Left 4 Dead’ers undoubtedly will forever recall the in-game experience that caused so many shouted cuss words into headset microphones as co-op buddies frantically tried to defeat the berzerk mini-boss. Long story short, I’m desperate to behold any one of countless horror directors “wake” a Witch. Mutant designers made sure to spice their attackers with variety, and “Versus” combat added arena modes where players could control Smokers, Spitters, and the like, helping “Special Infected” become noteworthy characters on the opposing side. Any Left 4 Dead obsessor knows the chills that strike when hearing vulnerable sobs of an unaware Witch, or the soundtrack alert of an incoming Tank, or even the cackle of a Jockey who steers its blind victim towards danger. From Boomers who spit and explode bile to the parkour-sneaky Hunters who pounce from shadows like nimble, infected assassins, these souped-up baddies instill a sense of individuality within advancing threats.
Like The Last Of Us, Left 4 Deadintroduces the idea of “Specialist Infected” in addition to the speedy grunt ranks that dash with the urgency of Zack Snyder’s Dawn of the Dead masses. It’s telling when you can immediately fan-cast video game characters based on further merit than their costumes and facial trails, like how Stephen Lang is virtually the only choice for Bill. As survivors save each other’s bacon, we live their panic, sweat their perspiration, and become one with their unfathomable battle against ultimate evils.ĭesmond Harrington could slither right into Nick’s charming slickness, or Romany Malco could channel the skittish, bad-day-gone-worse Louis (corporate attire and all). Nick’s riverboat gambler snark fits with his Louisiana-hazy linen suit, ditto for Francis’s tattooed biker barking gruffness. Still, in-game voice acting provides a sense of personality in characters that matches their outward appearance. Cutaways don’t necessarily value cinematic interludes minus an opening introduction in Left 4 Dead and another murder-montage in Left 4 Dead 2. Gun nuts provide artillery expertise (Bill/Ellis), while those “you gotta be kidding me” fillers don unfitting dystopian attire (Louis/Nick). It starts with playable avatars, bred from the typical balanced squadron dynamics from heavies (Francis/Coach) to agile and fearsome women (Zoey/Rochelle). There’s a reason why enthusiastic gamers still pester developers with AMA inquisitions about Left 4 Dead 3 (presumably a lost cause), based on Valve’s exquisite crafting of their infection universe. It’s not as inherently cinematic as the Resident Evil franchise, nor Uncharted-type experiences, and yet Left 4 Dead still lodges within my memories between eerie backdrops, spunky protagonists, and maniac monsters. The generalization of “Point A” to “Point B” playthrough mechanics aren’t groundbreaking, since overarching narratives follow a squad of four as they scramble towards evacuation points.
#LEFT 4 DEAD 2 BUDGET SERIES#
I can’t wait for The Last Of Us, don’t get me wrong, but now adapt Left 4 Dead, you cowards.įor those unfamiliar, Valve’s doomsday first-person-shooter series spans two video games with multiple chapters as “The Survivors” blast their way through hordes of runners, bruisers, and pukers created by a rampaging “Green Flu” pandemic. Why the bite-sized recap? Because while the horror fan in me continues to relish mutilated spoils of market oversaturation, I’m still hoping one of my favorite multiplayer gameplay experiences can become a rip-roaring “infected” program that leaves those “civilization breakdown” shows in its whirlwind dust. Everyone craves their piece of the flesh-chewing, emotionally-invested apocalypse storytelling boom, including HBO, with the announcement that Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey will star in the company’s upcoming serialization of Naughty Dog’s award-winning The Last Of Us. Dramatic horror television became a commodity, giving rise to the Z Nation and Black Summer hopefuls across competitive providers.
Remember when The Walking Dead became an overnight undead sensation and started shattering AMC viewership records? Between eleven announced seasons, planned theatrical features, spin-offs, and however else producers can capitalize on the still-thriving phenomenon (web series, mobile games, etc.), The Walking Dead changed the silver screen’s outlook on zombies.
0 kommentar(er)
