Throughout recent years, survival horror games have been based on zombies. The successful horror games of this and last generation have been on beings who like to consume humans. Mainly because some sort of virus has taken a hold on the world, and changed human life as we know it into a crazed ridden, flesh eating, vacant stare kind of race.
Resident Evil started the whole craze off with the umbrella corporation going a bit hey wire and unleashing an uber virus onto the world, Bioshock came along some time after with a half sane kind of zombie type human, wanting to splice people up and bleed them dry of a substance called ADAM. There has also been other games such as Dead Rising, which was just a mall full of zombies and psychopaths.
So zombies have got a large appeal over the years. But the game that took zombie slaying to the next level was Left 4 Dead. This game was mainly a multiplayer based kill fest, but this time the zombies weren’t the slow walking vacant stare type. They were more the, we are going to run and scream in packs of about 200 and then rip any human to shreds type. This type of Zombie game play, gave players a new sence of urgency, a sence of insecurity and a sence of what the hell is going to be screaming round the next corner? Seeing as the game had a unique selling point of random enemy placement, meaning that if you were to go through the same level again, the zombies would be placed differently on the level. So that corridor you thought was deserted, next time could have a pack of zombies ready to eat your face.
But enough about the past. Lets look to the future and see what Left 4 Dead 2 has to offer the zombie slaying public. Well I can tell you now that the new game will feature five new campaign levels. These levels are bigger in size than the last game, meaning more hordes of zombies for the masses. Each of these levels can again be played in the other multiplayer modes, which are Co-op, Versus, and Survival mode. There has also been a new multiplayer mode mentioned but no confirmation on what said game mode is yet.
Three of the five new campaign levels have been announced so far. These campaign levels are “The Parish” set in the New Orleans’ French Quarter, “Swamp Fever” which is set in a murky swamp type area, surprisingly and “Dark Carnival” which sounds pretty awesome to me, The whole idea of a creepy carnival to kill zombies in sounds great.
With these new levels there will be some new boss characters as well. We have had 3 announced so far: “The Charger” which is the rugby/american football player of the zombie race. This leviathan charges into anyone or thing in its way. “The Spitter” who has a nasty habit of spitting mutated stomach acid on the floor, which then quickly turns into a pool the murky green acid, so running and gunning is good here as you don’t really want to fall into that. The 3rd boss type zombie to be announced is The Jocky, this git of a zombie apparently attacks its prey from behind, grabbing his/her head and then tries to gain control of its new prey. So I would be very careful of these guys, especially if your still on the look out for Boomers, Hunters, Tanks, Witches and Smokers.
From bottom left going clockwise: Charger, Jocky, Spitter
In Left 4 Dead 2, there are four new characters for you to pick from who are: Nick, a run of the mill slick con man, he is one of these guys who likes expensive suits and the rich life style. Rochelle, Left 4 Dead 2’s answer to Zoey, the only woman of the group who is a journalist…nice. Coach, an ex high school football coach turned health teacher who is pushing 40, and last but not least, Ellis who appears to be the ‘Stiffler’ of the gang. A high school student who is loud-mouthed and likes his beer.
From left to right: Nick, Rochelle, Coach, Ellis
I bet your thinking, now that I have gone though enemies and playable characters, what about the all important weapons new to Left 4 Dead 2? Well some of you ‘bloody violence’ types out there will be pleased to know that Left 4 Dead 2 has taken melee combat into consideration with a whole host of melee weapons. Such as a Baseball Bat, Cricket Bat, Crow Bar, Electric Guitar, Fire Axe, Frying Pan, Katana, Machete, Police Baton and the all important Chainsaw. Thats a massive 10 new melee weapons to get you zombie hacking hands on.
Right so after all that info who is up for some Zombie slaying? Because I sure as hell am.
Left 4 Dead 2 is coming out on the 20th of November for Xbox 360 and PC. Look out for our hands on coverage of the game at Eurogamer next month.
Garv!
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