Zero Punctuation: Left 4 Dead

[Zekko5]

Wow - an actual positive review?
The "retard" part made me chuckle as well.

Excellent review - I agree on all fronts! You know the game is repetitive, yet you keep coming back for more. I guess the gameplay that is there is just that awesome.

I'm sure Valve will release new content over time, though. A whole new campaign, hopefully.

All hail the AI Director!

 

[defcon 1]

Yes, it's about time nerds stop obsessively referencing talking about ninjas, pirates and zombies.

I thought the game was alright but nowhere near worth the money I payed.

 

[Deadly_Dragon]

Ok, first off, great review.

Secondly, can we have an LBP review? Pleeeease? I'd love to see how much you hate Sackboy.

 

[Dectilon]

It was pretty obvious that he was going to like this game. It reminds me of Painkiller basically...

And I guess it's Smoker as in "it will roll you up and smoke you".

 

[Therumancer]

If we stopped talking about Ninjas, Pirates, and Zombies we would probably cease to be nerds. It is part of what makes us who we are! Besides which you might notice that in complaining about them, Yahtzee talks about them an awful lot. But then again Yahtzee never claimed to be anything but a nerd when you get down to it.

That said Yahtzee also seemed to like Fallout 3. I think the intro to that one was kind of saying that he couldn't think of anything really bad about it, but had to work at it.

For that matter he also seemed to like Saint's Row 2... hmmm. Perhaps the game industry is producing more things to Yahtzee's tastes.

Speaking of which I couldn't identify the games showing up in the trolly. Well except for RE 4. I just saw some typical androgynous anime guy (I think) on the middle one, and a bunch of colors on the one to the right.

Don't get me wrong, I love JRPGs and the anime art style (unlike Yahtzee) I'm just wondering what they were, and if there was some kind of joke implied there that I'm just not getting.

>>>----Therumancer--->

 

[ZomBuster]

I hope the change in voice pitch is not permanent, funny how the voice alone has such a big impact. Anyway great review, the chaps at Valve can again be relieved you are pleased with their game.

 

[SAccharing10]

I'm suprised he, or for that matter anybody else has mentioned the major problem with L4D - You're completely dependant on your team-mates, they're not just wanted; they're needed - And in a situation where you need to depend on random twats from the internet who are usually crap you could grief in a game by just not being very good.

 

[Frederf]

Depending on each other is actually the hallmark of a good team-based game. It would be despicable for L4D to trivialize that. Unless you were dumb enough to buy it for Xbox Live!, 75% of the time your online compatriots are at least workable. Part of the fun of the game is getting a ragtag and not perfectly in sync group to work together.

L4Dead is very flat, shallow, and repetitive... however the powers of a decently done coop game easily overpower these factors. Co-op is by far the most enjoyable and least understood game mode on the planet. Just imagine if L4D was coop AND in depth, rich in story, and varied in activity.

 

[Emiley Tomsen]

I got Left 4 Dead as a gift from a friend, and despite not being into the whole zombie or horror genre, I truly enjoyed it. Only having 4 campaigns was little disappointing I agree, but overall I had a lot of fun with it, and still do. Something I found odd was my team-mate's AI, when I played the multi-player, and had a friend join me, the rest of the team when computer controlled seemed, smarter. When I play single player, they seemed dumb as rocks most times, getting stuck in places and so on.

I don't get to play PC games as much as I'd like to these days, but Left 4 dead, is one game I would love to see an expansion pack for, more campaigns please!

Love the game, and the review.

 

[Lightknight]

This sounded like a fairly positive review, all things considered.

 

[lemonade man]

maybe i am the only sane one here (i never doubt it) but yatzee has just been getting progressivle worse and worse. His old reviews for MOH airborn and others are laugh out loud histerical while the review today didnt even have a giggle moment for me. He is loosing the idea of zero puncuation by adding punctuation and emotion to it...and his standards are much lower because he continually says that maybe its good for you or you would like it, but thats not the point of a review its for their opinion and theirs only! i am dissapointed

 

[The-Big-D]

I really enjoyed Left 4 Dead probably one of the few zombie games that creates a really good atmosphere and gameplay experiance.

The game is far to short though, 4 campaigns just didnt see enough but i could see them bringing out more campaigns as an expansion.

Also i got quite annoyed with the special zombies. Just didnt see why you couldnt get out being constricted or pinned down yourself incase you where found on your own. But i can see why they done it to make sure its more of a team experiance.

Never the less this game does have flaws but its still good nether the less.

Good Review

 

[Lightknight]

Lemonade man, why is it not the point of reviewing? He says he hates it, but he also admits to not liking that genre of game or not being a die hard fan of a series. This is to imply that someone who loves the genre or is a fan would probably like it. This is a true statement. Reviews don't have to be "everyone would love it" or "everyone would hate it", because that's never true.

 

[Spinwhiz]

"If you don't ban 'um, they won't learn nothin'"

Aaaand I'm getting that as a tattoo.

On topic, who didn't think he'd like this game? It's sweet!
I am honestly shocked, however, that he said very little in the way of negativity.

...I guess I'm just expecting him to vomit over everything in rage.
Oh well! Hooray for tearing the nipples off survivors!

*bow*

 

[Triskavanski]

I'm kinda sad.

No funny quips about the AI for your companions having a death wish and wanting you to kill them.

 

[social_outcast]

Ah Left 4 dead - the final training module of my zombie plan...

 

[Ragnarok the Red]

Yahtzee I've been reading your reviews since you started last year and usually I just read the forums but your feelings about this game made me feel the need to register and comment.

I agree with a lot of what you said: the annoying amount of friendly fire in the game because the Survivors are dressed similarly and look a lot a like the generic zombie hordes at first glance. And I'm sure it won't be long before the same 4 maps get old. And playing as a zombie sucks since you die almost instantly and can very rarely actually get ahold of one of the Survivors long enough to actually do real damage to one of them before BOOM headshot you're dead.

But while I agree the campaign's difficulties remain uniform throughout the chapters, I'm disappointed you failed to mention the end of campaign, zombie zerg-rush finales which are intense and incredibly challenging on Advanced and Expert.

Sure some are easier than others: the Farmhouse finale is a joke everyone just needs to go to the barn loft and can defend every point of entry in there easily. But other level finales, like the Boat House, are sadistically intense as you're assaulted from every direction. And while there is no Megazord boss zombie at the end of campaigns like you wanted, when the director gets sadisitc enough to throw TWO tanks at you, I think that should technically qualify as one

I also commend Valve for making this the first true FAST-PACED FPS game that requires and encourages good teamwork. Prior to this there really was only Counter-Strike and Battlefield, where half your team played it like a Quake or UT fragfest, or Rainbow Six, which some missions slowed down to turn-based strategy game speed. Kudos to them for finding a good middleground compromise like this that is both mindless fragfest and squad-based teamwork shooter.

I hope Valve continues to support this and offer more downloadable campaigns and new weapons and zombie types down the road. I'd hate for the game to die (lol pun) prematurely because of it's lack of variety when it's design and pacing is so excellent.

 

[ramflax]

i did not think i would like left fordead so i got it through gamefly or what ever there called great game and great review. and ya i also hate the 20 sec wait expesialy when ur a boomer

 

[Russian Redneck]

FFFF-- BA HA HA HA! So many bannings within the first two minutes of the video's release. That said, it was rock solid as always but I have a question about the Co-op mention in L4D: Is the campaign strictly multiplayer or is it possible to go commando on those undead bastards?

 

[sequio]

I would never have put Long Tongue Zombie + Hot College Girl because i'm not a necrophile. Thank you for opening that door.

I think the difficulty curve description was a bit off, since the easiest and the hardest difficulties are a chasm of difference.