Basics
The Concept
The Left 4 Dead series is a first-person zombie shooter that takes place (presumably) in the
present day. With only a vague back story, players are immersed in various landscapes from urban
zones to arboreal mazes to the stereotypical zombie hold-out zone; a shopping mall, in an effort to
merely survive, moving from one fortified “safe-room” to the next. Traveling from place to place, 4
survivors fight along the remains of the east coast, seemingly immune to the rabies-like virus that
zombified the general public. Because of the DLC, there is overlap between Left 4 Dead and Left 4
Dead 2, but they could just as easy be snapshots of different groups fighting from one safe-haven to the
next in stand-alone titles.
The mechanics of the game use ragdoll physics, making for visceral gameplay. Players can rip
through, tear apart, slice up, or club their enemies back to death. The game also has a series of trends
and rules players can pick up over time. The length of a molotov throw; the area of a player's hit box;
the length it takes for a Special Infected to kill a player; areas of a attack that leave players vulnerable;
all these facets of the game make for strategic and, in some cases, frustrating gameplay.
While the characters have been given minimum back story, they are characterized heavily by
their dialogue with one-another. The old war vet, the wise-cracker, the simpleton, the man with nothing
to lose, the media personnel; all could be seen as archetypal survivors and are the standard for
comparison for future survivors. The infected are just as characterized by their mannerisms. While
appearances have changed over time, players can easily make out the panting of Tank before the attack,
the sob of a distant Witch, the “glork” of a Boomer and so on. This adds depth to the L4D titles where
there seemingly is none.
Finally, the game's campaigns are all comprised of the same structure; run, fight, go slow, fight, hold
out, fight. In whatever order that happens to go, survivors make their way to a rescue vehicle/point after
which their fate is unknown. Valve has made repeated comments at frequent DLC's and continuations,
so hopefully our Survivors and Special Infected will keep fighting the good fight and meet even more
Survivors and Infected along the way.