Preview: Back 4 Blood is everything a Left 4 Dead fan could want
One of the most anticipated games coming out in 2021 is Back 4 Blood, the spiritual successor to the co-op zombie shooter series Left 4 Dead made by many of its original developers. Left 4 Dead’s huge variety of weapons, zombie types, and the game’s AI director that altered zombie spawns and available supplies in each level based on player performance all helped make each of its campaigns incredibly fun to replay. Turtle Rock Studios is looking to recapture the magic of that formula with Back 4 Blood, while also iterating on it by adding a dynamic card-based loadout system to the mix alongside modern gunplay and improved level design.
Curious to see how the game was coming along since I last checked it out during the Back 4 Blood Closed Alpha preview period, I hopped into a beta build of the game that Windows Central was invited to test out ahead of the full Back 4 Blood open beta that’s starting this week. After playing for several hours, I feel confident in saying that Back 4 Blood is nothing short of excellent and is offering everything a Left 4 Dead fan could ask for.
A classic formula gets better
Source: Windows Central
The best way I can describe Back 4 Blood is that it’s essentially everything players love about the Left 4 Dead experience, but better. The arcade-style gunplay is nothing short of phenomenal thanks to how snappy and responsive it is, and there are a large amount of different weapons available to choose from and come across as you traverse each level (there are plenty of attachments you can find out in the wild for your guns, too).
The snappy arcade-style gunplay is nothing short of phenomenal.
The way the levels are designed is great as well. Carefully-designed chokepoints force players to cooperate and clear each area strategically — Left 4 Dead’s levels were a lot easier to exploit in comparison, which led to the development of speedrunning strategies that I found boring.
To me, the reason why co-op zombie shooters are enticing is because it’s fun to kill the undead with your buddies, not because I want to bolt for the safe room as fast as I possibly can. Back 4 Blood does a good job of making sure that you can’t just blitz past its arenas, and I love that.
It’s all in the cards
Source: Windows Central
These cards add another nuanced layer of dynamic gameplay to the experience.
Everything explained so far is standard for zombie co-op shooters, but how does the game’s card-based loadout system fit into the mix? Before each campaign, players have an opportunity to create a deck of different cards that alter their stats and abilities in combat. For example, some cards give you extra stamina so you can sprint for longer periods of time before getting tired, while others improve how quickly or how much you can heal you and your allies. Some cards also give you more ammo capacity, faster reload speeds, or the ability to heal on kill when your health is low. There are a ton of different cards to choose from, and you’re encouraged to make a deck that best suits your playstyle.
Once you load into a level, you’re then given the opportunity to pick a randomly selected card from your deck to activate. As you progress through campaigns and make your way to new levels, you’ll be given more and more cards to activate so that you become stronger and stronger over time.
There’s a catch, though — the “Ridden” zombie hordes can use cards of their own, and these can drastically shift the gameplay flow of a level. Sometimes the Ridden will use a card that makes their body more durable, forcing you to focus on landing critical hits. Other times a card will blanket an entire level in fog, making it harder to see incoming zombie hordes from range. These cards add another nuanced layer of dynamic gameplay to the experience, making Back 4 Blood feel even more replayable than its predecessor.
Control the swarm
Source: WB Games
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to play Swarm due to a combination of technical and scheduling issues present in the gameplay session we were invited to, but everything I’ve seen of the mode so far indicates that it’s just as strategic and intense as the PvE campaigns. I hope that the full game includes a campaign version of the PvP that brings the action to Back 4 Blood’s excellently-crafted levels, but at the moment the developers haven’t confirmed whether or not it will have one.
Final thoughts
Source: Windows Central
Even if the game doesn’t end up having a Campaign Versus-style PvP mode, I think it’s going to be fantastic, and it may even end up becoming one of the best Xbox games ever.
We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.
Xbox Game Pass for PC is not good enough
Xbox Game Pass is a great service, as long as you’re on an Xbox console. Xbox Game Pass for PC represents a huge opportunity for Microsoft, but the service’s general quality betrays its potential in a big way.
These are the best gaming mice for folks with large hands
A great gaming mouse is important for anyone looking to get into PC gaming. However, if you have large hands, you may struggle to find a mouse that feels comfortable for you. Thankfully, there are plenty of plus-sized mouse options on the market.