Left 4 Dead
News, coverage and analysis tracking Left 4 Dead across the outlets.
Left 4 Dead lives on in The Mound: Omens of Cthulhu, a Lovecraftian extraction game from the creators of Zeno ClashThe Mound: Omens of Cthulhu is a new extraction game from Ace Team, the creators of Zeno Clash, set in 17th century South America and inspired by Lovecraftian horror. Players control Spanish explorers venturing into a jungle filled with creatures and treasure, with gameplay drawing comparisons to Left 4 Dead. The game, which features a demo on Steam, is set to launch on July 15th and is being published by Nacon.- The Top 10 Best Valve GamesThis article lists the 10 best games developed by Valve, highlighting titles such as Half-Life, Portal, and Left 4 Dead. The list aims to rank Valve's most acclaimed titles across various genres.
Left 4 Dead meets friendslop as you and your pals try to escape 'the galaxy's most-unregulated waterpark'Lazy River is a new co-op survival crafting game where players must escape a space station waterpark after a pee-related incident turns everyone into zombies. Players will build rafts from scavenged resources, arm themselves with makeshift weapons, and fight through automated defenses and zombie hordes. The game is developed by Mike Boxleiter and is set to enter early access in 2027 for PC.- Våra bästa E3-minnenThis article reflects on the significance of E3, the Electronic Entertainment Expo, and shares personal memories from industry figures. Despite E3's discontinuation, the tradition of summer gaming showcases continues with events like Summer Game Fest and Xbox Games Showcase.
"That lore terrifies me": Ex-Valve writer Chet Faliszek isn't interested in writing a Half-Life 3, as he wouldn't touch a sequel "with with a 10-foot pole"Former Valve writer Chet Faliszek stated he has no interest in working on a potential Half-Life 3, citing the overwhelming established lore as a major deterrent. He expressed a general aversion to working on games with extensive backstories, preferring to create new IPs or work on titles with less narrative baggage.
Former Half-Life 2 Writer Doesn’t Want to Pen Half-Life 3: “I Don’t Want to Touch Anything Old”Former Half-Life 2 writer Chet Faliszek stated he has no desire to work on Half-Life 3, preferring to avoid established lore and the pressure of adhering to existing narratives. He expressed similar sentiments about other franchises with extensive backstories, including Left 4 Dead and Destiny 2, highlighting his preference for creating new intellectual property.
Former Valve writer Chet Faliszek has no interest in writing Half-Life 3: 'I don't want to touch that with a…Former Valve writer Chet Faliszek stated he has no interest in working on Half-Life 3 or any other sequels due to the pressure of existing lore and fan expectations. He prefers creating new characters and stories rather than revisiting established universes, finding the prospect of writing for them a "disaster nightmare."
We can thank a Jim Henson Company puppeteer for some of Valve's best animation workThe distinctive character animation found in Valve games, such as Portal 2 and Team Fortress 2, owes a debt to puppeteer Karen Prell, who previously worked for The Jim Henson Company. Prell, known for her role as Red Fraggle and puppeteering the worm in Labyrinth, brought her expertise in bringing characters to life to Valve, significantly influencing the animation of characters like Wheatley.- Red Barrels co-founder talks the future of horror, 15 years of Outlast, and what’s next for the franchiseRed Barrels co-founder Philippe Morin discusses the studio's 15-year journey, the evolution of the Outlast franchise from single-player horror to the co-op experience of The Outlast Trials, and the future of horror games. Morin touches on the challenges of game design, the impact of streamers, and the studio's plans for new projects alongside ongoing support for The Outlast Trials.
Absent a Left 4 Dead 3, modders are turning Team Fortress 2 into COD Zombies insteadA total-conversion mod for Team Fortress 2, named Mann Versus Zombies, is transforming the game into a Call of Duty Zombies-like experience. Developed by Breadworks, this mod features escalating horde survival with upgradable weapons and character perks, supporting up to eight players. It is set to launch soon on Steam with full Steam Workshop support.- Evening PatchesA new official patch has been released for the game Left 4 Dead. The update addresses various issues and brings improvements to the game.
Far Cry 2 and Assassin's Creed Hexe creative director launches a new studio, a few months after surprise exit from…Veteran developer Clint Hocking, formerly the creative director for Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Hexe and Far Cry 2, has launched a new independent game studio named Build Machine Games. The studio is described as lean, fast, bold, and ambitious, and is currently hiring for positions in Canada to begin work on its first prototype.
Steam week in review: Another online shooter winds down weeks after launch, as robot cowboys take overThe cooperative shooter Far Far West, inspired by Left 4 Dead and Vermintide, is shifting focus to replayability and community support after a successful early access launch. Despite a challenging year for new multiplayer titles, developer Night Street Games aims to keep the game playable for its community. The article also reviews Steam's top sellers list for April 21-28, noting the performance of various games including Counter-Strike 2 and the new s&box platform.
Best Zombie Games Of All TimeThis guide ranks the best zombie games of all time, highlighting titles that excel in survival, horror, and action. Featured games include '7 Days to Die,' 'Days Gone,' 'Resident Evil 2,' and 'The Last of Us series,' among others, spanning various platforms like PC, PlayStation, and Xbox consoles.
The Sunday PapersThis article discusses various gaming-related topics and broader cultural commentary. It touches on the graffiti in Left 4 Dead, the design of single-player extraction shooters like Witchfire, and the ambitious AI in Black & White. The piece also explores the evolution of AI from video games to companies like Google DeepMind, and touches on music industry issues related to Spotify and AI investments.
Long Before Friendslop, Portal 2 Made Co-Op CoolPortal 2's 15th anniversary is being celebrated by reminiscing about its innovative cooperative mode, which predated many modern social gaming trends. The game's dual-protagonist co-op campaign, featuring unique puzzle mechanics and charming characters, is highlighted as a precursor to current "friendslop" and co-op-focused titles. The article also notes its early cross-platform play between PC and PlayStation 3 as a remarkable feat for its time.
Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone and other celebs name their favourite video gamesSeveral Hollywood celebrities, including Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, and Chris Pratt, have shared their favorite video games in a compilation video. While some named classic titles like Super Mario Bros. and Pitfall!, others highlighted more recent or niche games such as Returnal and Civilization 6.
Xbox 360 messenger recreated on website for authentic 2000s era gamer rageA website has been created to recreate the Xbox 360's voice messaging feature, allowing users to send short audio clips reminiscent of the 2000s online gaming era. Developed by Mike Wing, the tool mimics the original dashboard interface and muffled mic quality, enabling users to share voice messages and engage in digital gamer rage. This revival comes after Microsoft removed the original feature from its consoles.
Former Valve Dev Destroys Tim Sweeney Over Epic’s Mass LayoffsFormer Valve developer Chet Faliszek heavily criticized Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney on TikTok following Epic's announcement of 1,000 layoffs. Faliszek accused Sweeney of prioritizing profit from Fortnite over game development and employee well-being, contrasting Epic's actions with Valve's employee ownership model.
The FPS skybox is underappreciated, so let's appreciate someThis opinion piece argues that the skybox, a crucial element in first-person shooters, is an underappreciated aspect of game design. The author highlights several games with exceptional skyboxes, from classic titles like Halo to modern releases like Doom Eternal, suggesting that artistic skyboxes can be more impactful than pure photorealism.