GamesFPSLeft 4 Dead 215 years later, Left 4 Dead 2 is still the best zombie horde shooter ever – and no that’s not up for discussionWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
GamesFPSLeft 4 Dead 215 years later, Left 4 Dead 2 is still the best zombie horde shooter ever – and no that’s not up for discussionWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Valve)
But at the end of the day, nostalgia aside, the game is about more than that. Rather, it’s about less. Left 4 Dead 2 a no nonsense zombie FPS that is all about fun, all of the time, and needs no bells and whistles to prove why it deserves to stand the test of time.
Here 4 good
(Image credit: Valve)
Locked and reloaded(Image credit: EA)Top 10 Xbox Game Pass horror games to get in the mood for Halloween 2024
Locked and reloaded
(Image credit: EA)Top 10 Xbox Game Pass horror games to get in the mood for Halloween 2024
(Image credit: EA)
Top 10 Xbox Game Pass horror games to get in the mood for Halloween 2024
If you’d have told 16 year old me back in 2011 that I’d still be playing Left 4 Dead 2 in my late twenties, I’d have believed you without question. There’s something about this co-op shooter that, no matter which of its myriad campaigns and maps you’re working with, carries an enduring charm that still has no sign of fading.
That’s a very specific memory, but ask anyone who played L4D2 at any point in the last 15 years, and you’ll no doubt hear another personal anecdote. A part of me was wondering if nostalgia is the only thing that has me still thinking fondly ofValve’s 2009 offering. Launching hot on the heels of Tripwire Interactive’s Killing Floor, a mod-turned-game in its own right, Left 4 Dead served to expand the horde shooter experience and make it more interesting. I’m talking mods, game modes, and a greater wealth of tools to play with in general. The sequel pushed those boundaries further, leaning into its co-op features and a brash sense of goofy, hack n' slash chaos (bullets included) to deliver one of the most enjoyable multiplayer experiences I’ve had the pleasure of playing. But there have been plenty of games since then to vie for the crown of zombie shooter royalty – World War Z, Days Gone, and Warhammer 40k: Darktide to name a few. With the huge success thatHelldivers 2andSpace Marine 2have seen this year alone, it’s clear that an appetite for fast and furious horde shooter gunplay still rumbles in our bellies.
And yet, I still hold a candle for Left 4 Dead 2. It’s no longer the freshest thing on the menu when it comes to thebest FPS games, but as it nears its 16th birthday, L4D2 is still up there for many a zombie-slaying fanatic. Why? Because its formula of cool guns, cool maps, and cool characters is so simple and effective, it doesn’t need much else to justify what makes it a good time. That’s not to sayBack 4 Bloodshould be dismissed – the incorporation of deck building mechanics fleshes out each character’s respective abilities and proficiencies, and it does capture the movement and flow of a typical L4D2 safe room to safe room crawl. Back 4 Blood is cool and all, but there’s only so much spirit a spiritual successor can emulate – especially when the spirit of Left 4 Dead 2 is still alive, kicking, and screaming in 2024.
Slay the undead masses in thebest zombie games, from Left 4 Dead 2 to Resident Evil.
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Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
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2
Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
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3
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4
Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
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5
Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”