I welcome the apocalypse.

Brain-dead Computer AI is a joke, by the way.

Ok, if you're a zombie fan, this game is a must. Its the absolute best classic zombie game installment since nothing. Its the first (not funny) zombie game done well. Its creepy and times, but the most entertaining feature is the gameplay. Given, it can get repetitive, but the multiplayer can deliver unique experiences every time. Its fast paced, shocking, and gruesome. I covers every zombie escape cliche well and has a most impressive capability for zombie numbers. When you're being flooded with zombies...you're convinced. I admit, I am bias because i love zombie movies, but i am also a tough critic. This game is suitable for both zombie lovers and multiplayer lovers alike. Give it a rent AT LEAST! Likely, you will see that its worth purchase after.

Valve finally makes a good one!

I traded in Counter Strike for a 40 dollar loss after 2 day's of owning it. But this game is tremendously fun! It's great single player, and multiplayer. It also has so many way's you can beat the game. It needs a little help with the story, but the pure excitement and replay value of this game is outstanding! A mus own!!!

The Game I've been waiting for all my life?

Now, I'm a huge fan of Counter-Strike, and a Huge fan of Resident Evil... and pretty much anything else involving zombies/un-dead. So naturally Left 4 Dead is going to be a orgy of goodness for me.

I've been tracking Left 4 Dead, since it was going to be a PC exclusive, and when I saw the first screen shot and game play description, I said, "This is going to be.... the best Game EVER!".

The Best part of Left 4 Dead is that it lacks nothing, It's a full out 100% blow the s#@! out of every thing that looks dead... and it still manges to scare the living piss out of you. No Game has ever been able to do that for me. Dead Rising came close, it was pretty scary, but it lacked that "Horror" part to it. It was pretty much just a Get to point A to point B in this amount of time and do this.

Left 4 Dead, it's a pretty much "On Rails Shooter" there is no adventure to it. Which can get annoying, but in Left 4 Dead the "On Rails" is a good thing. It's how they get you. Instead of just having some zombie come out from the corner and make you go "AH". They plan it out, so some creature will burst out of a certain door and make you shit bricks.

Left 4 Dead also has amazing graphics and Sound. It truly sucked me in, enough said.

The only BAD thing about Left 4 Dead is it's story.... mostly because it DOSN'T Have one. All you really know is, there's been an outbreak that's causing the dead to become alive again! And You got to survive!

God, it sounds like every frickin' zombie movie on earth.

Ultimately, Left 4 Dead didn't do anything original. It's just how it did it. It has enough re-play value and enough *good* multi-play modes that will keep you playing this game for months, that's why Left 4 Dead gets a 5/5.

Perfect buddy game, but boring for lone wolves

We all know the premise of Left 4 Dead, but to refresh your memory:
A mutated form of the rabies virus infects the local population and they turn into zombies. You take control of either a biker, a buisnessman, a girl, or a vietnam vet. Basically, weapons here are the standard anti-zombie type. Shotguns, Uzis, Pistols, rifles, etc. And the enemy variety is not so large, but its the right size between small and large. There are 5 "special" zombies, the morbidly obese boomer (whose vomit and blood attract the Horde, which is a ridiculous number of zombies that rush you at the same time), the pouncing Hunter (which looks like a hobo.), the ensaring Smoker (who uses his tounge to grab survivors), the Hulk-like Tank (if you encounter this guy on single-player, you're screwed), and the prostitute-looking witch (who is a great example of the AI in this game). The Witch can be awakened by gunfire, car alarms, flashlights, and prolonged staring. In expert, as soon as she touches her victim that character is dead. Multiplayer is excellent, as you can join with 3 other players (or bots) to beat the campaign. The campaign is basically split between different "movies."
This game is great but not perfect, the AI is some of the most advanced I've ever encountered, and expert is a great challenge for anyone, just play with friends k?

What it lacks in content, it makes up for it in addictive fun.

Left 4 Dead is a game that defies what you think it should be: a short, mediocre shooter with a bunch of zombies. But, despite the simple concept of the game, it has this special "it" factor about it that makes it a great game, and an ultimate party game for you and a few friends.

Explaining what makes L4D so good, is rather difficult. It doesn't really offer anything innovative as far as shooter controls or concepts. There aren't a lot of weapons. There are not a lot of characters to choose from. The graphics are only OK. There are only 4 chapters to play through, and the campaign is not very long. So, from that list, you could wonder what it is about this game that is just so special.

Well, with everything the game lacks, it makes up for it in fun. And that fun comes from having 4 Live buddies (or system link friends) to share the experience with. Its obvious that this game is meant for co-op play. Teamwork is essential, and you have to work with your friends in order survive your last stand moments as your team waits for the evac vehicle to pick you up.

While 4 chapters doesn't seem like enough, the game makes every experience different from the last if you decide to replay. The majority of the time, the games AI director will be pretty random with boss placements and large horde attacks. Depending on how well you or your team are doing, the Director seems to scale things accordingly, making survival tougher or easier for you and your friends.

When a game relies so much on teamwork and cooperation, it can be be problematic depending on your circumstances. If you're playing with friends that you know will stick with you to the end, then all is fine. But playing with random strangers over live can be hit or miss at times. You may occasionally come across a group that's willing to work together, but there are also times that you will find people that like to Rambo their way through the game and do their own thing. This of course leaves you and/or your teammates at a disadvantage and makes it harder to clear through a chapter.

Also, be aware that you will also come across people without mics in online games, which of course makes it hard to communicate things properly. Of course, there is a way boot people who are less helpful or just annoying, and the game will let bots take over until someone else jumps in. Although the bots are helpful at times, they tend to have a mind of their own in crucial moments.

The single player is pretty much the same game as the online co-op. But if you have a Live connection, there really isn't much of a need to go through that unless you just want to play alone. Of course, doing so will take away half of the fun this game provides. On the other hand, for a change of pace, there is the online versus mode which allows you to play as the survivors, or as the infected. As the infected, your job is to wear down the survivor team and keep them from making out in one piece. Its a nice adittion to the game, and should offer some more funny moments between friends.

Overall, L4D is a game that has the potential somehow suck you in and keep you coming back for more. Its not full of content, and its not the longest game in the world. And there are people who will be turned off by paying 60 bucks for this type of game. However, if you have a gold subscription to Xbox Live, you owe to yourself to play this game with a group of friends, even if you have to rent it. You'll at least be able to get some enjoyment out of it, and should come away with a satisfying good time and great stories of how you survived.