The original Left 4 Dead had a lot of things going for it from the get-go. Some players can argue that Left 4 Dead is inferior in some regards to its sequel, Left 4 Dead 2, which brought innovations to the table. However, Left 4 Dead has an irresistible charm that wasn’t replicated exactly for the sequel, nor has it been done better years later with new modern games in the same vein as the Left 4 Dead series.
Despite the more active player base on Left 4 Dead 2, and the fact that players can even go through the campaign maps with the original Left 4 Dead crew within that game, there are some things in the original Left 4 Dead that just cannot be taken from the original experience, and those things help to make Left 4 Dead better than its sequel in some ways.
6 Group Dynamic
The survivors in Left 4 Dead are often mismatched from a group of outcasts and different backgrounds. The survivors rarely have things in common, other than the fact that they have yet to be turned into flesh-eating zombies. The crew in Left 4 Dead 2 is iconic. No one can deny the status of Coach, Ellis, Nick, and Rochelle. However, there is something more charming about the original Left 4 Dead crew.
The Left 4 Dead survivors, Francis, Bill, Zoey, and Louis simply have more personality about them. Their interactions, emotions, and backgrounds are far more interesting. Even visually, the group seems more interesting. From a rogue biker, a rugged veteran, a scruffy businessman, and a college girl. The group dynamic in Left 4 Dead works because the characters are so vastly different, creating much better chemistry between the group of misfits.
5 Scarier Atmosphere
For the majority of Left 4 Dead, players are kept in the dark. Literally. The lighting, weather, and grogginess of the game all work in their favor to create a realistic and terrifying experience. Left 4 Dead 2 lends itself more to the cool factor of zombie killing, and has some pretty fun set pieces. Meanwhile, Left 4 Dead acts in the spirit of a horror game, and every new building that is engulfed in darkness and flame is horrific to take a step in.
The atmosphere in Left 4 Dead lends itself well to the game’s design. It makes for a scarier experience, even with friends, the game can terrify players as to what lurks around the corner, or what Witch’s sobs will players be victim to from within the dark. Meanwhile, Left 4 Dead 2 is rather peaceful and comedic, in terms of killing zombies in broad daylight.
4 Interesting Narrative
From the opening scenes of Left 4 Dead, the objective is clear. Players need to get to Mercy Hospital to evacuate and find safety from the evolving Green Flu that is turning the world into zombies. The story is simple, yet interesting thanks to the dynamic between characters, and the dangerous journeys they take to find sanctuary in a world that has been invaded by the undead of the flesh-eating variety.
The story is filled with intrigue and character motivation. Although Left 4 Dead’s story takes a back seat thanks to the exciting gameplay of ridding the world with zombies through many different weapons, it is still present, whereas the narrative of Left 4 Dead 2 is somewhat forgettable thanks to the joys of zombie killing with the interesting mods that turn them into Teletubbies.
3 The Sacrifice And Choice
On the topic of the narrative for Left 4 Dead, the game does extremely well in presenting sacrifice within gameplay. As the survivors make their daring last escape for freedom amongst the hordes, one of them has to go back and restart the generator. Fearless and heroic, Bill takes it upon himself, knowing that it will cost him his life.
This sacrifice was not seen in Left 4 Dead 2 from one of the characters, and it made Left 4 Dead all the more exciting knowing that one of the survivors had to die to progress the story. It was a tragedy that helped Bill save his friends at the cost of his own life. However, some secret choices allowed Bill to live, in a what-if type scenario.
2 Aggressive AI
The special infected in Left 4 Dead are relatively the same as in Left 4 Dead 2. However, these special infected seem far more aggressive and vengeful, truly out for the blood of the player and their allies. It’s not that the AI in Left 4 Dead 2 is stupider than from the previous game, but the original just had a difficulty that worked to make the game feel more challenging to those that wanted to fight the additional special enemy.
The aggressive AI found in Left 4 Dead’s maps also assisted the team’s AI, and not just the enemies. The team AI in Left 4 Dead would seek out weapons, picking what they believed would be the best. They would also explore near to the player, but take charge in some situations, whereas Left 4 Dead 2 they mainly stick to the player like glue, and don’t offer much of anything outside of a bodyguard.
1 No Mercy
The missions in the Left 4 Dead games are relatively the same. In each level, players run through a map, getting an array of kills as they venture from point A to point B in hopes of reaching the beautiful safety room that will keep them free from any disturbing enemy types that seek to take a bite of flesh. However, the No Mercy mission in Left 4 Dead is one of the best across both games in the series.
Players will scale rooftops, venture through destroyed apartment buildings, and find swarms of infected waiting in the city. This mission takes players across an array of fearful areas, like the sewer, subway, and finally the Mercy Hospital. It’s intense, fun, and a bundle of scary in one zombie-filled package.