Aie tells you why the game's got her screaming "BEST GAME EVER!"

 “LAN games are for teenagers, nerds, ah bengs and ah lians”, I remember myself thinking ever since such games surfaced. For those who are not in the know, Local Area Network (LAN) gaming is essentially computers linked to a computer network which allows players to engage in games together. This activity is now known as Online Gaming.

One lonely and boring evening in the office, Greys started telling me about this amazing online game she was (and still is) addicted to. On and on she raved, half-heartedly I listened. She went on to include Space Sheep in the conversation and Mr. Gay Boy was eavesdropping. Well, the end result saw the four of us trotting down to a LAN shop along Carpenter Street.

I took back what bias I had for online gaming and would like to scream “THIS IS THE BEST GAME EVER!”. Conflicting schedules saw players come and go, but Greys, Space Sheep and I soon found YYM who is well worthy of our team. It was the best combination yet, and after attacking zombies in the original Left 4 Dead for 5 months together, we now have Left 4 Dead 2 to deal with.

Like its original, the aim is to kill the Infected (zombies) and escape to safety via different routes. In the sequel though, there are more tasks to be performed per Campaign before you can get to safety. Not to mention, the new weapons and the much improved visuals. *shivers

The Infected is now categorised into three; the Common, the Uncommon Common and the Special Infected.

The Common:
They are your usual Infected, seen doing the odd stuff like puking, hitting one another or walking aimlessly. They are not like your ‘zombie-zombies’, but rather humans contaminated with a virus, causing bodily changes and disillusion. Rumour has it that if you pay attention to what they are saying (while keeping a lookout), you might hear them muttering in broken sentences.

In Left 4 Dead 2 however, they move faster. Much faster. Be careful not to alert a Horde, you can expect a group of 20 to 30 all wanting a piece of you.

The Uncommon Common:
This group of Infected is lesser in numbers and certain Uncommon Common appears only in certain campaigns, but hold a special power or are immune to some things unlike the Common.



For example, the Hazmat-suited Infected, or the ‘Biohazard Guy’, a mouthful name a friend kindly gave them, has the same health and weakness properties as the Common Infected but is immune to fire attacks. The Clown Infected on the other hand works as the leader of the pack by alerting and gathering hordes with his squeaky shoes. Cute.

The Special Infected:
Let’s welcome the newcomers! We'll start off with the ‘Charger’, much like the ‘Tank’ from the original but dumber. Like the name suggests, he charges, carries you up and pummels the survivor until a team mates saves you.

The ‘Boomer’ re-appears in Left 4 Dead 2 but has a female counterpart, the ‘Boomette’ - whom survivors can distinguish from the change in wardrobe and the obvious female features. In terms of gameplay, she is still as deadly as her male partner.

Then there is the ‘Jockey’ with its distinguished hyena-like laughter, who will jump on a survivor’s head and steer them towards danger, e.g. hordes or fire.

The ‘Boomer’ re-appears in Left 4 Dead 2 but has a female counterpart, the ‘Boomette’ - whom survivors can distinguish from the change in wardrobe and the obvious female features. In terms of gameplay, she is still as deadly as her male partner.

My favourite, the ‘Spitter’ is one of the three key females in the game (the other being Rochelle the survivor and the Witch). She is one of the most repulsive ‘thing’ I have ever seen, even worse than some ‘Uglies’ on the dance floor. With a crater for a mouth and boobs almost to the knees, she staggers around with much speed drooling green corrosive liquid.

The’ Witch’ in Left 4 Dead 2 now walks around in the day and sits and cries like a lovelorn bitch at night. Do not mistake her for one of the Common Infected during daytime - The daylight ‘Witch’ has a different cry from the night time ‘Witch’ which should warn you of her appearance. It is said that the ‘Witch’ could be killed with one swipe of the melee. Try if you dare and if you feel skilled enough to sneak close.

The Survivors:
The new Survivors meet for the first time in Dead Center; Ellis, the cute mechanic, Coach the hearty health teacher, Rochelle the driven producer and Nick the mysterious vagabond. Throughout the game, you hear them talking about themselves or reminiscing the good ol’ days before the virus hit Savannah.

The Weapons:
I am especially excited about the melee weapons. You can pick up the Katana, the axe, the guitar or other melees along the way, even frying pans! Bear in mind though, the melee weapon and the sidearm (P222 pistol or magnum) replaces each other when either one is picked up.

Explore the new weapons and try to incorporate different weapons within the team. When playing Left 4 Dead 2, keep in mind that team dynamics is of course very important; imagine being incapacitated by Tank and your team mate hides in one corner in hope of Tank missing out on her. Sigh.

This game is perfect for up to 4 friends if:

• You’ve just had a stressful day of work, and the mental picture of your frowning boss is still clear in your head...
• You want to sit your lazy ass and let your automatic ‘survival instincts’ take over
• You need to know if one of your friends are still worth keeping (you can tell if they are protective of you in the game)
• You want a different kind of high instead of alcohol and parties

Also it helps tremendously if you read up on L4D 2 before you head to the battlefield. Search online for more tips and useful information!

The Official Website:
www.l4d.com
 

About Zhou Aie
Like a (an) __________ (add word here) kitten, she pounces on all things intriguing, wriggling her tiny butt in excitement. With dirty paws she leaves her tracks, and on to the next destination you find her fresh prints. Blessed with two large observant eyes, she pores through details in her inquisitive mind. Her intuitive nature is her loyal servant; her nonchalant attitude aids her in the face of danger. To be in her good books takes more than just stroking her the right way. She might purr or she might hiss so be on your toes around her. As mysterious as the night, she surprises when you least expect it.

Deep down, she is just an adorable little pussycat. Meow. Email her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it