Well, it’s 2009 and one of the most cherished of the New Year traditions is appearing all over the place: The Top Ten List.
These lists are generally very genre specific, with Top Ten Video Games, Top Ten Albums, Top Ten Walrus Stabbings, Top Ten Things I Found In My Shoe (hint: only nine of them are toes), and that perennial favorite: The Top Ten Top Ten Lists.
So, in an effort to be topical and not at all out of laziness, I have decided to do my own Top Ten List of 2008. Well, actually, it’s going to be ten-ish, as I’m not terribly bright.
And thus, without further ado, here’s Part 1 of my Top Ten-ish List of 2008!
#9 Iron Man
Robert Downey Junior rocked as playboy and fledgling alcoholic Tony Stark. He was perfectly cast and created an engaging and believable character. He even managed to create a charming relationship with a robotic fire-extinguisher, something even Sir Laurence Olivier never pulled off (though I doubt he ever tried).
#8 Left 4 Dead
Zombies! Lots of zombies! Valve pulled off not only an amazing co-op game, but created a truly creepy atmosphere and gave you the experience of being in your favorite zombie movie. My only gripe: No shopping mall level.
#7 My Mom
My mom is great. She has, since I was 12, given me a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit calendar for Christmas. I have never, ever wondered what day it was. Unless, of course, I wasn’t in my bedroom, in which case I was completely clueless. Granted, she may stop, seeing as how I only put her at #7. Love you, Mom! :)
Showing posts with label Left 4 Dead. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Left 4 Dead. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Left 4 Dead
I played quite a bit of Left 4 Dead today at work. One of the benefits of being in the game industry is that you sometimes need to do 'research' on a competitor. Of course, 'research' can take a while, as you really need to get to the heart of the game to fully evaluate it.
Needless to say, I love 'research.'
So, what do I think? The single player campaign is a solid B or B+. The AI is generally rather smart and can competently deal with the rampaging zombie hordes. They help you out, kill things, and are generally solid.
The Co-op campaign is a more difficult one to judge. I played a couple hours of co-op and it was a blast. However, not all players are created equal, so your mileage may vary. I can honestly say that with a coordinated, competent group that worked together, co-op would be an easy A or A+. However, I can easily see playing in a pick-up group being a nightmare, especially if you happen to fall in with a group of, how shall we say, 'dickwads.'
A few quibbles:
The areas are loosely populated with random undead, which are easy to pick off with pistols. Every so often, a 'horde' attacks and you get ten to twenty seconds of mayhem. Once the horde is dispatched, you go back to picking off strays. This cycle repeats throughout the game and once you get used to it, it's fairly predictable. 'Hey,' you might think, 'I just cleared a farmhouse, bet a horde will show up' and it will.
The gatling guns which are scattered about overheat and have a really limited firing angle. They're practically useless, though they can do bad things to a Tank if you get lucky. And honestly, gatling guns don't really overheat. That's why they have six or more barrels (that's why they're so widely used).
The shotgun seems to be the uber-weapon. You can take down any number of zombies in the blast area, so if you time it right, you can eliminate an entire horde in two or three shots.
The other weapons are okay, but I don't see a reason for the hunting rifle. The action tends to be close and fast, so sniping doesn't seem to be particularly useful. I haven't tried it yet, but I will.
Good things:
The characters look amazing. They have great dialogue and seem to have real personalities. I would occasionally forget they're AI and start trying to give them orders.
All the guns I've used so far are fun and do the job. I especially like the M-16 and the combat shotgun.
The sound effects are great. You eventually learn what sounds each of the bosses make, so once you hear it, you're instantly on guard and scanning for them. It's a great and subtle way of conveying information to the players.
The two movies I've played have been varied and fun. They've kept to their 'milieu' well and are believable environments. Sometimes, I'm not sure where exactly to go, but I've never gotten lost and actually, it feels believable in the situation.
Overall, I would totally recommend Left 4 Dead to any FPS fan. And even if you're not, download the demo and play with a couple of friends, you might be surprised at how much fun you're having.
Cheers,
-Jason
Needless to say, I love 'research.'
So, what do I think? The single player campaign is a solid B or B+. The AI is generally rather smart and can competently deal with the rampaging zombie hordes. They help you out, kill things, and are generally solid.
The Co-op campaign is a more difficult one to judge. I played a couple hours of co-op and it was a blast. However, not all players are created equal, so your mileage may vary. I can honestly say that with a coordinated, competent group that worked together, co-op would be an easy A or A+. However, I can easily see playing in a pick-up group being a nightmare, especially if you happen to fall in with a group of, how shall we say, 'dickwads.'
A few quibbles:
The areas are loosely populated with random undead, which are easy to pick off with pistols. Every so often, a 'horde' attacks and you get ten to twenty seconds of mayhem. Once the horde is dispatched, you go back to picking off strays. This cycle repeats throughout the game and once you get used to it, it's fairly predictable. 'Hey,' you might think, 'I just cleared a farmhouse, bet a horde will show up' and it will.
The gatling guns which are scattered about overheat and have a really limited firing angle. They're practically useless, though they can do bad things to a Tank if you get lucky. And honestly, gatling guns don't really overheat. That's why they have six or more barrels (that's why they're so widely used).
The shotgun seems to be the uber-weapon. You can take down any number of zombies in the blast area, so if you time it right, you can eliminate an entire horde in two or three shots.
The other weapons are okay, but I don't see a reason for the hunting rifle. The action tends to be close and fast, so sniping doesn't seem to be particularly useful. I haven't tried it yet, but I will.
Good things:
The characters look amazing. They have great dialogue and seem to have real personalities. I would occasionally forget they're AI and start trying to give them orders.
All the guns I've used so far are fun and do the job. I especially like the M-16 and the combat shotgun.
The sound effects are great. You eventually learn what sounds each of the bosses make, so once you hear it, you're instantly on guard and scanning for them. It's a great and subtle way of conveying information to the players.
The two movies I've played have been varied and fun. They've kept to their 'milieu' well and are believable environments. Sometimes, I'm not sure where exactly to go, but I've never gotten lost and actually, it feels believable in the situation.
Overall, I would totally recommend Left 4 Dead to any FPS fan. And even if you're not, download the demo and play with a couple of friends, you might be surprised at how much fun you're having.
Cheers,
-Jason
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