Left 4 Dead 2 Review

Left 4 Dead 2 is a classic game. It debuted in 2009, merely a year after the first Left 4 Dead came out. But, a decade later, it’s understandable to worry if this classic zombie survival game is still engaging or if you should move on to some fresher meat.

So, is Left 4 Dead 2 worth playing in the modern age, or has it gotten too long in the undead teeth?

Something Old, Something New

Left 4 Dead 2 is, of course, a sequel. And one of the ways we measure the success of a sequel is by comparing it to the original game. By this metric, Left 4 Dead 2 is something of a mixed bag.

On one hand, it adds a number of welcome improvements. This includes better melee combat, improved level diversity, and even higher visibility in the levels (with many daylight levels replacing the “all dark, all the time” vibe of the original game.

On the other hand, there is little that this sequel is doing that is really and truly “new.” Instead, it’s tough to shake the feeling that this is the game that the first one should have been. And that makes the first game retroactively feel like a beta test for this, the real thing.

Fortunately, this refinement of the survival genre ends up really shining in many key areas.