to fight off zombies and deal with the special infected or zombies with special abilities. Along the way you must activate levers and fight off hoards or find weapons and caches of supplies. In this sense the game is simple, however, Valve is known for creating games that require a great deal of teamwork. Left 4 Dead gives a whole new never before seen sensation in zombie games. The most noticeable one is that in multiplayer you can play as a special infected zombie. Your goal is to eliminate the survivors using the various special skills your zombie has. The second is the realism felt when playing the game.

                As you play with other people in cooperative campaign you learn that teamwork is essential to survival. The game becomes intense causing the players to yell and scream for help. Eventually all the players get into the act and you literally feel as if your are in a zombie apocalypse. You jump when you are pounced on by a hunter class zombie. You yell for help when being strangled by the long tongue of a smoker.  You scream frantically when a large muscular zombie known as the Tank flings cars at you. The game gets people into the mood and everyone soon begins they really are in an apocalypse. The necessity of teamwork is amazing and I feel it is more of a necessity than in Team Fortress. The purpose of videogames is to provide entertainment but it also allows us to live the in the fictional story lines created for us to play with. Left 4 Dead sucks the player in and makes players feel like they themselves are survivors and that is the best attribute of the game.

                Left 4 Dead is simple and fun making it a very good game. Even though there may be no real set story line the game play is fun and everyone has a good time playing it. Since there is no thought for the plot but a game style that is fun for both humans and zombies this game gets an A.