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How Metascores Are Calculated
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Age of Pirates 2: City of Abandoned Ships
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed games. |
Fight together...or die alone. A new and highly virulent strain of the rabies virus emerges and spreads through the human population with frightening speed. The pandemic's victims become grotesquely disfigured, wildly violent psychopaths, attacking the uninfected on sight. One of the "lucky" few apparently immune to the sickness, you, unfortunately, are also trapped in a city crawling with thousands of the bloodthirsty Infacted. Together with a handful of fellow Survivors, you must fight your way to safety or die alone. A co-operative multiplayer action game from the makers of "Counter-Strike," Left 4 Dead is built atop the most advanced version of the Source Engine and introduces version 2 of Turtle Rock's artificial intelligence (A.I.) technology. [Turtle Rock Studios]
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more... 100
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YouGamers
Left 4 Dead is, above anything else, a fun and replayable co-op experience. Everything is elaborately designed to support the co-op gameplay and the moody zombie theme. So it doesn't have a heavily scripted 30-hour storyline with dozens of maps? Who cares! Refreshingly original and polished to the point of being a textbook case how to make a proper PC game.
94
PC Gamer
Left 4 Dead's emphasis on teamwork and vague hints of story may not appeal to gamers who demand a focused single-player experience, but for the millions out there who have ever imagined their role in the inevitable Zombie Apocalypse, it simply cannot be missed. [Jan 2009, p.30]
93
PC Gamer UK
It's got all the nail-biting high tension of a control point assault/defence of Team-Fortress 2, mixed with the tightly designed levels of Half-Life 2 and the weapons of Counter-Strike. As long as they keep introducing new missions, there's no reason why it won't be sucking on your bandwidth for years to come.
93
93
PC Zone UK
A monumental pillar in multiplayer gaming; playing it without yelping in delight is like eating a doughnut without licking your lips. [Jan 2009, p.54]
92
PC Format
Possibly too relentless for the less devout mouse-jockey, but it's astounding proof that being a brain-dead shooter is a very good thing. [Jan 2009, p.86]
92
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IGN UK
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.
91
Play.tm
There's so much tension and just pure fun to be had here that it is quite impossible to ignore, and if you're a player that craves genuine team cohesion then this could be one of the most enjoyable gaming experiences you've ever had. The only thing this game is missing is a G-String clad and rotting Jenna Jameson.
91
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Gamervision
90
90
Eurogamer
90
90
Wired
If you enjoy playing first-person shooters with a team of friends or even complete strangers, Left 4 Dead offers an unparalleled social experience. It can be frustrating at times when the team's actions aren't synced, or strategies continually falter, but a bit of practice and, more importantly, communication will transform this zombie massacre into one of the most exciting and addictive gaming experiences ever.
90
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Edge Magazine
Valve has taken something unscripted and dynamic, and seeded it with the right amount of narrative flavour, pacing and spectacle. [Christmas 2008, p.82]
90
90
GameSpy
90
Eurogamer Portugal
Left 4 Dead means fun and adrenaline in its SinglePlayer mode or in the phenomenal co-op Multiplayer, where only the lack of some more options blew the chances to seek new highs. It's like drugs, once you have it, it's impossible to drop. L4D is especially dedicated to all FPS fans who love pure and non-stop action.
90
Play (Poland)
Foaming at the mouth, with a mad glint in the eye and a trio of trusted friends watching your back - that's how it's played. And there's no stepping away from it. When the consensus was that there's hardly anything more to invent in the survival horror genre, Valve proved it wrong. No other game made me give the medikit to another player despite being hurt myself. [Jan 2009]
90
Pelit (Finland)
Valve hits gold again and turns zombie apocalypse into year’s best co-op-shooter. The tank doesn’t really fit the game, otherwise it’s a winner. [Jan 2009]
90
Total PC Gaming
Its bravery and stunning execution deserve plaudits while its addictive nature deserves a health warning. [Issue#15, p.58]
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GameStar
It's a playable zombie movie. Would you like to hunt down the infected or rather rip human flesh to shreds? What may look like a simple shooter turns out to be very challenging, scary and a lot of fun. The game may be short, but with great replay value and different ways to play like versus mode or co-op mode.
86
Gamers.at
If you love good stories and are seeking for a long and player-focused singleplayer experience, Left 4 Dead is definitely not the shooter for you to get this Christmas. If you consider yourself a multiplayer enthusiast who’s looking for a true, old-school coop shooter, on the other hand, this could well be your GotY!
86
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InsideGamer.nl
I really enjoyed playing Left 4 Dead, and will continue to do so for many more hours. My only complaint is the slight lack of content and different gaming modes. The AI controller guarantees a certain level of variation in gameplay, but the playable levels and types of enemies remain the same. Content wise the game would score an 8, but Left 4 Dead packs enough fun to raise that score half a point.
83
83
GameShark
80
PC PowerPlay
Whether or not L4D should form part of your gaming collection can be decided with your reaction to a single word: Zombies. If a little chill of excitement tingled down your spine right now, you know what to do. [January 2009, p.47]
80
GameDaily
Although we zipped through the four "movies" in less than five hours, we can't stop playing co-operatively with friends via online play and competing against others in the thrilling Survivors vs. Infected, a four-on-four multiplayer mode where monsters attempt to slaughter their gun-wielding adversaries.
80
Giant Bomb
Beyond its categorical success in establishing a vivid picture of the zombie apocalypse, Left 4 Dead's biggest breakthrough is the way it blurs the lines between the often compartmentalized pieces of a modern first-person shooter. It makes for a game that's unlike any other, and while the limited amount of content is admittedly unfortunate, that shouldn't keep you from experiencing this fast-paced, nerve-wracking game.
80
LEVEL (Czech Republic)
Hilarious survival horror – is it even possible? Missing singleplayer campaign is forgiven in the very first moment when you try “co-op or die” four-player mayhem. [Issue#173]
70
NZGamer
If you're a multiplayer fiend and like the thought of mowing down zombies with chainguns, this is definitely worth checking out. The thrill of obliterating hordes of screaming bad guys that just want to gobble up your brains really is quite unique and fun. Just don't expect to be getting very good value for money because there's really not very much inside the box.
Burton J gave it a10: Nikki J gave it a6: Ryan C gave it a10: Corvinous V gave it a7: Emery A gave it a10: B T gave it a10: P0nwz0r The Noob gave it a9: |
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