Game Review: Left 4 Dead 2

Mclatchy -Tribune News Service

"Left 4 Dead 2"

Platform: Xbox 360, PC

Style 1-player Action (8-player online)

Publisher: Electronic Arts

Developer: Valve

Release: Nov. 17

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Valve isn't known for being a speedy developer. Even the six-year development cycle on "Half-Life 2" seems paltry compared to the 11 years it took to release a Team Fortress sequel. So imagine the number of jaws that dropped when Valve announced it is releasing "Left 4 Dead 2," the sequel to last year's revolutionary online zombie slaying game, only a year after the original hit shelves.

The sequel starts in Savannah, Ga., before the infection has hit critical mass. CETA posters hang on the sides of buildings encouraging people to wash their hands to prevent the spread of the virus. Players assume the role of one of four new characters - Coach, Nick, Ellis and Rochelle - as they make their way to New Orleans along the swamps and back roads of the Deep South.

Like any good sequel, "Left 4 Dead 2" features several variations on the game's classic weapons. Silenced uzis, automatic shotguns and new versions of the assault rifle are just a few tools players have to protect themselves from the Infected. Scattered across the maps players can find a variety of weapon upgrades, such as incendiary ammo, which is a handy alternative to Molotovs when you're starting a zombie barbeque.

Melee weapons also make their debut. We got to play around with the frying pan, which is useful for knocking back enemies and clearing a path. The axe, on the other hand, comes in handy if you want to turn one zombie into many smaller zombie pieces. Some melee weapons even have special uses; if you sneak up behind a witch and plant the axe in the back of her head, you'll take her down in one hit.

Each campaign area now has its own unique zombie unit. As we entered New Orleans we ran across one of the locale's special hazmat zombies. When the city started to go to hell, some of the early relief workers showed up in hazmat suits. The extra padding didn't stop the virus from getting into these poor fools' bloodstreams, but it does make their zombified remains fireproof, and you'll see them run unscathed through your defensive walls of flame.

Another nasty enemy type we ran across is called the Charger. The Charger is an overall-wearing fat zombie who barrels into the fray and knocks over everyone in your party. Once the whole group has been brought to its knees, he jumps on the nearest survivor and continues pounding them against the pavement until he's eaten enough bullets to kill an elephant and finally keels over.

The Director "Left 4 Dead's" unseen master AI takes full advantage of these new zombies. If your party is camping out on high ground, it might send a charger your way to disrupt your defenses and force you to change your strategy. The director is smarter in other ways as well. It will now make survival difficult by changing the weather effects or altering the pathing of a level, so you won't find yourself walking down the same battle-scarred streets every time.

When Valve announced "Left 4 Dead 2," certain fans in the community cried out, saying Valve is milking its fans with content that should have been available in a patch. But with five new campaign maps, more than three new enemy types and a whole new multiplayer mode the developer isn't willing to talk about yet, this "patch" sounds like a substantial upgrade to us. And it's not like getting more "Left 4 Dead" is a bad thing.

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Copyright 2009 by Mclatchy -Tribune News Service