It may be hard to believe that hit multiplayer games Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2 originally took residence in the 2000s—released in 2008 and 2009 respectively. You can still anticipate finding other players online to join in on fighting hordes of zombies when you boot up each title till this day. The series’ enduring legacy is a testament to how well developer Valve had perfected the formula of chaotic, cooperative fun. Safe to say, its spiritual successor, Back 4 Blood, had huge shoes to fill—and I’m happy to report that it managed to achieve that, and more.
Turtle Rock Studios, formerly known as Valve South, has tapped into the winning formula of Left 4 Dead, offering cooperative four-player action with eight new characters (known as Cleaners), each with unique perks, as they face down the undead—now known as Ridden. Of the four characters available during the alpha, I mostly played as Evangelo—quirky and energetic as he promised not to shoot my fellow teammates in the back (again).
As I linked up with three other players to take on Evansburg, the first mission of the game, I was given the option to select one of three difficulties: Classic, Difficult, and Nightmare. Each setting toggles aspects such as how much damage friendly fire inflicts on teammates (with Classic mode nullifying all friendly fire), and the amount of continues available each time the entire team is wiped out. I opted in for Classic for a more relaxed feel as I tried out all gameplay elements.
Before jumping into the campaign, a new card-system presented itself, beckoning me to choose a “deck” and select which cards that I wanted to “play” in the match. Self-admittedly, I was a bit confused at first. The system seems a bit complicated at first glance; however, the tutorial had caught me up to speed of this new “roguelike” system that is implemented in Back 4 Blood. To spice up each campaign and make each playthrough unique, players are given the option to select specific cards with perks that they will carry with them into every campaign. Cards are organized into four categories: Reflex, Discipline, Brawn, and Fortune. Perks can be personal or for the entire team, and range from additional damage when striking weak-spots, to having more health and stamina.
That’s not all though—while players have perks, a new AI system known as the Game Director will also be playing its own “corruption cards” during the campaign, impacting each match based on the behavior of the players. These corruption cards can go as far as to spawn even larger hoards of enemies, to making ammo even more scarce.
As each of my teammates selected their cards, we spawned into the first safe room, as the rowdy Ridden growled and hissed at us from behind the door. This time around, players have the option to use in-game currency in the form of copper to purchase items like med-kits, ammo, upgrades, and more in supply bins of each safe room. I suited up with some bandages and grenades, and we quickly busted through the door, eager to knock the heads off of some Ridden.
The controls and feel of Back 4 Blood are almost completely identical to Left 4 Dead. It felt very easy to familiarize myself with the gameplay, and even if you haven’t played its predecessor, it is very user-intuitive (in addition to helpful hints when applicable). I toggled between Evangelo’s initial AK47 and machete with ease, taking down hordes of Ridden as I came across them. As to be expected, hybrid Ridden make appearances at times, with some having the ability to immobilize my character for brief periods of time, some shooting streams of vomit that impair vision, and now, some in the form of huge, formidable boss fights.
One thing that I immediately noticed as we made our way through each zone is that Back 4 Blood feels a bit more strategic and calculated than Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2. The standard Ridden are a bit slower, perhaps a bit more predictable. This isn’t to say that the chaos isn’t still present—Ridden still appear from all angles at any given time, but I found it more beneficial to focus a bit more rather on specific actions than constantly keep moving; thinking back on when I played Left 4 Dead, it often felt like constant motion and spraying at zombies, but in Back 4 Blood, I feel more inclined to take my time in certain moments and focus a bit more on team synergy. Of course, I played on Classic mode, and I expect that the gameplay is probably much more chaotic on Difficult and Nightmare mode for more hardcore players.
The graphics are gorgeous and the Ridden are gore-incarnate. Myself and teammates were completely doused in the guts of the undead as we made our way through tunnels and backwoods. The Cleaners kick up funny banter amongst each other to fill in the quiet moments, and occasionally chastise each other for friendly fire. It completely captures the original charm of Left 4 Dead in every way that you would hope a modern edition would.
As to be expected with an alpha, a couple of bumps in the road presented themselves during my playthroughs. Even with my team of experienced players, we all couldn’t help but get wiped out frequently, specifically due to a reoccurring theme of very scarce ammo during each match. The final act of Evansburg was also a bit wonky, with a seemingly endless stream of Ridden preventing us from completing the final objectives of the mission. However, I was so satisfied with every other aspect of the alpha that these slight mishaps paled significantly in comparison to everything that Back 4 Blood does right.
Based on the alpha, I am convinced that Back 4 Blood will be a welcome addition to both Left 4 Dead veterans and those seeking chaotic, multiplayer fun. Where it could have corrupted an already effective formula established with Left 4 Dead, it instead innovated, and I’m very excited to get my hands on the final product when it’s released next summer.
Back 4 Blood preview code provided by the publisher.
Back 4 Blood will be released June 22, 2021, on PS4, PS5, Xbone One, Series X/S, and PC.
source https://bloody-disgusting.com/video-games/3645832/back-4-blood-preview/
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