User Score
8.4 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1571 Ratings

User score distribution:

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  1. Aug 24, 2010
    10
    All I can say, is that this game is a **** awesome sequel to Left 4 Dead, ticked all my boxes, nothing negative comes to mind. Awesome! The gameplay is awesome in multiplayer, had tones of fun, the new infected are fun to kill and are fun to play as! Very very verry good game :D
  2. DickS
    Dec 18, 2009
    0
    This expansion is horribly overpriced and obviously rushed. I got sick of seeing the same zombie model over and over again, I barely noticed the uncommon common, the level design is atrocious, and the AI is pants on head retarded. I had my full team of AI players stand next to me and watch a hunter rip me from 80 health to dead. You can no longer enjoy the environments on anything above easy because the game spawns the mini hordes like the Director is having a seizure on his spawn button. While small, the posters don't show your player names on them like the old one. All of the new items are stuff that you can get in the first one with a simple script set. YES the first one has incindiary ammo, lazer sights, ect. The extra guns are just different designs with no difference. All melee weapons do the same thing and could have easily been a dlc into the first one. The worse part of all is that its near impossible to navigate on half the levels. I got stuck on every other friggin stage because the level design sucks. I didn't go into this game expecting to hate it, but after playing it I cant stand it. It doesnt even have the same feel as the first game. It's too goofy and not dark like the first one. Expand
  3. Professor
    Mar 16, 2010
    9
    Yeah, ok, the game is not perfect and its just too reminiscent of the first game - but it's NOT bad, in fact - it's absolutely GREAT. L4D2 (as L4D did) combines simplicity, teamwork, and of course - the sheer pleasure of killing hundreds of rabid people. To answer some things people have complained about: Why isn't there a radar? Why can't they just highlight my teammates? Well, first of all - the game (as I see it) was made to be realistic. Do normal people carry a radar (or for that matter have access to one?) and also - it's not hard to discern your teammates from zombies, they do highlight them when you mouse over them as friendly AND as I have mentioned before - the game is supposed to be realistic, giving a radar or always highlighting your teammates just makes the game less ... well - real.. and would definitely dumb the game down if such was done. Then theres, "omg friendly fire is soooo bad." Well, let's be real. if you get shot in normal mode it isn't so bad - but as the difficulty is raised, it only makes sense that you and your teammates would be better players and AVOID shooting each other, with the addition that greater damage = better deterrent for shooting each other. This also promotes better teamwork which is crucial as you go up in difficulty level. If you're complaining that friendly fire sucks - get better teammates or shoot better maybe? The realism in this game may be too much for most people - the water slowing you down makes sense (have you ever trudged through water and mud before? It's not a fast paced activity) - though I completely agree to when the water is just up to the ankles, it shouldn't be a tough walk (If Valve wanted to be more realistic, they'd have people slip, but people would cry and whine about that being lame as usual). To reflect upon the weapon damage though, I totally agree that the guns do less damage than melee - and it's unrealistic that melee should be that great in comparison to a gun (not everyone has superhuman strength after all) - and I agree that that needs to be adjusted. Other negatives are that even if you do play on expert - the original game is too short and that I suppose the pvp makes up for it... though I'd rather see more story too. All in all, L4D2 is a great game - there are different difficulty settings for a reason. Need a stress reliever? Play on easy and go berserk. Want to play with others without screaming about friendly fire? Play on normal. Got a good team of friends and want a challenge? Then advanced and expert is for you. The difficulty scale actually makes sense in this game - so heed it well. If you're crying about how other people suck - well then you're probably unlucky with team match-up (i've had a couple of those before, don't feel like it's a reason to hate on the game). I mean, yes it's not that different from the first - but it's solid, it's good, it's definitely a keeper. I'm not a fanboy/girl whatever you want to call it of this game, but I feel like people aren't taking this game for what it is (like Quentin Tarentino films). It's NOT COD, it's NOT Borderlands - it's a totally different game from those - so give it a try before turning it away based on what other people have said because it's worth a shot (zing!). Expand
  4. Aug 23, 2010
    9
    Left 4 Dead 2 is a great game that is probably the best FPS that i've played in a long time. I recoend this game to everybody. Its pure Great. This game has new levels, zombies, weapons, and chracters. anybody who likes First person shooters should get this game.
  5. AshA
    Dec 7, 2009
    5
    Very overpriced and overrated game. Well the game is fun for a while, but given the fact that the core content is incredibly shallow as it is generic and all campaigns can be beaten in mere 3 hours, i would suggest to wait for the game price to drop down to 20$-25$ before buying it, because everything above is a rip off. I, just as many other people have bought the first game (l4d1) for full price (45 Expand
  6. JayF.
    Apr 10, 2010
    4
    As an online play game, it's just average in my book. I'd rather play other recent games with better graphics. Solo play is a joke. There's no campaign so to speak. Rather, it's like playing online with yourself. I played this game for maybe 3 hours and then looked for another.
  7. MaxB
    Apr 25, 2010
    6
    In a rush to get this sequel done, Valve seems to had forgotten that coat of polish, which separates their games from others and makes them great. Lacks the atmosphere and beautiful level design from L4D1. The daylight setting totally throws the idea of lighting cues out the window, which DOES cause people to get lost within the maps. Mostly a meh experience, it's harder than the first, but in a particularly annoying way, it might just be my computer but I seem to have a few hit detection problems and the zombies like to run around like retarded headless chickens. The most fun I got out of this game was by exploiting all those glitches in the survival maps with some friends. Not much enjoyment beyond that, really. Not worth the 55 bucks for me, but now it's 30 bucks on steam.. Still not worth it. "If you liked L4D1, you'll LOVE LEFT 4 DEAD 2!!1!1!1!1" That's wrong. It's a matter of taste and point of view, really. Expand
  8. Oct 17, 2010
    9
    People, you can't downgrade a game meant to be coop because the Single Player is lousy. It's also not clear if you should be rating L4D2 relative to L4D, since that rating wouldn't matter to someone who doesn't have either. Rate L4D2 on its own merits, for how it's meant to be played, and if you do that, the game is practically flawless.
  9. Nov 8, 2011
    5
    Just because you added a "2" in the "Left 4 Dead" title and also made some additional zombie characters doesn't make a better game. I'm not saying it's bad, but its just the same thing I played a year ago. I still enjoy it and I'm thankful for Valve making this epic **** but the next L4D's gotta be more innovative.
  10. MikeS.
    Feb 9, 2010
    0
    i bought both L4D's and was not happy. Valve said "Oh this new stuff is too big to put in a patch! lets make a new game!" it wasn't that much stuff really... some new guns, new maps/storys and a few new zombies. and oh did i menchen they now only have one witch per story? GG Valve GG. Are you wiping you behinds with our money now? *get's his money back with brown stains on the bills* appernty your are....... they could have patched it in one mega patch like Killing Floor did when they had a FREE expation! But then again the devs for killing floor have a free update/ expation pollicey! so yeah. and i feel even sorryer for the people on the consoles (yes im a PC gamer.) because the xbox 360 people have to PAY there mircosoft points to update! PS3 last i herd that was free, Wii? nintendo would have a heart attack if it wasnt a resident evil game or one of there own and was M on there console as they have become too family friendy it makes me feel like i live with a nabor from 50 years ago... But what can i say? Way to go VALVE for taking more of our hard earned cash and using it as toliet paper! really! I think even the idiots who made the market crash of the great depression could have done better. and thats saying something! Good Fight Valve Good Fight and Good Game! Now if you dont mind im going to have to look at your adds in your games that run on your steam platfourm that is needed to play ANY of your games that wont let me play just about any game offline! even when i installed it VIA CD/DVD like my moderen Warfair 2! well at least i know i wont be buying anymore L4D games even tho im a Die hard Zombie fan since Killing floor is better and CHEAPER! want my advice? save $20-$30 bucks on L4D2 and even L4D1 and get killing floor. Better game + better custom map support did i menchen that you cant use cheats in L4D2 like you can in #1? if u want to it is a pain in the butt to do so! If i could i would drop Valve on it's head for this poor excuse of a game. I swear tho they did a heck of a PR Bliz made me want to buy it! uh sue for false advertisement anyone? more like false statements they actully said in an interview that this was too big to put in a patch! I Say there full of there selfs and want easy money. It was way too short of a time between the games to even say they werent plaining on making a 2nd! i think they planed this from the get go! Expand
  11. SallyV.
    Apr 4, 2010
    0
    +10 because it's a sequel to the best co-op ever made and -10 because it's the SAME F*CKING GAME as the original. why did I buy it? I employed some wishful thinking, trying to convince myself that the sequel would be amazing. it's valve, and valve games are usually the best... but this one's just for the money. unfortunately i cant give my copy to someone else. avoid this game if you have part 1, but if you are like me and do have it, i will recommend the following style of play: join expert game-> kill teammates -> have fun hearing players rage. Expand
  12. Oct 6, 2010
    10
    An amazing sequel. While many were worried that the quality of the game since there was such a short time period between this and the original game but I can safely say that Left 4 Dead 2 is amazing! The game is quite unmatched by any other zombie themed game. The addition of mellee weapons and new guns really added to the experience. With "Uncommon Infected" and new Special Infected added, the campaigns could never be more fun. The enw characters are colorful, interesting, and funny yet still insanely realistic. This game is gleaming with Valve's polish and it shows, it really does. Expand
  13. Oct 31, 2010
    4
    I was terribly disappointed when I realised that the hype was just a hype. This game qualifies as a mediocre, run-of-the-mill first person shooter, with the exception of the infected.

    The missions are quite challenging whilst playing online against well experience players, which unfortunately is the rare exception to the average player of this game. It is not unusual to find yourself yell
    ing at your own team, for being generally terrible at the game.

    The maps are so few that you grow tired in less than a few hours. This goes for the characters as well. The survivors are all the same, they have no unique niche to them - except for models and voice acting.
    The infected work well together, but that is unfortunately all they do. One becomes terribly bored of them after just a few matches. Not to mention the linearity of them, but at least that makes them very intuitive.

    There is nothing upgradeable; no incentive of playing well.

    The single player is not worth mentioning since it's basically a multi-player map with bots instead of players.

    In conclusion.
    As long as this game cost what it does, roughly 19 euros, I for one would not make the mistake of buying it. If you for some inexplicable reason still is thinking about buying it, get your friends on the train, it is the only way of having any fun in this game.
    Expand
  14. Oct 2, 2011
    5
    New zombies, new weapons, pretty much just dlc for the first game, i found little differnt and i am insulted that the devs would make basicaly the same game a year later? Well they realy want our money realy bad for the greater good of the future or has the first game done poorly for profit? Just like most franchises, their predessors in sequals are far to repetative for their own good.
  15. Dec 26, 2010
    9
    An overall very good game and great co-op experience with beautiful graphics. I only gave it a 9 because the characters are not as original as in L4D1, the maps designs are not as charming (although they're better in gameplay and many other ways) and the atmosphere is more like a mass-killing zombie game than a survival one. I was also deceived as in the first one that they didn't design the menu like a movie. Expand
  16. Jan 30, 2011
    10
    I always have a good time on this game with my buddies, both in this and in Left 4 Dead. With custom content you'll never get bored. You can also make your own maps and skins for it if you take the time to learn. Great game, but make sure you have some friends to enjoy it with, and some free time to get good at the game!
  17. Jan 5, 2012
    3
    It's the same Left 4 Dead! Why deceive people? Why create a CLONE? The creation of games - the art! The art does not make money! If, nevertheless, the game discuss, in the first place there begins to annoy (for some reason, can only me) music (Soundtrack: HL2 - best, L4D2 - fail).
  18. Aug 9, 2012
    7
    Left 4 Dead 2 is a game that should be looked at entirely separately from its predecessor. Yes, it was released one year after the first one, yes it is the same game mechanics but with different characters/areas. Those however, are what makes it a new game. Many people thought they should have released dlc for the original and been done with it, but if you look at both games, you can tell the first one was more of a dry-run at the franchise, a polished beta, if you will. It tried new ideas while doing them well. L4D2 is released, and you can see what they were trying to do all along. They succeeded in creating a very nice experience for friends to play and it provides a huge amount of options and game modes to go back to. It runs on Source, which speaks for itself in terms of performance. The lack of content is what held this game back. If it knew it was only going to be a game comprised of multiple short campaigns, it should have prepared for the desire of the consumer for more, by adding at least 5 more original campaigns. Expand
  19. RomanO
    Jan 8, 2010
    1
    Well what can I say all the new stuff is kinda great BUT 38 Euros is too much for the same game. Yes I heard and seen how much Valve improved L4D. However I don't think it is enough. Look at TF2. Tons of new stuff: maps, weapons, game modes and everything for free. It is obvious that Valve is just trying to get more money. Also, I dislike how all those guys in Valve say that they have been working on L4D2 very hard and that it would have been simply imposible to get the same results if they had just upgraded L4D. I can't say I believe that is true. Valve could have made a series of updates just like with TF2 and maybe not in year, but in two or three L4D would have been the same thing we now call L4D2. Speaking of years, they worked on L4D2 only one year, which is less than any HL2 episode and still neither of those cost that much. So why 38 Euros, Valve, why that much? I would have given it 10 if not the price which is too high for an update. Sad, but L4D2 has shown gamers that Valve the company that gave us so much and asked so little is gone. Lets hope HL2 EP3 won't cost us 40 Euros. Expand
  20. GazMan
    Apr 8, 2010
    2
    The game itself is meh... I agree with others saying the game is "dumbed down. The level design isnt that great and I personally dont like the characters. L4D2 just doesnt play well nor does it have a good feeling about it. Most people I speak with are leaving the L4D / L4D2 community as not much is going on regarding competitive gaming either which is a real shame as the teamwork aspects could make it such a great platform. The original L4D was a fantastic idea and had some real promise but sadly it was never supported properly by Valve and I think most players think the same is going to happen this sequel. Once bitten twice shy, twice bitten... game over. Expand
  21. RichardS
    Jan 6, 2010
    0
    Expansion/DLC @ a Full Game price. I haven't seen Valve pull something this shady b4. This is almost EA style game production and licensing methodology 101. The graphics marginal improvements, uninspired new zombies, function less melee weapons replace your dual weldable pistols, i mean come on did they even think or did they just run a clone machine from the first, hell even the new characters are insipid and at times down-right annoying. This game deserves to be shelved and sold for maybe $10. If this had been sold as an expansion instead of a new game, it would have strengthened the L4D1 community rather than divide it. Expand
  22. BobD
    Feb 9, 2010
    5
    New zombies, weapons and maps, but the game has lost the 'survival-horror' magic that L4D had. This game isn't suspenseful in the least, and is more of a 'mow down zombies' game than a 'survive from zombies' game. Will still play L4D instead of L4D2, not worth $50.
  23. StevenP
    Mar 16, 2010
    6
    Left 4 Dead 2 did not live up to the original zombie killing game. Even though Valve went through a lot of trouble adding all the new features, and don't get me wrong, I love the new stuff, but I just love the original better. The new band of survivors do not give you the sense that they are in a zombie apocalypse. In fact, they give you the sense that they love it which kills the little fear that L4D provides. The hillbilly versions of the original themes are cool and I like them, but L4D's night campaigns will always, in my opinion, be better then the day campaigns in L4D2. Expand
  24. HiTBiT
    Dec 4, 2009
    10
    Words can't describe how awesome this game is! If you like the first game you will love this. More zombies, more weapons, more everything. And wait to see the storm, and the concert fight at the carnival.
  25. bi0tech
    Dec 7, 2009
    5
    Like L4D1 with more art, less story, and tons of new bugs. It's amusing enough for L4D1 fans, until you play long enough to realize any concept of single player is destroyed by even dumber bots, versus is a constant battle against game bugs rather than adversaries, leaving you online campaign mode as relatively fun. I expected far far far more from Valve.
  26. Slayer
    Dec 19, 2009
    6
    Good but not great. Pretty cool updates from the first game but it is not quite enough for the fans, valve recently announced that an addon "the passing" will be released soon. However, it is stated that "Pricing will be announced closer to launch." If the new addon will cost more money, it will be another sick joke of Valve. When they released L4D1, they promised to support it like TF2, but end up making a full priced game. What were Valve thinking? Expand
  27. Dec 5, 2010
    5
    The only thing different about this game from the first version is, this one is harder. You get a lot more zombies thrown at you. If I want to change the difficulty level, I can do that myself. No need to throw a gazillion more enemies at me at my normal playing level. To get a good rating in my book, you need to make the sequel more creative, not just crank up the difficulty. Certain parts are enjoyable, but many are just plain dumb. I'm giving it a 5 - not a complete waste of money, but there are reasons this one went from full price to discount very quickly. Expand
  28. Mar 6, 2012
    1
    This is the most disappointing purchase I have ever made. Firstly, this game is produced in 2009, but the graphic is like before 2005. And with such bad graphic, it runs with 40% less average fps than dead space one in the same setting on my computer. Secondly, the movement is very slippery, and shooting is very uncomfortable either. I always feel that I am playing a skiing simulation game, not a shooting game at all! Although it is a little bit fun to play with 3 other players on line, the overall presentation is too poor to match the score of 89/100. Originally, I want to give it 2 or 3 out of 10, but when I see the score is 89, I was shocked, so I decided to warn people to make the purchase carefully by give it 1 out of 10. Expand
  29. Anti-RageQuit
    Feb 10, 2010
    10
    The only reason these kids are giving it a bad review is cuz this game isnt noob friendly. these are the kids that join the servers run away from the team get pounced by a hunter and die. This is what a true fps is suppose to be like. Its all about teamwork and fast reaction time. If you gave it a 1-7 its because you suck at this game no question about it.
  30. FetzL
    Feb 19, 2010
    1
    Certainly NOT worth the $50 they are asking for. Basically we get 5 campaigns which were not as atmospheric and indulging as the originals, an overhyped AI Director 2.0 (dynamic pathing? - oh lol I'll just seal up this door please take the other one 3 feet ahead instead, dynamic weather? -More or less the same storm at the same spot everytime in Hard Rain, not to mention AI in general is WORSE than ever!) and new bland and boring characters. Props to them for getting rid of some gameplay exploits and bugs from the first game (still unfixed BTW) by introducing new special infected to counter corner camping (which were based on community ideas intended for L4D1), weapons balancing (how about changing a few variables to make the hunting rifle in the first game viable just like in L4D2? And nerfing the autoshotgun?), more weapon varieties, and the new (a bit overdone) gore system. L4D could have been a great game many would still be playing 4 years down the road if Valve had built on it instead of making this "sequel". Now I'm not saying L4D2 should be free. I'm saying it should have been an expansion pack for L4D1, $30 at most. So to conclude, I highly recommend AGAINST buying L4D2 at full price, get it during the inevitable half-off sales at $25, or $7.50 in the month before the release of L4D3 should it come this November. Expand
  31. JessicaS.
    Feb 5, 2010
    10
    This has to be the most amazing game i've ever played, sadly, the campaigns valve created get simple and boring the 100th time through, but a good conquerer for that problem in l4dmaps.com. i love dpwnloading new campaigns and maps to play sround with! it makes the gaming experience a lot more enjoyable!
  32. Cyph3rPunk
    Mar 22, 2010
    8
    While this is an amazing game, there are WAY too many problems with it to warrant a 10. Charger hit detection is way off (due to how the Source engine processes hits), jockey is a fail class, only useful against scrubs, and (unfortunately) the community, just to name a few things. To those who say this should have been DLC: 5 completely new maps, new weapons, all new voice acting, new AI Director, and new ammo types/throwables. What more could you want in a new game? Everyone buys Dat Madden every year with only minor upgrades and roster changes, but nobody bitches about that. Expand
  33. a12
    Oct 29, 2010
    1
    this game is absoloute......pathetic! theres nothing good about it.its the most depressing game of all time.......now then somebody open the guiness book of records to the most depressing games of all time
  34. Sep 30, 2011
    10
    I'm coming up to playing 300 hours on this game. This game would have to be my favorite game. The only bad thing I can say about this game isn't actually about the game itself but the ****heads who play it online. Other than that I love this game and play it almost daily.
  35. Nov 2, 2011
    1
    everyone hypes it... but why? graphics are bad, animations are bad, music is annoying... the ai is retarded. you cant aim with your weapon, exept for the sniper rifle. (the problem of the source engine) the talking of the characters and the gameplay makes it look like a comedy but not like a good and scary zombiegame. the best thing is the intro video, after that it plays like poop. got it for 6â Expand
  36. May 15, 2012
    10
    This is the BEST GAME I EVER PLAYED. Soon i will have 3000 hours on this game, playing it since the Beta in 2008. Addictive, Fun, Competitive, Fast, Perfect. The MUST-HAVE Competitive FPS !
  37. May 22, 2012
    10
    Simply a fun game to play. What makes it fun is the way you can play the single player mode over and over again, stand back to back with your friends fighting zombies, BE zombies and the graphics are good!
  38. Jan 15, 2013
    9
    Eerily similar to L4D, this game does not deserve to be called a "sequel". A fraction of the updates in TF2 could have created this game from it's predecessor L4D. Regardless, it is rather enjoyable and scary. There is nothing like the feeling you get when a boomer pops out from a corner and screws up your vision. Multiplayer is a veteran's game, so you better know what you're doing before joining ( a lot of people are very rude to noobs, which is honestly the worst part of this game, so if you can get past that you're golden). I bought this on sale for $5, and would have gladly paid $20 for it. The biggest problem with the multiplayer is that gameplay ends up being one-sided. There are 2 teams, and players enjoy stacking a lot. You'll often find yourself with utter noobs or else with extreme experts, in which case the game becomes anti-competitive. You can simply quit when this happens and join a fairer game, so I would highly recommend this 9/10. Expand
  39. Nov 2, 2012
    5
    The game doesn't really offer much over it's predecessor. The first game was nice on it's own whereas it's sequel seems to be crammed with things that don't really add to the experience a whole lot. Melee weapons are rather pointless and actually cripple you in most cases. All of the melee weapons seem to just be re-skins which all have the same swinging animation and do the same damage except for the Katana, Chainsaw and Crowbar. The new special infected seem to serve the same purpose as the previous. A Smoker, Jockey and Charger all do the same thing more or less. Really the only addition I see as significant is a Spitter which is good for separating the group all at once.

    The level design is very closed in and straightforward. There really isn't much exploration other than some of the building being open but they most of the time lead straight back to your outer, linear street.
    This game only being released a year after the first, feels rushed, has poor level design, adding nothing significantly new over the previous and just didn't feel as enjoyable overall.
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  40. jonaspal
    Jan 9, 2010
    9
    this game is AWESOME i mean like all the gore, teamwork, skill and, this is a new game. sure i agree that the original is very similar but still it isnt the same. people who say that this game is bad because of valve took more money for this one should stop and think for a sec, i mean is the game bad or the developer? And people who say this doesnt have a story, i mean do you want a good story or do you want ot get out there and kill zombies without seeing like kleiner ''starting zombie information NOW'' or ''omg my knee it hurts help me'' i mean &%/%¤¤... wait a sec im just getting so frustrated over this. Some guy here has said that this game is just mods slapped together from counter strike, WHAT?! MODS!?!??! this makes no sence so if i was to make a mod to a game where you have weapons to some game you would say that alll games have taken mods from other games? Expand
  41. Onslaught
    Jan 30, 2010
    5
    This game only gets a "fair" or "median" because of: No radar. Come on, why no radar? Is this supposed to add to the cliche horror shooter left 4 dead is supposed to be? Radars in team-based games are crucial and any one title without it just is... stupid. NO real distinguishable features for "special" infected. ONLY when they're leagues away from your location will they be highlighted. Better yet, why not just highlight your TEAMMATES at all times? Why not show pointers on the screen (left, right side maybe?) to where your teammates are or where they're going? The Sound emulation for L4D2 is sub-par at best. For a $50 game I'd expect to rely on my headphones to tell me where the sounds are coming from (CS;S, predecessor of L4D with its useless radio commands, mouse-wheel change functionality has better sound emulation than this supposedly block-buster title). Retarded game modes, friendly fire that scales up with difficulty levels? All it takes is a dumb or punk teammate to kill you or severely wound you to ruin your game. Water. The water in this game feels like tar. Your movement speed is severely hampered by even water that goes as high as your ankles. Invisible AoEs on all effects (acid, fire), making them larger than they appear on-screen. Awful damage output on guns. Melee weapons are one-hit kills for 90% of the infected throughout the game. Why can't guns be a bit more powerful or melee weapons scaled down? The chainsaw, however, has a fuel gauge and runs out of gas quickly after excessive use. Some good points with this game does include the fact it has friendly fire to make it more realistic. Valve DOES support their active titles frequently and bugs do get fixed sooner rather than later versus some other games. Assorted weapons? Though most of them pump out the same damage a few different decals are nice? This game has been overinflated by hype and anticipation, period. I wouldn't have purchased this title myself (this game was given to me as a gift). My expectations of this game were a lot higher than most other fanboys would have. The graphics aren't much of an improvement over the first and most importantly the gameplay hasn't changed a single bit. This game definitely should've been marketed, and charged as a DLC, not an official standalone game. I would NOT recommend this game to someone who hasn't played any zombie-shooting game in the past. Frankly, Counter-Strike: Source is only $10 US through steam store and BORDERLANDS offers much more fun gameplay at the same price bracket as L4D2 only seems to last about 2 weeks top and dulls out real fast. Expand
  42. jackp
    Jan 5, 2010
    9
    This game is better then the first one in every way. However the friendly A.I are pretty much useless most of the time but that said it doesn't affect game play all that much. Also I don't get why people say valve are milking for more money when it couldnt have been an expansion. The sheer amount of content in this game would have meant that the separate expansions needed to add it to the new game would cost pretty much the same if not even more then this game does. The only reason it got a 9 and not a 10 is because of the friendly A.I... Expand
  43. TimothyK
    Jan 6, 2010
    9
    Just adding my 2 cents as well... Look I have almost a nickel. Anyhow I feel like I should comment more on the complainers about Valve trying to make money than the actual game. People are actually mad that a company is trying to make money? Do we all want to live in Soviet Russia or what? Guess what a lot of companies do that, they don't stop making cars in 2008 just because they made a lot of money in one year. The 2009, 2010 etc. models will come out and people will be happy because its always exciting to get a new product. I'm not going to go into all the good about this game because its all been said before but I will make a couple of comments on needs improvement. I wish Valve would be more creative on the type of games involved. I enjoy scavenge mode but really think there could be more modes. LIke an escort mission (something like TF2's payload). Also I hate the infected rotation, its overally predicitable. You can never have the joy of having mulitple hunters in l4d2 but instead you get a crappy jockey who is more annoying than dangerous. Oh well overall great game and I do hope they make a third one you communists nerds who hate captilism! Expand
  44. GuntherB
    Feb 10, 2010
    9
    Its still a little buggy on most computers and there are issues with non-gaming laptops, even with sufficient specs. But overall, its a very great game to come from a formerly great game.
  45. KristjanO
    Feb 15, 2010
    7
    Whoever starts telling me i don't know how to play the game etc. Sorry i do , played L4D from the release competitive style. Anyway ... This game lacks the feeling for the original , while the extra content , new maps and everything are good , it wasn't worth the price of a full title. Valve promised almost everything in L4D2 that they will add it to L4D1 , but no , they made a new game to make money ... The new characters feel lifeless and you don't want to play them except for Ellis , Nick and maybe even coach. The special infected addons are nice , but they couldev have added them to the first! Spitter and Jockey wouldev suited the first game very nicely , but the Charger ... This is a noobs toy. Would you start for example .. Hard rain? Pick up your stuff before the Diner , all of a sudden charged into instant death. Instant death spot at the beginning of the campaign... FAIL. Same goes to Dead Center and The Parish. Don't start saying these can be avoided , ofcourse they can be , but if this was your VERY FIRST impression , what would you think? Charger = Waste and for noobs. Anyway to sum this all up , if i play Left 4 Dead , i enjoy it , since its way harder to kill survivors with only 2 hunters , 1 smoker and a boomer or 3 hunters and a smoker or 4 hunters , instead of the lame ammount of Instant death or near death spots in the 2nd game. Playing Left 4 Dead 2 frustrates me unlike no tomorrow .. until i finally decided to Uninstall that piece of crap. Only reason this is getting 7 points , is the new content. Expand
  46. lolseriosuly?
    Feb 7, 2010
    8
    Left 4 Dead 2 is a big improvement over the first, mostly because of the better levels and more powerful, more diverse zombies. There are five levels, all of them are pretty good, although 3 of the 5 are really the best in my opinion, Hard Rain and Swamp Fever are a little mediocre. The new zombies, especially the Charger and the Spitter, make it much easier to break up tight groups of survivors and make more difficult for survivors to bunker up in a corner to fight a wave of zombies. Melee weapons are a great addition, and Valve seems to have learned from the mistakes of the first game by making multiplayer more balanced and devoid of any annoying exploits. This game makes it seem like Valve was taken a bit by surprise at the competitive, and large, interest in multiplayer in the first game and has planned for it in this game. Valve Official Servers and other sometime Mod servers have all been fun for me. I have actually played on some really fun custom mod servers (more powerful special infected, new gun skins, special infected ghosts can fly or choose type of special infected). All in all I love this game. Expand
  47. JG
    Feb 9, 2010
    10
    Controls get some taking used to, but memorable characters (especially Ellis) and plenty of fun against hordes of Infected make this game great. After 5 minutes of the Demo I was begging for more. Give me a Katana and an Assault Rifle and I will be laughing like a maniac as heads and limbs go rolling.
  48. pipelinecache
    Apr 2, 2010
    7
    I did play L4D1 quite alot and I must say the sequel is (almost) exactly the same. Sure, it's got new characters, different elite mobs and there are some more weapons to go berserk with. But it's really an extension of the original, nothing more. The game still suffers badly from connection problems, which is quite a downer for an online game. It's an "okay" game ... but nothing fancy. Expand
  49. DavidL
    Dec 6, 2009
    10
    This game is very enjoyable to play and rewarding in many ways. It has a much higher level of game mechanics than most shooters out there.
  50. Eltiarp
    Dec 7, 2009
    10
    The game ot's a lot of fun, the Co-op it's sweet! the action it's unlimited, the fun it's on every corner and the improvemets makes this game the greatest co-op zombie shooter next to Killing floor
  51. BugsBunny
    Jan 10, 2010
    10
    First of all, my english is not best. Second, I spent 240 hours plaing Left 4 Dead 2 and it's still fun. I don't know any other game that can be fun after so long playtime. I think Valve did great job and if you don't like it you don't have to buy it.
  52. J.Midnight
    Jan 25, 2010
    2
    I fell for the hype. TBH i would have given this "add-on pack" of a game a solid "8" the first week i got it. But now after playing the game a few times through its clear what this "Game" is: 3 "Special" Zombies and some maps. Nothing revolutionary, and i agree most-if not all- of the high reviews of this game are from overexcited fanboys. - Bad Pacing (A typical "Run and Gun" Zom Shooter) - Horrible Dialogue - Level Design is Bland - Director 2.0?!? (nope... again pointless hype. Shows some signs of improvement seems like a dumbed down ver. to help attract new players. Ex: Open Spaces = No Horde, Inside a Well Fortified Room? = Bingo) Expand
  53. simPC
    Jan 4, 2010
    10
    First... all you noobs saying "I cant find my way around" "Map's are terrible, I get lost"... you're just retarded stop eating lead paint chips and pay attention. It's very simple my 12 year old sister has beaten the Campaign numerous times on Advanced and Expert. I personally have not experienced any major bugs... or any minor bugs. Of course there are some map glitches, Like DC-1 you can jump the second floor of the hotel, and thus cheat the infected from being able to reach you. But... that's minor. And I'm sure in Competitive (cal/cevo) play it's not allowed. And most casual gamers don't use the glitch, if they even know about it. Actually it seems like the Competitive teams are the one who use it, go figure. Anyway... this is obviously not an expansion, and in no way, shape, or form should of been a DLC. This should of definitely been a sequel. Rushed? Maybe... High Quality, Action Packed, Suspenseful, Fun, Co-Op Survival? ABSOLUTELY. Hands down, BEST ZOMBIE GAME TOO DATE. The original was already amazing, but this game definitely expanded the gameplay, and added a nice new story to it. Originally I was put off, thinking this might be a buggy piece of DLC trash with some Lipstick on it, But that is definitely not the case. You people crying need to find a girlfriend... Or get a job so you can earn some money to buy this game and stop being so jealous. And that's another thing... it's not like Valve is out to get your money, they make a quality game, and market it, If you don't want to buy it, DON'T. Simple as that, they aren't holding you up, they're selling a product that they worked hard on. And... all you people talking about Lazy Coding/Programming... I do it for a living, and all work done on this game is of High Quality. Sure sometimes you take shortcuts, but the new weapons and new uncommon common were done beautifully and in no-way did I feel like i was wielding the same weapon with a different skin, or fighting the same zombie with a different outfit. Bottom Line, Great game, WORTH EVERY PENNY Expand
  54. NathanJ.
    Jan 4, 2010
    10
    Ridiculous pile of reviewing trash yet again down voting a game because they feel like it is an "expansion." How much you want to bet that 4/5ths of these 0 voters bought wrath of the liche king at full price as well? Yet no one complains about WoW in this aspect. But when valve releases a new game taking the weapon count from 7 in the original to something like 22 in this one, its called an "expansion." Also, for you "tactical" "far superior" KF players. I play both. Comparing the two is like comparing TF2 to Counterstrike. Yes, they are both zombie survival shooters, but trust me in saying that they are different games with different playstyles. You have no business rating another game lower based on the fact that your game of choice has a different playstyle. I would buy KILLING FLOOR 2 if I wanted to play KILLING FLOOR 2! For all those who claim that there is "less story" in L4D2, what are they smoking. There is definitely more personality within the characters, and the campaigns actually coherently form a solid story. Great graphics, fun gameplay, and the fact that I can run it at 50 FPS on a four year old mid-range computer make this a classic for me. Killing Floor players, hope you have fun in your "infinately varied" same map cycle only one game type game. I will be joining you once I get tired of L4D2... oh wait, Bad company 2 will be out by then. Expand
  55. JC
    Jan 5, 2010
    7
    The user reviews on this game are wholly two sided. Either the game is amazing, or the game really blows and is no more then an expansion. Why I gave this game a 7 is easy, this game is a massive improvement on L4D1, but Valve's pricing scheme on this game 49.99 is wayy too expensive for a game whose gameplay is fundamentally the same as a game they made in the past. I am actually saddened that Valve turned to such questionable practices in pricing the game. However, onto the game itself. The graphics update is great, the ability to blow off limbs, heads, cut zombies in two, burn their flesh off is a great improvement for those who wanted to see more realism. The melee weapons are Overpowered however. No human can so cleanly slice through zombies in the way these weapons do. ANd by cleanly I mean ho0w a baseball bat shatters a skull and explodes a head in one hit, or ow the machete goes through the torso so well. This also negates the use of shotguns if you dont mind taking a little extra damage. ANd the actual laugh out loud part of this is that a pistol/shotgun combo IMO is more effective then a Melee/Main weapon simply because as long as you co-ordinate and protect your teammates, most zombies can be brought down with gunfire before the need of a melee weapon. Also there are too many automatics stewn accross maps. This makes the infected side in Versus 100% harder then in L4D1, where Ammo had to be conserved. I think in the week ive played this Ive seen someone run out of ammo on a main gun...once..... withoiut finding a replacement, this game balance is absolutely appauling. The levels they designed could ave been easily made in L4D1 and I am starting to believe that the simple reason for not advancing L4D1 was a need for more revenue. However, do I reccomend this game? Yes, despite the fact its probablyoverpriced, I would have paid about 19.99 had I not been pressured into buying it by my friends. As much as this game is probbaly not worth what you would pay for it now, the quality of the levels are much better then in L4D1, the infected in Versus do much better and the Director has marginally improved. As well, I find the L4D2 Normal mode gameplay (and what you play in Versus) to be much more balanced and fluid then in L4D1, which was quite frankly restrictive. Collapse
  56. GabrielD
    Jan 5, 2010
    9
    Well, unlike the haters, im gonna put this from another point o view, I DO regret buying L4D1, why?, it's not like L4D2 is some kind of DLC L4D1 should have had, in fact, it feels like I've been ripped when I bought L4D1, because it was, and still is, a simple beta game with so many bugs and lack of content, yet you still had to pay full price for it, lack of servers in the beggining etc etc etc, yet I was a hardcore player of it. Now, L4D2 it's like L4D1 polished to perfection, seriously, awesome game, and gotta love realism mode, it truly makes your games remarkable, and a must have. Expand
  57. christianc
    Jan 6, 2010
    10
    This is a brilliant game. Those who say that the game was obviously rushed and you see the same skins all over again and again, Check L4D1? Its the same way, their complaining about things that they already overlooked in the first game. The game was not obviously rushed, but every new game obviously has hitches and needs updates. overall I beleave this is a worth game getting, if your not into zombie apocolipses thats nice. If you don't like the sequel STOP BITCHING ABOUT IT. Alright? Expand
  58. GuessWho
    Jan 6, 2010
    2
    All you morons complaining about the game think twice. In Australia we got the dumbed dumbed down version of the game. Zombies hit the ground BOOM gone off screen. Can't rate it any higher just because Australians got the dumbed down version. I played the demo i didnt actually buy it. I found an uncensor for it but it didnt feel the same.
  59. MichaelN
    Jan 9, 2010
    4
    Great game, since it's just a port of the original great game with new character models, a few new guns, melee weapons which are largely useless for the most part, and a few new special zombies (both of which are fun, but we are talking an entirely new game here). L4D was light on depth, and it wasn't fixed here. Characters are still only models, and have no distinguishing attributes. The graphics are exactly the same, the gameplay is exactly the same (still good, but not improved in any way). Slapping "2" on the end of a title should be more progressive for a company with Valve's pedigree. This was a glorified expansion pack (new maps, guns, and zombies... nothing else new, yes, that's what we call an expansion pack). Would be a higher rating, but the cost of this game is just beyond me. Hopefully all of this money is going to Episode 3, and maybe they'll actually incorporate some new things into L4D2 the way they've supported TF2. Sorry to the original L4D players, Valve is moving on. Expand
  60. AllanH
    Feb 15, 2010
    10
    Guys. You do not find a better game. Left 4 Dead 2 is the funniest, most challenge(on expert), etc. It's the best game ever.. Run through a campaign making team-work is good. Read the other good ones.. Well, it's just a MUST BUY!
  61. FranciscoJ.
    Feb 23, 2010
    10
    Para mí este juego es una auténtica pasada, grandes características que lo combierten en uno de los mejores lanzamientos del año. Sin duda alguna la forma más divertida de matar zombis sin sufrir malas consecuencias! Muy manejable y facil de jugar además de un gran modo online!
  62. BenM.
    Feb 4, 2010
    8
    Pretty good game. Strong emphasis on teamwork when playing infected or survivors. Kind of annoying when you get stuck with bad teammates in online play, but thats not the games fault. Only problem is it can be hard to get a survival or scavenge games and even with above the min cpu spec requirements when theres a horde on you it slows. Still they are just minor problems which aren't really the developers fault. Overall great multiplayer game, even better to LAN with friends if you have some... Its worth a buy, it's a riot. Would buy this over MW2 on the basis on multiplayer. To point out something stupid said on a previous comment by "Onslaught" he is crying about not have a radar? dude seriously, It's a zombie apocalypse.. do you just find radars lying around the streets which will locate zombies? Didn't think so.. and also he cries about friendly fire scaling up as the difficulty increases, then later on says that friendly fire is one of the games good points? WTF I wish parents would stop letting their 12 yr old kids use make use of interwebs... its annoying. Expand
  63. SacroiD
    Feb 6, 2010
    8
    L4D2 adds a lot ofun! There are some bugs that maybe can be pretty annoying. But the addition of new weapons (also melee weapons), new characters, some more special zombies adds a lot of fun to the game compared to the first L4D. The game is linear, but you wont notice that a lot while you are playing because of the zombie hordes you're killing and the expirience it's amazing! The Multiplayer has improved (not a lot), you can control the Charger (new special zombie) wich is very fun to control! You can still control the Boomer in the Versus mode, wich I find useless, but this game deserves an 8/10 ! Expand
  64. MichaelR.
    Mar 20, 2010
    3
    Okay, before the fanboys get angry with me, read the whole review. A)Director 2.0 - The "new" director isn't very new at all. I'm sure many people remember the "Crash Course" campaign for L4D. Remember how it had the "sort of the l4d2 director" functioning? That's because the L4D1 director and the L4D2 director are exactly the same besides the fact that there's a few new items and weapons in L4D2. They guaranteed "random" item and gun positioning in L4D2 and it wasn't implemented correctly. The guns still appear in the same places nearly every time, just like L4D1. No improvement, barely any change. B) "New Zombies!" - L4D2 introduced 3 new special infected. The Spitter is really only useful in scavenger to destroy gas cans unless someone is already being beaten by another infected in campaign. The Jockey is a useful little guy on certain maps...and a total waste of space on others. His forte is dragging people off ledges, really. On about 9/10 of the maps there is no ledges to catch a survivor alone on. Then there's the Charger, he's a terrible terrible implementation of the "hallways aren't safe anymore" idea. The point of the charger as far as the commentary says was to scatter the survivors or hurt them if they're in a hallway. You cannot turn (Even Slightly) while charging, so unless they ARE in a hallway your chances of hitting more than one survivor are low. And if they ARE in a hallway they don't scatter anywhere. Charger does much lower damage than he needs to make him useful as he tends to die before he can slam a survivor once or twice into the ground. The only time Chargers are really useful is near cliffs and ledges, when there is only one or two survivors left or in situations like the Parish bridge finale when survivors don't want to go back for the teammate. C) "New Weapons" - L4D2 introduced a few new weapons to the just about complete set of L4D1. Melee weapons - Everyone says that melee weapons really changed the L4D gameplay, I disagree. It's not often you see people using melee weapons to attack special infected. Common infected die easily to begin with so I don't see the melee weapons being all that useful once you have an automatic weapon or a semi-auto shotgun. Aim for the head, people. Grenade Launcher - Friendly fire, friendly fire, friendly fire! The grenade launcher was made to loosen up hordes of common infected and make special infected stumble around and die. The broken thing about this weapon is the fact that special infected often don't die from one indirect hit from this weapon, the person using this weapon tends to hit his teammates around twenty more times than everyone else, and the person using this weapon tends to be an easy special infected target due to hunters, jockeys, smokers, and chargers being able to get in close and force them to switch to melee/pistol. Bile Bomb - "Throw this to attract the horde away from you, even onto a tank!" The problem is the only time anyone will use this is if there's a horde coming and they want to just run away from it. The only usefulness of the bile bomb is distraction, and in versus it's a waste to carry. Defibrillator - Over a medpack the chances someone takes one are around 30%. When someone takes one they usually happen to be the Rambo style person who runs at the hordes with a baseball bat out and they die, leaving the rest of the team to fend for themselves until they reach the body. All in all, medpack is better. New ammos - Make special infected stumble or burn. Imbalanced in versus. Thank god they're rare. New primary weapons are pretty much all slight changes to the old primaries. Pump shotgun(2, difference is a slight damage difference and chrome has tighter spread), auto shotgun(2, one wide spread, one tight spread I believe), SMGs(2, one is stronger, the other more accurate.), Assault rifle(3..only differences, clip size and one is burst fire, and the AK has higher damage and slower firing speed), sniper rifles(2, military fires faster, hunting reloads faster) D) New AI - Terrible Special infected AI even on expert. Even worse survivor AI, if you're being beaten by a charger an inch away they'll stand there a few seconds then turn slowly and shoot it, then help you up. I was diappointed. Expand
  65. PR3D470R
    Apr 16, 2010
    9
    I gave it this score because of the tactics and teamwork that is engrained into this FPS. As this is a sequel I'll just discuss the things that separate this from the original. I agree with those that are annoyed at the price of the game, it doesn't seem to detract too far from the original in terms of graphics and 'the feel' of it. However I never bought the original so it doesnt annoy me a lot. :P Also 2 those that are disappointed that it is not like the original, i consider it better for this reason. The Reason: The 'Versus' ('VS') gametype has been amped up considerably. The introduction of new SI presents more threats to the survivors, that make no place on the map safe. Eg; The introduction of the spitter eliminates corner camping and the charger also makes alleyways EXTREMELY dangerous for combined Special Infected ('SI') attacks. A constantly wary and skilful team is needed to meet these challenges. It seems to me that VALVE really listened to the competitive VS community from the original, and I commend them for that. Digressing a little, I think the 'VS' experience could have been made much more challenging for the survivors, by putting down less medpacks, and to the side of the beaten path, forcing them to divert from the 'railway tracks' from point A to point B. Plus there needs to be a reduction in the amount of ammo in the weapons. The game does not award accuracy, as ammo and weapon stockpiles are everywhere, and sheer 'spraying' from automatic weapons is not punished. It is harder to use the infected but this is only a matter of concern for mostly competitive and serious players. If there is any reason to be longing for the old game it would be minor things such as the greater chemistry and personalities of the survivors, certain weapons and 'simpler' VS experience. Personally I love being able to casually get online with a bunch of friends, in a game that promotes conversation, shoot zombies and watch the visually appealing decapitations/blood-squirts. On a final note if you enjoy the artistry of competitive play l4d2 will not disappoint (but you have to be a team player. Expand
  66. Nimorrax
    Apr 1, 2010
    9
    I like it, I've not had the chance to play the first one yet but it really wants me to get the first one to experience what it was like before. This one taught me how to stay with my party, unless I really want to get pounced or ridden to death. The three new Special Infected are pretty good, the only problem I have though is that when a Jockey catches a PLAYER, the bots have trouble getting it off. The Charger also tells me either rush narrow hallways or stay on one side or the other. The Spitter quickly gets me moving when she spits, luckily she's an easy kill. The "Uncommon" Common Infected are also great. Fireproof, Horde Leading, Vision-Impairing, Immunity to Pipe Bombs and Bulletproof. All unique to their own campaigns, what more can I ask for other than a third game with even more exciting campaigns and zombie types? Expand
  67. ScottF.
    Apr 9, 2010
    3
    This game was a disappointment after L4D in every imaginable way. Instead of well-paced gameplay that rewards teamwork, we get a game where whoever can rush the most wins. Tight confined spaces of L4D give way to much more open ones in L4D2, making it far too easy to avoid the traps that made L4D great. Mood music and tension are replaced instead by Louisiana jazz during horde attacks and sad one-liners like "Axe me a question." This game tries way too hard to be a fanboy game, and it loses the amazing and gritty zombie shooter that was Left 4 Dead along the way. Expand
  68. olol
    Nov 17, 2009
    3
    I know alot of L4D fans may disagree, but this game is not anything new or special. Yes there are a few new things, such as melee weapons, and new weapon models, but they feel the same as they did in L4D1. Furthermore, even with the new scavange mode and new campagins, this still gets boring REALLY INCREDIBLY quick for me. I would rather spend time on Half Life 2. User content was what kept the first game alive, due to valve not releasing much content (which they initially promised), and therefore i was wary about purchasing this one, but now i pretty much regret it. It wasn't worth it at all in my opinion, and i doubt much interesting content will come to this either (although valve WILL deliver, because they know if they don't, they'll be losing alot of their audiance with this game). But i would give this game a 3, just because it's fun for the first hour or two, but gets very boring soon afterwards, whether you play online or not. Sooner or later, there will be nothing to do other then join a game and teamkill, because that's what a majority of players did in L4D1 after a short time. Expand
  69. JeffD.
    Nov 17, 2009
    10
    After logging a lifetime of hours on the original Left 4 Dead, owning a rather successful tournament team, and getting all but the most ridiculous achievement(s), I had almost begun to think to myself that I had seen every last drop of zombie goodness a company could squeeze from the genre. I was terribly, terribly mistaken. Left 4 Dead 2 does not just polish what it started in 2008, It bring it back harder, stronger, more brutal and bloodthirsty than ever. There is not a single game on the market that gets people talking, yelling, sweating and gripping there controllers quite like this. Every aspect of the game has just the right balance of tactics, run and gun, and all around bad-assery that can only be found in a game made by Valve. The new weapons, infected, uncommons, grenades, maps, locations, crescendos, and finales all flow seamlessly into the thriving and very much alive world of Left 4 Dead. The entire experience feels like a movie. So my advice? Saddle up, get yourself a copy, and prepare to white knuckle your way through the ride of your lifetime. Expand
  70. BoTl1ke
    Nov 29, 2009
    9
    The game feels much more polished and complete than the original, although its the same engine, they've really added more than expected. Main things i enjoy about the new game is that the versus gameplay is much more dynamic as opposed to "zombies are coming, everyone take autoshotguns and sit in a corner til they're gone". Same goes for infected, the variety of infected can produce interesting results with syncronised attacks with the new and old specials alike; eg. hunter+ spitter = hunter rape with added acid damage. or charger+ jockey = charger takes one half way across the street while jockey hops on one and takes him for a ride in the other direction causing the remaining 2 to either split up or go for the nearest survivor either way making infected much more effective and causing havoc. 9/10 mainly because i miss the old survivors :( Would be nice if they did a DLC involving the old survivors but hey i'd be asking for too much. Expand
  71. ThomasB
    Nov 30, 2009
    10
    Out of all games out there, left 4 dead 2 stands out. The campgains feel new and fresh and stands out. The new melee weapons add much more tatics to the game such as the chain saw - it gives a advantage to the players for a short while, however you have to make the sacrifice of running out of gas and having no secondary weapon. The community made this game a sucsess and this game was worth every penny and more. The new game adds much new balance with expert and realsim being the next part of that. Unlike L4D's expert - L4D2's really takes some skill with the new SI on the side. Realisim adds a whole new part to the game. It takes part most the in the campgain " Hard Rain " as you can get lost easily, taking part in the sugar mill level most. This time valve made the story more clear - this takes part most in dead center - for example if you use the " look " command on a player the character calls them by things such as " miss " to rochelee and " Mr gambling man " to nick. Untill the elevator scene where they all learn each others names - and then start to call each other by their real names. Over all this deserves much more credit then it gets, and this game was only made in a year. Great game - a must buy. Expand
  72. DanielR
    Dec 10, 2009
    10
    L4D was good but i hated the number of weapons u can get and the number of infected and L4D2 is like a BIG improvement better graphics new infected, And i really love the new weapons, like melee and my personal favourite Grenade launcher
  73. LiboW
    Dec 10, 2009
    10
    Nothing is perfect. Having said that, Left 4 Dead 2 challenges conventional team-based FPS with new special infected. Knowing that valve will continuously update and balance the game, Left 4 Dead 2 is a worthy investment.
  74. IanG
    Dec 1, 2009
    9
    I don't see why people are giving 0 when they say that this is more of the same, to me it sounds like they hated L4D1 in first place to give a 0. Anyway, L4D2 is fun, the new characters may seem to be a little dull compared to the first game, but we can live with it, the new story line is also ok nothing huge, it is not a whole new game, it is not like you bought a whole entire new game, it is a reshaped version of the first one, which is great, I would def recommend this game to anyone who liked the L2D1 gameplayer, this is fun to play, you will have good time with friends, scavange mode is a big plus, and honestly there is nothing like choppin' zombies head off with a chainsaw, it is a great game, if you were a big fan of L4D1, L4D2 will knock your socks off! Expand
  75. SilasD
    Dec 20, 2009
    10
    Not just an expansion, a completely new experience! With the addition of more weapons that now include melee weapons, new characters to love, and of course, new gameplay modes: L4D2 is well worth it's price. Valve knows how to make a great online mutliplayer experience. I cannot stop playing this game!
  76. KM
    Dec 26, 2009
    8
    Overall a good game. The first one seemed a bit more polished and to be honest I miss the grainy darkness of it compared to the daytime in New Orleans on this one. A few things I dislike: Grenade launchers. I also feel like they messed up Versus. Hunters don't seem to work properly. Way too many health kits spawn. Defib units should be left out of the versus games (they were obviously added for realism mode anyways). Melee weapons seem overpowered at times as there doesn't deem to be any difference between them. They messed up tanks turning them rather weak, i have a hard time with a tank dying to being whapped with a frying pan. The specials spawn too often making it feel more like a mutant instead of a zombie game. Don't get me wrong though, the game is good. I do like the addition of melee weapons though it feels like they need to be adjusted some. I love scavenger, which i find to be more fun than regular versus. The new weapons are fun and I like the fact that there's some variety in the new finales instead of just zombie wave, tank, zombie wave, run. Still, the game could use some work. Maybe they'll get it right next November in L4D3. (haha) Expand
  77. JarydF
    Dec 4, 2009
    5
    If you have not played L4D then L4D2 is a version with more stuff. I am starting to think that the gameplay model is flawed.
  78. DennisC
    Dec 6, 2009
    0
    I gave a zero because I can't give an opinion about the game until I can actually learn how to get out of places. I've only been able to get out of the hotel. I can't find my way around. I've put in about 10 hours of this game, and just ran around shooting thousands of zombies and never getting any where. I can't find the exits!!! How do you get out of the mall? I can't find the door and I just shot thousands of zombies. I skippe the street level because I couldn't get out of there, either, after hours of shooting. It's monotonous and boring and it's ruining the game experience for me. Isn;t there a map or a guide for people who aren't good at path finding? Where's the GD'd door? I"m a great shooter, but not good at finding doors. I paid full price, and I'm not just disappointed, I 'm starting to get really angry. Can somebody help me? I want to enjoy this game. But right now I'm really, really bored. After the first session, which left me wanting to smash something, I put it down and didn't pick it up for days. Now I just tried again and I'm even more pissed off. I can't find my way out of the grids!!1 Help, help, help. Where's the map? Is there a map? And if not, why not? Expand
  79. PercyP
    Jan 23, 2010
    5
    I've played this game from start to finish, both offline and online and I must say, I'm quite disappointed. Why not give it a lower score, you say? Because it still rates quite highly as a mod for the original game. Not enough content to justify a new game, and this renders the original game obsolete now, which is a slap in the face for those people who bought the original and expected it to be updated frequently... It's certainly not a worthless game, as it's great to pick up and have a blast for a few minutes every week, but it's not deserving of any accolades, either. My advice - Don't believe the hype. Pass + (Wait for a 75% off sale) Expand
  80. DavidN
    Jan 6, 2010
    0
    Absolute rubbish. No continuity. Just MODS slapped together and called very loosly 'campaign' with no saved games. Extremely bad pathfinding. You go round in circles trying to find an exit meanwhile they darken it more so you spend 90% indoors searching for an exit. Repetitive. Just a very poorly designed bunch of MODS they fooled people into thinking was a GAME. I have sent an official complaint to Valve that this is not a game but MODS strung together. Guns and player movements are copied and pasted from Counter Strike. NO originality. No story. No campaign just endless, boring, repetitive shooting and killing of the same sprites. Not a game. No skill required or used. Just hold your mouse button down and shoot. No strategy, no talent at all required. RIP OFF. Be very careful of Valve releases in future. They have a MOD look about them and are rushed out to rake in the $$$$ but are really other games MODDED. L4D2 is Counter Strike MODDED that's all. Expand
  81. JeremyC
    Jan 7, 2010
    1
    This was hands down one of the worst games I've ever played... I enjoyed that horrendous E.T. game on the Atari 2600 more than I did this claptrap. The feel of the controls were imprecise and slippery, the graphics were too dark to be taken seriously and too poor to lighten. The only reason this thing even gets a point is for the multiplayer aspect... just garbage. How in the hell did this get a higher score that MW2?! Expand
  82. SP
    Feb 15, 2010
    0
    I was a huge fan of the first left 4 dead, though the campaign mode got stale fast. I found myself playing versus mode and 400 hours later I was playing versus mode competetively in scrims and matches. I was excited about the l4d2 release and bought it pretty early on expecting to move into competetive play in it as well. The game turned out to be absolutely terrible in comparison to the first. The aiming is much more clunky, and the weapons take up half of the screen. The maps are far too open and chokepoints are very limited and not often seen. This turns out not to matter though because the game removed all forms of skill to appeal to new players. In the first one the main ideas of the game in versus mode were based on co-ordinated infected attacks at chokepoints, quad-caps/ 3-1's, survivor skill, tankplay, and an understanding of maps and spawns. In l4d2 versus gameplay can be summed up in basically one word, luck. In the first game infected attacks required insane amounts of co-ordination to successfully pull off against a survivor team that was good. Everything had to be synced perfectly or the attack would get destroyed, going in off count or without other teammates would end in failure. In l4d2 you could sync an attack perfectly, aim a deathcharge out a window on a smoked target, then fly right through the target and out the window to your death; while the other team might completely fail their attack, have their charger miss completely and you think you can move forwards when suddenly, the charger grabs you (who cares that you are 20 feet away?) and you both fly out the window to your deaths. Why? Because that charger player is a pretty lucky guy. Spit spreads are almost entirely random, sometimes one person will get a puddle while another gets a lake and downs an entire team. Hunters have the potential to instantly repounce you after deadstops because the game thinks it is funny when the hunter pounces while still doing its stumbling animation. Smokers tongues can break on nothing (that happened in l4d as well but not nearly as often) or can pull you even after you've crossed a corner to a point where you think there is no possible way the tongue could still have hold of you. Boomer explosions sometimes don't hit people directly next to them, and other times will get people 20 feet away. Basically all infected play amounts to is how lucky you or your team are. You could execute something perfectly only to have it not work at all becausethe game decides it's just not your day, or you could have an awfully planned attack that wipes the other team because of random bs. On the survivor side things have really gotten rather lame. In l4d being a good survivor team required you to stay close, be able to deadstop and skeet hunters, and have a very good understanding of chokepoints and attacks as well as keeping in mind what spawns the team you were playing against had up so you'd know when to expect a quad. It could be really adrenaline packed when you knew a quad was coming in, tension is building, and you're ghosting waiting for it. It was extremely fulfilling to be the one who hit the deadstop or skeet to prevent it. You had to work with your team to push forwards past chokes after stopping attacks and to fight tanks. In l4d2, you no longer need to have decent aim. You see hunters maybe every 2 spawns and the game has much less of a focus on skeets and deadstops, and a much larger focus on clearing stationary targets. The aim and timing required in the first game are replaced with just a basic awareness and being able to click rapidly at something that isn't moving. Batting chargers is largely useless for anything other than showmanship considering it is much easier to just shoot them to death. Quads are no longer any worry and tanks are slower while molotovs spread insanely fast. Most competetive games come down to which team gets off a lucky charge as opposed to which is actually the stronger team. The game as a whole is rage-inducing and the lack of a need for strategy or co-ordination or aim is what makes it so horrible in my opinion. It is the only valve title iv'e actually regretted buying. Also the scoring system sucks. Expand
  83. F.D
    Feb 18, 2010
    0
    Although I vastly enjoyed the first Left 4 Dead I find myself unable to get into Left 4 Dead 2, both critic and user reviews are high so I thought it would be a fun online to pick up but after playing it I asked myself the question what different is there between Left 4 Dead 1 and Left 4 Dead 2 that couldn't have been added in DLC or patches? Very disappointed, the missions feel hollow and characters uninteresting. Although they added a few nice things the experience as a whole is lacking, felt more like a cheap attempt to make $$ and ditch their first project. Some people might enjoy this game, but I hated it. Expand
  84. mattg.
    Mar 26, 2010
    6
    IF I were an online/coop kind of player I probably would give this game a 10. BUT, I am not. The story, AI interaction, scenes and general game play are excellent, but for single player action it's over in a hurry and there is absolutely nothing to make you want to come back and go at it again. I am a hugeb RE fan, but this game falls completely flat when it comes to re-playability. Love the characters, love the game itself, but PLEASE make this game on equal par with the single player in mind. (Hint for LFD3). Expand
  85. AlexB
    Nov 30, 2009
    2
    I've done all of this before in the previous game... more then enough times. Additionally, the game feels almost unplayable, all the servers i join are laggy, and there's major performance issues compared to the first L4D. It's the same as the first game, but worse.
  86. QuantumRand
    Dec 14, 2009
    5
    Valve took a wonderful DLC concpet and expanded it slightly to release an entire new game. The original development map would have worked fine for a DLC, but the added complexity of releasing a stand alone game made the 1-year deadline impossible to make, but Valve released L4D2 anyways, filled to the brim with bugs. The game didnt even run on Dual core 64bit systems until almost a full month after its release!!!! Expand
  87. AlexD
    Dec 27, 2009
    4
    I don't think it deserves paying 50$ given the fact it's just a DLC content promised for L4D1. I spent a lot of time playing the first part, I really enjoyed the atmosphere and the characters were adorable but this time both of these aspects are ruined. I personally believe that other zombie games have better weapons, for example KF is TEN times better in this aspect, and they are upgrading the game constantly just for free! I'm afraid I'll wait until it price falls to 20$ Expand
  88. Zachridw.
    Dec 2, 2009
    2
    At first of all, this game isn't bad, although my rating says otherwise. But the reason why I've gave this game a "2", is because of the price of ~60$ / ~50
  89. CH
    Jan 11, 2010
    5
    Ok let's be fair. I won't say that valve is trying to cheat our money because it is afterall a new product of some sort. I mean, if you guys are willing to pay for half-life 2 EP1 and EP2 when theres the original HL2, then I guess paying for L4D2 when theres L4D isn't that much of a 'cheat'. True enough, L4D is still buggy (look at all the exploits that works in L4D survival,,, till date) and there are still room for improvements for L4D. Maybe it's true that L4D2 came out too early, and maybe it's true that valve used the same 'source engine' for all their games since '04. But all that are not reasons why L4D2 shouldn't be a stand alone game. It's true that 50 USD is too much for a game that is based one another game that is launched a year ago. I'll say that 40 USD will be a suitable launching price (without discounts). Oh well, these can be subjective and I won't elaborate further. Anyway, onto the gaming aspects. Not much changes are made to the music (similar music are played when similar events happened in both L4D and L4D2). As for graphics, it's the same as L4D, except for new characters (and new skins) and new huds, which doesnt changes much, if not at all. On to the game mechanics. New weapon, though the original carbine and shotgun are still my favourite. The new sniper is a nice addition, though it (and AK) really makes you think that they are simply adding counter-strike guns to L4D2. Grenade launcher sucks cause it deals more friendly fire dammage than hostile dammage, especially in expert. There also the complication where you have Gren launcher for slot one and a melee weapon for slot 2, and you can't really attack ranged hostiles effectively (or helping a friend from afar without dealing them any dammage). The new pistol, magnum, is a good addition, it allows u to choose between dammage or speed for slot 2 ranged weapon. As for the new melee weapons... seriously, I have no comments...it's a good idea but in a zombie apocalyse, it's always better shooting them off from afar. As for the bile jar... nah, pipe is better. The new infecteds aren't any better. Jockies are simply hunters that will make u mobile when being pinned on. Spitters, on the other hand, give you the impression that Valve is trying to introduce some anti-camping bots. The idea of chargers are good though, cause it helps to foster better teamwork, cuz when one player got pinned by a charger, hes as good as gone if the whole team didn't notice. Witches now learns how to walk too, though it doesnt really make much of a difference. Anyway, I won't elaborate any more on the game. To warp everything up, some of the new additions are nice, though others may seem irritating or unnecessary. The new maps are well made, though they should include more buildings so that hunters can play around. Though L4D2 is attractive, the simplicity which L4D provides seems better to me. Oh and the price is really a bit too much. Expand
  90. ElliottF
    Mar 27, 2010
    1
    Should have been an expansion for L4D, hardly anything new. New character, couple new zombies, new maps and melee weapons, and thats where it stops the rest is perfectly identical to the first. This is the biggest rip-off in valves history. $50 STILL, and its got $20 worth of new stuff tops. Over hyped and way over priced. To get rid of overpriced games and to stop them from doing this YOU HAVE TO NOT BUY IT ITS CALLED BOYCOTT. Something yall F'ed up on with xbox live. Sony online you don't pay. Expand
  91. MikeJ.
    Nov 17, 2009
    2
    More of the same with little change. Additions like melee weapons and dynamic weather feel like cop outs in a full release that plays more like a map pack with new models. Disappointing.
  92. KarstenT
    Nov 17, 2009
    4
    First of all, my english is not the best :P Valve sells a game for 50
  93. DonnieDarko
    Nov 20, 2009
    4
    I have to say that this game is incredibly overrated at the moment. It does add some interesting new zombies that the first game didn't have, but fails to deliver on other things. My main gripe is the levels, they feel very generic and boring. Even more so than in the first game. I mean a swamp? Come on. The objectives can also be very confusing as there's often very little reasoning behind why I should be collecting fuel for a car all of a sudden. Where as in the first game the levels themselves guided you forward in a much better way. The "story" is kind of uninspired and the levels don't tie into eachother as well as they did in the first game. They also don't look as good graphically. The characters are not as interesting as in the first game either. You never grow attached to any of them. They removed the "Zoey - Starred by XXXXXX" on the poster for the loading screen. I thought that was a disappointment, really liked that in the first. And last but not least, the matchmaking system is utter crap. I have a hard time believing there are only 7 game lobbys being hosted for a game mode at one time? And 9/10 times when you enter a game you end up with 200+ ping. I usually ping around 19-40 in games and this makes it generally unplayable. Add to that all the bugs that the original game had. Such as spawning into the level and finding all Zombies in T-pose. Or starting a versus game and ending up in a singleplayer game. It's a decent game, but I'd say the first one was slightly better. I'd give it 7/10 if it wasn't so overrated. Expand
  94. TBONE
    Nov 28, 2009
    0
    Its all the DLC we were expecting in L4D1, for $50! I've played it. It's not that great. More stuff does make a game better. You know what makes it worse? Breaking your promise for content in L4D1. They gave the middle finger to PC gamers, now I'm giving them the middle finger right back.
  95. SteveH
    Dec 15, 2009
    4
    Ok so here is a sequal that was completely uneeded and just another way for valve to milk the gaming community for even more money. Dont get me wrong I love what steam has done for pc gaming, so i'm not a valve hater. However, I felt that L4D2 is a very expensive expansion pack, it does not warrant the price tag given. The new game includes new weapons, new special zombies ( and by this i mean the old mechanics with new skins (lazy coding)). The old game was wonderful and L4D2 is still wonderful but I have to give it a bad score because, its an example of game developers trying to pass off DLC as a new game as is becomming far too common these days. Expand
  96. JCTam
    Dec 19, 2009
    5
    The game qualifies as an expansion pack rather than being a sequel. For the people who boycott this recent game due to the same features, they are reasonably right, until now. This game is still fun to play but I wish there are more new mechanics and gameplay these days. Valve should make these features apply to HL2: Episode Three. Even the lowest price to buy this game after several weeks in release is only $30!! Expand
  97. HoundEye
    Dec 2, 2009
    1
    New maps, (some) new weapons, new characters... slightly new mobs not worth the price tag...... well thats the review done please buy Killing floor if your looking for a good co-op zombie shooter.
  98. StevenA
    Dec 26, 2009
    4
    I don`t underatood why can a game have 100%. This game have enough weakpoint. - The stupid A.I -The A.I can`t use Firebombs or Pipebombs or Boomber Liquit. At other games it is possible (resident Evil 5) -A.I can take things in a house, the are no possible to use for a player, because the A.I take it to the wall of the house. (Hard Rain Level) - If i throw a pipebombe the A.I shoot on the Zombies by the pipebombe. On the Producter: IF you want a good game, let you time or to better nothing. The bad thing is a have by is for xbox and PC. A never pay me L4D Expand
  99. LysanderS
    Dec 3, 2009
    0
    L4D1 all over again, but with *eugh* daylight... Nice how they've added weapons i've used countless times before in another, superior zombie game (KF). Still it's enjoyable to watch Valve sabaotage their own reputation from within.
  100. JackO
    Dec 3, 2009
    0
    Ok the performance is good, the NA version looks fun OK im going to buy it. I went ahead and got it and its terrible, i live in Australia so i have basically no blood, Security Guard special infected, corpses or dismemberment and on top of that i get kicked from 95% of the servers i join. What was Valve thinking when they edited this? The first L4d was fine here in Australia, why didnt they just change the skin for the Security Guard?! and cut back A LITTLE BIT on the gore not just cut it all out and make a Disney version of the game Expand
Metascore

Generally favorable reviews - based on 55 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 55 out of 55
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 55
  3. Negative: 0 out of 55
  1. 100
    L4D2 delivers multiple improvements over its predecessor, and I get to keep all my fingers and toes.
  2. 90
    It remains one of the most distinctive co-operative titles out there, and allows for some of the most nerve-searing team-based multiplayer gaming on the market.
  3. Whereas once we treated Left 4 Dead as a stopgap between Half-Lifes, this is no longer a weird little side project with modest expectations, and Valve is confident enough to play around with it, safe in the knowledge that you can trust your players. Left 4 Dead proved it. And whereas that game had a personality, this one is overflowing with it.