Left 4 Dead (2008 Video Game) User Reviews

Fast-paced fun

[petra_ste · 8/10 · 23 November 2008]

Released just before the pop culture "zombie boom" coinciding with the Walking Dead series, the game features a premise as simple as it gets: four survivors journey through twenty zombie-infested maps, with four different main settings.

Now, there is a single player mode with the AI controlling the other three survivors. However, this is a game to play with friends - either online or with the split-screen cooperative mode which allows two players on the same Xbox.

Enemies are nicely varied; common zombies aside, there are several special creatures, each of them using different tactics and giving a new challenge.

Left 4 Dead is wildly entertaining. The AI "Director" provides a different experience every time you play a level, as zombies will not respawn in the same place or attack at the same time.

On the other hand, there are lots of priceless spontaneous moments: when you choose to close a door, locking one of your pals outside to save the rest of the group from the horde; when some nasty critter drags another survivor away in the night and you have to decide in a heartbeat whether to run after him or not. In one of those gaming moments which stick with you, one of us didn't make it to the escape helicopter after an intense multiplayer session: as we flew away, we saw him getting smaller and smaller on a rooftop, fighting alone against dozens of zombies.

It's also possible to play as zombies against a team of human survivors - an intriguing idea in which the zombie team can develop increasingly deadly strategies.

The game's biggest issue is how the survivors' mêlée attack is ludicrously overpowered. The special creatures prevent it from breaking the game, but in some levels it's *almost* there.

Still, Left 4 Dead is just too much fun, especially on multiplayer.

8.5/10

When there's no more room in hell, the dead will walk the earth.

[john-leet · 9/10 · 20 November 2008]

Over my gaming years I estimate I've played around 500+ games, give or take a hundred. Let me just say this game is fantastic, if you're a fan of gore or zombies, or any sort of horror games at all, this game will more than likely suit your needs. Using the Source engine this game has beautiful graphics, fast paced game play, and more zombies than you could want. The only thing you might be disappointed on is there is pretty much no story line.

SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER

You can choose to play between four people,(Bill, Zoey, Louise, Francis) with 4 different game play types. The game play types are all different and add different elements to every game, using AI that selectively chooses zombie locations,weapon locations, and other items in the game ensures that every play through won't be the same.

The online play offers many fun objectives too, you can be an infected (zombie) or you can be a survivor fighting for his life.

The plot of the game is your in a movie,(explaining the different campaign types)and you and your other team mates try and make it to safe rooms eventually reaching a radio and signaling for some getaway vehicle to rescue you. You can change the difficulty on any of the story lines making it very difficult or a walk through the park. Any of the campaign types can be played on line including 3 other people.

A whole lotta fun, but...

[Analog_Devotee · 7/10 · 3 August 2021]

This game walked so its sequel could run! Don't get me wrong, this is still an enjoyable game, but its sequel surpassed it in every way imaginable!

Valve Does it Again

[Medacakathareal · 10/10 · 2 December 2008]

And who would be surprised? Valve, award winning creators of the Half-Life series and the Multiplayer hit Team Fortress bring us another winning creation. The game is simple, survive against the onslaught of a Zombie Apocalypse. And there aren't just a few dozen zombies, there are hundreds, pouring from every crevice, every door, bursting through the walls! They surround you in an instant (these aren't the slow zombies we've seen in years past) and tear your to pieces...

Even better, Valve has given us a few special types of zombies: The Hunter who pounces atop the helpless victim, tearing them to shreds. The Boomer who's barf attracts every zombie for miles around. The Smoker who pulls passers by in with his tongue. And of course the Tank, who just hits stuff really hard.

The game is eerie, violent, and highly addictive. Online play is a lot of fun, you can either team up and do a campaign as the Survivors or play a Versus Match in which you play as the Survivors one round and the Zombies the next. The ability to play as a zombie is truly a stroke of genius and there is no better feeling than tearing the Survivors to shreds, score one for the Undead...

So if you like Zombies or like Valve's other games, pick up Left 4 Dead, you won't be disappointed.

Can you survive the zombie apocalypse?

[kirk-246 · 10/10 · 22 July 2009]

In order to survive the zombie apocalypse, you will need many items before doing so: medikits, pain pills, flashlights, molotoves, pipe bombs, gasoline, propane tanks, and guns.Without these items, you will never survive.That goes the same for the incredibly addictive game 'Left 4 Dead'. In the game, you encounter zombies, hordes, witches, hunters, smokers, and tanks.The tank that I am referring to does not involve the army.The tank is basically a giant brute who looks like he used to be an ordinary man before he injected himself with tons of steroids.In this game, surviving the zombie apocalypse is pure fun.You'll be playing for hours and hours non-stop.Surviving the apocalypse hasn't been this much fun in a long time.

WOW! Nothing better can be expected

[Zeus-pro · 10/10 · 16 August 2010]

This game is something which will never lose its passion and love i have for it. The Valve industries has produced an excellent game which is hard to deny. The characters such as Boomer, Hunter, Smoker, Tank and Witch are very fabulous creations that has enough abilities to scare you to your limits. The survivors Characters of Bill, Francis, Louis and Zoey fits the best to the game to fight and survive against the zombie apocalypse. The sound effects are brilliant and the making of other features such has horde and infected noises are more than enough to feel you chill. This game has nonstop thrill and once you get the interest to play it then you will be addicted to the game. Left 4 Dead! You Rule...

Awesome

[shanekraus · 8/10 · 21 July 2022]

This is an epic, atmospheric, and fun game that ended up being my favorite shooter game. The special infected are a fantastic addition to the game! Still, l4d2 is way better, as it exceeds expectations in every way imaginable. The second l4d is my favorite video game of all time.

A small team makes a game that became popular.

[ninypinky · 10/10 · 11 August 2019]

Like oh my god I really liked this game! The graphics of this game is amazing and dark as it should be. I like how it is designed and I'm suprised that at beginning their team was small ( you will find out if you go to 'extras' then 'developer commentary').

Characters are well-made and voice acting is OK. Also animations that zombies are also well-maded and their voices is AMAZING. So thats why It's a 10/10!

epic

[tastytacos · 10/10 · 3 January 2021]

Best zombie game on earth, though of course Left 4 Dead 2 is way better than this. Starring: (Survivors)

-Zoey 101

-Frank Woods

-Daryl Dixon

-Don Cheadle

(Infected)

-Fat B*stard

-TikTok clown

-Ezio Auditore da Firenze

-Incredible Hulk

-Snoop Dogg

Left Me Cold

[southdavid · 7/10 · 23 May 2019]

I'm just going to do a short review for this one, as though I did appreciate some of what I saw in "Left 4 Dead" it's really not the game for me.

A decade after its release, I was playing "Left 4 Dead" using backward compatibility through my Xbox One. I played through all of the first story campaign (through the town to the hospital) in single player mode and gave up when I couldn't last long enough for the helicopter to arrive on the roof. I had a couple of goes, but I'm afraid my gaming time isn't sufficient that I can afford to get stuck for an extended period of time and not make any progress. I know the game is designed to be played by four human players together, and I'm sure that if I had that option it would have been easier to progress, but I don't really enjoy online play, either co-operative or competitive.

Gunplay and level design was good. Graphically it's starting to show its age a bit but that is to be expected. I'm sure there's much to admire with "Left 4 Dead" but it's not for me.

4.5 Stars out of 5 Stars

[ajneeago96 · 9/10 · 24 April 2022]

A childhood classic that introduced me to Xbox live multiplayer. Back when I first got this game, I really never played a zombie game, so this game really filled in that zombie itch I had. The story isn't anything special, but because I've played this game countless times, every character is as memorable as any video game character could be, and each level that I revisit brings back so many good memories. Killing boomers for the first time will always be one of the funniest childhood moments I had playing a video game, and don't even get me started on the damn witch. Me and my brother would constantly freak out once we heard the infamous cries seep from the dark, zombie-infested environment. Such good times. A nostalgic game that holds up, even in today's standards.

It's finally here

[TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews · 9/10 · 4 December 2012]

This doesn't have much of a narrative... it picks up two weeks after first infection(by something like rabies, in Pennsylvania), so it'll be a fortnight before Cillian Murphy wakes up in an abandoned hospital or Sandra Bullock is done with rehab, and no less than 26 weeks before the pertinent question on people's minds regarding the Rage virus goes from being "what does it do to your humanity to be among the only survivors" to "wait, did those people possess some telepathic ability?" and chronicles the battles of the four(yes, hence the number in the name) immune survivors, going through the 6 campaigns(except in Survival, where it's about holding out for as long as you can in a small, enclosed area against increasing waves of foes), the ones(all but two) with 5 chapters(15 minutes or so per; 21 total) taking 75 minutes, going from one safe house(each with text on the walls, giving glimpses into others who have tried to make it) to another, culminating in reaching rescue(with every nifty concept of such explored, and in general, this does everything you'd want the definite entry in the subgenre to). Zoey the college student, Bill the grouchy Vietnam vet, Francis the smart-ass biker and Louis, who works with computers(details vary on the source). These are your playable characters(controlled by the adept AI when off-line, or if a player leaves... trust me, you won't want less than you can have by your side in this), and they have personalities without being obnoxious, occasionally automatically reacting to situations(such as calling out when reloading, or having found ammo... you can carry the right amount of that, leaving you neither hopeless nor arrogant) and enabling you to communicate(and you'll need to, to coordinate your efforts) easily through the simple pre-recorded audio commands/orders, their voices(acting is good) distinct(that, and their appearances, are the only differences between them) enough that you can tell who's calling for help, etc. This completely evokes the feeling of being in a zombie flick. The atmosphere is tense, with creepy score(which follows what has happened to you, and is thus unique to every person, down to that specific try... you read that right), post-apocalyptic gloom(you move through an urban area, towards an airport, traversing woods, very alone, finding remains of civilization), and truly feeling like the world is overrun with those taken over by the pathogen... there is no "winning", the best you can do is live, and get to somewhere they can't get you. They are fast(yes, not the classical approach), agile(climbing walls, breaking down doors, windows and the like to get you), weak and easy to take out... in a horde, literally dozens(talk about intense) at a time(playing for an hour can easily result in 2000 of them dead!), they can overwhelm you if you aren't careful! And those are the regular ones(look varying depending on where you are... police ones, patients in a hospital, the list goes on). There are 5 boss versions, as well. The witch, who is deadlier(and thus, the only one you can't play as(with a lighted view, vertical scaling of many pipes and more making navigation a breeze) in VS, where, yes, one of the two teams(8 people total) play as these!) than she looks... leave her sitting, crying, do not disturb her(for example with the flashlight that is attached to every weapon(dual pistols, SMG, shotgun(pump-action or semi-automatic), sniper), and that you'll want to have on at all other times... well, keeping in mind that they're all attracted to it! Did I mention that some start out standing idly in a room, or even lying, like the countless bodies you come across? It's not until they slowly "reawake" that you realize they're there, sometimes!), lest you may be knocked down(requiring one of the other three to assist you up; this goes for all situations like that). The Tank is a hulking brute, strength and size of multiple men and temper to match... it'll knock you(or any vehicle in its way) back, or rip a chunk out of the very street and toss(potentially breaking some of the physical environment when it hits!). Smoker uses his long, lizard-like tongue to pull you to it. Hunter pounces you, tearing at you when you're down. And Boomer vomits/explodes into(when killed) bile, that attracts countless more to attack you... and blinds any that it hits, as much as three at a time, forcing anyone not covered to protect them all! The only way to do well at this is co-operative play, and it has perfected that style(sacrificing some of the currently expected FPS realism for said focus... you can see outlines of your buddies if you aren't in the same room, colored based on whether they're in trouble and what their general status is). If you don't stick together, heal each other(since all of you can carry one medkit, that takes time(cover me!), and one glass of pain pills, that are temporary) and aid the others, you won't get very far. Every so often you'll even have to defend an area while a generator powers up, an elevator reaches your floor or similar, with many angles to defend. All 4(also the amount of difficulty settings, providing a challenge for a wide spectrum) players always have something to do, some way to contribute. It doesn't take long to play through, but the replayability is very high, with the computer "Director" providing a dynamic experience, carefully pacing the open levels(only a set start and finish, several routes through), choosing where and how much to spawn of enemies as well as items. No two attempts will go the same way, creating unpredictability that has you constantly on edge(without pushing it into frustration), and looking out for your allies. Graphics are great, with incredible weather FX of rain and mist. Highly addictive, satisfying. There is constant, bloody, gory, disturbing and violent content, as well as a lot of mild to moderate language, in this. I warmly recommend this to any fan of the concept. 9/10

left 4 dead: One of many games that prove that valve is one of the most greatest game company's in history

[RM-Montoya · 10/10 · 28 July 2021]

This game is very simple and easy to pick up. A great introduction to the left 4 dead series and very funny at times

Overall the game is amazing and everyone with a steam account should buy it.

This game is Freaking Awesome it never gets old

[athayes21 · 10/10 · 13 April 2019]

This game will always be in the list of " Jumpscare Games", After all these years this game still give me the chills...cant wait for the part 3 of this game...I hope they build an Android Version of this Awesome Game