Left 4 Dead: Don't Play It Alone

Despite it being one of the most anticipated games of the year, Valve's upcoming Left 4 Dead isn't a game you should play alone - and not because all those zombies are so damned scary.

So says Patrick Klepek of MTV Multiplayer, who had a chance to sample the game's single-player mode at the recent Penny Arcade Expo. He's already spent some time with the survival horror zombie-fest, he said, but this was his first chance to square off against the undead with only computer-controlled allies at his side.

Describing the A.I. as "functional," Klepek said, "[Computer-controlled characters] faithfully follow you, firing at the surrounding zombie hordes and applying health patches when you're wounded. My A.I. allies didn't get lost or stuck in hallways. The A.I. accomplished what it needed to." Despite that technical competence, however, Klepek added that the one thing the A.I. couldn't do is "compensate for the absence of human-controlled allies."

"Left 4 Dead was designed as a co-op experience among four players," he said. "You lose much of what makes the game tense and exciting without someone to scream at. When one of your A.I. teammates goes down for the count because they took a wrong turn, you don't feel compelled to throw yourself into danger and save them. It's easier to keep moving forward and save yourself."

Of course, this shouldn't come as a big surprise to anyone. Games are designed as either single-player or multiplayer experiences, and as such are inherently stronger as one or the other. Did anyone really come away from Quake 3: Arena satisfied with the single-player mode? Conversely, the multiplayer patch for System Shock 2 turned that game from a tense, moody (and so damned awesome) thriller into some half-assed run-and-gun that nobody really cared about. Left 4 Dead is a multiplayer game, so why would you play it any other way?

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Well, do I play on 360 and get screamy 10 year old allies? Or do I play on PC and get lag... decisions decisions.

Or do you LAN?

I really can't wait for this game, I'm not one for let's say scary games but this I hope turns out really well. I'll probably get it for the pc though, I mean it'll be cheaper and there's the opportunity for mods.

sirdanrhodes:
Well, do I play on 360 and get screamy 10 year old allies? Or do I play on PC and get lag... decisions decisions.

Or do you get friends to play with over live. That's my choice. I am guessing you wont hesitate to leave behind dick heads over live either.

as always a case of human brain > AI dumbasses
seriously its like army of two you get shot in coop instantly dragged to cover and healed. wheras the AI will drag you in a friggin circle lettings enemies shoot the crap out of you
im not exactly hyped over this game but i sure as hell would never play it with anyone off of my friends list

Coop is so much fun. Have any of you ever played Sven Coop Mod for Half Life? So much fun fighting the NPCs while listening to MP3s...

This really isn't a surprise. They probably haven't improved their AI routines much since Condition Zero...

Guys... It said the AI was good, not Army of Two terrible. Just thought I'd point that out.

Describing the A.I. as "functional," Klepek said, "[Computer-controlled characters] faithfully follow you, firing at the surrounding zombie hordes and applying health patches when you're wounded. My A.I. allies didn't get lost or stuck in hallways. The A.I. accomplished what it needed to." Despite that technical competence, however, Klepek added that the one thing the A.I. couldn't do is "compensate for the absence of human-controlled allies."

So the AI can get the job done, but the real fun from this game is the interaction of several people playing together. For example, 4 people fighting for who gets to pick up the shotgun will zombies claw down the door.

Slycne, you have a unique definition of "co-op" :P

I, too, am wondering if I should pick this game up on Steam or for the 360. I'm about to re-purchase TF2 over Steam because the matchmaking interface and community is so terrible on the Xbox. It will definitely look worse on my computer, but it might be worth the sacrifice.

Ice-Nine meant to say...:
It might look worse on my computer, but it will definitely be worth the sacrifice.

There, FTFY.

Well "4" is right there in the title

A friend and I are both looking forward to L4D and are going to get it at its release. We plan on playing together. We also plan on looking up some dudes on Live who we know are reliable and are pretty sure to get the game as well.

Slycne:

Describing the A.I. as "functional," Klepek said, "[Computer-controlled characters] faithfully follow you, firing at the surrounding zombie hordes and applying health patches when you're wounded. My A.I. allies didn't get lost or stuck in hallways. The A.I. accomplished what it needed to." Despite that technical competence, however, Klepek added that the one thing the A.I. couldn't do is "compensate for the absence of human-controlled allies."

So the AI can get the job done, but the real fun from this game is the interaction of several people playing together. For example, 4 people fighting for who gets to pick up the shotgun will zombies claw down the door.

You know it's gonna happen. Teamkilling to get the shotgun.

Anyways, what I want to know is how many players can play on one xbox... 2 or 4. This is basically the make or break for me.

Eggo:

sirdanrhodes:
Well, do I play on 360 and get screamy 10 year old allies? Or do I play on PC and get lag... decisions decisions.

How is your lag platform dependent?

It's probably becasue of his/hers pc is a bit slow, rather than pc's general.

On topic, bots in a multiplayergame is generally just there to help you getting started. In this case, its only really there to fill out player slots if someone logs off, or if there aren't enough players on the server. So im not worried to much about the player AI, since the hype around the game will make sure most of the servers will be full.

Good thing I've got 3 friends buying this on the day of release too, those zombies won't stand a chance!

I don't get the point. Not play it alone, because you don't have someone to scream at? My, my, another case of chronical brain matter loss.
The game is awesome though. And I hope there will be multi-player and local co-op on the Xbox 360.

Playing with friends more fun than AI bots. Film at eleven.

I say get it on the 360 so i don't get left 4 dead with all the squeaky voice boys. Or just convince 4 of your more reserved friends on XBL to make the purchase with you. hey but who am i to tell you what to do.

Captin Planet:
I say get it on the 360 so i don't get left 4 dead with all the squeaky voice boys. Or just convince 4 of your more reserved friends on XBL to make the purchase with you. hey but who am i to tell you what to do.

You know, it's really not nice for everyone to point out this stuff.
I'm thirteen, okay! My voice hasn't changed yet, OKAY! AND NO MATTER HOW MANY ANNOYING KIDS YOU'VE PLAYED WITH, DON'T STEROTYPE US, OKAY!

Sorry, I'm just sick of people saying this shit, I try not to be annoying and it seems to work out for me, why can't others do it?

I don't know if I should get this game. One hand: ZOMBIES!
But on the other, I'll have to keep dragging my friends over to play it. Sometimes I just wanna kill some zombies by myself.

Spartan Bannana:

Captin Planet:
I say get it on the 360 so i don't get left 4 dead with all the squeaky voice boys. Or just convince 4 of your more reserved friends on XBL to make the purchase with you. hey but who am i to tell you what to do.

You know, it's really not nice for everyone to point out this stuff.
I'm thirteen, okay! My voice hasn't changed yet, OKAY! AND NO MATTER HOW MANY ANNOYING KIDS YOU'VE PLAYED WITH, DON'T STEROTYPE US, OKAY!

Sorry, I'm just sick of people saying this shit, I try not to be annoying and it seems to work out for me, why can't others do it?

you forget we were all 13 and had a squeaky voice at one stage in life, don't take it so personally bro. I'm sure if your respectful on xbl then you get respect back. but there are some kids often around your age who wont shut up and have no respect for others. and if people give you a hard time just for your voice than they are just pricks and you should ignore them.

HomeAliveIn45:
Well "4" is right there in the title

OOOOH! I just got that.

I've said it befroe on another thread but I'll say it again here, if the game desperately requires the presence of four human players, then that also means that they all have to co-operate (four strangers on Xbox Live co-operating? fat chance).

Unless you play with friends you'll probably be better off playing alone with the AI since they won't throw a tantrum because no-one wants to help them with an achivement or give them the biggest gun.

This game sounds good in theory, but it'll probably have a few crippling hic-ups on the way.

just wondering... if the game is marketed as a 4 player co-op game why would you go out and buy it to just play it by yourself?

I NEED to get this haha :p.

Kukakkau:
as always a case of human brain > AI dumbasses

you say that now, but one day they'll be in control
just you wait

Thats why me and my friend Jim plan to fight the undead together. For we plan to be ready when the zombies take over.