The tension behind the Left 4 Dead games has been pretty palpable over the last few months. I’m not talking about the in game action, (which I’ll get to), but moreso the controversy caused by the announcement of a sequel less than one year after the original was released. There was talks of boycotts from fans that felt Valve were abandoning the original game too soon, as well as problems with a certain ratings board. In spite of all this, Valve have stuck with their guns, telling people to just wait and see. That wait is officially over, and we finally have Left 4 Dead 2 in our hot little hands. Have Valve proved the naysayers wrong, or is this just another sequel that’s been pumped out too fast at the expense of the previous game.

Gameplay

Much like the previous one, L4D2 kicks in with a huge opening cinematic that teases things to come. Introducing the new characters, as well as the new infected, the opening is a high octane adrenaline rush that’s just welcoming you to the new apocalypse. Once it’s finished, you’re not only welcomed by a new menu system, but by a bevy of new modes. Unlike the first game, L4D2 is a complete package, and one that’s looking to give you a fuller experience than the original.

For those wondering, the game is based on an entirely new set of survivor’s this time. Nick, Ellis, Rochelle and Coach are taking up the role of the immune in the south, and for all intents and purposes, they do the job quite well. While there isn’t much in the way of a storyline (cutscene-wise, anyway), the game handles exposition through the actual gameplay, with a few dramatic scenes thrown in to give the game some weight. Even without the cutscenes, however, the game is able to tell a great story, convey the urgency of the situation, and give the characters enough personality to make it all very entertaining. That’s not an easy thing to do, but as the gameplay takes center-stage, you’ve got to admire Valve for just how willing they are to let that gameplay speak for itself.

In addition to the new characters, there’s also a bevy of new weapons and items to help you through each campaign. There’s new fire-arms, including the always welcome grenade launcher, as well as the old stand-bys. There’s also some new health items, including defibrilators to revive dead team-mates. The real talk of the town, however, is in the addition of melee weapons.

While ranged combat is dandy in most situations, there are just times when you’re going to need to let loose with an axe, both of the wood chopping nature, and the musical kind. There’s also chainsaws, cricket-bats and frying pans, and all will give you a warm fuzzy feeling when you take your first swing with them. No, the addition of melee weapons will not, in fact, change anyone’s mind on whether or not to buy the game if they didn’t enjoy the first one, but its definitely a welcome and entertaining addition for those who did.

While the online is the bread and butter of the series, solo players needn’t fret. Like the original, you can play through the game alone, with the three AI players accompanying you through the games five campaigns. The campaigns themselves are a lot more varied this time around. While the previous game had you in a centralized city, the Georgia/New Orleans locale allows things to be shaken up a little. From carnivals to swamps, to the inevitable inclusion of a mall, you’ll be fighting through an entirely different world here and its definitely for the better.

The only problem with the single player campaign comes in the form of friendly AI. While the overall experience is still pretty fun, the AI never seems to be able to keep up with you, no matter how carefully you go through levels. Countless times, you’ll find that as you move to the next clear area, your squad will be a fair ways behind you. This, of course, leads to many an ambush and wasted health packs. Admittedly, the team is able to shoot and rescue when it counts, but the inability to issue commands to the AI drags the single player aspect.

Of course, that’s really because the game is meant to be played online. Grabbing a couple of friends and playing through the campaign’s online is as different as night and day, my friends. While you may potentially get slaughtered just as much, having someone to strategize with changes the game almost entirely.

Once again, the Director makes an appearance on the Infected side. Levels will change dynamics based on how you play the game and no two missions will play alike. While you may still encounter the same enemies in a given area, The Director 2.0 doesn’t have the predictability of the first game. There were times that my friends and I had anticipated Tanks or Witches, only to have them pop up at much more inconvenient times, such as right outside the safe room doors while all four of us were on our last legs. The dynamic appears to change based on how you play. If you are constantly running ahead of your team, you’ll pay the price, as the Director seems to find the perfect time to throw a Tank at you. If you’re sticking close together, the attacks will come from all sides in an effort to divide the team. Suffice to say, with the dynamic changing every game, it’ll be quite some time before you and your friends tire of any given campaign.

While the campaigns will occupy you and your friends for a while, there’s more to the online here than just a simple co-op game. Like last year you’ll find a Versus mode, which allows you to play on a team as either the survivors or the infected. The sheer lunacy of 4 on 4 action is quite enjoyable, but the core hasn’t really changed from last years model. Instead, it’s the new infected that really add to the dynamic of the game. While you’ll still find the Hunters, Smokers and Boomers from the last game, the new additions of Spitters, Jockey’s and Chargers makes for some new and interesting skirmishes.

One mode that didn’t appear in last years game is Scavenge. While it could be likened to a kind of capture the flag event, Scavenge is a much more intense experience than any game of CTF could be. The object of the game is for the survivors to keep the generator running. Initially, Team Survivor is given 90 seconds to seek out gas cans to keep the generator up. Adding fuel to the generator gives the team more time on the clock. Of course, Team Infected are out to stop them, so it’s not nearly as easy as it sounds. The thing that really makes this mode is the unpredictable nature of it.. The more gas tanks found and delivered, the more time the survivors have, giving them more of an advantage. As with every mode, effective communication is a must if you want to be successful, so playing with a full team is definitely advisable if you can round up 3 friends.

Rounding out the modes is the Survival mode, which some of you may remember as a free add-on for the original game. This is the only mode that remains largely untouched, as you’re still fighting hordes of infected, though there are a few changes to the map system. While it is pretty fun, initially, there’s not a whole lot to it in the long run. It’s just you against the clock, competing for a medal that doesn’t entertain for very long. It’s still worthy of a look if you haven’t played it before, but if you have, you’ll pretty much know what to expect.

The last thing I will mention, for all you fans of the sadistic, is the addition of a "Realism" mode. If you choose to enable Realism you’ll essentially be playing without the onscreen hints or the ability to see items/team-mates through walls. It also means that if you die, you’re out of the match, at least for the remainder of the chapter. Obviously, this is a mode added for the most hardcore of gamers, and for all intents and purposes, it certainly makes things that much harder. Zombies can absorb a tremendous amount of punishment now, and with items being harder to find, you’re most assuredly going to need to stick together and keep your eyes peeled for anything that would have previously been illuminated for you. All I can say here is, good luck.

Graphics & Sound

L4D2 is certainly a more polished version of the original game. While it’s not a huge leap, the game performs steadily throughout. Only twice did I encounter any major frame-rate problems, and it wasn’t a deal-breaker during those times. Animations, specifically those of the infected, are much smoother this time around. Hunters don’t look as awkward while pouncing and the menacing vibe of each infected, special or not, is truly disconcerting, especially should you land a dismembering shot to one of their limbs. There’s also a ton of variety to the infected this time around, and while you’ll still see more than a few familiar faces, there’s definitely a noticeable difference between how often you’ll see it in L4D2 as opposed to the original.

The sound, much like last year, is pretty spot on. Characters speak quite a bit more this time around and all of them are played with excellent results. Of course, the infected sound just as menacing as ever, utilizing the talents of Dee Bradley Baker and Mike Patton to great effect. The score, as well as the rocking music found throughout a couple of the levels is all well done, and adds life to the world that Valve have carefully created here.

Value

The overall theme you’ll notice here is that L4D2 is all about more. More modes, more items, more of everything that made the first game so successful. And it’s here that we hit the sore spot. The original L4D was a great game, there’s no denying that, but it severely lacked in modes. While there has been DLC to support the game, it almost feels like the first game was a beta, and L4D2 is the real deal. While sequels are expected to improve on the orginal, (which this does in spades), you won’t be able to shake the feeling that all of this should have been included in the original game.

That said, whether you’re a newcomer to the series or an L4D vet, L4D2 is definitely worth the price of admission, offering two scoops of everything, Valve style. There’s even avatar awards, which unlock new pieces of clothing, which is a nice bonus. 

Conclusion

If you’re a fan of the original, there’s absolutely no reason not to get L4D2. It’s got more of everything that made the first game such a blast to play, and actually manages to make the experience remarkably better. By far the best co-op on the Xbox 360, with the competitive modes showing they’re no slouches, either.