Reader Review: Left 4 Dead 2

Do you have what it takes to get a review published right here on Kotaku? Stuart does, as he makes it to the safe room first.

Yes, that’s right, we’re now publishing reader reviews here on Kotaku. This is your chance to deliver sensible game purchasing advice to the rest of the Kotaku community.

And thanks to the very kind chaps at Madman Entertainment, purveyor of all kinds of cool, indie and esoteric film, the best reader review we publish each month will win a prize pack containing ten of the latest Madman DVD releases.

This review was submitted by Stuart Gollan. If you’ve played Left 4 Dead 2, or just want to ask Stuart more about it, leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Left 4 Dead 2 (PC)

Left 4 Dead redefined co-op gameplay, and was one of the highlights of 2008. The appearance of a sequel only 12 months later is very un-Valve like, but with the improvements made, is absolutely justified. Left 4 Dead 2 feels like the realisation of the original L4D vision.

Loved

Game balance: Corner camping plagued the original game, and almost every addition in L4D2 is designed to combat this. The new special infected are particularly entertaining, and provide versus mode play with some much needed variety.

New scenarios: The new levels are a general improvement, with the static panic events of the original replaced with ‘cut a swathe through these zombies’ races to shut down alarms or reach a safe room. Hard Rain is particularly entertaining, with its excellent weather effects and eerie atmosphere, while Dark Carnival provides some of the most fun moments of the game.

Multiplayer: Versus mode has gained plenty of depth thanks to the new mechanics and special infected, but don’t discount the new game mode, Scavenge, which provides some ‘instant fix’ fun.

Hated

Swamp Fever: The swamp levels are a little more open and confusing than we are used to in L4D, and it doesn’t suit the game very well. While the rest of the new campaign themes are fantastic, Swamp Fever leaves me feeling a little flat.

Controversy: Between the ‘boycott’ of the game and the refused classification rating it received here in Australia, just how good L4D2 is may be clouded behind all the sensationalist media coverage, which would be a great shame.

Left 4 Dead 2 does what a good sequel should, it renders the original obsolete. Everything about the sequel is bigger, better and more entertaining. Any fan of Left 4 Dead should pick this one up.

Reviewed by: Stuart Gollan

You can have your Reader Review published on Kotaku. Send your review to us at the usual address. Make sure it’s written in the same format as above and in under 300 words – yes, we’ve upped the word limit. We’ll publish the best ones we get and the best of the month will win a Madman DVD prize pack.

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