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RE: Left 4 Dead - 11/11/2008 6:13:48 PM

borstal

Posts: 8709
Joined: 30/9/2005
From: its grom up nirth

quote:

ORIGINAL: the anomaly

quote:

ORIGINAL: target

Demos up now!

Having trouble with the demo trying to download it again...just thought I would let everyone know!

...its your connection

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Post #: 31

RE: Left 4 Dead - 11/11/2008 6:42:18 PM

paulyboy

Posts: 2116
Joined: 30/9/2005

Just playing the demo now and it's official, this game fooking rocks!

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Post #: 32

RE: Left 4 Dead - 11/11/2008 7:52:18 PM

Spektre

Posts: 2468
Joined: 30/9/2005

I just played it as well. Generally speaking it's really great! But having played Dead Space and GOW2 recently, graphically at least, the game does feel like a major step down. The gameplay as well is very simple judging by the demo. You just have to get from A to B. That's pretty much it.

Still, it's got zombies in it and sometimes that's all you really need to make somehting fun. Well, that and vikings...wait, what about Zombie Vikings?? I need a zombie vikings game now.

(in reply to paulyboy)

Post #: 33

RE: Left 4 Dead - 11/11/2008 8:36:38 PM

target

Posts: 2051
Joined: 11/4/2006
From: 1 2 3 Fake St

Dang, mines still downloading. I think i need to get a new router.

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Post #: 34

RE: Left 4 Dead - 12/11/2008 2:07:19 AM

Jim

Posts: 1245
Joined: 30/9/2005

I played a couple hours earlier tonight. It was really fun, but I'm already curious about what other levels they have - the demo is a bit short but then I imagine it's supposed to be! I was getting a bit bored of just the two levels after not very long, but then I would get bored of any game if it only had 2 levels. Apparently this demo is the first 2 of 5 levels from the first scenario and the game will ship with 4 scenarios, with more likely to be released in future in a similar approach to TF2. I may be remembering that wrong, I can't find the article/forum where I read that yesterday.

My first round was on Normal but after that I skipped Advanced and went straight to Expert (the hardest) because Normal had felt quite easy. Expert was hard, and we weren't always successful. This game rewards sticking together, and the core gameplay device of the AI Director creating a different game every round worked well. Friendly fire is a bitch though! A few times I would die for seemingly no reason, then realising that my teammate had whacked me with a full shotgun blast. I was no better; a few times someone would make me jump or just get in the way and I'd give them both pistols, accidentally killing them. The game is good, and like my friend said the gameplay is like no other - this will be one to spawn mediocre imitations for years.

I liked it, it was fun, I'll probably buy it - especially after seeing it's only �20 on Amazon! That's a third less than through Steam, even with their 10% pre-order discount.

Did anyone else have trouble finding a server though? Presumably because so many people were playing, first night of the free-to-all demo after all. But my friend and I had about 5-6 failed attempts at joining a server before we finally got in. Trick for you: When you've finished the very last part, vote to repeat the campaign (start a vote through the main menu) rather than enter the safe room so you don't lose your server. Bit of a bastard move, but then I'm a bit of a bastard.

EDIT: Oh, just noticed something. The option to play as the Infected isn't in the Demo, hopefully that'll be a great feature in the full game.

< Message edited by Jim -- 12/11/2008 2:14:45 AM >

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Post #: 35

RE: Left 4 Dead - 12/11/2008 10:37:40 AM

BigKovacs

Posts: 3143
Joined: 6/4/2006
From: Textile Street.

I was a bit let down to be honest. The graphics were pretty bad by todays standard and the fact that it's an MP game at heart doesn't swim as better looking games work just as well with more people. It was repetitive, even after two levels I was wanting something new to happen knew I had seen 90% of what the game had to offer. The basic but minging HUD screamed low budget too.

Don't get me wrong, it was fun and shooting zombies is always cool but this just seems like a quality Counterstrike bolt on rather than a stand alone title.

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Post #: 36

RE: Left 4 Dead - 12/11/2008 4:18:03 PM

the anomaly

Posts: 6398
Joined: 20/6/2006

It was...OK. The whole idea is good. Making teamwork imperitive to your survival is a good idea (in theory) and hopefully it shall inspire some true co-op moments. I think this will work a lot better when you actually play with mates as you should be able to trust them to help you out. That being said if anyone online wants to play properly and live they will have to get used to the idea of team work.

My worry is that the game may not have enough depth. The Orange Box was a generous game but this does not seem to have that much on offer. I have to say it just feels like a bit of a rehash. Just feels like a Half Life multiplayer but with Zombies...ok that is to be kind of expected as it's from valve but it doesnt feel like they pushed the boat out. Hopefully I am wrong and the game has a lot more to offer. I will still be checking this out but not sure where it is on my Christmas list now...

Review from OXM...if you want to bother reading it http://www.giantbomb.com/xbox-360/60-20/xbox-360/60-20/left-4-dead-review-oxm/35-116495/
They gave the game 9.5.

< Message edited by the anomaly -- 12/11/2008 4:50:51 PM >

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Post #: 37

RE: Left 4 Dead - 12/11/2008 5:56:28 PM

BigKovacs

Posts: 3143
Joined: 6/4/2006
From: Textile Street.

Totally agree, it feels like it should be with another game or two. It's a good game but not a class A title and it makes me wonder what the fuck Valve were doing all this time, it's not that complex a game. I think it'll be a fun but brief flash of a game.

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Post #: 38

RE: Left 4 Dead - 12/11/2008 8:43:56 PM

DJ Satan

Posts: 8602
Joined: 26/10/2005
From: White Vaart Lane

Wow! Played it through earlier with Yeti and Anomaly and had so much fun. Fantastic opening really set the mood and the amount of Zombies attacking you really does cause a sense of panic. Especially when you get hit by a boomer. And when there are no Zombies about the sound is so good it makes you jump out of your skin whenever you hear a smashing window or a low moan of a zombie.

I also like the feature of when you are down you switch to your pistol as a last resort, and when you die you have to be rescued. The way it keeps your squad together works really well. If you go off on your own you will die. I don't know how long the game will last but I imagine a full scenario will be enough for me in a single night. So with 4/5 scenarios and no doubt more to come I think there is enough there, especially as they differ slightly on each playthrough.

But the biggest plus point it that it has one of the best weapons ever. The automatic shotgun rules.

The only downside is that I have no money left and won't eb able to get it until after Christmas!

< Message edited by DJ Satan -- 12/11/2008 8:46:46 PM >

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Post #: 39

RE: Left 4 Dead - 13/11/2008 9:14:40 AM

borstal

Posts: 8709
Joined: 30/9/2005
From: its grom up nirth

Well it seems to be getting good scores so Im expecting it to be good enough. People are dismissing it after a couple of levels?

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Post #: 40

RE: Left 4 Dead - 13/11/2008 9:20:22 AM

DJ Satan

Posts: 8602
Joined: 26/10/2005
From: White Vaart Lane

I'm amused that people are complaining that this game looks short yet most people have completed Gears of War 2 in less than a week.

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You're only angry cause you wish you were in my position
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Post #: 41

RE: Left 4 Dead - 13/11/2008 9:25:40 AM

Spektre

Posts: 2468
Joined: 30/9/2005

I was initially slightly disappointed but the more I played it the better it got.
I thought at first that I would need to rush around and to basically run to the safe point at the end of the level. In fact, what you have to do is the exact opposite, which is to take it slow. When I changed my style of play the game suddenly clicked. I am now totally hooked on it and it has already been preodered.

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Post #: 42

RE: Left 4 Dead - 13/11/2008 9:47:51 AM

Sexual Harassment Panda

Posts: 12674
Joined: 30/9/2005

I'll be getting this but like a few others I'll be waiting until after Christmas when it's cheaper.

Was really easy on my first play through with Geest on normal, while I got to grips with it. Then we started Expert mode, the first level went by really easily, no real struggle, and it was great fun setting the car alarm off on purpose to attract another horde of zombies, before another horde arrived and we got thrown up on by a Boomer. Then Geest foolishly said this is no harder than normal, and the second level came along and we were screwed, Smokers, Hunters and Boomers were bad enough, but then came the tanks! I found a good tactic to survive the horde attacks (hiding in a cupboard) however, this didn't really work against the Tank which just burst through the door and killed me. We ended up having to resort to killing our two team mates at the beginning of the level so that we could heal up and then have spare Medi Kits, didn't really help at all.

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Post #: 43

RE: Left 4 Dead - 13/11/2008 9:54:46 AM

DJ Satan

Posts: 8602
Joined: 26/10/2005
From: White Vaart Lane

I played it through on Advanced rather than normal or expert. We got party wiped one per level. The first time was when Yeti (who had played it before) wanted to show me something cool so set the car alarm off.

The second time was we just got swamped and seperated in the subway tunnels. I just failed to save Yeti and had 3 health left. It didn't take me long to succumb to the first leaper.

I wouldn't get rid of the AI as ours was a life saver. In one section (with the fans/engines) he revived me, spawned Anomaly and then revived Yeti all in the space of about 2 minutes. Bill was a God.

I think this is the kind of game which is made by the people you play with and you will end up with many anecdotes to bore your friends with.

_____________________________

Don't try to tell me that some power can corrupt a person
You hadn't had enough to know what it's like
You're only angry cause you wish you were in my position
Now nod your head cause you know that I'm right..alright!

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Post #: 44

RE: Left 4 Dead - 13/11/2008 10:24:28 AM

BigKovacs

Posts: 3143
Joined: 6/4/2006
From: Textile Street.

quote:

ORIGINAL: DJ Satan

I'm amused that people are complaining that this game looks short yet most people have completed Gears of War 2 in less than a week.

It's only a demo but judging the game on that (which is fair) a reasonably good team will have this done in a night. The story in Gears is over in a heart beat but the MP is what drags it out over months and months. I'm not actually a Gears fan but I can see it lasting people way longer than L4D, which despite it's AI director will still only ever offer up the same stuff over and over again.

I'm trying not to be too harsh on this title as I've been looking forward to it for so long but the demo really isn't all that. I'll still get it purely to see how it balances with the human controlled zombies and becouse my COD4 clan are getting it. I hope the full game brings more to the party.

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Post #: 45

RE: Left 4 Dead - 13/11/2008 10:57:58 AM

DJ Satan

Posts: 8602
Joined: 26/10/2005
From: White Vaart Lane

Well last night I compeleted 2 levels and it took about an hour. Having about 20 levels that means about 10 hours play.

Plus the Director AI adds as much replay value as MP does on other games.

_____________________________

Don't try to tell me that some power can corrupt a person
You hadn't had enough to know what it's like
You're only angry cause you wish you were in my position
Now nod your head cause you know that I'm right..alright!

(in reply to BigKovacs)

Post #: 46

RE: Left 4 Dead - 13/11/2008 11:03:10 AM

dr. salvador

Posts: 1674
Joined: 13/12/2005
From: City 17

I played it on normal and really enjoyed it although i died twice on the second section (the subway bit

)

The first time I died (on the subway level) I made a mad dash across the yard to open a door and then got mobbed by zombies

i like the way zombies run after a thrown grenade curious as to what it is and then they get blown to hell

i'll probably get it when it comes out but if i don't i'll just get it for christmas.

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United we stand, divided we fall.
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Post #: 47

RE: Left 4 Dead - 13/11/2008 11:04:07 AM

BigKovacs

Posts: 3143
Joined: 6/4/2006
From: Textile Street.

What did you play it on? It whizzed by for me on normal, the two higher difficulties did stretch it out a bit. The AI director only differs when the zombies attack and how many per time, the levels are always the same and the over all amount will be the same, the experience will always be the same. I think the longevity with this will lay with the downloadable content which has the potential to be epic!!!

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Post #: 48

RE: Left 4 Dead - 13/11/2008 11:06:50 AM

Dark Knight

Posts: 1711
Joined: 2/10/2005
From: Sedgley

quote:

ORIGINAL: Sexual Harassment Panda

I'll be getting this but like a few others I'll be waiting until after Christmas when it's cheaper.

Was really easy on my first play through with Geest on normal, while I got to grips with it. Then we started Expert mode, the first level went by really easily, no real struggle, and it was great fun setting the car alarm off on purpose to attract another horde of zombies, before another horde arrived and we got thrown up on by a Boomer. Then Geest foolishly said this is no harder than normal, and the second level came along and we were screwed, Smokers, Hunters and Boomers were bad enough, but then came the tanks! I found a good tactic to survive the horde attacks (hiding in a cupboard) however, this didn't really work against the Tank which just burst through the door and killed me. We ended up having to resort to killing our two team mates at the beginning of the level so that we could heal up and then have spare Medi Kits, didn't really help at all.

The things you do to try and survive eh?

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Post #: 49

RE: Left 4 Dead - 13/11/2008 11:09:54 AM

Dark Knight

Posts: 1711
Joined: 2/10/2005
From: Sedgley

quote:

ORIGINAL: DJ Satan

I think this is the kind of game which is made by the people you play with and you will end up with many anecdotes to bore your friends with.

This is pretty much what I was saying to Giz the other day - with friends, it has the potential to be amongst the greatest multiplayer games - however, I can possibly see it being an nightmare when playing with randoms.

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Post #: 50

RE: Left 4 Dead - 13/11/2008 11:22:22 AM

DJ Satan

Posts: 8602
Joined: 26/10/2005
From: White Vaart Lane

quote:

ORIGINAL: BigKovacs

The AI director only differs when the zombies attack and how many per time, the levels are always the same and the over all amount will be the same, the experience will always be the same.

I think it works quite nicely. The first time through a level I got attacked by the Zombies ripping down a wall I had my back to. The second time through I avoided the wall and got attacked from the other direction.

The map may be the same but knowing you can be attacked from anywhere and nowhere is safe certainly keeps up the tension on repeated playthroughs.

_____________________________

Don't try to tell me that some power can corrupt a person
You hadn't had enough to know what it's like
You're only angry cause you wish you were in my position
Now nod your head cause you know that I'm right..alright!

(in reply to BigKovacs)

Post #: 51

RE: Left 4 Dead - 13/11/2008 11:26:11 AM

borstal

Posts: 8709
Joined: 30/9/2005
From: its grom up nirth

quote:

ORIGINAL: Dark Knight

quote:

ORIGINAL: DJ Satan

I think this is the kind of game which is made by the people you play with and you will end up with many anecdotes to bore your friends with.

This is pretty much what I was saying to Giz the other day - with friends, it has the potential to be amongst the greatest multiplayer games - however, I can possibly see it being an nightmare when playing with randoms.

Yeah it definately seems a game not to be played with randoms

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Post #: 52

RE: Left 4 Dead - 13/11/2008 11:47:26 AM

paulyboy

Posts: 2116
Joined: 30/9/2005

Quite suprised by the reaction from some in this thread to be honest, personally I had a whale of a time with the demo.

Especially liked the second level on the harder difficulties, really enjoyed setting up for the inevitable ambush as you open the door in that warehouse. One bloke on the mini-gun, another strategically laying petrol cans at the ready, one watching your back in the room as they come out of the floor and so forth. As co-operative zombies shooters go, it ticks pretty much all the boxes I expected it to.

Plus, you know, it's Valve. This is the development house that gave us Half-Life, Half-Life 2, Counter-Strike, Team Fortress and Portal. They shit innovative, fun, crowd-pleasing games in their sleep, I'm sure this will be no different.

I'm going to look so stupid if it sucks balls on release now.

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Post #: 53

RE: Left 4 Dead - 13/11/2008 11:59:15 AM

BigKovacs

Posts: 3143
Joined: 6/4/2006
From: Textile Street.

quote:

ORIGINAL: DJ Satan

quote:

ORIGINAL: BigKovacs

The AI director only differs when the zombies attack and how many per time, the levels are always the same and the over all amount will be the same, the experience will always be the same.

I think it works quite nicely. The first time through a level I got attacked by the Zombies ripping down a wall I had my back to. The second time through I avoided the wall and got attacked from the other direction.

The map may be the same but knowing you can be attacked from anywhere and nowhere is safe certainly keeps up the tension on repeated playthroughs.

It does add spice to the experience, I wonder how random it truly is though, a full play through is needed to find out. One thing that does really impress me is the friendly AI, they can look after them selves and are quite capable of getting stuck in and helping you when you need it, when I play alone and die its becouse I've ballsed up, not them. Props there.

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Post #: 54

RE: Left 4 Dead - 14/11/2008 9:04:52 AM

Jim

Posts: 1245
Joined: 30/9/2005

I thought the demo was a little short and it had me a little worried that the full game would have little replay value. Only a few more guns, no more zombie types... Then I realised that the demo is only 1.5 levels out of 20, a fraction of the game, and yet I've still put in 7 hours already since Tuesday night. I don't think replayability will be a problem. Not to mention there's still Versus mode to explore.

I was playing with 2 friends and a random the other day, with all of us on voice chat and it was so much fun! Expert's the only way to play, imo. I only succeed about 1 out of every 10 attempts or so, but it's great fun. It can go so rapidly downhill sometimes! A Smoker will grab you, not so bad, until a Boomer vomits on you as you're being dragged which attracts a Horde, then a Hunter leaps on one friend while the others battle the Horde, suddenly you hear the Tank music/rumbling and it's over. Not to mention the Witch sitting at the top of the staircase, right where you need to go and can't avoid her.

I ordered it off Amazon yesterday as it's only �20, but I'll have to wait a few days after release for it arrive. It won't be dispatched until the 20th, even though it's released on the 18th.

< Message edited by Jim -- 14/11/2008 9:13:13 AM >

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Post #: 55

RE: Left 4 Dead - 14/11/2008 9:16:40 AM

Jim

Posts: 1245
Joined: 30/9/2005

Oh, and a tip for everyone. My friend pointed it out last night and it's a great point. Never use your health packs until you're in the grey. They replenish your knockdowns as well as your life, so it's a waste before then.

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Post #: 56

RE: Left 4 Dead - 14/11/2008 9:23:49 AM

dr. salvador

Posts: 1674
Joined: 13/12/2005
From: City 17

quote:

ORIGINAL: BigKovacs

What did you play it on?

i was playing it on the xbox 360.

it will be interesting to see what DLC they release for it

_____________________________

"Say hey Johnny boy, the battle call.
United we stand, divided we fall.
Together we are what we can't be alone,
We came to this country, you made it our home."

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Post #: 57

RE: Left 4 Dead - 14/11/2008 11:02:05 AM

BigKovacs

Posts: 3143
Joined: 6/4/2006
From: Textile Street.

I played it with my old clan mates and its much better with a good group. Extreme is the way forward. I'm liking it much more now and where it didn't quite live up to my lofty expectations it's a good crack and I'll be getting it.

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Post #: 58

RE: Left 4 Dead - 14/11/2008 11:13:53 AM

Jim

Posts: 1245
Joined: 30/9/2005

I was reading the L4D wiki and they had some achievements on there, one of which implies there'll be another difficulty higher than Expert, 'Impossible'.

_____________________________

"Oh shit, swamp leeches! Everybody! Check for swamp leeches and pull them off! ...nobody else got hit? I'm the only one? What's the deal?"

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Post #: 59

RE: Left 4 Dead - 14/11/2008 12:01:57 PM

BigKovacs

Posts: 3143
Joined: 6/4/2006
From: Textile Street.

Theres an achievement for taking down a tank on your own.... grrrreeeaaaattt!!! The demo's pre-E3 so there's room for improvement which is good.

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Post #: 60