Why I Like Left 4 Dead

In the past few years zombies have exploded both literally and metaphorically on the screens of gamers through a large number of title releases. Zombies have always had a significant presence in video games but now more than ever I feel as if developers are abusing their popularity in contemporary culture to crank out more and more zombie based games. I think that the appeal in zombies for developers is that they allow for a wide variety of story lines that center around the conception of these menaces despite how trite they seem. Also in games that emphasize a mass number of antagonists, zombies fit the bill perfectly as not much is needed in developing dead bodies coming at you. This is why I respect Left 4 Dead as a zombie game as it doesn’t try to be anything other than what it is. A balls out zombie shooter with minimal plot line that emphasizes gameplay over all else. The levels are fairly detailed with the settings being typically city streets are farmstead and the ammo is plentiful with the typical tropes of zombie weaponry, shotgun, assault rifle etc. To add some extra sauce to the mix the game has a variety of zombie types which mix up the strategy of the players and keeps the gameplay fresh. This game is very much a ludist’s game as it takes place in a closed world linear environment and the rules and goals are clear: you shoot zombies you get to the extraction point. Hours of fun with friends and no big commitments to plot or storyline.