Left 4 Dead 2 review

We did want to give a special shoutout to the aforementioned Achievements though, as they’re part of the driving force that keeps you playing (aside from the Director’s random decisions). Dark Carnival alone has four specific goals to shoot for, like punching 10 clowns in the face or using an adrenaline shot to pound a “test your might” attraction.

Above: But our favorite’s Gnome Chompski

God damn that thing. You win it by beating a shooting gallery, and then have to carry it through the rest of the campaign. Yes, all five chapters. It’s quite a task, and a perfect example of how developers can use Achievements (or Trophies) to suck us in well after the credits have rolled. We were already planning on playing this for dozens of hours, and now we have 1000 reasons to go beyond.

Is it better than?

Left 4 Dead? Honestly, they’re dead even. We adore the new campaigns, setting, characters, dialog and special infected, but the exact same can be said for the original. Both are amazing multiplayer experiences and are essential in their own ways. The plus side – the first one’s way cheap now, so getting both is a reasonable (and suggested) course of action.

Modern Warfare 2? Depends. They're not the same at all, but as the fall’s two premier shooters there are bound to be comparisons. Both contain senses-shattering spectacles, violence galore and exemplify multiplayer heaven, so it’s more your call than ours. Do you want a more strategic take on shooters, or do you prefer bullet-bathed Free-For-All?

Borderlands? Yes. Again, markedly different experiences, but in our eyes L4D2 offers more gameplay variation and more guaranteed entertainment than the MMO-esque Borderlands. As fun as it is, four-player Borderlands is quite the grind-fest, leading to more than a few hours of repetitive tasks. Churning zombie faces into paste never has to worry about getting stale.

Just for you, Metacritic!

More maps, more enemies, more weapons, more glorious spectacle than the original, and that’s just the co-op. Fresh versus modes and intense violence make this the apocalypse to beat.

Nov 17, 2009