Left 4 Dead is a game by Valve, the company famous for developing such classic series as Half-Life, Counter-Strike, Portal, and Team Fortress. When developing this game, Valve has set themselves a goal of revolutionizing cooperative gaming in the same way Half-Life revolutionized action gaming, and Counter-Strike revolutionized multiplayer gaming. Did they succeed? Let's find out.

What is this game?

Left 4 Dead for Windows is a classical survival horror game set in a modern world plagued by a deadly virus. The four "last heroes" will fight hordes of flesh-eating zombies and mutant bosses in cooperative mode. The game also has a single-player mode, but the co-op mode is more popular among players. You can play with friends and random people, but gamers usually choose the first option to get an unforgettable entertainment experience.

Storyline

The storyline tells of an event that has gripped the entire world. A terrible virus engulfed Planet Earth, it has spread worldwide, and no one knows the antidote. This dreadful epidemic has reached the U.S., where the main characters are from. You must choose a character and start playing for them, passing the game alone or with your friends. In general, the plot is clear and simple, but it is not trivial. Players need to survive in this dark and scary world. Many people who died from the virus turned into zombies. Others became mutants, taking the form of witches and ghosts. There are many infected people. You need to escape and survive if you don't want to become like them. Fortunately, weapons and loyal friends will help watch your back.

Campaigns

There are four large campaigns in the game. An extraordinary artificial intelligence controls the zombie population in each mission. It monitors players' actions and generates new survival conditions for them. If your team plays seamlessly and handles zombies easily, then be prepared for artificial intelligence to send hordes of zombies with bosses. But artificial intelligence will smooth out dangerous corners of the unfolding events if every step on the infected ground is difficult for you.

Artificial intelligence

Due to the artificial intelligence developed by Valve using next-generation technology, it is possible to play the game from 1 to 8 people simultaneously. In Left 4 Dead, you can play as a survivor or as one of the four zombie bosses. The latter have monstrous weapons: for example, one has a tongue 15 meters long used as a lasso; and another has a huge belly filled with explosive substances. Each boss is unique, and you must use special tactics to defeat it.

Team game

In Left 4 Dead, there's only one principle: you have to stick together. Do not show excessive heroism like in more straightforward shooters; cover for each other, and do not point your gun at your teammates. The team's real strength lies in its firepower; if even one player stops shooting, the risk of losing increases. The game cultivates the desire to help your team, encouraging you with all sorts of achievements.

Checkpoints

The gameplay of Left 4 Dead is based on the tasks designed to reach the checkpoints. However, before you get to a particular checkpoint, you must complete additional assignments. Somewhere you may need to clear the territory from zombies, and somewhere you may need to find the necessary item or key. Otherwise, it is a classic action game, where you must fight against numerous zombie hordes as you pass the levels. Moreover, the zombies in this game don't just walk but sprint, attacking you with the entire crowd. There are also mutated zombies exploding, vomiting poison, and more.

Atmosphere and performance

The most valuable advantage of Left 4 Dead for Windows is the ability to feel every stamp and situation you can find in zombie movies and fantastic performance due to the Source engine. There can be about a hundred enemies on the screen, and the FPS doesn't drop. And you don't need a modern PC for all this because Valve is good at optimization.

Game features

• Artificial intelligence controls all units to make the process exciting in any mode: single-player, multiplayer, or cooperative;

• Cooperative play is evaluated, and ranking, statistics, and awards are based on this;

• There is a system of selecting opponents;

• There are 20 large maps, 10 different types of weapons, and 4 modes for passing;

• The additional «Developer Commentary» mode allows users to learn many interesting details.