Left 4 Dead 2
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8-bit Left 4 Dead leaves modernity behind
Thanks to Eric Ruth and his PixelForce NES "de-make" of Left 4 Dead, we now have an idea of what the zombie apocalypse simulator would have been like had it released in the '80s. Valve is apparently aware of the project and finds the concept "hilarious." Ruth reveals that he plans to release the full game as a free download in early January 2010 for PC. It features all the campaigns from the original game, including 8-bit incarnations of the special infected, for two players to play through -- it is a NES game after all, fancy four-player wasn't standard. Check out a video of the game after the break. The only thing we'd wish this "de-make" had was a sprite flickering zombie rush, so all the youngins could experience the glory of NES flicker when there were too many things on the screen at once for the system's 2KB of RAM. Update 2: Check out Eric Ruth's interview with sister site Big Download Update: Changed "didn't exist" to "wasn't standard." Nintendo released the NES Four Score adapter in 1990. Remember the one for the original Game Boy?
Left 4 Dead 2 clothing is surprisingly unprotective
Honestly, you'd think licensed Left 4 Dead 2 clothing would provide at least some semblance of undead protection. Alas, it looks like the best that Glitch Gaming Apparel could provide is simple T-shirts. Sure, the 100 percent cotton shirts provide ample breathability, but they provide next to zero zombie bite protection. Even worse, they're short-sleeved, leaving hapless survivors with plump, juicy and completely visible arms. Still, the Ellis and Coach tees at least have a picture of a medical kit on the back, which might be enough to fool a zombie into thinking you're prepared. Let's hope that buys enough time to find yourself a Molotov.
Reminder: Left 4 Dead demo now available 4 all
For those who have yet to face the shambling, undead hordes of the south in the Left 4 Dead 2 demo, now's your chance. Previously available only for pre-order customers and Xbox Live Gold members, the demo is now open to all Xbox Live members. That means everyone can enjoy the hacking, slashing, shooting, shuffling goodness of Left 4 Dead 2 ... well, two sections of it, anyway. You might as well give it a try. It's not like there's anything else going on, right? Add the Left 4 Dead 2 demo to your Xbox download queue
Left 4 Dead 2 pre-loading now available through Steam
It was bad enough when Valve enabled pre-loading of the Left 4 Dead 2 demo, forcing potential zombicidal maniacs to stare at the game they have and yet don't for an entire madness-inspiring weekend. Now, the developer has begun allowing pre-loading of the full version of Left 4 Dead 2 through Steam. If you've pre-purchased the game through Valve's digital distribution platform (which still nets you a 10 percent discount off the price of the title), you can now put it on your computer, and just ... let it sit there until it finally unlocks on November 17. In the immortal words of Tom Petty, the waiting truly is the hardest part. Except for the zombie apocalypse. We suppose that part is pretty difficult as well. [Via Big Download]
Left 4 Dead 2: now with 4 times as many pre-orders
As if blissfully dancing on the grave of its opposing and recently deceased boycott, Valve's shambler-shooting sequel, Left 4 Dead 2, seems destined to surpass its predecessor. Speaking to CVG, Chet Faliszek revealed that pre-orders for the game had quadrupled those enjoyed by the original game. "As we get closer to launch we see the reaction to the demo, pre-orders are four times what Left 4 Dead 1 was, people's excitement, the boycott itself and how it's changed..." he said. "I think people are just excited now."Having tested what the power of the people can accomplish (most of all when wielding skull-smashing implements) Valve can finally let that excitement wash over them, content that fans have latched on to what's in the game -- and not what's missing. "Honestly I made the joke and it's true: If you put $20 in a box and charge $10 for it someone would complain you didn't put $50 in a box," added Faliszek. "Not to say some of the concerns raised aren't valid, but you're always going to have some kind of upset and that's not how we work. We work at looking at the project and trying to get it out."Valve gets Left 4 Dead 2 out on November 17th.
New Left 4 Dead 2 TV spot, Scavenge mode walkthrough
Just in case GameStop's Left 4 Dead 2 commercial was a little too slow-paced for you, Valve has released a new TV spot that's nothing but action. Of course, that action is culled entirely from the CG trailer that was leaked last month, so you won't see anything new here. You will hear something new, however, as the commercial has been injected with a thumping blues-rock soundtrack, making the whole thing feel like a big, sprawling, undead bar fight. Come to think of it, it sounds like Joystiq Publishing just found its next game. No one has the rights to Undead Bar Fight, right? While we go do a little research, watch the trailer above and, after the break, watch G4's walkthroughs of the Scavenge and Survival modes.
Pre-order Left 4 Dead 2, get a spiffy Team Fortress 2 hat
Left 4 Dead survivor Bill's hat is now available in Team Fortress 2 for those who pre-ordered Left 4 Dead 2 from Steam or "participating retailers." Though the hat does ... apparently nothing, it implies – in the immortal words of Destiny's Child – "I'm not gonna give up, I'm not gon' stop, I'm gonna work harder, I'm a survivor." Some may hold issue with the fact that the Team Fortress and Left 4 Dead universes have collided; however, Valve has explained the phenomena, stating that "while conducting a science experiment on parallel dimensions, Bill's hat fell off a table into the Team Fortress universe." Done! That's all the justification required. Oh, and if Bill's hat isn't enough incentive to pre-order the zombie apocalypse survival simulator, know that the game is currently 10% off on Steam. [Thanks, ZaxCG2]
Video: Censored Left 4 Dead 2 right 4 classification
Footage allegedly taken from Australia's censored version of Left 4 Dead 2 has made its way online ... and we feel it's inadequately preparing citizens down under for the future! Though the game will get Aussies used to facing down a charging zombie horde, it does nothing to desensitize them to the revolting gore that inevitably follows.The censored version lacks exploding heads, dismemberment (courtesy of the new melee weapons) and burning corpses. Sadly, for those of us who have built up a considerable hatred for the undead scourge threatening our civilization, the fallen undead just fade into the ether. Check out the full video after the break and pray for Australia's survival when the zombie apocalypse comes.[Via Destructoid]
Left 4 Dead 2 demo, new Games on Demand available now
The demo of the zombie survival training game (also known as Left 4 Dead 2) is available now to Xbox Live Gold subscribers. Although the retail game completes the scenario snippet on offer, the demo certainly feels like "more of the same," albeit with the addition of some new melee and bullet-required weapons.Also on the shooter front: Battlefield 2: Modern Combat can now be acquired through Games on Demand for $20. Far Cry 2 is also available outside of North America. As always, we feel it prudent to mention that the titles are likely to be found cheaper at a local brick-and-mortar shop (at the risk of running into shopper zombies!).Shortcuts: Add Left 4 Dead 2 demo to your download queue [via Xbox.com] Purchase and add Battlefield 2: Modern Combat to your download queue [via Xbox.com]
Chet Faliszek crushes Left 4 Dead 2 DLC rumors
Remember those pair of error messages that a few folks found in the demo for Left 4 Dead 2, referecing "Miracle" and "Apocalypse" DLC? Yeah, those ain't no thing. At least, not according to Valve's Chet Faliszek, who recently addressed the error messages while speaking at the Eurogamer Expo. "What, those error messages?" he reportedly said, "Why, those ain't no thing." Of course, Kotaku's slightly more accurate transcription of this quote had Faliszek saying, "if you're reading in the forums and you're reading about the 'Miracle' DLC or whatever, that's test code." He added, "to get tested through Microsoft certification we had to do test scenarios with DLC. We haven't actually come out internally with what we're going to do yet." Hmph. We liked our version better.
Video: Left 4 Dead 2's Realism Mode
When we first heard that Left 4 Dead 2 would feature a "Realism Mode," our first reaction was to hide in the closet, swaddled in the comfort of old coats and dust bunnies. Left 4 Dead wasn't exactly an easy game to begin with, so hearing that there would be an even more realistic, more punishing difficulty mode was a bit difficult to swallow. Now, G4TV has been kind enough to assemble a brief walkthrough of one level played in Realism Mode and ... it really doesn't look all that bad. X-Play's Abbie Heppe explains there are a few major differences. One, dead players will stay dead unless revived with a defibrillator -- keep in mind that each player can carry a defibrillator or a med kit, not both. Second, zombies must be killed with headshots, though it's hard to tell how strict this rule is in the video. Third, players have to be much closer to items in order to pick them up. Finally, there are many, many more witches. See it for yourself after the break. [Via Evil Avatar]
Rumor: Left 4 Dead 2 demo files name two DLC packs
A number of dirt-digging zombophiles have unearthed a pair of suggestive errors buried within the code for the Left 4 Dead 2 PC demo. These error messages are meant to appear after a player has been kicked from an online multiplayer match after failing to load a DLC map that the match host has selected for play. These disabled messages seem to indicate the names of what many now believe to be two DLC releases planned for the future: The "Miracle Pack" and the "Apocalyptic Pack." Frankly, we think the game's already got its fair share of the Apocalypse, not to mention plenty of miracles, which is the only way we can explain how four people can survive continuous encounters with a city's worth of the walking dead. Still, we've contacted Valve to see if these two messages are a sign of more disastrous -- or miraculous -- things to come.
Left 4 Dead 2 getting Avatar rewards
Over on the Steam forums, there was some hullabaloo earlier about potential Avatar awards for the Xbox 360 version of L4D2, all stemming from uncompressed files found on a dedicated server for the PC demo. Well, we're glad to inform you that Valve has confirmed Avatar awards will be included with the game (via G4) and that there will be a total of nine different Avatar rewards, six of which we currently know about. These awards will run the gamut from a med kit backpack to a frying pan prop right down to Rochelle's Depeche Mode shirt you see above. And, unlike some other Avatar awards, you won't need to max out Gamerscore to get 'em; L4D2 Avatar awards unlock after you've completed more manageable tasks, such as winning ten games of Versus or killing 10,000 infected. If you want to see some of the items in the flesh, head past the break for a virtual tour courtesy of G4.
L4D2 pre-order demo MIA on Steam
We knew that the pre-loadable Left 4 Dead 2 demo on Steam would send withering waves of madness through the world's populace, but we never considered what would happen if the demo failed to materialize on the promised date. Steam users have been reporting that the demo is still unavailable, and Steam's own events page -- pictured above -- notes that it won't be available until early tomorrow. The delay seems to only affect Steam users at the moment, as the Xbox version of the demo is currently available on Xbox Live Marketplace for those that have the redemption code. We've contacted Valve regarding the delay and will update this post as soon as we have more information.
Left 4 Dead 2 commercial hits a home run ... for GameStop
Okay, we won't deny it -- the first TV spot for Left 4 Dead 2 is pretty cool. After all, it's got the four survivor characters in a baseball stadium filled with the infected undead, one of which gets knocked into the bleachers (or at least a few feet through the air) by a baseball bat. But as much as it's an advertisement for the game, it's also one for GameStop, driving home the fact that the American baseball bat is available only through pre-order at the retailer. Good for them!It's a bit of a downer, though, for those who've reserved the game elsewhere. Or what about the people who just walk into a store on release day to snap up a copy? We've got it! The next ad should feature the survivors being ripped apart by zombies, with the tagline "Pre-order or Die!" We mean, a company's eventually going to go there someday, right?
Left 4 Dead 2 demo pre-loading available, madness to follow soon after
Valve recently began offering pre-loading of the Left 4 Dead 2 demo which pre-orderers will be able to play this coming Tuesday, October 27. This sounds like a sweet gift, but in reality, it's a double-edged sword on which you probably be impaled. See, if you'd like, you can download it now -- but you won't be able to play it until Tuesday, giving you three days to fester in your impatience, all the while gazing at the demo which you have and yet you don't. Sounds to us like a recipe for a slow-boiling sort of madness. However, the alternative is that you don't pre-load the demo, and waste precious time downloading the game on Tuesday -- time which could be spent hitting the walking dead with sports paraphernalia and gas-powered agricultural implements. This fact alone could send you down an inescapable spiral of depression. So, what's it going to be? Madness, or depression? Sure, neither are extraordinarily pleasant -- but hey, you get to play Left 4 Dead 2 early. We don't want to hear your complaining.
Rumor: New Left 4 Dead 2 CG trailer leaked, epic
After learning about the final two campaigns in Left 4 Dead 2, we now have a brand new trailer, either via legitimate leak or sneaky viral marketing. Either way, Valve seems intent on impressing us.Awesomeness may not be something that can be quantified in traditional units of measurement [these come close -- Ed.], but we're prepared to say that this Left 4 Dead 2 trailer contains at least 8 quarts of it. That's enough for the whole Little League team -- which, incidentally, shouldn't be anywhere near Left 4 Dead 2. It's rated M, you know. The rest of you, however, should watch it, and watch it hard. Warning: Minor plot spoilers, most of which involve killing zombies. [Via Shacknews]
Unedited Left 4 Dead 2 refused Aussie classification for second time
On this day of reckoning, Australia's Office of Film and Literature Classification has denied Valve's appeal to sell the unedited Left 4 Dead 2 down under. The three-member board determined unanimously that the game "could not be accommodated within the MA 15+ classification," which is the highest rating allowed for video games in the region.The board believes that there is "insufficient delineation between the depiction of general zombie figures and the human figures." The inability to clearly distinguish the humans from the "clearly fictional 'infected'" was a "major consideration" of the board.The unedited version of Left 4 Dead 2 is classified RC (refused classification) and "cannot be sold, hired, advertised or demonstrated in Australia." Sorry, mates. An edited version of the game has been approved by the OFLC for consumption in Australia -- censoring "decapitation, dismemberment, wound detail or piles of dead bodies lying about the environment."[Thanks, Adam]
L4D2 pre-order demo out Oct. 27, public demo Nov. 3
Remember when Valve announced that the Left 4 Dead 2 demo would launch on October 27th? It turns out that date is actually the early access date for those who pre-order the game on Xbox 360 or PC (via Steam). Starting November 3rd, the demo will be available to all PC players and Xbox Live Gold subscribers. Xbox Live Silver members, as usual, will have to wait an additional week to demo the game on November 10th. Then again, if you only have a Silver account, you probably aren't too excited for a predominantly multiplayer game anyway. The Left 4 Dead 2 demo will allow up to four players the opportunity to survive "The Parish" campaign. The PC version will be playable online or through a local network, while the Xbox version will feature the same options -- plus two-player split screen. Valve notes that the demo includes "all the new boss infected zombies and all the new melee weapons." So, please, do yourself a favor: grab a katana and start cutting fools down.
Left 4 Dead 2 boycott abandoned 4 demise
The 41,000 member group formed to boycott Left 4 Dead 2 has reached its end, following Valve's pledge to add more content to the original game (which is already being made good on). As of October 21st, the collective will be disbanded after succeeding in its quest "to get Valve's attention and have them support original L4D." Fresh from his free studio tour (courtesy of Valve), group co-founder "Agent of Chaos" wrote, "Our goal wasn't to steer people away from L4D2, it was to get Valve's attention and have them support original L4D." So, by utilizing a boycott that wasn't intended to keep people from buying a game, you managed to force Valve to do something they certainly would have done anyway. Dear Internet: You are getting predictable. [Via HotBloodedGaming]
