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Left 4 Dead unleashes new Survival Mode, everybody dies
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Valve
For the record, the alternate headline for this one was "Left 4 Dead unleashes new Holy S--t Mode."
I’ll be honest…I’ve been starting to feel a little bit burned out towards certain elements of the campaign mode in “Left 4 Dead.” Even playing it a mere once or twice a week with my compadres on the “Thursday Night Fights” team (aka the Scooby Gang), I’ve been slowly falling out of love with the same old, same old of “Dead Air,” the waterfront showdown of “Death Toll,” and the homey cornfields of “Blood Harvest.” Don’t get me started on “No Mercy.” If I have to stand there one more time, mowing down zombies while waiting for that stupid elevator…
So, it’s with a certain irony that Valve/Steam has reinvigorated the whole shootin’ match by making me wait even longer, because in this week’s new “Survival Mode,” that elevator’s never coming. The new mode takes the “survive” (or is that “surviv”) out of “survivor” by trapping Bill, Francis, Zoey, and Lewis in all too familiar surroundings, this time with the usual escape routes cut off. The team fights against a never-ending supply of zombies, but also against the clock. Performance is rated on a bronze, silver, and gold medal scale, all based around how long your team can survive the onslaught. Achievement junkies will be thrilled to know that new badges have been added to correlate with each level of medal, as well as an achievement for playing the single all-new level, “The Last Stand.”
The bulk of the Survival levels borrow scenes from the four basic campaigns, but with fatalistic twists. The siege at the boathouse is here, but the escape boat’s never showing up. The rooftop escape from the truck yard plays out exactly the same until you try dropping into the warehouse only to find it in flames. The new level is a standout. “The Last Stand” pits the Survivors against the Horde at a lighthouse on the edge of a high cliff (in other words, nowhere to run). The roof and light tower are built around four levels of vertical elevation, which would seem to give you an eagle’s eye advantage…in theory. Once the clock (and the Horde) starts running, a choice spot on the lookout tower just gives you an opportunity to marvel at how well Tanks can climb. Despite a plethora of gas cans and propane tanks just waiting to be lit up, we never survived past the five minute mark. In a few cases, we spent longer setting out the gas cans and planning our “strategery” than we spent killing zombies (or more accurately, being killed by zombies). It was brutal, embarrassing, and unbelievably exhilarating.
In addition to increased numbers of the Hoarde, most of the familiar, friendly faces of the special infected are present and accounted for. Don’t waste your time worrying about whether or not a Tank is going to show up…it will, and it won’t make you wait. Every level we played unleashed Hunters, Boomers, and Smokers immediately, with a Tank showing up within the first minute of game play. One saving grace is that Survival mode isn’t about sneaking, and no sneaking means no Witches.
The length of game is another appealing aspect of the new mode. Whereas a standard campaign runs right around an hour, a round of Survival mode can be played in about ten minutes. (That’s ten hypothetical minutes, of course, since we never saw the far side of five.) Play strategies are also completely different. Where campaign mode was about making sure all four Survivors crossed the finish line, Survival mode is about doing whatever it takes to make sure at least one of you lasts longer than your previous best time. In campaign mode, you always go back for a fallen comrade. In Survival mode, that’s pretty much never a good idea. Sacrifice plays also present themselves. I found myself knocked to the ground by a Tank, overrun by the Hoarde, but lying next to a propane tank. One shot ended my game, but gained time and breathing room for the rest of the team.
It may not be the complete new campaign we were hoping for, but this new coat of paint and souped-up engine have made a new game out of the old. It’s certainly enough to tide us over until the arrival long awaited developers kit.
One important note: if you’ve read my Scooby-Doo theory of “Left 4 Dead,” you’re no doubt wondering what new moves are available for our group’s “Daphne.” Have no fear, “The Last Stand” is built atop a seaside cliff and last night “Daphne” was hard at work accidentally throwing our propane tanks into the sea.
Thanks to Roosterteeth and The Drunks for showing us how it's done!
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