Awards
Maximum PC Gaming Awards
Game of the Year
"Left 4 Dead pushes gaming forward with the one-two punch of visceral co-op gameplay empowered by the AI Director, which dynamically alters the action. An achievement to be lauded."
Bit-Tech.net
Game of the Year
"With a fantastic multiplayer, co-operative and singleplayer experience and so much replayability that you probably won’t need another game for years, Left 4 Dead is undoubtedly our game of the year - and yours as well."
Destructoid
Best Video Game of 2008
"Valve has made an unforgettable co-op experience and one of the best multiplayer titles I have had the opportunity of playing."
Onion AV Club
Best Video Game of 2008
"In the wake of this masterful flesh-feast, the measure of a multiplayer game may be judged by real-world fatigue felt after a match."
Kotaku's 2008 Game of the Year Awards
Best Multiplayer
"In a world where games tack-on multiplayer modes to single-player campaigns as an afterthought, Left 4 Dead is a breath of fresh zombie flesh."
GameSpot Best of 2008 Editors' Choice Awards
Best Shooter
"With two fantastic flavors of apocalyptic action, Left 4 Dead offers an incredibly engaging, constantly renewable gameplay experience that distinguishes it as the Best Shooter of 2008."
Best Cooperative Multiplayer
"This intense team dynamic is what sets Left 4 Dead apart; it is so natural and so immersive that you become completely absorbed in the action and forget that you are playing a game."
IGN.com's Best of 2008
360 - Best Online Multiplayer
"Valve leads the way yet again. "
PC – Best Shooting Game
"Left 4 Dead offers a constantly changing, always hair-raising experience as your squad must dynamically react to assaults and occasionally tangle with more powerful boss zombies and their special powers."
PC – Best Use of Sound
"There are things that go bump in the night, and those things are contained within Valve's zombie-killing shooter."
PC – Best Multiplayer Game
"When compared to other multiplayer games released this year, Left 4 Dead simply offers an unparalleled sense of online immersion."
GameSpy Game of the Year '08
PC Action Game of the Year
Third Place, Top 10 PC Games of the Year
"Left 4 Dead is maddeningly fun when played competitively, with one team as zombies and the other as survivors. In short, it's a preeminent Valve game, and one that explores an enticing new competency for the studio. We'll be playing this game for years to come."
Joystiq's Top 10 of 2008
"A good match of Left 4 Dead is a singular experience, one that created its own vocabulary, its own codes of action nearly overnight."
The Edge Awards 2008
Best Online Experience
"No online game has created such a powerful sense of collective responsibility before, or told us which of our friends we should rely on when the zombie apocalypse inevitably arrives."
Team Xbox Game of the Year Awards 2008
Best Multiplayer
"Left 4 Dead does it right, really right, and throws a competitive mode in that allows players to compete as the zombies. Valve, have you been reading my dream diary?"
Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences 12th Annual Awards
Outstanding Achievement in Online Game Play
Computer Game of the Year
2008 Video Game Awards (Spike TV)
Best PC Game
Best Multiplayer Game
X-Play's Best of 2008 Awards (G4TV)
Best Multiplayer Game
Best Shooter
Gamervision's 2008 "Best Ever" Awards
2008 Shooter of the Year
"Combining their unrivaled FPS controls with the insanity and chaos of the zombie apocolypse, Valve's Left 4 Dead came out guns blazing to claim the 2008 Best shooter Ever."
2008 Multiplayer Game of the Year
"When the entire goal of the game is putting the team with the best chances of survival together, you have to be this year's Best Multiplayer Game Ever."
GameStooge Awards
Best Sound
"From the gurgling, belching of a Boomer to the coughing, gagging noise of a Smoker, if you wanted to succeed at Left 4 Dead, you needed to be all-ears, especially when the blaring trumpet indicated a horde rush."
Best Writing
"The cleverness of the "script" and the dialogue, and the uniqueness of each story just won the award for Left 4 Dead over more conventional storytelling."
Best Online Gameplay
"This game is just fun! Regardless of how you're playing it - through Steam or on Xbox Live - creating and jumping into games is seamless and simple, and I've never had to worry about lag or timing out with it. Combine this with the excellent zombie-killing gameplay, and you have a winner, hands down!"
IDGs Gamestar Awards (Germany)
Best Multiplayer Shooter of 2008
Gamona Leser-Award 2008 (Germany)
Besten Multiplayer-Modus
(Best Multiplayer)
Variety
One of the Top 10 Video Games of 2008
"Every single element of "Left 4 Dead," from the level design to the resource distribution to the menus to the integration of zombie movie tropes to the dynamic A.I. not only encourages, but compels cooperative gameplay. They also make it the most genuinely scary interactive experience of 2008."
New York Daily News
One of the Top 10 Video Games of 2008
Seattle Examiner
Best Writing in a Game
"The truest example of the old saying "less is more". 'L4D' is completely devoid of any narrative. Their is no written story here. Instead the game is presented as an experience, with the game's story being the one you tell your friends who were'nt involved in last nights gaming session. The story you make in 'Left 4 Dead' is far better than anything that might be forced upon you."
New York Times
Best Zombies
Left 4 Dead Reviews
New York Times: "Left 4 Dead is by far this year’s best online multiplayer shooter... One of the best zombie games yet."
The Armchair Empire: "The best cooperative gaming experience I've ever played." (10/10)
JoyStiq: "You need to get this. I've played almost everything this holiday season, and a good Left 4 Dead match is one of the few experiences that will be added to the gamer vocabulary, a touchstone that no discussion of co-op gaming in the coming years will omit."
Resolution Magazine UK: "It’s a high-octane, adrenaline-pumping thrill ride of a shooter, with all the sparkle and polish of a Valve masterpiece. … Left 4 Dead is an absolute classic of multiplayer action gaming." (92/100)
Variety: "Left 4 Dead, the newest masterwork from acclaimed developer Valve Software, uses the familiar conventions of zombie pics to immerse players in the most innovative multiplayer videogame since pioneers Quake and Doom."
MAXIM: Buy it and get infected." (4.5/5 stars)
MAXIM UK: "Zombie-frying genius."
Stuff Magazine NZ:: "Great fun." (4.5/5 stars)
Entertainment Weekly: "Left 4 Dead may riff on the premise of schlocky B-movie tropes, but it joins rarefied air of A-list titles." (A-)
CraveOnline.com: "Left 4 Dead is incredible. It's addictive and glorious. You'll love every minute you spend with the title." (9.5/10)
USA Today: "The tense action and imaginative team mechanics leave Valve with the one of the best cooperative shooters."
The Escapist: "If the game industry's approach to co-op changes in the next couple years, we'll look back at Left 4 Dead as the game that changed it. ...It's fun as hell."
Time Out New York: "L4D really grabs by crafting a genuinely scary experience." (5/6 stars)
JustPressPlay: "Left 4 Dead is an amazingly fun and entertaining game. I recommend that everyone buy this title as soon as they can.a" (9.5/10)
YouGamers: "Buy Left 4 Dead. You won't be disappointed." (95%)
2004.org: "Left 4 Dead is simply spectacular." (9.3/10)
Play.TM: "Ultimately you simply must give Left 4 Dead your time. ...This could be one of the most enjoyable gaming experiences you've ever had." (91%)
Gaming Nexus: "Get three of your close friends and free the world of the infected, one bullet at a time." (A-)
Geek.com: "Left 4 Dead has just pushed aside, in my mind at least, Resident Evil 4 and Dead Rising as the greatest zombie game of all time."
Game Over Online: "Left 4 Dead is easily one of this year's must-have games." (91%)
San Francisco Chronicle: "Left 4 Dead is engaging and heart pumping for endless play."
Worth Playing: "Left 4 Dead is a shining example of zombies done right in a video game." (9/10)
Slapstic.com: "I've played Left 4 Dead in every conceivable form, and I'm totally convinced that it's one of the greatest multiplayer games ever made."
CinemaBlend: "No other shooter offers this depth of cooperative gameplay. Within the crowded shooter market, Left 4 Dead created a unique niche for itself." (4.5/5 stars)
Destructiod: "Left 4 Dead is literally the best the genre has ever seen." (8.5/10)
411Mania.com: "Game of the Year hands down." (9.1/10)
AceGamez: "Left 4 Dead is a truly monumental achievement, not only for Valve but for the games industry as a whole - this is what the concept of co-operative play is all about and this is the definitive implementation of it thus far." (9/10)
Game Planet: "Valve's much anticipated Zombie game is a co-op experience not to be missed." (8.5/10)
GotGame.com: "...A thoroughly enjoyable, fast-paced shooter that is absolutely perfect for fans of co-op games or zombies."
Ars Technica: "This is a game you need to own."
G4TV: "Fast zombies? Check. Non-stop tension and intensity? Check. The quality of gameplay we expect from Valve? Check." 5/5 stars
PC Gamer: "You'll go back and play the same map again and again . . . No two run-throughs of Left 4 Dead are the same." 9.3/10
1UP.com: "I love this damn game." (A-)
Game Informer: "...The multiplayer experience of the year. One of video games' most imaginative, visceral, and indecently impactful experiences." (9.25/10)
Kotaku: "I'm addicted. It's rare that I enjoy a game this much from the get-go. This is a brilliant, tightly executed shooter that feels fresh and exciting."
Gamespot: "...A remarkably fun, excitingly tense game that will make you want to revisit the apocalypse again and again." (8.5/10)
The Onion AV Club: "A redefining moment for the survival-horror genre." (A-)
Wired.com: "...One of the most exciting and addictive gaming experiences ever."
MS XBOX World: "Left 4 Dead is THE best game I've played in years, and offers one of the best new multiplayer experiences available on the market. Bravo, Valve, game of the year in my books." (10/10)
GamerVision: "Left4Dead gives the best cooperative experience in gaming, hands down. Nothing compares." (9/10)
Maximum PC: "Left 4 Dead didn't just meet our high expectations for the zombie apocalypse, it exceeded them." 10/10
Official Xbox Magazine: "Left 4 Dead presents the zombie apocalypse the way we always hoped it would be: filled with non-stop tension and continuous carnage." 9.5/10
IGN UK: "One of the finest zombie games ever made, and one of the finest co-op games ever made." 9.2/10
GamePro: "I can't recommend Left 4 Dead highly enough." (Editors Choice Award)
VideoGamer.com: "Left 4 Dead is a game you simply can't pass up." (9/10)
Game Stooge: "This is a game for anyone who loves playing co-op - there isn't a better game this side of Halo 3 for four player co-op insanity." 5/5 stars
Edge Magazine (Christmas 2008 Issue): "Left 4 Dead stands among the very best that online gaming has to offer."
ShackNews: "Left 4 Dead may be the best co-op experience of my gaming life."
TeamXbox: "...A great blend of survival/horror and FPS action." (9.1/10)
GameSpy: "Left 4 Dead has actually been built from the ground up specifically for co-op play, and the resulting product is one of the most intense, enjoyable gaming experiences to date. Best of all, it gets exponentially better with every human player that's added, to the point that playing with three of your friends is close to gaming nirvana." (4.5/5)
IGN.com: "Left 4 Dead is one of the most social and exciting multiplayer games that we've ever played. It's almost pitch perfect in how it captures the tension and the action of a Hollywood zombie movie. This is an incredible and highly replayable multiplayer experience." (9.0/10)
Left 4 Dead Press
The Stranger (11/12/08) : "L4D is loaded with memorable moments, but the most impressive come when 30 or 40 zombies run at your crew, their arms flailing, their cries growing in the distance. No shooting game has delivered this level of mass enemy terror since Doom, and while newer games since have tried copying the original, L4D's the first to outdo it in terms of sensation."
Game Daily (11/11/08): "We simply can't wait for Left 4 Dead. Whether you're going at it alone or with friends, you'll have a blast."
Ars Technica (11/11/08): "I absolutely cannot wait."
EuroGamer (11/11/08): "...Overwhelmingly fun."
IGN (11/11/08): "Valve, online multiplayer and brain-thirsty zombies? Yes, please."
GameSpot (11/10/08): "...Immensely satisfying."
Rock Paper Shotgun (11/04/08): "...A horror action game with the tension interrupted with moments of ludicrous intensity . . . Blimey, it's a lot of fun."
1UP (10/17/08): "...Whether running and gunning with friends or killing people with disgustingly crude zombie attacks, what more could a gamer ask for?"
Left 4 Dead Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) Awards
Left 4 Dead has earned numerous awards coming out of this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angles, California . Many media outlets are still publishing their "Best Of E3" stories, but here's a quick look at the honors earned so far:
E3 Game Critics Awards: Left 4 Dead wins Best Online Multiplayer game.
Kotaku.com: Kotaku's Best of E3 Picks: Best PC Game, Best Action Game, Best Online Multiplayer Game
NY Times: The World's a Stage for Interactive Entertainment as Creativity Glows
1up.com: 1UP's Best of E3 2008
UGO.com: Best PC Game - Left 4 Dead
UGO.com: Best Mutiplayer Game
IGN.com: Best Multiplayer Experience
PlanetXbox: Best First Person Action Gaming
PlatformNation.com: Best Game of Show
Maxim: The 5 Unsung Games of E3 2008
Venture Beat: Top 10 Sleepers of the Show
Left 4 Dead E3 Coverage
During the recent Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angles, California , Left 4 Dead was playable for journalist and industry folk in a dedicated suite. Here's a recap of the written and video impressions:
ActionTrip: Left 4 Dead Hands-On Preview
AtomicGamer.com: E3 08 Preview
Buttonmasher.co.nz: Left 4 Dead Hands On Preview
Destructoid: E3 08: Left 4 Dead is frighteningly amazing
G4's Xplay: Hand-On Left 4 Dead
Gamespot: E3 2008: Left 4 Dead Updated Hands-On
Gamespot TV: Left 4 Dead Stage Show Demo
Gamernode.com: E3 2008: Left 4 Dead direct feed video preview
Game Informer: E3 '08: Nick's Take On The Week
GamingExcellence.com: E3 2008: Left 4 Dead Preview
TheHachiko.com: E3 2008 Preview: 'Left 4 Dead' (PC)
Jeuxvideo.tv: Left 4 Dead en Vidéo
Ripten: Hands-On: Left 4 Dead
Shacknews: Shack Editor Left 4 Dead in New Footage of Valve Zombie Shooter
Shacknews: Left 4 Dead E3 Preview: New Characters, New Weapons, New Details
The Escapist: E3 2008: Left 4 Dead Hands-on
Tiscali.cz: Left 4 Dead - E3 dojmy
Tom's Games: E3 08: Left 4 Dead Hands-On Preview
MaximumPC: E3 2008: Left 4 Dead Interview. New Graphics, Weapons, and Steam Achievement Details
MPOGD.com: E3 2008 Preview: Left 4 Dead - PC
MTV.com: Valve's 'Left 4 Dead' Feels Finished, Very Scary
Kotaku: Left 4 Dead Multiplayer Video - Frighteningly Good
PlatformNation.com: Left 4 Dead Interview and Gameplay Video
Xbox360Fanboy.com: E3 08: Hands On: Left 4 Dead [update]
Gamecyte.com: E3 2008: Valve Interview: Left 4 Dead and Team Fortress, Too
Gametrailers.com: E3 2008: Developer Walkthrough
GamingShogun.com: E3 2008 - Interview With Doug Lombardi Regarding Left 4 Dead
SarcasticGamer.com: E3 2008 Hands-on: Left 4 Dead
KeenandGraev.com: E3: Left 4 Dead Info and Video
Palgn.com.au: E3 2008: Left 4 Dead Preview
VoodooExtreme: Left 4 Dead Hands-on
WorthPlaying: Preview PC Preview - 'Left 4 Dead'
Left 4 Dead in San Francisco
On Monday, May 12, Left 4 Dead made an appearance at another EA sponsored press event in San Francisco . Some of the reporting from that event may be found here:
Gametap: "Two idiots bumble their way through Valve's zombie outbreak."
Kotaku: Hands-on Impressions
MTV Multiplayer: 'Left 4 Dead' Is The Online Zombie Game That 'Resident Evil: Outbreak' Wanted To Be
Gamespot: Interview with Valve's Doug Lombardi with Left 4 Dead footage
Gamespy: L4D Preview
IGN: Interview — Valve's Doug Lombardi
Joystiq: Hands-on — Left 4 Dead
Spring 2008 London Press Events
L4D was recently shown at an extremely well attended press event in Islington, on the north end of London. Here are a few samples of what the press had to say about the game:
Maximum PC Gaming Awards
"Left 4 Dead pushes gaming forward with the one-two punch of visceral co-op gameplay empowered by the AI Director, which dynamically alters the action. An achievement to be lauded."
Bit-Tech.net
"With a fantastic multiplayer, co-operative and singleplayer experience and so much replayability that you probably won’t need another game for years, Left 4 Dead is undoubtedly our game of the year - and yours as well."
Destructoid
"Valve has made an unforgettable co-op experience and one of the best multiplayer titles I have had the opportunity of playing."
Onion AV Club
"In the wake of this masterful flesh-feast, the measure of a multiplayer game may be judged by real-world fatigue felt after a match."
Kotaku's 2008 Game of the Year Awards
"In a world where games tack-on multiplayer modes to single-player campaigns as an afterthought, Left 4 Dead is a breath of fresh zombie flesh."
GameSpot Best of 2008 Editors' Choice Awards
"With two fantastic flavors of apocalyptic action, Left 4 Dead offers an incredibly engaging, constantly renewable gameplay experience that distinguishes it as the Best Shooter of 2008."
"This intense team dynamic is what sets Left 4 Dead apart; it is so natural and so immersive that you become completely absorbed in the action and forget that you are playing a game."
IGN.com's Best of 2008
"Valve leads the way yet again. "
"Left 4 Dead offers a constantly changing, always hair-raising experience as your squad must dynamically react to assaults and occasionally tangle with more powerful boss zombies and their special powers."
"There are things that go bump in the night, and those things are contained within Valve's zombie-killing shooter."
"When compared to other multiplayer games released this year, Left 4 Dead simply offers an unparalleled sense of online immersion."
GameSpy Game of the Year '08
Third Place, Top 10 PC Games of the Year
"Left 4 Dead is maddeningly fun when played competitively, with one team as zombies and the other as survivors. In short, it's a preeminent Valve game, and one that explores an enticing new competency for the studio. We'll be playing this game for years to come."
Joystiq's Top 10 of 2008
The Edge Awards 2008
"No online game has created such a powerful sense of collective responsibility before, or told us which of our friends we should rely on when the zombie apocalypse inevitably arrives."
Team Xbox Game of the Year Awards 2008
"Left 4 Dead does it right, really right, and throws a competitive mode in that allows players to compete as the zombies. Valve, have you been reading my dream diary?"
Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences 12th Annual Awards
Computer Game of the Year
2008 Video Game Awards (Spike TV)
Best Multiplayer Game
X-Play's Best of 2008 Awards (G4TV)
Best Shooter
Gamervision's 2008 "Best Ever" Awards
"Combining their unrivaled FPS controls with the insanity and chaos of the zombie apocolypse, Valve's Left 4 Dead came out guns blazing to claim the 2008 Best shooter Ever."
"When the entire goal of the game is putting the team with the best chances of survival together, you have to be this year's Best Multiplayer Game Ever."
GameStooge Awards
"From the gurgling, belching of a Boomer to the coughing, gagging noise of a Smoker, if you wanted to succeed at Left 4 Dead, you needed to be all-ears, especially when the blaring trumpet indicated a horde rush."
"The cleverness of the "script" and the dialogue, and the uniqueness of each story just won the award for Left 4 Dead over more conventional storytelling."
"This game is just fun! Regardless of how you're playing it - through Steam or on Xbox Live - creating and jumping into games is seamless and simple, and I've never had to worry about lag or timing out with it. Combine this with the excellent zombie-killing gameplay, and you have a winner, hands down!"
IDGs Gamestar Awards (Germany)
Gamona Leser-Award 2008 (Germany)
(Best Multiplayer)
Variety
"Every single element of "Left 4 Dead," from the level design to the resource distribution to the menus to the integration of zombie movie tropes to the dynamic A.I. not only encourages, but compels cooperative gameplay. They also make it the most genuinely scary interactive experience of 2008."
New York Daily News
One of the Top 10 Video Games of 2008
Seattle Examiner
Best Writing in a Game
"The truest example of the old saying "less is more". 'L4D' is completely devoid of any narrative. Their is no written story here. Instead the game is presented as an experience, with the game's story being the one you tell your friends who were'nt involved in last nights gaming session. The story you make in 'Left 4 Dead' is far better than anything that might be forced upon you."
New York Times
Best Zombies
Left 4 Dead Reviews
New York Times: "Left 4 Dead is by far this year’s best online multiplayer shooter... One of the best zombie games yet."
The Armchair Empire: "The best cooperative gaming experience I've ever played." (10/10)
JoyStiq: "You need to get this. I've played almost everything this holiday season, and a good Left 4 Dead match is one of the few experiences that will be added to the gamer vocabulary, a touchstone that no discussion of co-op gaming in the coming years will omit."
Resolution Magazine UK: "It’s a high-octane, adrenaline-pumping thrill ride of a shooter, with all the sparkle and polish of a Valve masterpiece. … Left 4 Dead is an absolute classic of multiplayer action gaming." (92/100)
Variety: "Left 4 Dead, the newest masterwork from acclaimed developer Valve Software, uses the familiar conventions of zombie pics to immerse players in the most innovative multiplayer videogame since pioneers Quake and Doom."
MAXIM: Buy it and get infected." (4.5/5 stars)
MAXIM UK: "Zombie-frying genius."
Stuff Magazine NZ:: "Great fun." (4.5/5 stars)
Entertainment Weekly: "Left 4 Dead may riff on the premise of schlocky B-movie tropes, but it joins rarefied air of A-list titles." (A-)
CraveOnline.com: "Left 4 Dead is incredible. It's addictive and glorious. You'll love every minute you spend with the title." (9.5/10)
USA Today: "The tense action and imaginative team mechanics leave Valve with the one of the best cooperative shooters."
The Escapist: "If the game industry's approach to co-op changes in the next couple years, we'll look back at Left 4 Dead as the game that changed it. ...It's fun as hell."
Time Out New York: "L4D really grabs by crafting a genuinely scary experience." (5/6 stars)
JustPressPlay: "Left 4 Dead is an amazingly fun and entertaining game. I recommend that everyone buy this title as soon as they can.a" (9.5/10)
YouGamers: "Buy Left 4 Dead. You won't be disappointed." (95%)
2004.org: "Left 4 Dead is simply spectacular." (9.3/10)
Play.TM: "Ultimately you simply must give Left 4 Dead your time. ...This could be one of the most enjoyable gaming experiences you've ever had." (91%)
Gaming Nexus: "Get three of your close friends and free the world of the infected, one bullet at a time." (A-)
Geek.com: "Left 4 Dead has just pushed aside, in my mind at least, Resident Evil 4 and Dead Rising as the greatest zombie game of all time."
Game Over Online: "Left 4 Dead is easily one of this year's must-have games." (91%)
San Francisco Chronicle: "Left 4 Dead is engaging and heart pumping for endless play."
Worth Playing: "Left 4 Dead is a shining example of zombies done right in a video game." (9/10)
Slapstic.com: "I've played Left 4 Dead in every conceivable form, and I'm totally convinced that it's one of the greatest multiplayer games ever made."
CinemaBlend: "No other shooter offers this depth of cooperative gameplay. Within the crowded shooter market, Left 4 Dead created a unique niche for itself." (4.5/5 stars)
Destructiod: "Left 4 Dead is literally the best the genre has ever seen." (8.5/10)
411Mania.com: "Game of the Year hands down." (9.1/10)
AceGamez: "Left 4 Dead is a truly monumental achievement, not only for Valve but for the games industry as a whole - this is what the concept of co-operative play is all about and this is the definitive implementation of it thus far." (9/10)
Game Planet: "Valve's much anticipated Zombie game is a co-op experience not to be missed." (8.5/10)
GotGame.com: "...A thoroughly enjoyable, fast-paced shooter that is absolutely perfect for fans of co-op games or zombies."
Ars Technica: "This is a game you need to own."
G4TV: "Fast zombies? Check. Non-stop tension and intensity? Check. The quality of gameplay we expect from Valve? Check." 5/5 stars
PC Gamer: "You'll go back and play the same map again and again . . . No two run-throughs of Left 4 Dead are the same." 9.3/10
1UP.com: "I love this damn game." (A-)
Game Informer: "...The multiplayer experience of the year. One of video games' most imaginative, visceral, and indecently impactful experiences." (9.25/10)
Kotaku: "I'm addicted. It's rare that I enjoy a game this much from the get-go. This is a brilliant, tightly executed shooter that feels fresh and exciting."
Gamespot: "...A remarkably fun, excitingly tense game that will make you want to revisit the apocalypse again and again." (8.5/10)
The Onion AV Club: "A redefining moment for the survival-horror genre." (A-)
Wired.com: "...One of the most exciting and addictive gaming experiences ever."
MS XBOX World: "Left 4 Dead is THE best game I've played in years, and offers one of the best new multiplayer experiences available on the market. Bravo, Valve, game of the year in my books." (10/10)
GamerVision: "Left4Dead gives the best cooperative experience in gaming, hands down. Nothing compares." (9/10)
Maximum PC: "Left 4 Dead didn't just meet our high expectations for the zombie apocalypse, it exceeded them." 10/10
Official Xbox Magazine: "Left 4 Dead presents the zombie apocalypse the way we always hoped it would be: filled with non-stop tension and continuous carnage." 9.5/10
IGN UK: "One of the finest zombie games ever made, and one of the finest co-op games ever made." 9.2/10
GamePro: "I can't recommend Left 4 Dead highly enough." (Editors Choice Award)
VideoGamer.com: "Left 4 Dead is a game you simply can't pass up." (9/10)
Game Stooge: "This is a game for anyone who loves playing co-op - there isn't a better game this side of Halo 3 for four player co-op insanity." 5/5 stars
Edge Magazine (Christmas 2008 Issue): "Left 4 Dead stands among the very best that online gaming has to offer."
ShackNews: "Left 4 Dead may be the best co-op experience of my gaming life."
TeamXbox: "...A great blend of survival/horror and FPS action." (9.1/10)
GameSpy: "Left 4 Dead has actually been built from the ground up specifically for co-op play, and the resulting product is one of the most intense, enjoyable gaming experiences to date. Best of all, it gets exponentially better with every human player that's added, to the point that playing with three of your friends is close to gaming nirvana." (4.5/5)
IGN.com: "Left 4 Dead is one of the most social and exciting multiplayer games that we've ever played. It's almost pitch perfect in how it captures the tension and the action of a Hollywood zombie movie. This is an incredible and highly replayable multiplayer experience." (9.0/10)
Left 4 Dead Press
The Stranger (11/12/08) : "L4D is loaded with memorable moments, but the most impressive come when 30 or 40 zombies run at your crew, their arms flailing, their cries growing in the distance. No shooting game has delivered this level of mass enemy terror since Doom, and while newer games since have tried copying the original, L4D's the first to outdo it in terms of sensation."
Game Daily (11/11/08): "We simply can't wait for Left 4 Dead. Whether you're going at it alone or with friends, you'll have a blast."
Ars Technica (11/11/08): "I absolutely cannot wait."
EuroGamer (11/11/08): "...Overwhelmingly fun."
IGN (11/11/08): "Valve, online multiplayer and brain-thirsty zombies? Yes, please."
GameSpot (11/10/08): "...Immensely satisfying."
Rock Paper Shotgun (11/04/08): "...A horror action game with the tension interrupted with moments of ludicrous intensity . . . Blimey, it's a lot of fun."
1UP (10/17/08): "...Whether running and gunning with friends or killing people with disgustingly crude zombie attacks, what more could a gamer ask for?"
Left 4 Dead Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) Awards
Left 4 Dead has earned numerous awards coming out of this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angles, California . Many media outlets are still publishing their "Best Of E3" stories, but here's a quick look at the honors earned so far:
E3 Game Critics Awards: Left 4 Dead wins Best Online Multiplayer game.
Kotaku.com: Kotaku's Best of E3 Picks: Best PC Game, Best Action Game, Best Online Multiplayer Game
NY Times: The World's a Stage for Interactive Entertainment as Creativity Glows
1up.com: 1UP's Best of E3 2008
UGO.com: Best PC Game - Left 4 Dead
UGO.com: Best Mutiplayer Game
IGN.com: Best Multiplayer Experience
PlanetXbox: Best First Person Action Gaming
PlatformNation.com: Best Game of Show
Maxim: The 5 Unsung Games of E3 2008
Venture Beat: Top 10 Sleepers of the Show
Left 4 Dead E3 Coverage
During the recent Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angles, California , Left 4 Dead was playable for journalist and industry folk in a dedicated suite. Here's a recap of the written and video impressions:
ActionTrip: Left 4 Dead Hands-On Preview
AtomicGamer.com: E3 08 Preview
Buttonmasher.co.nz: Left 4 Dead Hands On Preview
Destructoid: E3 08: Left 4 Dead is frighteningly amazing
G4's Xplay: Hand-On Left 4 Dead
Gamespot: E3 2008: Left 4 Dead Updated Hands-On
Gamespot TV: Left 4 Dead Stage Show Demo
Gamernode.com: E3 2008: Left 4 Dead direct feed video preview
Game Informer: E3 '08: Nick's Take On The Week
GamingExcellence.com: E3 2008: Left 4 Dead Preview
TheHachiko.com: E3 2008 Preview: 'Left 4 Dead' (PC)
Jeuxvideo.tv: Left 4 Dead en Vidéo
Ripten: Hands-On: Left 4 Dead
Shacknews: Shack Editor Left 4 Dead in New Footage of Valve Zombie Shooter
Shacknews: Left 4 Dead E3 Preview: New Characters, New Weapons, New Details
The Escapist: E3 2008: Left 4 Dead Hands-on
Tiscali.cz: Left 4 Dead - E3 dojmy
Tom's Games: E3 08: Left 4 Dead Hands-On Preview
MaximumPC: E3 2008: Left 4 Dead Interview. New Graphics, Weapons, and Steam Achievement Details
MPOGD.com: E3 2008 Preview: Left 4 Dead - PC
MTV.com: Valve's 'Left 4 Dead' Feels Finished, Very Scary
Kotaku: Left 4 Dead Multiplayer Video - Frighteningly Good
PlatformNation.com: Left 4 Dead Interview and Gameplay Video
Xbox360Fanboy.com: E3 08: Hands On: Left 4 Dead [update]
Gamecyte.com: E3 2008: Valve Interview: Left 4 Dead and Team Fortress, Too
Gametrailers.com: E3 2008: Developer Walkthrough
GamingShogun.com: E3 2008 - Interview With Doug Lombardi Regarding Left 4 Dead
SarcasticGamer.com: E3 2008 Hands-on: Left 4 Dead
KeenandGraev.com: E3: Left 4 Dead Info and Video
Palgn.com.au: E3 2008: Left 4 Dead Preview
VoodooExtreme: Left 4 Dead Hands-on
WorthPlaying: Preview PC Preview - 'Left 4 Dead'
Left 4 Dead in San Francisco
On Monday, May 12, Left 4 Dead made an appearance at another EA sponsored press event in San Francisco . Some of the reporting from that event may be found here:
Gametap: "Two idiots bumble their way through Valve's zombie outbreak."
Kotaku: Hands-on Impressions
MTV Multiplayer: 'Left 4 Dead' Is The Online Zombie Game That 'Resident Evil: Outbreak' Wanted To Be
Gamespot: Interview with Valve's Doug Lombardi with Left 4 Dead footage
Gamespy: L4D Preview
IGN: Interview — Valve's Doug Lombardi
Joystiq: Hands-on — Left 4 Dead
Spring 2008 London Press Events
L4D was recently shown at an extremely well attended press event in Islington, on the north end of London. Here are a few samples of what the press had to say about the game:
The Guardian: A unique experience for every player.
bit-tech.net: Interview with Valve's Chet Faliszek.
Computer and Videogames.com (CVG): New Left 4 Dead shots.
Gamespot (UK): Left 4 Dead Hands-On
gamesradar.com: New Left 4 Dead shots.
Total Video Games: TVG sits down with Valve's Doug Lombardi
play.tm: Doug Lombardi Interview — Left 4 Dead and more under discussion
videogaming247: EA Games Studio Showcase — Left 4 Dead Presentation, Streaming audio and new shots
L4D Making Headlines
In recent weeks, Left 4 Dead has been featured on the pages and covers of several gaming enthusiast publications the world over. Below are thumbs of some of the recent covers. Keep an eye out for more coverage as we continue to show the game to the press and public at gaming events throughout the spring and summer.
EA 2007 Studio Show Case
EA hosted a large even at their headquarters in Redwood Shores, CA. The press was very excited to see Left 4 Dead in action. Here are some links to reviews and videos from the show:
Gamespot: Left 4 Dead Hand-on update.
IGN: Left 4 Dead progress report.
GameVideos: Left 4 Dead "Sewer Survival" video
GameTrailers: Gameplay videos
Shacknews: Left 4 Dead Hand-on impressions
GameZone: Left 4 Dead preview
GameTrailers: Story and Undead playability interview
Game Almighty E3 '07 Interview
During E3, Game Almighty interviews Mike Booth about Left 4 Dead and how he'd survive the Zombie Apocalypse.
QuakeCon 2007 News Blitz
Some members of the Left 4 Dead development team traveled to Texas to give the public a chance to preview the game. Below are links to several reports with videos and pictures from the convention.
Shacknews: Left 4 Dead HD Footage
Gaming Today Q&A: Chet Faliszek for Left 4 Dead
IGN: Hands-on Left 4 Dead
Gamespot: Left 4 Dead hands-on.
GameSpy: Left 4 Dead Preview
Gametrailers: Left 4Dead reviews, trailers, and interviews
Eurogamer: Left 4 Dead QuakeCon interview
GameVideos: Left 4 Dead gameplay video
GameVideos: Left 4 Dead QuakeCon interview
Games are Fun: Left 4 Dead preview
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