User Score
9.3 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 3286 Ratings

User score distribution:

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  1. Apr 30, 2013
    10
    Left 4 Dead has proved itself why it is the best co-op game there is. Not just it offers incredible game play, and a chance to become a Special Infected, it also makes teammates actually communicate and work together. Going Rambo is not a smart choice in this game-if the horde does not finish you off, then that Hunter on the prowl might........
  2. Apr 27, 2013
    9
    Left 4 Dead set a standard for online gaming. It's” team survival” feature is fantastic and innovative. Many newer games have adopted this idea for their multiplayer features. My other 3 companions are almost always bots, and Left 4 Dead’s surprisingly decent AI offers a satisfying single player experience. Unfortunately, the other features, such as the “Versus” or “Survival” never appl” never appealed to me. But in the game’s defense, I never gave these other features much of a chance. This is because I was always glued to the regular campaigns and never directed my attention elsewhere. I strongly recommend this to all gamers out there. If you like FPSs and multiplayer, then this game will undoubtedly meet your standards. Expand
  3. Mar 29, 2013
    8
    I'll never forget that feeling the night I bought this game and played it for the first time. It was magic. A co-op zombie shooter with many twists and turns and a "Director" to alter the game every time it was played. How could a gamer pass that up? Good weapons, character development, graphics and a zombie apocalypse atmosphere.
  4. Mar 21, 2013
    6
    Single player is a frustrating affair having to rely on a dumb A.I. to get you out of special attacks. Plus A.I. team members will not carry any missile weapons or help in mission orientated tasks. Atmosphere of the game is quite good at times but the tongue in cheek banter between the characters is too light for the end of the world type of game.
  5. Jan 29, 2013
    10
    i love this game!!! its awesome, humorous, jumpy, challenging and addictive!!! i love it :) best thing: getting a head shot on the witch with the shot gun :) i love francis just for the fact that he doesn't give a f**k :) i could play this game over and over again and i would still be just as entertained :D equally i love the 2nd game just as much. i just wish Valve would make a Left For Dead 3 O.o Expand
  6. Dec 17, 2012
    7
    An immersive co-op zombie apocalypse with a natural story telling method. Effectively creates tense atmosphere with dense environments & environmental effects, varied & believable environments ranging from an airport to a farm, and a memorable musical cue system for when zombies attack. My major gripe is the lack of post-release support considering the developer. Sadly, the community for this and it's sequel are really bad and you will need a group of 4 friends if you want to play this. Although relatively short, this is an outstanding co-op experience and is still worth picking up if your friends are playing it. Expand
  7. Oct 26, 2012
    8
    Okay, so maybe Left 4 Dead doesn't have the deepest plot. But if you're not looking for anything particularly engaging and enthralling, and simply want to unload as many bullets as possible into fast moving targets who are hungry for you, Left 4 Dead is a great game, especially if you have some friends to help you survive through the bullet riddled repetition.
  8. Oct 13, 2012
    6
    This game is pretty decent.not better than resident evil.the pros.1.gory.2.partners3.variety of wepons.4.lots of running zombies. Cons. 1.unrealistic with unlimited ammo.2.no scenes or other survivors.3.no that good graphics.4.no suspense,because samething happens all the time.other than that it was ok.
  9. Oct 8, 2012
    10
    best zombie game ever! the characters, the zombie models, the special infected, the co up, the versus! all so fun! i always wanted a game which had easily killed zombies but still had to use team work to survive, probebly the best co up game i can think of in the moment, nope its the best i know!
  10. Sep 27, 2012
    6
    The main problem is finding reliable teammates. Hunters and smokers (special zombies) can render one character completely useless, so if you're playing a 4v4 online and they have 3 hunters and 1 smoker, they can orchestrate their attack well enough that it will disable everyone on your team. It is very frustrating to sit there and watch your character go from 100 health to dead while your teammates run around like chickens with their heads cutoff. Otherwise it is exciting, scary, and fun. Expand
  11. Jun 6, 2012
    8
    Having not played a zombie shooter before (except for COD zombies on the iPad), it was with some nervousness that I bought Left 4 dead on Steam not really knowing what to expect. Thankfully, I can say that Left 4 Dead is one of the best multiplayer games I've played in years. Communication with other players becomes more vital and you inevitably build up a connection with the characters and other players. If you're into co-op or if you just like Valve games, then this is a must buy: although if you're sensitive to gore or prefer a densely packed narrative then you might want to give this one a miss. As for me, the AI director and co-op has kept me playing for more than thirty hours despite its insubstantiality. Expand
  12. May 11, 2012
    9
    Overall one of the best games ever made, and pretty much evolved the zombie genre to a point towards even making Resident Evil run for its money when it comes down to zombie genre games. Left 4 Dead will leave you with excitement and suspense which you will more than likely be talking about for a long time, along with that the fact its a Steam game and from valve, expect it to have a lot of PC content exclusives such as Achievements, constant upgrades and unofficial mods. To make it better, Left 4 Dead 2 comes packed with this game as well when you purchase it! Expand
  13. Apr 13, 2012
    8
    I love this game and the people who made it. Once again Valve has created a master piece of a game. This game has fun campaigns very good survival mode which you fight off a ton of zombies and last as long as you can. Versus mode is were up to eight players play, four players the humans and four the mutated ZOMBIES. Yes the mutated zombies like hunters,smokers and boomers [MY FAV]. Or just play with people online up to four players. Also you can play with up to three of your friend with any mode. Campaigns 9/10 Survival mode 8/10 Versus 8/10 Left 4 Dead 8.9/10 Expand
  14. Mar 6, 2012
    0
    I purchase 1 and 2 together, and I run 1 first. However, it can't even display anything on my screen. Then I play left 4 dead 2, and there is very little fun, so I decided to delete both of left 4 dead 1 and 2...Now I regret my purchase...
  15. Mar 3, 2012
    8
    For fans of the traditional LAN party, rejoice, for now there is a game built from the ground up for co-op! Just make sure your friends sign a contract to say they'll continue to play this game for the next couple of years or so to get your money's worth! :)
  16. Feb 8, 2012
    10
    Why didn't they think of this before? It's brilliant to force the teamwork this way and keep the game fresh by changing things every play through. Extremely highly recommended buy.
  17. Jan 18, 2012
    10
    Left 4 Dead est pour moi, le meilleur jeu de coopération. Il nécessite beaucoup de stratégie et de reflex pour jouer en Versus. Mais je ne le conseille pas à ceux qui ont une mauvaise connection ou aux débutant de ce genre pour jouer en versus
  18. Jan 3, 2012
    8
    Few games even make the effort to enforce teamwork. To most in the modern shooter genre, a team is just a bunch of loners with guns who can't kill each other, going up against a dozen or so loners with guns with the same constraints. Valve has a habit of challenging this, and the end result is Left 4 Dead, a game that not only requires you to work as a team, but outright beats you over the head with how helpless you are alone in this atmospheric, tense, tactical, intense, and, at times, hilarious zombie apocalypse. The characters and the hours of dialog alone are worth the buy, and don't even get me started on the fun and frustration that awaits you in the versus mode. You can play as the infected too! Alone, it's a damn good game and packs at least a hundred hours of gameplay, but its little brother quickly blew past in both the community and the developer's eyes. Before then, the limits such as weapon selection and special enemies didn't exist. But who can pass up mentioning akimbo assassin, probably one of the most fun achievements available in modern shooters, and the plane crash in Dead Air. Truly classic. Expand
  19. Dec 29, 2011
    9
    Excelent game, I am giving a 9 only because the 10 belongs to the second release of Left 4 Dead, since the only thing this game was failing at is some bugs inside it and the poor hand to hand combat weapons, both upgraded in the second release.
  20. Dec 20, 2011
    9
    Goddamn this game and the hours and hours and hours it has stolen from my life. And the sequel. It's all so ridiculously simple - point, shoot, run ad nauseum - that by rights I should not still have this game installed on my machine. Don't know why but a few years on, I still find myself logging on an doing a quick campaign. It is the ultimate co-op straightforward "get-to-safety" survival horror game going. I think the endless appeal has to be with the 'AI Director' that changes the intensity, placement and frequency of zombie and special infected attacks. Everytime you play, it's all so familiar, yet completely different. If I do have one criticism though, it's the zombies themselves. I mean, how can they all be so samey! Expand
  21. Dec 13, 2011
    10
    Funnest single/multiplayer/co-op zombie game you'll ever play! Play with your friends: 4 vs 4: humans vs infected. Also if you know where to look there are some incredibly fun servers with different and personalized game modes. This game never fails to amaze unless you have a useless tool on your team. The only bad thing I have to say is not about the game itself but the developers, for releasing L4D2 way too soon and reducing the attention that this game deserved. Expand
  22. Nov 29, 2011
    9
    Absolutely amazing zombie game that reminds me of the movie 28 days later. The only way to improve this game would have been to add various routes, and more weapons. If you want to get the most out of left 4 dead, play online with friends, single player gets boring.
  23. Nov 25, 2011
    10
    It's a shame this game's community is nearly non existent now since Left 4 Dead 2 replaced it, but in it's time it gave me hundred's of hours of FUN. This game just has such a high replay-ability, it just never got boring for me. Playing this with friends just makes the experience even more enjoyable. 10/10
  24. Nov 8, 2011
    7
    Okay gentlemen, what you see here is a FPS zombie killing game that is actually addictive and entertaining (and funny) at the same time. "Left 4 Dead" made me play the single player and the multi player for hours and hours non-stop. The single player, inspired by movie scenarios, is very innovative and fun. The multiplayer is also a big hit for the game. With 3 other partners, you can go out and whoop those **** zombies anytime!! A great must-play!! Hurray for Valve!!!!






    Note: The game gets boring after a few months.
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  25. Oct 27, 2011
    10
    The only original zombie game. I can proudly say that I've squandered several years of my life playing this game. Unfortunately Valve appears to have abandoned this game after releasing Left 4 Dead 2 (which for the most part does indeed suck many a scrotilia).
  26. Oct 2, 2011
    6
    I was pretty excited for this game till i played it. Its not bad, it has fun mechanics and multiplayer. id rather play a differnt multiplayer game, i dont see the point in buying this game if u already got day of defeat, counterstrike 2 or team fortress 2. Just like most zombie games its hugley overrated and has nothing memorable about it. But if you like shooting zombies then buy it but you may get bored after the first month or 2 Expand
  27. Sep 20, 2011
    7
    The best bot-massive horror FPS ever made ! Obviously I'm not even comparing it to the second version, but it really is a little something ! Obviously there are some things to be improved like the Aim, the Weapons, The Zombie Inteligence and the way zombies appear.
  28. Sep 14, 2011
    9
    This game is flawless! The game play just seems more smoother then in Left 4 Dead 2 and the characters are more attractive Bill a Vietnam vet, Francis the Chopper dude, Louis a successful black man and Zoey a pretty young girl that loves zombie movies.. I would give it a 10 but the game lacks more weapons, more types of zombies, more items, ect that Left 4 Dead 2 provides. Besides those minor things I just can't seem the explain why I feel Left 4 Dead 1 is better. Also the thirdpersonshoulder mode works in L4D1. It is bugged in L4D2 and was never fixed. Expand
  29. Sep 8, 2011
    9
    An amazing game that started the whole zombie survival horror boom. Valve proved beyond doubt that they are masters of quality. Play with friends if you can.
  30. Sep 5, 2011
    8
    Still a headliner when it comes to great FPS with co-op, there's no real point having this one when you can get L4D2 as cheap with all L4D1's content now ported by Valve as free dlcs.
  31. Aug 30, 2011
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Like the main concept, the charachters and like the game itself. The modified Source engine is really impressive and it has a great graphics. But til the end of the map it is sometimes pretty boring and your teammates really stupid. But at the end of the map there is always a huge ambush and if you want to use the "leave no man behind" rule, you simply die. Expand
  32. Jul 15, 2011
    10
    I'm still playing this, still, my friends and I still have LAN's, just for this game. It is possibly the perfect co-op game ever made. Buy it, play it, if you don't like it, there's something wrong with you.
  33. Jul 7, 2011
    1
    Ten hours played and only a few times was it any enjoyable, the rest was ruined by a bunch of a-holes. Try to go through a few games without encountering someone that'll complain and whine about their team while they run ahead of the pack solo.
  34. Jun 30, 2011
    10
    I got this game after my boyfriend recommended it for me. It was my first zombie and shooting game I have ever had. As a girl I typically thought first that the game is boring and stupid. But I was definitely wrong! Visual look, background music and sound effects are cool. And I like that l4d has special zombies and requires teamwork! The more the merrier, right? This is one of those games which you play hours and hours a day, may get bored with it, but always come back for more. Expand
  35. Jun 17, 2011
    9
    It's technically the same as the Xbox 360 version except it feels like there's so much more you can do with it, especially since you can download unique modded maps made by other players. It's rare that I think a game is better on the PC than it is on a console like the Xbox 360, but this is a perfect example of a game that is.
  36. Apr 24, 2011
    9
    Left 4 Dead offers the greatest multiplayer experience with strangers so far. Even if you do not like FPS games, or western zombie culture with its pretentious assertion that it all represents something else a little bit deeper, I warrant youâ
  37. Apr 24, 2011
    9
    Very good game for its time. I played this with friends when I was younger and I really enjoyed myself. It was just one of those games everyone had at the time and everyone would play. I think it's one of the better zombie games out there, if not the role-model for a lot of them.
  38. Apr 24, 2011
    9
    Left 4 Dead is an awesome game and the only classic I have seen in a while. The story is about four survivors who are stranded in a town struck by the T-viru-, I mean a horrible infection which turned the citizens into zombies. Louis, Francis, Bill and Zoey are amazing characters that you will certainly grow to love and everytime we start playing the game we end up in a fight over who get's to play which awesome character. The story is mostly told through graffiti on the walls left there by other survivors and very subtle elements such as covered up bodies or piles of infected. The only downside is that the story of the survivors doesn't really make sense. At the end of every chapter you get saved from the city and at the beginning of every chapter you are standed again. That is the only reason this game does not get a full 10!


    The gameplay is the best part because this game is endlessly replayable. The goal is to fight through the infected and make it to the next safehouse, in the final part of each mission you will have to wait for rescue while thousands of zombies try to kill you. Thanks to the AI Director who decides where zombies, items and special infected spawn the game is never same twice and the difficulty is adjusted to your playstyle. The special infected also force you to adapt to a new situation very quickly, so you can't just mow through the infected alone because you will be picked off. This game perfectly enforces teamwork and you can replay it at any time, that is a true multiplayer game and a true classic.

    Finally, I also want to mention the presentation. A lot of effort has gone into making the city and everything that happens look as realistic as possible. There is never a moment that you will spend in a place you can't relate to and that is just amazing. The music is also awesome and like the AI Director it is different for each playthrough and each player hears a different song.

    Summary: Great game which you can replay at any time without getting bored. Story fails to connect events to each other, but the presentation easily makes you forget about that.
    Expand
  39. Mar 26, 2011
    7
    L4D is a "Co-Op" Game. Not like those other Co-Op titles where your team is a bunch of galooting **** making no difference when you leave the group and finish the level on yourown.

    This gmae says "NO! I'm going to have boss-battles that prevent you from splitting up because they stun-lock you into poistions stopping you from moving and getting your **** chopped off and you need your team
    to help!" What's weird is that if this was tried in any other FPS/Co-Op game, it would fail, Recklessley, but here it runs smoothly and perfectly.

    You have hord attracting zombies, leaving you to the mercy of your team.
    You have the hit and runners, causing your team to quickly get it off you and kill it before it strikes again, ECT ECT.

    Half of the time you'll be walking back and forth, and occasionally sitting down on a box in a locked cupboard because you died. Whenever you die you're sent to a small cupboard where you must wait....and wait... and wait...Weaponless and itemless waiting for your team to help.

    True survival horror Crowd Based madness.
    However it gets a bit repetetive though, but maps are often updates/added, so they're basically spoon-feeding you the same thing but with a different flavour.

    Worth the $12 dollars on steam.
    Expand
  40. Dec 30, 2010
    10
    The game is amazing. Great Graphics and the increasing hordes makes the game very addicting as well as zombies being in different places each time you play the campaigns. Great game with nice weapons. I recommend it!
  41. Dec 14, 2010
    10
    Amazingly fun game. Buy it NOW! It is very fun survival mode and versus mode, and you can play with friends and just have a good time blowing zombiw hordes apart! What more do you want?
  42. Ed1
    Dec 12, 2010
    9
    This game was such a blast when it came out! It's now been superseded by L4D2, which is even better, but I still rate this as one of the best games of all times.
  43. Dec 4, 2010
    10
    Don't play the game if you are light-hearted, have heart disease, or don't like zombies that jump on to you. Because this game is one of the scariest zombie games I've ever had to play. But it is shear fun just to shoot the crap out of the zombies. And the best part is? They keep coming and you just keep on shooting. Nice, right? Check this game out right away. I regret not playing this earlier.
  44. Oct 11, 2010
    8
    If you have a few friends that are willing to get this game with you, you must try it. This game can be a lot of fun. In my case only if I play with friends.
  45. Oct 9, 2010
    10
    Zombie games aren't exactly in a famine these days. With so many games focusing on surviving against zombies, it can be hard to pick any good games from the crowd. But with Left 4 Dead, I believe all other games have just been blown out of the water. In L4D, you play as one of four survivors- Bill, Francis, Zoey, or Louis. Each has their own little back story and their own personality, something that helps you connect. Like Francis, who hates stairs, helicopters, zombies, walking, and generally anything and everything. There are multiple campaigns in the game, each with a different set of locales and atmospheres. Like the first campaign, No Mercy, which has you moving through a city to rendezvous on a hospital skyscraper rooftop. Each campaign is broken into chapters, which have you getting from the start area to a safehouse. At the last chapter, you face a thing called a finale, where you get a bunch of supplies, an area to hole out in, and a trigger to start it. When you activate the trigger, a massive horde of zombies rush at you. And the game features a "Director," who controls how the chapter is going. For example, you might hole out in a parking lot in one area and defend against a wave of zombies using gas canisters in one playthrough, and maybe the next the canisters won't be there and the zombies will come from behind. And killing zombies in this game is FUN. You start out with a single pistol, and can pick up an smg or a shotgun. Later in a chapter you find upgraded weapons, which are a hunting rifle, an auto shotgun, and an assault rifle. The game gets pretty gory when using a shotgun or hunting rifle, as headshots will take zombie heads clean off and shotgun blasts will tear off limbs. If you like FPS games, or zombie games, this is the game for you. Expand
  46. Sep 25, 2010
    10
    It is the best game in the world! In it there is all - Replaying, fascination, she class, interesting. I say thank big to developers! In Russia game costs 600 roubles - the real price for such game! First a part of game much more interesting - she interesting and characters is more attractive than the second part better...
    All I shall advise to get this game, you will not regret cent, you
    will be keen in this game for a long time and if you have friends - that tell and let they will buy it, they will not regret! Expand
  47. Sep 24, 2010
    9
    This game has all of the basic elements that a shooter should have and more. It gives the hardcore a mode, the director is one of the smartest ever created and it's cheap right now. Left 4 Dead is probably the best zombie shooter ever. Yet. I hope that Valve can release even more great games.
  48. Aug 17, 2010
    10
    The base concept of moving from area to area killing hordes of zombies is nothing new. How they go about making it is remarkable, however. The game forces teamwork and with the help of the ai director you can play this game over and over and over and almost never have two similar situations. Defiantly a groundbreaking achievement in the gaming world.
  49. J.Midnight
    Jan 25, 2010
    9
    Zombies, Guns and Online Co-Op. That's all this game really is. Though it may be a very, very simple premise; Left 4 Dead is an outstandingly enjoyable game. Not a true 10 only for one reason. NO STORY. Simply put: THIS IS NO SINGLE PLAYER GAME. To truly enjoy this you need an active Internet connection. While many will see this as a fault, this is an inspired move. As Left 4 Dead has only one goal in mind and that is replayability. Thus, the total lack of ending helps create and bring that one fact home: every time you play, every time you pick up your pistol, every night you will spend playing this game over and over and over is a new and horrifying experience. No Way Around it: Fun Fun Fun. Expand
  50. MagnusT
    Jan 23, 2010
    9
    I have one...rather huge beef with this game. The happy part is, it's not a problem that has been caused by the game itself. However, this problem is so huge and towering as to block out the sun. The game itself and everything about it easily earn the 9 I am giving it. However, the brutal fact that a healthy portion of its online players are quite possibly the scum of the earth, the evolutionary low, the creations that God shudders at when he realizes he created them, can really wear on the more serious players. I am trying not to be a whiny hater noob about this. I get 1st place on every chapter, literally 9/10 times I play, no matter what difficulty, in all of the important aspects. Despite this fact, in almost every match I've ever played, there has always been, at bare minimum, one incredibly anti-social sadist who wants to ruin the experience. Every. Single. Time. If this were a PvP/TvT FPS, I wouldn't care. People will be posturing lunatics in such games as CoD4 or FEAR2 or CS:S or whatever...but seriously? Can you even pretend to care about a team? If you are not one of those people and you don't want to deal with the infinite stream of madmen, idiots and TKers, skip this one. If you ARE one of the above, please...PLEASE, for the love of God, don't buy this game. Leave us serious people in peace so we can actually have fun playing this game with people who actually give a second crap about playing with a half-sane team. Expand
  51. StuartR
    Jan 21, 2010
    9
    Fun, realistic zombie movie experience... way too hard when using single player though - the bots are just not smart enough....
  52. mmaas
    Jan 20, 2010
    10
    DAVID N you have any idea what you are talking about?? metacritics please remove his comment this is a AWESOME GAME and its no mods
  53. RomanO
    Jan 8, 2010
    10
    Video killed the radio star. Very sad but what had to be an expansion for L4D, but became L4D2 killed this game. Why Valve? :(
  54. 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
  55. scotd
    Jan 1, 2010
    9
    what do you get when you mix: -four friends -five campagnes -4 game modes -8 weapons -an ai that actualy populates the level as you progres -and a whole buttload of zombies? you get the most replayble game ever made, you can easily spend 20-40 hours on this game just play the base four campagne, and that not includeing the dlc and user created content for pc!
  56. AnonymousOne
    Dec 31, 2009
    9
    How can anything this simple and repetitive be so entertaining? I stopped asking myself that question after the first hour. Left4Dead has become one of my all time favorite Source games.
  57. HenriM
    Dec 29, 2009
    8
    Great game. This game has exellent graphics and gameplay, it doesn't have much of a story, and I admit it gets a bit boring after a while. It is very amusing too. Not all people in multiplayer are jerks, you might even make friends. And if you people complain it's too easy, try other difficulties, it gets less boring that way aswell.
  58. TenzinD
    Dec 18, 2009
    10
    its the best zombie game ever i cant wait to the left 4 dead 2
  59. SteveL.
    Dec 18, 2009
    10
    I love this game.
  60. FredB
    Dec 15, 2009
    10
    It is such a awesomem game graphic wise and violence wise because the whole world has the full violence version and the game hardly gets boring.
  61. MattF
    Dec 13, 2009
    6
    The game is very good, the graphics are awesome. But there is only a problem: you play Left 4 Dead for a month or two and then you'll not play it anymore.
  62. AnthonPH
    Dec 9, 2009
    10
    Gee...this game is best of I play in my life, abundance in zombies, good guns, and inspirade in the movie of George Romero, not can be better!!!!
  63. Nick
    Dec 5, 2009
    9
    At first, I was very skeptical about L4d2, worried aboiut it being a $60 "add on". I played the demo, and it didn't convince me otherwise very well. However, I bought the game when it went on sale for $30, and was very pleasantly surprised. It did feature a whole lot of new weapons, ammunition, infected, and a few other new items. It had several new game modes, actually coherent campeigns, and improved graphics. These give the game a whole new playing style, and was much more than an expansion pack. The menus and online play are also improved, although still not perfect. Expand
  64. EmilK
    Dec 5, 2009
    10
    That is the best game ever! Now the 2. L4D have arrived so i hope i get it in christmas present! L4D is just AWESOME!
  65. MaxP
    Dec 2, 2009
    10
    It's a real good adventure, if you like action and zombies you'll like this Game. This game is funnier then Hell, i give it a 10 because it makes fun, there is not to much blood, and is a good Teamwork-Game!
  66. ericc
    Nov 28, 2009
    10
    I played the demo for almost 24 hours in 2 day. then about 3-6 months later i buy the game(i am saving for a high powered pc so i have to be a tightwad) and i LOVE IT changeing where the specials are. The story is kinda boring cause you never really get saved, but that is what makes it better
  67. LinusB
    Nov 28, 2009
    9
    A fantastic game that still works just as good as it did upon release. I'm playing this game every sunday with my friends and will probably do so for a good long time.
  68. DannyN
    Nov 26, 2009
    10
    Es el mejor juego desde Counter-Strike, este juego marca una epoca, tiene de todo y creo que a muy pocos defraudara, muy adictivo.
  69. GoncaloS
    Nov 25, 2009
    10
    this game is awesome! never game have a co-op experience like this game. good graphics but the game just has 5 campaigns if the game It had more campaigns and more mods It would bethe best fps game. and just more thing if it hads more specials infecteds
  70. JulioR
    Nov 17, 2009
    10
    Great game, better than MW:2! This is a bigger improvement than L4D 1 and this is NOT an "extra mod add-on" as what people were saying L4D2 would be. It has so much more than L4D 1! 10/10
  71. AlanR
    Nov 11, 2009
    10
    cant say enough about this game. one year on and i am still playing this game on an addiction-like level. massive replayability combined with well balanced multiplayer makes this the best game ive played in ten years. no brainer. BUY IT
  72. Lars
    Nov 11, 2009
    10
    This game is incredible, it's got everything a game should have, humor, horror, and the ability to blas pieces of zombies, i'm giving it a 10
  73. RanK
    Nov 10, 2009
    10
    In relation to many many other shooters L4D manages to keep the player interested for a pretty long time. Even though the single player mode could actually get quite boring after some time the option to play on maps created by fellow players and the multiplayer mode definitely make up for that and help to avoid the occuring of behavior patterns players tend to use as soon as they're used to some maps. Overall it's a really nice game that tempts the user to play it over and over as soon as he has some time at his hands. Expand
  74. DaveS
    Nov 9, 2009
    10
    Love the gameplay and interaction. Multiplayer is awesome. The A.I. is not too formulaic nor too challenging. Ten pimp-slaps out of Ten.
  75. StevenH
    Nov 7, 2009
    6
    A trite mod packaged as a full-price game. I played this about 18 hours or so before becoming bored with it, which is more than I can say for most games these days. Simply another stepping stone in a series of mod-games developed (acquired) by Valve rather than spending time making a real game or expansion such as Episode 3. And the worst part of it all: it actually sells. Welcome to the end of PC gaming. Expand
  76. [ANONYMOUS]
    Nov 7, 2009
    10
    totally amazing game, despite the few variations in weapons and maps u never get tired of it... its just so much fun even a year after i bought it
  77. ChristopherN
    Nov 4, 2009
    6
    II'm not sure but when it first came out I was not excited but after a while of gameplay I decided it was a really good game. But sadly it just got boring after boring. The achievments are great and fun to beat. The problem is that online players just like to fool around. I was disapointed when left 4 dead 2 came out. It made l4d a lot more boring. It was a game you should rent or try it out but I would wait until it gets to around $20. (Not to be mean but its a wallop when it first came out around $49.99). It's not recomended on xbox 360 since its even more harder to control and boringer. Yet on the PC is a breeze in the wind. So try it out yet i suggest a price drop since left 4 dead 2 is coming out. Expand
  78. SeanG
    Nov 3, 2009
    10
    I love this game I just wish it had more boards and maybe even more characters on both sides to make it even harder,
  79. RolandP
    Nov 3, 2009
    10
    the best game ever. never gets boring. even when the second comes out i'll still play the classic one from time to time. thanks valve
  80. EddyH
    Nov 2, 2009
    3
    Good Graphic but not much more I thought as i was playing the demo it's a good game but it wasn't it was only a waste of money -.- I mean the zombies are hiting me they doesn't bite like classic zombies, c'mon that sucks.The only thing i like on this game is the versus mode.
  81. Comrade
    Oct 30, 2009
    9
    Awesome game. Its just missing a few things. Versus is the best mode ever, but everyone hates being survivers, so when its there turn, they leave! Good game, still. Just what i expected of Valve.
  82. BrendanY
    Oct 26, 2009
    10
    This gets a 10 because it's the best multiplayer fps experience out there today.
  83. BrentC
    Oct 24, 2009
    10
    One of the best games I have played, and I never get bored of killing all the zombies
  84. CoreyS
    Oct 24, 2009
    9
    Its good, but i think it needs to have new maps added a little bit more toons to be played and a little more hordes. Yea i said it, i want it to be harder, i think a game where its you and your bros vs a city, should be just that a dang city! as in i want like 200 of them fools running out a store!
  85. ScottC
    Oct 23, 2009
    5
    Id LOVE to be able to rate this game higher, the redeeming factor of L4D 2 coming out on Nov 17th does add some excitement, however, the fact its the same thing over and over and the fact that , besides myself, about 20,000 other people who feel the game was incomplete to begin with WILL NOT be buying. dont be cheap Valve, give moneys worth.... sadly disappointed. Oktobor STORM
  86. NiklasA
    Oct 21, 2009
    9
    This game doe seem a little lacking in content, but Valve has made a few free additions to keep the game going. The game might get old after a while, but I garuntee you'll come back to it addicted all over again.
  87. BillH
    Oct 20, 2009
    10
    The best COOP shooter available hands down. It's not just about shooting zombies, its about teamwork. The campaigns may be a bit easy for some players if you are playing on anything other than expert mode, but versus is what really brings a different dynamic to the table when compared to other multiplayer FPS games. The downside for some people may be the fact that you do really need a mic, communication is very important in a game that requires actual teamwork. Ramboers will fail in versus or expert campaigns miserably, that play style will just not work here. If you want to play a game that requires teamwork and brings a different dimension to team based shooters, grab this one up now. If you want to run around like a wild man hitting your macroed insults then you should probably stick to CoD. Expand
  88. manuels.
    Oct 16, 2009
    7
    The game is not bad, unfortunatly i got bored too quickly, after only a week, I stoped playing and came back to COD4. The reason behind this is probably the fact that I purchased the game almost a year after his release, after a year, most of the players lost their interest and i found actually hard to find a server with 3 players to start a campaign.
  89. AnonoumusPerson
    Oct 8, 2009
    10
    A very intense game, but could been better. It maybe could have more weapons. But overall, I think its great. The double pistol strategy was a great idea. one pistol, is better than one! The M4 could have been a M4A1, and...there should have been more explosives. But like I said, overall, its great.
  90. BrandonR
    Oct 3, 2009
    6
    Good game for a while. Replay value is surprisingly low, unlike Valve's other online masterpieces (TF2 and CS, namely). Lack of content and lack of variety of maps (especially after being spoiled by TF2) make the game dry up real fast. Additionally, because it's limited to 4 player or 8 player games, the frustration of losing far outweighs gratification of winning. Online players take this to heart, and consequently there are far more gamers in L4D ready to kick someone out of the server because they are new to the game and not a veteran player. This isn't Valve's fault, but a shortcoming of small team online FPS, which could be remedied by (read: MORE CONTENT) larger servers and more than 8-player gametypes. Expand
  91. SeriousS.
    Sep 29, 2009
    9
    Addictive, demands teamwork, zombies. The game was addictive from the start, but actually lacked content for its high price of more than 50 bucks, which is why I'm not giving it a 10. Since it's being continously updated and allows custom content like whole self-made campaigns to be installed however, this is not a huge problem. It has three convincing game modes by now (I'm not counting in Singleplayer since it's simply campaign mode with bots instead of human players), whereas Versus is the one I am playing most of the time. In fact this is the most varied mode, since you experience a very individual game every time with individual ways of playing on both teams here The fact that this demands teamwork can also screw the game up really fast though, if one of your mates messes around like walking stray and gets himself killed, it means trouble for the rest of your team as well. It is best for you to bring some friends (preferably real life friends) instead of random people. Even though the amounth of content has improved over the one year it's been released it's still not THAT much, and I hope they will keep updating the game with new content even after the release of Left 4 Dead 2. What I've also been missing is that there isn't such a variety of weapons, you either find an Uzi and a pump shotgun or an M16 assault rifle, a hunting rifle and a combat shotgun... Not really that much. Expand
  92. NB
    Sep 27, 2009
    3
    When this first came out i thought it was the best thing ever, however there's not enough in it to keep you going and you are painfully forced to follow the same set route replaying the exact same experience. Horde left, tank in 20 seconds through that door. witch either here or there. yawn. Easy is just way too easy so you play expert but everyone just hides in a closet on expert, i don't want to play a closet simulator. Verses is the best feature but everyone just wants to be zombies so as soon as its your turn to be zombies all the survivors leave the game. I think the absolute worst bit is the fact that you can't even aim/zoom your gun. Ever since Killing Floor came out with its forever changing game play and real world weapon physics all i can do is pity L4D for being beaten by a MOD Expand
  93. AnsatsuR.
    Sep 25, 2009
    6
    This game has fairly addictive game play, problem is they are not updating it as they said they would therefor the new content is not coming out in time to save this game. At this current time (9/25/09), this game has the longevity of around 3-4 weeks. When this game was released the graphics were behind almost two PC generations. The music is OK, it sort-of fits the games theme. It is plagued by horrible AI, which seems to do nothing but shoot and run, rarely saves the players from the special infected, lack of updates, graphics that are not up to date, broken levels on versus mode (this is accurate some of the levels are completely unfinished yet valve released them.) My advise, only buy this if you are willing to take a risk on this game even though it is halfway broken you might get some fun out of it. Expand
  94. TracyC
    Sep 24, 2009
    9
    Each game is so different and can be played so many ways. The downside is not enough campaigns. Sure, new ones are created all the time, but it's not easy for a lot of people to d/l them. I love the variety of co-op, vs and survival. Versus has all the elements of a great game all on it's own. The frustration, anxiety, excitement and sometimes hilarity make it a game to play over and over and over again! Expand
  95. JimmyThomas
    Aug 31, 2009
    10
    Basically one of the best damn games i have played. the AI director keeps me on my seat, the ideas for infected and special infected are great, and for me its a very high replay value.only problem i have is the Team Killers online. i cannot wait for left 4 dead 2.
  96. BladeDiesel
    Aug 31, 2009
    10
    One of the best games ever created. amazing multiplayer and hell of a lot of fun. The campaignes do not stop there you can always go to third party sites and download new maps for any kind of game even zelda and mario world :) Love it! only problem is its too addictive. enjoy
  97. StevenSchockaert
    Aug 27, 2009
    10
    The mutliplayer Co-op in this game is one of the best at the current date. Imagine the word Co-op written in 10 feet high concrete letters! They should make more games like this.

    Zombies? nothing new actually, but yet it's so much fun, replayable and... well, one of my favourite games at the moment. Lets hope they might add more DLC's in the future. On a sidenote, i hope the f
    ollow up 'Left 4 dead 2" will be a succes. Expand
  98. AdamS
    Aug 18, 2009
    8
    This game is so good I've now bought it twice. First for the Xbox and now for my PC. This is the first game I've played where co-op play improves it beyond the novelty of having a mate control someone else on screen. Valve have done a superb job of making sure players stick together as a team (as you won't survive long if you go it alone) without it feeling forced. You really do feel that the odds are stacked against you throughout the campaigns but in a good way. The only serious criticisms I have are to do with one of the best features of the game, the AI Director. The Director is a fantastic Idea that does keep the player on their toes as you never know when you'll be rushed by a horde of infected, however it could do with a greater variety of spawn points for the special enemies as I found after a few play throughs I knew where the witches were likely to be placed or when a tank was probably going to attack. That said when the director works it works very well indeed. Just like in a horror film some of the most tense parts of left 4 dead are where nothing is really happening, for instance your team are just coming to a room which is where you had one of your toughest fights last time so you're expecting the horde or a tank just round the corner, everyone heals up, reloads, gets psyched. You burst in and....... nothing, where the hell are they? A simple trick like the changing spawnpoints of enemies can add a surprising amount to the lifespan of a game. L4d2 sounds like it's improving on this with the Director able to change the actual layout of the maps to a certain extent which, combined with more types of special infected will probably fix the few issues I have with it. Sorry my comments rambled for so long, just passing time waiting for the game to download from steam. Expand
  99. TimKeller
    Aug 15, 2009
    10
    Not many campaigns but the most addictive game out there. If you can only choose one game to play for a few months straight pick this. The only con is the free addons promised by Valve are coming in the form of part 2 for another $59 November 2009
  100. ZayneAnthony
    Aug 14, 2009
    10
    I'm not usually a big fan of Zombies, Horror or First Person Shooter, I usually stick to RPG's exclusively but played this with a friend on 360 and got hooked enough I bought it on PC (had $40 in-store credit at game stop, got this for $30 and put $10 down on L4D2 Preorder.). Over all a great game, I'm very happy with it, can't wait for the new DLC.
Metascore

Generally favorable reviews - based on 58 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 57 out of 58
  2. Negative: 0 out of 58
  1. 90
    There's absolutely no doubt that Left 4 Dead is one of the most social and exciting multiplayer games that we've ever played. It's almost pitch perfect in how it captures the tension and the action of a Hollywood zombie movie.
  2. 90
    The inventive and highly entertaining competitive multiplayer mode just adds to the experience, and we're looking forward to seeing what Valve's got planned for the game's future. Out of all the titles that have shaped the Year of Living Cooperatively, this may be the best experience of them all.
  3. 92
    One of the finest zombie games ever made, and one of the finest co-op games ever made. The potential for everything to go so, so wrong without warning, or conversely to pull off the most spectacular escapes against all odds, means this is an online shooter you can tell your finest anecdotes about without boring everyone else to tears.