Before Left 4 Dead 2's release, there was a lot of concern over how the game only took a year to be made. Fortunately, most of those concerns have been laid to rest. Left 4 Dead 2 takes all the great game elements from the original, and has refined them for an even more gore filled experience. Graphics have been slightly improved, there is more weaponry to choose from, more bosses, expanded multiplayer modes, and a smarter A.I. fondly known as the "Director." They overall length of each scenario the survivors will have to overcome to make their way to safety have also been lengthened, which was one complaint many had about the original Left 4 Dead only taking about two and a half hours to complete.

  Aside from the initial upgrades to Left for Dead 2, the game play is essentially the same. You kill thousands of zombies in some intense first person action, with the emphasis on both ranged and melee weapons. With an easy to learn control scheme, players will be popping off headshots in no time. There are loads of weaponry to choose from this time around, in both ranged and melee categories, allowing each player to find a specific weapon that fits their play style. My personal favorite combo is an M16 assault rifle mixed in with dual pistols, but whacking some zombie heads with an electric guitar is also a welcome addition to any arsenal. There is also plenty of ammo drops through out each stage to ensure you'll always be able to find that special weapon you had in mind. Regardless, the blood will continue to flow effectively no matter what weapon you choose, and trust me...there will be blood. Left 4 Dead 2 is incredibly realistic when it comes to the gore level. Zombies react properly as they're being shot, and nothing is sugar coated. Disembowelments, loss of limbs, bodies being literally cut in half are all frequent sights in this game. So players with a weak stomach might want to look elsewhere.

  As a single player experience, Left 4 Dead 2 is a fun game. The artificial intelligence takes control over the 3 other survivors in your party, and does a decent job of watching your back. On occasion, the A.I. will cause a survivor or two to pop into your line of fire, but that isn't uncommon with many FPS. When playing with a computer, its bound to happen from time to time. That's one of the main reason, Left 4 Dead 2 doesn't really start to shine into you look deeper into its multiplayer options. Left 4 Dead 2 is truly optimized for online play with up to 4 friends, and is best played with voice communications. Playing with other people brings a level of fun and excitement as a zombie horde comes rushing out of nowhere few games are able to capture. By working together, the game play becomes much more enjoyable. When playing with less then a full group, the computer will once again take control of the remaining survivors. This is where the A.I. does take a bit of a hit. The CPU controlled survivors seem to get frequently confused of who to follow, or even who to help if both human players get incapacitated by either a smoker's tentacle or a jockey riding on another player's back. This has lead to a few deaths while playing with fellow reviewer Kurt L. when testing out this game. Luckily, that is the only place the A.I. seems to lack in Left 4 Dead 2. With the help of something called the "Director", Left 4 Dead 2's scenarios offer something different every time they are replayed. The A.I. is capable of judging how well a player is doing, and throw new obstacles in their way making every level feel like new. Although the setting may be the same, the variation in the game's challenge guarantee's hours and hours of fun to come. There are also different modes of multiplayer, such as versus mode, scavenger mode, and for those who want some extra challenge there is realism which makes Left 4 Dead 2 incredibly challenging. For those interested in some unlockables, some of Left 4 Dead 2's achievements come with a few customizable options for your Xbox 360 Avatar.

  There is no true story to Left 4 Dead 2. Player's assume the role of a survivor and play through a scenario. Aside from some simple communications between the survivors, that's about it. The lack of plot doesn't exactly take away from the experience either, just gives the player less to focus on as they're hacking away at some mindless undead. Each scenario plays out smoothly, and players won't have a hard time figuring out to go. However there is a bit of a pattern to the game where you'll be running through zombie hordes to turn off triggered alarms, which is possibly the only repetitive aspect to Left for Dead 2.

  If you were a fan of the original Left 4 Dead, adding the sequel is definitely recommended. They're pretty much the same game overall, but Left 4 Dead 2 filled in all the gaps from the original. Left 4 Dead 2 is a better game, but still keeps true to the series. So anyone looking to slaughter some undead with your buddies, hook up that Xbox 360 headset and start playing online. You won't find many games like it.

Written by RB

Over and Out

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