What do you think of the Left 4 Dead 2 Demo?

[r_manic]

Steam users, just in case you haven't noticed, you can download the 3GB Left 4 Dead 2 demo! If you don't wanna waste bandwidth, check this out these Left 4 Dead 2 demo videos.

Anyways, to those who've actually played the demo, what do you think? I know the gameplay mechanics are mainly the same, but the daylight setting, melee weapons and new special infected are actually enough to merit a change! Running through a gauntlet of zombies is definitely much more different and exciting than simply waiting in a corner until the horde dissipates.

I love this game, enough that I won't bother waiting for Valve to slash prices to move stock. I'll be getting this at full price! Agree or disagree?

 

[cappster]

I was playing the demo last night and was impressed. I never did play L4D so this was all new to me. I am usually not a zombie killing fan, but the demo last night helped change my mind. I will probably wait for a sale to purchase the game as steam has already "forced" me to buy HL2, HL2: E1 and E2, TF2, and Shattered Horizon this past week with their deals. I know Valve is quickly becoming my favorite publisher, because they look after us PC gamers. L4D2 is a pretty awesome game and will pick it up eventually.

 

[OvrClkr]

I pre-ordered the game at game-stop, but when I try to play the demo it says that you need to pre-order from steam in order to unlock the demo, is this correct?

 

[cappster]

I pre-ordered the game at game-stop, but when I try to play the demo it says that you need to pre-order from steam in order to unlock the demo, is this correct?

As of yesterday that is not true. The demo is available to everyone now. When I logged into my steam client, it said L4D2 demo is now available for download. I have not pre-ordered the game.

 

[OvrClkr]

ok cool, thx !!!

gonna check it out tonight =)

 

[tulx]

From what I experienced after playing the demo twice, I kind of like its prequel better, so far. Maybe it's because I'm playing the "low violence" version - I'm in Germany at the moment. The daylight environment was feeling somewhat awkward, probably because I'm used to the more scary nighttime action in L4D. The characters are OK, some new weapons, which is allways a good thing. The melee weapons don't feel exactly right, at least for my taste. Or maybe I just need to get used to it.
Verdict: not bad, I might buy it when the price drops a little. Until then I'm still satisfied with L4D 1.

 

[Captainhero]

I played a lot of left4dead and have been ripping through the demo for the past couple of days and I cant wait for the full game. A much bigger variety of weapons, new shotties, assault weapons, desert eagles. Melee weapons, flying pans make a very satisfying "bonggg" but the machete wins the day for me. New tools like a resus kit, u drop the medpack but you can revive dead teammates, boomer bile grenades. I chucked one at a witch and watched the horde tear her apart. Thats just on coop and most people spend their time on vs. This game is gonna be awesome! Oh and its alot more bloody.. Unless u live in australia (poor aussies and their wackjob censors...)

 

[OvrClkr]

Played it last night and had a blast... The characters look better, the maps are more in detail and the weapons are just awesome. The melee weapons are a plus also. The 45 cal. and SMG rip through the enemies like nothing and the amount of blood makes it even better....Can't wait till release....

My only complaint is the fact that you cannot aim down the sight unless you are using the sniper rifle. Other than that the game is great...

 

[kufan64]

I tried it out the other day, and I have mixed feelings. I think I like it better than the original, but it leaves me with the feeling that most, if not all of what they did could have easily been done with DLC.

For one, it is certainly a lot more violent than the first game. I think it looks better, and shooting zombies is MUCH more satisfying now that they can be dismembered or have holes blown right through them. My favorite change is definetely the pipe bomb. When it exploded in the original, it just made a red cloud when the zombies exploded. In L4D2, it blasts the bodies and dismembered limbs through the air and they rain back down around you. It's actually kind of beautiful in a way.

I like some of the new weapons, the melee weapons were a great idea and they came out well. The defibrillator was a cool idea. The adrenaline is ok. The "boomer bile" bomb is fantastic.

The new crescendo events where the survivors have to go from point A to point B while being relentlessly attacked by the undead is a great change from the huddle-in-a-corner-until-they-go-away approach of the original.

I like that the witch is mobile before she is triggered now, but I can't help but feel they should have done the same for the tank. I'm not a huge fan of the new special infected, but maybe they'll grow on me. The charger just seems like a hunter that can't jump, but has more health; the jockey seems like a smoker that has no tongue so it has to jump on you like a hunter to pull you away; and the spitter seems like a long distance boomer that deals damage instead of summoning zombies and leaves a cloud of damage-dealing acid behind when it dies like the vision-obscuring smoke the smoker leaves behind when it dies. It just seems like a repackaging of the old special infected with new twists.

The new survivors are ok, but not as memorable as the original cast. The same goes for the setting. The original settings played out like some classic zombie movie scenarios; the hospital, the boat docks, the airport, and the abandoned farm house (my fav). L4D2 just takes place in New Orleans (as far as I know).

All in all, I'm still not convinced that it was a good idea to release L4D2 so soon after the release of the original. I still prefer the setting, characters, and infected of the original. L4D2 plays better than the original due to the improvements to gamplay and the various changes they made, but it doesn't "feel" better. To me, it seems like the bigger budget sequel of a great movie that looks and sounds a lot better and is more action-packed, but it loses the charm of the original.

I'll probably pick it up when it goes on sale through Steam.

 

[Captainhero]

I think the spitter will be game changing As an example, in the original on no mercy just before the lift up to the top of the hospital. U trigger the lift, then pile into the corner by the ammo and hang tight till the lift opens. Now bring a spitter into the game, she will lob a pile of acid in that spot and you would all have to move asap. Tricky with a huge horde attacking at the same time. No more grouping in corners and fending off till the event has passed. Gonna be verry interesting playing vs on these new maps. Back to the original L4D tho, will the old maps be ported to L4D2?

 

[purplerat]

I haven't had much time to play this demo but I've watched my son play and it looks pretty good. Just two brief observations;
1. It does seem that a lot of what was added could have been DLC especially considering the very "unfinished" feeling L4D had last year.

2. Valve did however do an awesome job at listening to their customers in what they added to L4D2.

Giving the cumulative value of everything added and the fact that they are actually giving existing L4D customers what they want it's definitely worth the price of a new game. Plus I'm pretty sure the old maps and maybe even characters will be imported in so it's not like the original is a complete waste. All-in-all those who already bought and loved L4D seem to be getting what they want - albeit at a cost - and new customers are getting an even better game.

 

[OvrClkr]

I can't wait till the game is actually released....