Left 4 Dead 2

[doomed]

Platforms: PC, Xbox 360
Release Date: 17 November 2009

Preview: http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2009...e-rps-preview/
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XpzeK_YpGI
Gameplay video: http://uk.pc.ign.com/dor/objects/143...=2caeun2u0esue

[Vector]

Wow, that was quick.

[Stu]

Outstanding...but...

It's more L4D.5 than L4D2 to me. Would perhaps be better suited to being a map pack for the original.

And it's Valve, November 17th? Whatever!

[Vector]

Here's the quick summary: Left 4 Dead 2 will feature five new campaigns, as opposed to the original's four. Each campaign will have support for four-player co-op, as well as Versus mode and Survival mode. There is one new gameplay mode that is not being revealed at this time. There are four new characters, new weapons, entirely new melee weapons, and new items. On the flip side, there are new zombies, new special zombies, and a bunch of new gameplay mechanics designed to disrupt many of the tactics and exploits that players have discovered in the first game.

Left 4 Dead 2 is set in the American South; there's going to be more of a narrative thread that connects the campaigns this time around, as opposed to just the seemingly random campaigns of the first game. The story starts in Savannah and works its way to New Orleans. The Savannah campaign is intriguing because all Chet would say is that it's a city where the zombie infection hasn't hit yet. We played the New Orleans campaign, called The Parish. It represents the final map in the narrative: the goal is to battle your way through the city, including the famed French Quarter, to reach a military helicopter for extraction. In between, it sounds like there may also be a swamp-based campaign, but that's all we know for now.

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/988/988416p1.html

The first thing that surprised us about The Parish is that it takes place in full daylight. Yes, the zombies may like to come out at night, but they're apparently not indisposed to tearing your guts out in the middle of the day. While it's weird to be battling zombies while the sun is still up, it's certainly pretty; there's something about the friscalating dusklight that makes you want to stop shooting zombies for half a second and just soak it all in. Not every campaign is set during the day, but it does make for a nice change of atmosphere. It also affects the gameplay, as zombies can behave differently during the day. The biggest example of that is the Witch; during the night she likes to sit and cry. However, during the day she likes to wander around like a homeless old woman and cry, and that's a big recipe for trouble. Chet says that the Wandering Witch has a nasty habit of showing up at the worst possible times -- say the middle of a frenzied zombie horde. You might not even notice her until it's too late.

Ohhh shit.

[doomed]

Outstanding...but...

It's more L4D.5 than L4D2 to me. Would perhaps be better suited to being a map pack for the original.

And it's Valve, November 17th? Whatever!

It's Valve South aka Turtle Rock Studios.

Another preview: http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/988/988416p1.html

Now it might seem unusual for Valve to be rolling out a sequel to Left 4 Dead so quickly; after all, the original game shipped on November 18. The sequel is due out on November 17, almost one full year later. However, Valve's Chet Faliszek (known almost universally in the industry as just Chet) told us that when they finished production of Left 4 Dead last year many of the developers had ideas they wanted to pursue for a sequel. And since Valve employees get to choose their next project, it quickly paved the way for Left 4 Dead 2.

[Vector]

New Special Infected: the Charger.

While we're busy pouring on all the "good" news, let's mention the new zombies. There are going to be at least several new special zombies, though Valve is only talking about one for now: the Charger. The Charger is designed to defeat the tactic of the human players getting into a small room or other tight space and camping from there. Do that against the Charger, and you're in trouble, because he's a bull. He will get a good head of steam running and just slam into you; anyone he hits is knocked to the ground and vulnerable for a few seconds.

If the Charger also grabs hold of a survivor, he pile drives them into the ground repeatedly; the only way for the survivor to escape is for someone to help him. The Charger is not as tough as a tank, but he can take some damage. And while he's fast, he's not as maneuverable, so you can dodge him like a bullfighter dodging a bull. On a personal note, I can't tell you how many times the Charger caught me unaware from behind; one moment I was standing my ground and mowing down zombies and the next I was flying through the air. When a teammate yells out a Charger warning your head needs to be on a swivel.

I'm gonna miss Bill, Zoey and Francis. Louis? Not so much. 4 new characters:

You'll also play as four new characters. While Chet says that they still have great affection for the original Left 4 Dead four (Zoey, Francis, Louis, and Bill) and that they view them as the series' Gordon and Alyx (the central characters of Valve's Half-Life series), the new setting and campaigns demanded a new set of faces. So there's Nick, the guy in a flashy suit; Ellis, the mechanic; Rochelle, the girl; and Coach, the big guy. Rest assured that their dialogue and commentary is shaping up to be as fun and witty as before, and fans of HBO's The Wire might recognize one of the voices.

Nick, Ellis, Rochelle, and Coach.

[Stu]

It's Valve South aka Turtle Rock Studios.

So Valve then?

The same Valve that kept putting off the original release for as long as they could?

[BLSR1]

I'm very excited for this game.

This game has MORE content than it's predecessor. If they were reusing all the old weapons and characters, then I would doubt the need for a sequel. But because of the Additions, Gameplay changes, and new(better) story, this is a worthy sequel.

[Kronk]

I actually didn't like the original. Maybe this one will change my mind.

[Member_of_STARS]

Terrible move from Valves part. Very odd, but not unheard of. Im sure everyone remembers Half Life Source.

[Vector]

I don't think it's such a terrible move from a business standpoint. Why release a couple new campaign maps(like we were all led to believe they would) and special infected as DLC and charge $10-15 for it when you can throw all that stuff in with 4 new characters and a few new gameplay features and charge $60 for it?

[Member_of_STARS]

I don't think it's such a terrible move from a business standpoint. Why release a couple new campaign maps(like we were all led to believe they would) and special infected as DLC and charge $10-15 for it when you can throw all that stuff in with 4 new characters and a few new gameplay features and charge $60 for it?

Which is exactly why its a bad move.

[A-J]

I don't think it's such a terrible move from a business standpoint. Why release a couple new campaign maps(like we were all led to believe they would) and special infected as DLC and charge $10-15 for it when you can throw all that stuff in with 4 new characters and a few new gameplay features and charge $60 for it?

that's pretty much what it has to be, i mean they did charity by releasing a good sized expansion for free, it's only natural for them to charge full moneyz for the next thing.

[James]

a good sized expansion

You call THAT a good sized expansion?

[Neoblast]

Well, it's more like an upgrade...
If it was DLC it would take a lot of spaceso it makes sense...
Even though I think it's too soon to release a second part, the first one was in development for a loooooong time...