GAME CASA .NET

So I was cleaning the room the other day. I’ll spare you the gory details, but as I got to the entertainment center–slash general area that the trusty 360 resides–,I moved a game or two around. Dusted half assed, then decided napping would be a better idea. When I awoke from my slumber, I made a discovery…

Holy Crap, I bought Left 4 Dead 2?!?! … (Shortly after I had a question pop into my still sleep addled mind) Am I the only one?

Here is the story. Around Christmas time I was tooling around Amazon.com, Christmas shopping for the family and of course I ended up buying myself a game. I found Left for Dead 2 for 48 dollars with free shipping. Hell yeah! The game had only been out a couple weeks and it was already being discounted online. Partly because of Christmas deals, and/or partly because of the beast that is Modern Warfare 2 was released a week or so after L4D2 (or so I’m thinking).

My thoughts were L4D2 came out a little “too soon” after the original–which was loved and sold a shit-ton. I got the original Left for Dead very late. Months after its release, but absolutely loved it. I’m a sucker for Zombie movies and L4D was my first foray into a Zombie game. I enjoyed the Co-Op style of game play, the game was creepy as hell and Valve did a great job with music. I also think the way they handled the Witch made you want to avoid that bitch at all costs.

I was excited for Left for Dead 2. Hell, their ad campaign was effective enough. I had to look up that “Bang-Bang-Bang-Bang… Vamanos Vamanos” song up and buy it from iTunes (“Electric Worry” by Clutch for those interested). Unfortunately, I had recently purchased Borderlands. So while I owned L4D2. I wasn’t gonna touch it for a while. (On accounts of my growing, and as of me typing today, unkickable addiction to the Skag).

She kind of looks like a Skag...

Eventually I did plug in L4D2. I wanted to see what differences there would be, what special zombies were lurking and I was giddy as a school girl getting her first My LIttle Pony Lunchbox, at the prospect of Melee weapons. I had seen screen shots of bats, crowbars, fireman’s axes and chainsaws.

Was this on par with the first one, or was it another over rushed sequel?

Its definitely on par with the original, with some tweaks and some improvements.

You are one of four characters attempting to survive the Zombie-pocalypse in New Orleans (this actually stirred up some controversy, with a ravaged New Orleans being shown on video game form)

Every level starts with you in a safe room, where you can get a health kit (you’re gonna need it), guns and ammo. Sadly no copies of popular shooting magazine Guns and Ammo are found… There are a wider array of guns: Uzis, AK-47s, M-16s, tactical Shotguns, hunting rifles, sniper rifles, just to name a few. There are also L4D explosive devices. You still have molotov cocktails ( cuz nothing smells better than flame broiled Zombie) and pipe bombs… I love watching zombies flock to a beeping pipe bomb, like a pack of puppies going after a squeaky toy, only to be liquified.
A new addition is special ammunition. You can get incindiery bullets–mmmm… there’s that burnt undead smell again!

Valve added some additional boosts. Pain pills return, which gives a temporary health boost. They also added Adrenaline, which makes all your actions faster, as well as a defibrillator. I haven’t used one, or seen one used, but know its for reviving a downed teammate.

I think the most fun addition is the melee weaponry. It gives you something to carry, so that if you run out of bullets (you will), you can still effectively kill the rampaging zombie hordes; thus, avoiding a nasty case of face-gnaw. Its also bad ass to be wielding an electric guitar and smashing the shit out of the lurching undead. Yes, I said electric guitar! You can go all Pete Townsend on a Zombie’s grill. Then there’s the fireman’s axe, which makes you a zombie decapitating machine. If you’re feeling like a zombie killing ninja, there’s a katana and of course, everyone’s favorite, the chainsaw. Chainsawing a pack of zombies is endless entertainment.

How’s the gameplay?

Good. Same set up as the original. Controls are the same. There are 5 solo or Co-Op campaigns. Beating each one gets you gamer points (XBL), if that’s your thing. There are definitely more Zombiesm with hordes a’ chargin. Besides that, the special zombies have been tweaked. The witch moves around this time, which SUCKS. She also can basically incapacitate you with one hit (which sucks worse and is one of my pet peeves of the game).

They have added little missions while you’re making your way through one of the campaigns (campaigns have taken me 60-80 minutes so far). Things like having to run and get a 6 pack of soda for a guy locked in a gun shop, so he can blow up an 18 wheeler so you can get past a blocked street. Or you have to run through a mall grabbing gas cans to fill up a race car to escape and thus beat that campaign. Definitely like this aspect of the game.

So what my overall take?

Its more challenging than the first. I’m playing on Normal to start. I have been the only survivor… and that has taken me running like crazy and and barely getting out. It hasn’t taken playing over and over and over again. I think I’ve had to restart a final level twice at most, but it does elicit a healthy string of profanity when it happens… I don’t mourn the party members Iose… cuz well… it’s Zombie-pocalypse–or is it Zombie-Geddon? You decide–and they need to be stronger and faster. Plus those fuckers ALWAYS make you go first. Which means you ALWAYS take the most damage. To get back at them I always do everything I can to snake another health kit.

Definitely as fun as the first. I think all the improvements are just that. They improved the gameplay, it’s more challenging, has frustrated me here and there, but isn’t “throw the controller through the TV” frustrating.

And even with the pile of really good games out right now, I’d definitely recommend this game. Its a fun, chaotic first person shooter. It has good online and Co-Op elements, as well as a VS mode. Also Survival mode is always a blast–you stay in a room and see how long you and 3 others can survive a Zombie Parade of Doom.

Main negative is the damage the witch can inflict. I know she’s supposed to be badass, but C’mon! The final stage of a campaign is also pretty frustrating. No one else in the party has survived with me. Its a Zombie Shit show. And when playing with 3 A.I. characters, it’s up to YOU to lead the way–understandable, but annoying. It just gets frustrating cuz you’re constantly the one who gets brutalized. Specifically by the special Zombies who projectile vomit, pounce, or throw chunks of concrete at you.

These negatives aren’t enough to deter me from playing the game though. Now if I just had a couple friends who had the game, it’d be cool to get on XBL and tag/triple/quadruple team some Zombie ass!

Till next time (god knows when that will actually be)

sir scott m. hayes xiv

Spread the word