Left 4 Dead 2 Review

Left 4 Dead 2 arrived this holiday season with excitement, anticipation, and controversy.  Valve, publisher and developer of the Left 4 Dead series, is best known for their dedication to their hardcore games and community, particularly when it comes to creating new (and free) content for their games, extending the replay value from hours to months, and in some cases, years with no additional cost.  So while many mainstream gamers and media were excited about this timely sequel, hardcore loyalists were angry, feeling like their investment in a nearly identical game that seemed to only be new maps and an additional game mode should have been a (free) add-on to the original Left 4 Dead.  There were petitions and boycotts, with many convinced that Valve had turned a cold shoulder to their loyal and dedicated fanbase.   While many (including myself) disagreed with this minority, one thing the outcry did was raise expectations of what Valve needed to deliver to ensure gamers got their full value for Left 4 Dead 2.  Lucky for us, there was more value than you could shake a blood-covered chainsaw at.

                I will mention now that Left 4 Dead 2 is not for everyone.  This is one of the goriest games on the XBOX 360 or PC, so use your judgment when purchasing for children.    The blood, mutilation, and intensity make this one of those games that could keep people up at night.  If the gore is too much, you are able to turn it down in the options menu, which was a nice touch.   Also, this is a hardcore PC game at heart, so there is a learning curve for you casual gamers.  If you have never played a Left 4 Dead game, it will take you some time to find your comfort zone with the controls and pace of the game.  That said, Valve has always known who their target audience is, and for those that love a good ol’ zombie killer, you can’t do much better than this.  Add in the co-op play that the original game in the series is known for, and this is a must have title for hardcore gamers.  Left 4 Dead 2 is the epitome of an “is what it is” game – you will either love it, or you won’t.

                For those wanting to jump right in, Campaign is the way to go.  Campaign contains five individual battles, each of which takes about 45 minutes all the way up to 2 hours, depending on which difficulty you choose.  The overall story, there simply to weave the individual missions together, follows the foursome of Nick, Rochelle, Ellis, and Coach as they battle their way through the deserted southern United States towards New Orleans.  Following the tracks of those who had been rescued before them, they believe if they reach the Big Easy they will be rescued themselves.  The only thing standing in their way is thousands of zombies, ready to ensure that the four are slaughtered long before they ever reach their goal.

                For those that only play single player and do not wander into the online worlds, this game does not have a lot to offer you.  While there is a tremendous amount of replay value in the Campaign mode, it is immensely more fun to play co-op with friends as opposed to playing with the artificial intelligence (AI) that controls the three characters you don’t in single player.  While the AI has incredible aim and loves to heal you, they cannot be commanded, which means that you will have to charge into ambushes alone, take on the majority of attacks from the Special Infected zombies, and frustratingly wait for your teammates to keep up with the pace you try to set.  The AI has improved compared to the original game, but becomes more of a hindrance as the game difficultly increases.  Playing through expert difficultly on Left 4 Dead (1) was near impossible on single player, primarily because the zombies were smarter than your AI teammates.  This is also a problem with Left 4 Dead 2, making expert difficultly almost unplayable without human teammates.

                The only other thing I find issue with is the graphics.  This is not to say that the graphics are bad, they just seem too similar to the original Left 4 Dead.  I have always thought of Valve as a powerhouse for PC graphics, but there are many facets of Left 4 Dead 2 that seem to have received a strong tweak which led to improvements in the game, and the graphics are not one of them.  This is particularly true of the console version.  Bashing aside, the game still looks solid for a next generation title, with the zombies being the stars of the show.  Watching zombies be ripped by a chainsaw is a very enjoyable experience, and much like the first Left 4 Dead, the way the zombies look and move during battles increases the intensity during the game.  Additionally, the Special Infected, boss zombies that have special abilities, look particularly gruesome.  Their design and movement are well done, and seem to be where Valve spent additional time with the look of the game.

                The sound in Left 4 Dead is terrific.  The background music is subtle, which allows more important features of the game to shine.  Special Infected each have their own musical alert, proving to be a huge help in both the Campaign and Versus modes.  The voice acting is well done; with each character showing individual personalities throughout the game that further bring you into the experience.   All of these facets are enjoyable, but it is the in-game sounds that I found most memorable in Left 4 Dead 2.  The sounds of the guns, melee weapons, and enemy attacks skyrocket the intensity level of the game, really putting a player into the zombie apocalypse.  I found myself continually going back to use a melee weapon, determining that there was nothing as fun as ringing a frying pan off of a zombie’s head.  This in addition to the zombie grunts, growls and screams made the game that much more engrossing and fun.

                Graphics and sound notwithstanding, the original Left 4 Dead was all about multiplayer gameplay.  The simple formula put forth by Valve led to some of the most addictive fun we had seen in this generation of games.  Whether playing co-op Campaign, Versus or Survival, the necessary teamwork needed to have success in the game had scores of gamers coming back for more.  Luckily for us, Valve has tweaked many things in the gameplay to ensure that gamers would feel justified in spending their $60 to return to the zombie apocalypse.  The in-game melee weapons, seemingly novelty items in the many previews seen for Left 4 Dead 2, are not only incredibly fun to use, but balanced enough that they can be used as your primary weapon.  This adds an entirely new element to balancing your team out with the right weapons, and allows those who too often get caught in close quarter combat a weapon that will prove effective. 

                In addition, the new enemy monsters help balance out the zombie side of things as well.  The Charger is a smaller version of the tank, which not only deals major damage to the Survivors, but can also single out a player to split up a team, making survival that much more difficult.  The Spitter is present to punish teams that like to spend too much time in one area, spitting acid onto the ground and forcing Survivors to stay on the move.  Finally, The Jockey is the most unique of the three, able to jump onto a Survivor and take control of their movement, leading them straight into the horde or even worse, the evil witch.  These new monsters add terrific variety to the online versus matches, something that made the original Left 4 Dead versus mode turn a bit stale. 

                The three excellent online modes from Left 4 Dead return in the sequel.  Campaign, Versus, and Survival are each on their own extremely fun and challenging modes.    Campaign mode is the story playing through online co-op, with players doing battle with the zombie horde on each of the individual five missions.  Versus uses these same missions, but has two teams that take turns battling each other as Survivors and Infected.  Survival is a mode in which teams of up to four battle the clock to see how long they can hold out against the zombie horde.  Whether playing with friends or strangers, each has their own pluses, and many players are likely to find one they like more than the rest.  Versus is particularly enjoyable with a large group of friends, as there is pure joy in attacking your frantic friends as a zombie.

In addition, Valve has added two fantastic new game modes.  Realism mode is similar to Campaign, but with the difficulty turned up.  This mode is designed for those hardcore Left 4 Dead fans who want the toughest Campaign challenge they can get.  Zombies are more difficult to kill, and game assists such as item and teammate highlights have been turned off.  This mode is not for everyone, but for hardcore Left 4 Dead players that love the challenge of expert; this was designed with you in mind.  Additionally, Left 4 Dead 2 brings a new versus mode called Scavenge.  Scavenge is a round-based competitive battle in which teams attempt to avoid the horde and capture more gasoline cans than the other.  For those that feel that regular Versus mode has become old, this brings a whole new fun factor to playing as the Infected.  The mode is quick paced and fun, and is a nicely unique addition to the multiplayer options.  Both new match types are great fits into the Left 4 Dead rotation, giving the two most popular groups of online players - those that love the challenge of Campaign and those who love playing as the Infected - new and fresh game modes to enjoy on top of what they already had.

                Left 4 Dead was one of 2008’s best games, and Left 4 Dead 2 has improved most facets of the original.  While the first had great gameplay, the feature set was so basic that it felt like the game survived on addiction alone.  Though each play through was unique in the sense of where battles took place, the game staled after so many times of playing the same levels the same ways.  Left 4 Dead 2 has fixed this, building out every facet of the game.   Whether talking about monsters, weapons, or even game modes, everything in Left 4 Dead 2 feels fuller than the original. All of these improvements while keeping the addictive and exciting gameplay of the original Left 4 Dead lead to Valve having another huge winner on their hands.   I recommend trying out each of the online modes to determine which is your favorite, as you might be surprised by which you love once you give each mode a shot.  Personally, I am very excited to dive into Realism and see how far I can get, then breaking in frustration to play some Scavenge and see how far I can ride a Survivor with The Jockey.  Valve showed their confidence in this game by releasing it a mere week after Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, and for good reason – this is a great game.  For those that were concerned that they would not get value out of Left 4 Dead 2, let me put your fears to rest.  This should be considered one of the best multiplayer games not only of the year, but of this console generation.

9.5 out of 10

Released on November 17^th 2009 for XBOX360 and PC

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Review

If Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 isn’t the most anticipated game ever, it’s on a very short list.  In this modern age of internet blogs, video previews, and major video game conferences like e3, it easy for the hype machine about a particular game to wheel out of control, building up said game to almost impossible to deliver heights.  There are rare times when a game that is expected to be genre-changing or console-defining delivers an epic experience, but much more often expectations of perfection lead to very good games lacking that certain something that makes it everything you could want.  Grand Theft Auto 4, LittleBigPlanet, and Gears of War are examples of games in this generation that were somehow able to meet (and in some cases exceed) the lofty expectations set forth for themselves.  I can tell you without a shadow of doubt, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is ready to join that list.

                To say Infinity Ward had their hands full would be a huge understatement.  Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare came on the scene in 2007 and surprisingly captured the majority of “People’s Choice” awards for game of the year.  This was particularly impressive when you remember not only the great games that came out in 2007, but specifically the games in the First Person Shooter (FPS) genre.   Games like Bioshock, Half Life: The Orange Box, and Halo 3 were hugely anticipated and acclaimed games, and all had impressive sales numbers to back up their claims to the game of the year throne, but it was Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare that rose to the top of the very impressive heap. 

Looking back, the numerous awards were justified, as the riveting single player campaign along with perhaps the most addictive multiplayer experience in a console FPS have scores of gamers continuing to play CoD 4 multiplayer to this day.  If you need more proof, the stats speak for themselves:  In reviewing the top 100 mulitplayer scores for CoD 4 online, the average top-100 player has committed 75-80 DAYS of actual in-game playing time, with many players topping 100 days worth of game play.  Think about that.  For someone to match that time played, they would need to play Call of Duty 4 for three straight months non-stop just to reach the average time these people have invested.  Needless to say, the Call of Duty online community is a little excited about this game. 

The online community soon expanded to the entire gaming industry after an incredible e3 demo that was shown this summer, when suddenly anticipation turned into anxiousness to finally get to play the game.   Add to that the numerous tidbits regarding the multiplayer overhaul, the shock over a particular level in which you open up an attack on innocent civilians (more on this later), and the teaser commercials that have been running for the past month, and I think it’s fair to say that everyone is frothing at the mouth hoping this game lives up to the hype.

I’m here to tell you.  It not only lives up to the hype, it exceeds it.

                The solo campaign picks up five years after the events of Call of Duty 4 (you don’t need to have played CoD4 to jump into the story).  After the death of Imran Zakahev (who was the primary antagonist in CoD4), his former associate Vladimir Makarov is picking up where his boss left off, hatching a plan to drive an unsettled world into chaos.  You play members of Task Force 141, a secret military group crated with one goal in mind: stopping Makarov before he plunges the world into anarchy.   From there the story takes you from Washington DC to Russia, Brazil to the Middle East in a desperate battle against terror and time in an attempt to keep peace before the civilized world comes tearing apart.

Playing through the story, the one word that kept coming back to my mind to best capture the experience was intense.  I have played through my fair share of video game plots, and I can say that Modern Warfare 2’s single player campaign is the most intense gaming experience I’ve ever had.  There were times I simply had to take a small break, grab a bit of fresh air and let my shoulders relax because the story had drawn me in so much.  This is not to say it is overwhelming, but rather leads to an incredibly enjoyable journey that I couldn’t wait to go through again.  From the moment you begin the campaign, the game trains you on the controls and literally throws you into a heated warzone.  From there, you spend the duration going back and forth between wild firefights and tiptoeing stealth missions, working toward the goal of capturing Makarov.  The overall story flows wonderfully through the eyes of different Task Force 141 team members, keeping the plot moving while at the same time proving minor individual moments that are a nice change of pace.

                There has been some controversy regarding a particular level in the game which has you involved in a terrorist attack on a Russian airport.  Without giving too much away, the game walks the tightrope of balancing the development of the story with some very sensitive material.  It is certainly pushing the boundary, but the game does give you the option to skip the scene if you feel the need to.  After playing through it, I felt that the brief moments of civilians being attacked served the purpose of developing the story and creating an understanding of how dangerous Makarov is and why he must be eliminated.  The civilian scene is brief, and quickly flows into a battle with police and military that felt like any other level in the game.  The level certainly pushes the envelope of what we find acceptable, but I appreciate that video games as a medium continue to evolve, and force us to ask questions and hold discussions regarding sensitive topics.  I mentioned the game was intense, and this is certainly one of the moments of highest intensity.

 The balance between moments of chaos, stealth, and focus is sublime, and the game does a wonderful job of maintaining your involvement in the plot by changing what you are doing right when it seems that anymore of the same would be repetitive.  Infinity Ward has described the game not as a First Person Shooter, but rather a First Person Action game, and after playing the game I can tell you the shoe fits.  Modern Warfare 2 is much more than just a shooting game, and that can be credited to how the plot brings together the various things you’ll find yourself doing throughout the story.  Whether you are hopping on a snowmobile, jumping off a roof reaching for a helicopter, or using predator misses to take out vehicles, Modern Warfare 2 weaves many different small moments and intricate battles into one engrossing storyline, dazzling your senses and emotions along the way.

Easy to learn and addictive gameplay, Infinity Ward staples, play a large role in making the game so great. If you have ever picked up a Call of Duty game, the controls will feel second-nature to you.  The simple controls also work terrifically in the games multiplayer mode, allowing for many different match types to be played without sacrificing anything on the control end.  Each of the many in-game weapons feels unique.  You can feel the kickback on each gun, and your sprint and movement are affected based on how heavy of a weapon you currently employ.  Sniping, something that some found particularly difficult in Call of Duty 4, feels tweaked and improved, giving those who might have been scared off of using sniper rifles in previous games another chance to add to their arsenal.  While the guns are fun, there is special enjoyment to be found in major weapons like predator missiles, javelin rockets, and even AC-130 gunships.   These weapons are a wonderful change to the monotony of rifles in single player and prove to be huge advantages if you are able to secure them in multiplayer.

                The graphics in Modern Warfare 2 are good, if not groundbreaking.  What really deserves notice here are the nuances and backgrounds that are found within the levels and maps.  Trees and bushes seem like they actually provide cover from enemy sight.  When it is snowing in the game, visibility is affected as if you are actually in the snow.   If you are fighting in a house or office, you will see papers, pots, and other items fly into the air when hit by stray bullets and grenades.  While character models themselves might remind you of Call of Duty 4, what stood out most for me was the detailed development of the backgrounds and buildings.  Whether you are playing online multiplayer or grinding through the campaign, the backdrops in which these battles take place are beautiful.  I found this particularly noticeable while playing multiplayer, having almost as much fun exploring the landscape as I was enemy-hunting.  The in-game cutscenes are well put together and effectively timed, progressing the story without being overbearing or too numerous.  

                Along the same lines, the in-game sound will seem familiar to those who played Call of Duty 4.  Again this is a good thing, with wonderful voice acting, lush background sounds, and bone-rattling explosions that encourage you to turn your stereo up to increase the enjoyment.  The single player campaign relies on subtle dialogue to push the story forward without being overbearing, which is perfectly executed in the game.  The characters are memorable and drive the story without going over the top.  The sounds of gunfire, footsteps, and explosions are particularly noticeable in multiplayer mode, where they serve to further draw you into the world in which you are playing.  You can hear attacks coming from the sky, alerting you to try and find cover just as easily as you can hear someone’s footsteps trying to sneak up behind you.  If you have surround sound set up with your system, use it, as this will further enhance your gaming experience.

                I was able to play through the campaign in about seven hours on regular difficulty.  I usually play through Call of Duty games on Veteran (hardest difficultly), so I would put the length of the campaign for the average gamer somewhere between 8 or 9 hours, with extra time added on for each subsequent difficulty.  I was pleasantly surprised with the challenge of regular difficulty, which in turn made me nervous about playing on Veteran.  After playing a bit on each difficulty though,  I do believe that all difficulties are manageable with some patience.  Similar to previous Call of Duty games – if you play on Veteran you are going to die.  A lot.  It is not as easy in Modern Warfare 2 to go into each battle guns blazing as it has been in previous iterations.  One reason in particular is that the blood that shows up on your screen to show that you have been hit can make it very difficult to see where you are getting attacked from.  To make things easier on yourself, use cover when necessary.  Another excellent feature that has been added is the ability to lower the difficultly level at any point during the solo campaign if you get stuck.  This allows those that are just trying to get through the game another way to try to advance through a level without having to restart it.

                Personally, I would have been content to pay full price for the single play campaign only, but luckily Modern Warfare 2 offers two additional game modes.  The first of which is the all-new Special Ops mode.  This mode consists of 23 individual missions that each have a certain set of conditions which need to be met to be passed.  You can earn a total of three stars per mission, which are awarded based on mission goals such as completion time or difficultly level, for a total of 69 stars possible.  These can be earned by playing alone, or multiplayer via split screen and online.  This mode is the hidden gem in Modern Warfare 2 due to the addictiveness of trying to acquire all 69 stars.  The challenges vary widely, and the fact that you can recruit friends or strangers online to help assist you in completing the tasks adds to the fun.  There is something for everyone here, as the challenges start off pretty easy and get progressively more difficult as you unlock more of them.  For experienced gamers who enjoy the challenge of playing Call of Duty games on Veteran, these challenges basically double your gaming experience, and are a great way to experience Modern Warfare 2 in a co-op style game with your friends.

                Then of course, there is the online multiplayer mode, a follow-up to what has been one of the best multiplayer games to come out this decade, let alone this console generation.  It’s hard to say that the new multiplayer in Modern Warfare 2 is revolutionary, but Infinity Ward has certainly built on the successes of the original.  The first thing to note is that the number of guns, along with the unlockables on each gun, has been increased.  There were attachments to guns in Call of Duty 4 that you were able to use in the campaign and not in the multiplayer, and you will not find that here.  The kill streaks, which have been standard for Call of Duty games, have been expanded, allowing each player to pick from a variety of options as opposed to being locked into pre-set kill streaks.  Each kill streak has its own advantages, with the better weapons requiring more consecutive kills to attain.  For example, a care package drop is unlocked after four straight kills, while if you are able to amass eleven straight kills, you can take control of an AC-130 gunship.  Also among the new additions are call signs, which are titles and emblems that are unlocked as you play to further allow you to customize and personalize your character.  Death streaks are new to the game as well, allowing those that are consistently finding themselves watching replays of their deaths a little advantage to try to help them out.

                The match types have largely carried over from previous Call of Duty games, with popular options such as Team Deathmatch, Ground War, Domination, and Headquarters making a return appearance.  New match choices include Demolition, which is a team battle focused around two bomb sites, almost like Sabotage with respawns for you experienced Call of Duty players.  These match options are available to play both online as well as in private games if you just want to do battle with your friends.  Game modes must be unlocked by gaining playing experience, but all available match types are unlocked once you reach level 19, so it should not take too long before you are able to play whatever you’d like.  Each match type is quite different, so it should not be difficult to find something that you enjoy playing.  I will note that War mode, made popular by Call of Duty: World at War, is not present in this game, and though I can see how it doesn’t really fit the style of game that Modern Warfare 2 is, there is part of me that wishes it had been included.

Finally, I’d be remiss not to talk about the maps.  Modern Warfare 2 ships with 16 playable multiplayer maps, each inspired by a particular scene from within the campaign.  The maps are beautiful, detailed, and (most importantly) well balanced, keeping each multiplayer game flowing and making it very difficult for any team to get pinned down unless they are completely outmatched.  The maps are much more intricate than previous Call of Duty games, with usable buildings and rooftops sometimes 5 or 6 stories high.  In addition, the spacing is well thought out, requiring more attention than ever to ensure that you are well-protected from attack.  I would advise jumping into these maps with a few friends to get the lay of the land before you dive into multiplayer, but trial by fire has certainly helped me learn the ins and outs of the maps if that is your preference.  There is something for every kind of player on each map, whether you are a sniper or riot shield user, you can find ways to use each maps’ qualities to your advantage.

                I would say that this game would be worth your $60 if it only contained the single player campaign and the special ops mode.  I’d also tell you it would be worth $60 for the multiplayer mode alone if you loved the multiplayer experience of Call of Duty 4.  To combine these two together makes it a clear knockout and clearly the favorite for 2009 Game of the Year so far (with apologies to Uncharted 2 and Batman: Arkham Asylum).  Infinity Ward had their work cut out for them just to have this game meet expectations, but they truly hit a home run and have created one of the better games I have ever played.  I don’t think there is such thing as the perfect game and along those lines I don’t believe giving 10/10 score means a game is perfect.  A 10/10 for me means the game is as good as you could possibly expect, and in this case, Modern Warfare 2 achieves that and even more.  If you are at all serious about video games, this is a must-have.  If you have ever been curious about the First Person Shooter genre but have never really gotten into them, you’ll want to give this game a shot.  To Infinity Ward: mission accomplished.  I have no idea what you will do to follow this up, but I can’t wait to see.

A year from now, it will be interesting to see how many days people have committed to this game compared to Call of Duty 4.

10/10

Releases on XBOX 360, PS3, and PC on November 10, 2009