The Making of Left 4 Dead. Get Ready for the Infection

If you’re anything like me, you probably have figured out an emergency plan for when the zombies finally show up. Go ahead and laugh, but they’re coming. Thankfully, the good folks at Valve have decided to create Left 4 Dead to help us prepare for this eventuality, and we’ve put down our bats to take a peek at how it’s coming along.

Usually, the quality news at major events like E3 is given to the press to decipher before the gaming populace gets their hands on it. While that was still true this year, Valve has given Left 4 Dead 411 their original E3 video press release. The video itself is mostly a PowerPoint presentation with sprinkles of gameplay throughout, but checking out what this game boasts is worth sitting through the dry presentation.

'Everything's going to be alright.'

The video shows off L4D’s impressive graphics as well as some of the ways AI has been used to create a flowing narrative with each play-through. At its core, Left 4 Dead is a 1-4 player cooperative game that has an interface and feel similar to Counter-Strike or Team Fortress 2. Essentially, we get to use an interface we’re familiar with to fight alongside our friends to survive in a world that would probably make George A. Romero proud.

Visually, the graphics look similar to TF2 at times and closer to Dead Rising at others, although L4D is by far prettier than either of those titles. The infected have a realistic shamble/jog to their step and are able to climb obstacles, so it’s probably going to be tough to abuse poor pathing in this game. Light plays a huge role in the game since, in proper horror fashion, the world is exceptionally dark. Each character carries a flashlight that casts dynamic shadows and operates as a HUD of sorts that help the player’s teammates understand their location and status.

The game boasts what’s known as ‘the director’ which is a bit of AI that controls the user experience. The environment’s difficulty is constantly shifting based on how well you’re playing and characters will shout realistic horror film phrases that are appropriate to their surroundings such as “Here they come” or “We need to stick together.”

I can’t wait for this game. In fact, after watching the Left 4 Dead press release, I think I need to go stock up on dehydrated food, fresh water and a few other choice items. You can never be too careful…