What have you gotten yourself into?

October 26, 2012 - L4D Team

Three years after release, Left 4 Dead 2 is a massive game containing 13 Official Campaigns, 8 Game Modes and countless user created Campaigns and Mutations. It’s a lot to soak in over just one weekend so here is a breakdown of what’s included.

The original Left 4 Dead 2 campaigns take the four survivors, Coach, Nick, Ellis, and Rochelle from Savannah to possible safety in New Orleans. These campaigns are: Dead Center, Dark Carnival, Swamp Fever, Hard Rain, and The Parish. The Passing is an additional campaign fitting between Dead Center and Dark Carnival that introduces the L4D2 survivors to the gang from L4D1. Cold Stream is a non-cannon community campaign released as an official campaign.

With the release of Cold Stream, L4D2 now also includes the L4D1 campaigns which follow Bill, Zoey, Francis, and Louis through No Mercy, Crash Course, Death Toll, Dead Air, Blood Harvest, and the Sacrifice. The comic “The Sacrifice” takes place after Blood Harvest and through The Sacrifice campaign and beyond.

We suggest new players start with Campaign mode. This is a co-operative mode that pits four humans against the zombie apocalypse. Realism is a play on Campaign mode where some of the player aids are removed and difficulty heightened. Single player mode is campaign mode with computer AI companions instead of humans.

Versus is the main the competitive mode that pits human Survivors against the human controlled Special Infected. Players take turns playing each side as they go through the campaigns. Realism Versus removes aids for the Survivors.

Scavenge mode is a round based competitive mode that keeps score by how many gas cans you can recover.

Survival is a co-operative mode that tests to see how long you can hold out in one location.

Mutations are a play on the other modes with different rule sets based on the individual Mutations.

A good way to learn the different modes is to play with friends or helpful group. Join us this Saturday in the Official Left 4 Dead 2 Steam Group Chat to hookup with like minded players and give the different modes a try.

Left 4 Dead is more than just the game. Countless community made movies both live action and animated have been made to celebrate the game. Make sure to visit the Left 4 Dead 2 Game Hub and check some out.