Holy.... Left 4 Dead 2 is really violent!

[Erana]

Yes, I know I am behind the times. very behind.
So, I don't have a PC any more, and I don't have XBL, so I never felt the need to look that much into L4D2.
But just now I saw a gameplay video in which the player was using a machete, and damn...
I have my limits with violence in video games, and I do not recall the original L4D crossing it.
L4D was designed in a very appealing, albeit morbid manner: Its dark, and things come running at you. You shoot them and make all the peoples fall down. Yes, there's blood, but there was never a particular need for the zombies to fall apart like this.
Part of this surprise is partly my fault; I had my own preconceptions, and shouldn't hold it against a developer to not be exactly what I was expecting.

Still, like cast-iron skillets as much as the next Southern girl, and I can understand the value of melee combat in a game.
Its just, Valve is apparently very good at making the mind go, "OK, that was most definitely a very human thing that just lost his arm there..." Just a little *too* good, for my taste. The hangup here for me is that this gore doesn't seem to add anything to the gameplay value, (being blinded by prolly bloodsplatter nonwithstanding) and it doesn't seem to add to the atmosphere, at least in my opinion.

I'm just wondering if I was the only one sitting here, a little surprised, after seeing the game in action for the first time.
And really, I'd love to be proven wrong, and I'm not hating on Valve. Part of the reason it is so jarring is because they implimented this so well.
Really, though, I have to ask yall: how do you feel about the level of violence?

[small]And no, I'm not gonna rally agianst this game; If you want to play it, by all means, go ahead. [/small]

 

[Daedalus1942]

Yes, I know I am behind the times. very behind.
So, I don't have a PC any more, and I don't have XBL, so I never felt the need to look that much into L4D2.
But just now I saw a gameplay video in which the player was using a machete, and damn...
I have my limits with violence in video games, and I do not recall the original L4D crossing it.
L4D was designed in a very appealing, albeit morbid manner: Its dark, and things come running at you. You shoot them and make all the peoples fall down. Yes, there's blood, but there was never a particular need for the zombies to fall apart like this.
Part of this surprise is partly my fault; I had my own preconceptions, and shouldn't hold it against a developer to not be exactly what I was expecting.

Still, like cast-iron skillets as much as the next Southern girl, and I can understand the value of melee combat in a game.
Its just, Valve is apparently very good at making the mind go, "OK, that was most definitely a very human thing that just lost his arm there..." Just a little *too* good, for my taste. The hangup here for me is that this gore doesn't seem to add anything to the gameplay value, (being blinded by prolly bloodsplatter nonwithstanding) and it doesn't seem to add to the atmosphere, at least in my opinion.

I'm just wondering if I was the only one sitting here, a little surprised, after seeing the game in action for the first time.
And really, I'd love to be proven wrong, and I'm not hating on Valve. Part of the reason it is so jarring is because they implimented this so well.
Really, though, I have to ask yall: how do you feel about the level of violence?

[small]And no, I'm not gonna rally agianst this game; If you want to play it, by all means, go ahead. [/small]

My only ***** about the censored version is the disappearing bodies. If it wasn't for that, I could live without the massive wound damge and the SWAT zombies.
The disappearing bodies realllllly ruins it for me >.<
(obviously I live in Australia).
It's not as over the top as dead space which passed through the oflc without so much as a look at it, yet they banned then censor a game with much less gore (imo).
They can justify the dismembering and the cop killing but the bodies just disappearing into the earth... Goddamn you Michael Atkinson, I hope one day you become a zombie so i can dismember all you "sons 'o' bitches".

 

[Legion]

I must say I was surprised to see an intestine come out of a zombie when playing the demo. I have a high tolerance for gore so it doesn't bother me, but I agree that it doesn't exactly add anything. It isn't all that necessary, it's more like they added it for another 'addition' to shut the boycotter's up.

 

[fix-the-spade]

[small]And no, I'm not gonna rally agianst this game; If you want to play it, by all means, go ahead. [/small]

I haven't checked it yet, but I'm pretty sure their is an option to tone down some of the gore effects.

Either way, both L4D and 2 present a very big violence jump for Valve. The first one was violent enough to be satisfying, with the occasional poppinghead and pair of comedy legs. 2 is going for making you feel uncomfortable, it's the zombie apolcalypse after all.

But I have to admit, the first time I took an uzi to a zombie and it's guts spilled across the floor I was a little put off. Although possibly tellingly I quickly got used to it and barely notice it now.

Ithink L4D2 is very much an adult minded game, it will be but it shouldn't be played by the little ones...

 

[Go Fighting In The War Room]

I know, isn't it great?

I love gory films myself and not only is Left 4 Dead 2 gory, it's up close gory!

The machete and chrome shotgun are my choices of mutilation.

I hate zombie movies, yet I love this game for some reason. Blasting a zombie's head in the demo I expected, but after smacking a SWAT zombie, and blasting the entire portion of skin and spine from neck to buttocks, that's when I thought, "Holy shit!"

But then I went on to complete the demo. And loved it.

 

[sonicmaster1989]

Understanding the border between real and fake violence makes it that much easier for me to take it. I personally like the violence in video games. I like sawing people in half, tearing their spines from their necks, I actually LIKED Manhunt. There is no line for a game to cross, because I know it's fake. Hell, even real violence doesn't disturb me that much. I'm sure seeing a real guy getting chainsawed might be a bit odd, but until then, I'm looking forward to destroying zombies with skillets, bats, machetes, chainsaws, croquet mallets, pool cues, lawn gnomes and zambonis.

 

[CanOfPop]

Put -lv in the launch options. It might also disable the riot cop and get you banned from certain servers come release, but at least the violence will be low.

 

[ma55ter_fett]

Edited out for your viewing pleasure

 

[CloakedOne]

Yes, I know I am behind the times. very behind.
So, I don't have a PC any more, and I don't have XBL, so I never felt the need to look that much into L4D2.
But just now I saw a gameplay video in which the player was using a machete, and damn...
I have my limits with violence in video games, and I do not recall the original L4D crossing it.
L4D was designed in a very appealing, albeit morbid manner: Its dark, and things come running at you. You shoot them and make all the peoples fall down. Yes, there's blood, but there was never a particular need for the zombies to fall apart like this.
Part of this surprise is partly my fault; I had my own preconceptions, and shouldn't hold it against a developer to not be exactly what I was expecting.

Still, like cast-iron skillets as much as the next Southern girl, and I can understand the value of melee combat in a game.
Its just, Valve is apparently very good at making the mind go, "OK, that was most definitely a very human thing that just lost his arm there..." Just a little *too* good, for my taste. The hangup here for me is that this gore doesn't seem to add anything to the gameplay value, (being blinded by prolly bloodsplatter nonwithstanding) and it doesn't seem to add to the atmosphere, at least in my opinion.

I'm just wondering if I was the only one sitting here, a little surprised, after seeing the game in action for the first time.
And really, I'd love to be proven wrong, and I'm not hating on Valve. Part of the reason it is so jarring is because they implimented this so well.
Really, though, I have to ask yall: how do you feel about the level of violence?

[small]And no, I'm not gonna rally agianst this game; If you want to play it, by all means, go ahead. [/small]

Eh, I wasn't that surprised. To be honest, I don't even notice gore much. I only notice it when a medium is doing what they can to hide it. Gore has been a classic feature of zombie-related things for a while, it just adds to the morbidity and, in that sense, the atmosphere (at least to me in that respect). What disappointed me during the demo was that there is a level where it is lit up outside. yes, zombies are not nocturnal or anything like that, but I felt like the darkness added to the atmosphere and the experience. The gore, though...I'm indifferent I guess.

I never really had a problem killing humans in video games, so I can't really be appalled by humans hacking other humans. I grew up on it in many ways. I might be more appalled if I weren't so used to it.

I'm not here to prove you wrong, that's an impossible feat! That would be to imply that you have the capacity to be wrong in a subjective matter. You're entitled to think that the gore is unnecessary because in several capacities it is though many focus on the capacities in which it isn't. There are many opinions that should be changed in the name of the betterment of people, but this subject matter does not call for it. Our convincing you of a different point of view will not help you grow as a person or anything like that, so I say keep your opinion, it's perfectly rational.

 

[Legion]

ZOMG!!!! LEFT 4 DEAD 2 IS VIOLENT, WHAT IS THE WORLD COMEING TOO!!!!!

A few things:

1) Caps are not cool. If anything, they make everyone immediately dislike you (unless it's in irony) and not care what you say.
2) Try to read the post before commenting so as not to make yourself look like an idiot. She didn't show surprise at the violence, but at the level of it.
3) Not contributing to the thread is called 'trolling', if you keep doing it, you will almost certainly get probation/suspension because people like the forums to be a friendly place.

 

[rockingnic]

At least the gore is good. Almost every game that uses the unreal engine with alot of gore (99% of them) just have chunks of meat flying everywhere, not very creative. L4D2 I think does a great job with limbs flying off, entrails, etc.

 

[Liberaliterr]

Well it is a zombie game, people would be dissapointed otherwise.

 

[nolongerhere]

Yes, I know I am behind the times. very behind.
So, I don't have a PC any more, and I don't have XBL, so I never felt the need to look that much into L4D2.
But just now I saw a gameplay video in which the player was using a machete, and damn...
I have my limits with violence in video games, and I do not recall the original L4D crossing it.
L4D was designed in a very appealing, albeit morbid manner: Its dark, and things come running at you. You shoot them and make all the peoples fall down. Yes, there's blood, but there was never a particular need for the zombies to fall apart like this.
Part of this surprise is partly my fault; I had my own preconceptions, and shouldn't hold it against a developer to not be exactly what I was expecting.

Still, like cast-iron skillets as much as the next Southern girl, and I can understand the value of melee combat in a game.
Its just, Valve is apparently very good at making the mind go, "OK, that was most definitely a very human thing that just lost his arm there..." Just a little *too* good, for my taste. The hangup here for me is that this gore doesn't seem to add anything to the gameplay value, (being blinded by prolly bloodsplatter nonwithstanding) and it doesn't seem to add to the atmosphere, at least in my opinion.

I'm just wondering if I was the only one sitting here, a little surprised, after seeing the game in action for the first time.
And really, I'd love to be proven wrong, and I'm not hating on Valve. Part of the reason it is so jarring is because they implimented this so well.
Really, though, I have to ask yall: how do you feel about the level of violence?

[small]And no, I'm not gonna rally agianst this game; If you want to play it, by all means, go ahead. [/small]

Personally, I felt it made it seem more like a zombie movie, which for me, was a good thing. Each to their own, I suppose.

Also, I must know, is that Fighter in White Mage clothes?

 

[joshthor]

i honestly thought it was great. i love the machete. it didnt make me sick. there was one game i played with way too much gore, i think it was prototype. it may be because you know your killing actual (in game) humans. but i think left 4 dead 2 is just fun

 

[Shadowfaze]

isnt violence brilliant? i remember stabbing peoples eyes with a galss shard in manhunt. oh how it has evolved.

 

[300lb. Samoan]

I know, isn't it great?

I love gory films myself and not only is Left 4 Dead 2 gory, it's up close gory!

The machete and chrome shotgun are my choices of mutilation.

RIGHT HERE

zombie games should stay true to the romero aesthetics. and if you don't think it adds to the atmosphere, you don't know what you're lookin at because the l4d2 demo is just like playing thru dawn/day of the dead. very bleak, very realistic, very very gory!

btw op have you tried going to settings and setting the gore level to 'low'?

 

[lvl9000_woot]

Yes, I know I am behind the times. very behind.
So, I don't have a PC any more, and I don't have XBL, so I never felt the need to look that much into L4D2.
But just now I saw a gameplay video in which the player was using a machete, and damn...
I have my limits with violence in video games, and I do not recall the original L4D crossing it.
L4D was designed in a very appealing, albeit morbid manner: Its dark, and things come running at you. You shoot them and make all the peoples fall down. Yes, there's blood, but there was never a particular need for the zombies to fall apart like this.
Part of this surprise is partly my fault; I had my own preconceptions, and shouldn't hold it against a developer to not be exactly what I was expecting.

Still, like cast-iron skillets as much as the next Southern girl, and I can understand the value of melee combat in a game.
Its just, Valve is apparently very good at making the mind go, "OK, that was most definitely a very human thing that just lost his arm there..." Just a little *too* good, for my taste. The hangup here for me is that this gore doesn't seem to add anything to the gameplay value, (being blinded by prolly bloodsplatter nonwithstanding) and it doesn't seem to add to the atmosphere, at least in my opinion.

I'm just wondering if I was the only one sitting here, a little surprised, after seeing the game in action for the first time.
And really, I'd love to be proven wrong, and I'm not hating on Valve. Part of the reason it is so jarring is because they implimented this so well.
Really, though, I have to ask yall: how do you feel about the level of violence?

[small]And no, I'm not gonna rally agianst this game; If you want to play it, by all means, go ahead. [/small]

Have you seen Borderlands?

I'm sure you'd think it's voilent too after having a maniac whip out a grenade and blow himself to pieces...

 

[Zelurien]

ZOMG!!!! LEFT 4 DEAD 2 IS VIOLENT, WHAT IS THE WORLD COMEING TOO!!!!!

And the spelling too. And the use of more than one exclamation mark. Not cool.

The point being made is relevant; at what point does violence and gore become too real. Does it ever?

I can't say the demo bothered me, but my girlfriend said it made her uncomfortable as everything seems so real. I can't wait for the real thing. They've done brilliantly with the marketing imho.

I've always fancied myself as a zombie killer. Apart from my cowardice, obviously.

 

[ma55ter_fett]

ZOMG!!!! LEFT 4 DEAD 2 IS VIOLENT, WHAT IS THE WORLD COMEING TOO!!!!!

A few things:

1) Caps are not cool. If anything, they make everyone immediately dislike you (unless it's in irony) and not care what you say.
2) Try to read the post before commenting so as not to make yourself look like an idiot. She didn't show surprise at the violence, but at the level of it.
3) Not contributing to the thread is called 'trolling', if you keep doing it, you will almost certainly get probation/suspension because people like the forums to be a friendly place.

A few answers

1) Cool is in the eye of the beholder (if you play DnD then the several eye's of the beholder), as is irony (which always seems a hit or a miss for me).
2) I did read the post before I posted my response.
3) while I did not contribute with my initial post neither did you.

So here is my contribution, gratuitous violence for violence sake is not for me. However the strategic placement of blood and gore can quite arguably enhance the experience. A good example of this (in my CAPS lock addicted opinion) is the gears of war series. In this case however I do not think it will enhance it much, I did not care for the first Left 4 Dead and I don't plan on even renting the second.

 

[Jonci]

I was a little taken back when I first saw intestines sliding out a zombie I just put down. Mostly because it was impressive looking. Hard not to admire good coding when you are a coder. Part of it was the added realism. They may be zombies, but they are still humans. If you are blasting holes in them or slicing them apart with a machette, things should get bloody and gory.

It's a nice graphical upgrade. Sure it doesn't add to the gameplay, but the only thing it could add would be tripping over the intestines and no one wants that. It just punches in a little more that these were people.