"Left 4 Dead" is zombified thrill ride

Left 4 Dead 2, the follow-up to the extremely successful Left 4 Dead, was released on Nov. 17, 2009 amidst some controversy.  Fans of the first installment worried that the sequel was rushed through development and wouldn't meet expectations.

I can say with certainty that these fears are unfounded.  Left 4 Dead 2 is the perfect sequel for fans of the first game.  It changes enough things to keep the game interesting and add to its replay value while remaining close enough to the original to keep its fan base happy.

Left 4 Dead 2 introduces 4 new survivors who travel from Georgia to Louisiana.  The new personalities are a nice addition, but they don't really impact the game that much.  The new locations, however, are quite satisfying.  Left 4 Dead 2 includes campaigns located in carnivals, swamps, malls and the city of New Orleans.  Some of the campaigns take place during the daytime, which is a much-needed improvement.  Left 4 Dead 2 also tinkers with the construction of the finales, breathing fresh life into a rather repetitive portion of the game.

Left 4 Dead 2 introduces three new zombie classes who don't really have that much impact on game play in Campaign Mode, but who revolutionize online multiplayer Versus Mode.  The Spitter spews acid that damages exponentially as survivors are exposed to it, eliminating the option for human players in Versus to camp in one location.  The Jockey grabs survivors and "rides" them away from their teammates and into danger.  Last, but certainly not least, is the Charger, who is capable of rushing an entire group of survivors, knocking them back, grabbing a survivor, and ramming them against the ground.  These three additions make playing as the infected online much more enjoyable, especially when playing against more experience players.

Other than these special infected, Left 4 Dead 2 also includes specific infected for each map.  For instance, during the Dark Carnival campaign, the survivors must defend themselves against zombie clowns.

The survivors are given a few new toys of their own, including new melee weapons, Boomer bile, adrenaline shots, new guns and defibrillator packs.  The best melee weapon, the chainsaw, is capable of sawing through an entire horde by itself, but it does run out of gas eventually.  Boomer bile attracts the horde much like a pipe bomb that doesn't explode.  Adrenaline shots give the player a temporary boost in health, much like pills, and the ability to move very quickly for a short period of time.  The defibrillator packs are pretty useless during the campaign, but they do bring dead survivors to life, which is helpful when trying to score points in Versus.

While the additions may seem extensive, the game play is exactly the same.  You still have to make it to safe houses, you still have to protect your teammates, and you still have to find a way to survive finales.  Left 4 Dead 2 simply improves the weak points of the original game and makes it more enjoyable to play.

There are a few drawbacks, of course.  The first campaign is the worst of the series, and starts off the game very poorly.  I was disappointed after playing it, and had to force myself to play the next campaign.  The campaigns' non-linear layout can make them frustrating to play at times, and, in one campaign, you actually go back the way you came (only through a torrential downpour).  The Charger is a fun special infected to use, but he's hard to control and doesn't have a lot of hit points.  The sequel does little to expand on the story line and doesn't explain anymore about the origins of the zombie apocalypse than the first game did.

That being said, however, Left 4 Dead 2 is a fantastic sequel to a great series, and one that will certainly be enjoyed by Left 4 Dead fans and new players alike.