The newest first-person zombie shooter, Back 4 Blood, hit the shelves in October 2021 and has fans reminiscing about the Left 4 Dead days. Valve was responsible for developing the 2 titles in the series with Left 4 Dead 2 being over a decade ago. The game developers are now known as Turtle Rock Studios and are responsible for creating Back 4 Blood. Fans expected the games to be quite similar, but there are also some major differences.
Overall, the graphics and textures are a great improvement. Another obvious difference is the terminology. In Back 4 Blood, the zombies are called the ridden while the human characters are referred to as the cleaners - survivors who are in fact immune to the zombie outbreak and are clean of the devil worm parasite. The aim of the game is still the same as players work co-operatively to shoot their way through each act.
10 Similiar: Zombies Can Still Be Alarmed By Changes In The Game's Environment
When moving around a level, hordes of zombies can be triggered by sounds, gunfire, and a players' movement. Some abandoned cars in Back 4 Blood have an alarm that will alert nearby enemies, like in the Left 4 Dead games. Car alarms can be sounded by shooting the vehicle or attacking it with a melee weapon. The ridden will then come running towards players putting you and your teammates under pressure during a brief moment of chaos.
Back 4 Blood also features familiar flocks of birds which can give away your location and attract another unwanted wave of undead. Beware as Back 4 Blood also features other sound traps to catch players off-guard.
9 Different: Fort Hope Is The Immersive In-Game Lobby For Players
Back 4 Blood's in-game lobby is an interesting concept which keeps players occupied in between missions. Fort Hope is where players regroup before and after each level. This safe haven lets gamers change their setup, purchase new cards and weapon attachments, and have a few shots on the firing range.
Instead of looking at the same screen while searching for teammates, Fort Hope keeps gamers entertained when finding matches. It's also an opportunity for players to customize their inventory and get to grips with the cards that best suit their play style.
8 Similar: Saferooms Still Exist In Back 4 Blood
One of the most rewarding sights in Left 4 Dead 2 is the saferoom at the end of each level. These rooms are an oasis of safety, medkits, and ammunition after fighting through endless hordes of undead beasts. The saferoom acts as a checkpoint between missions once all players are inside and the door is closed. Progress is saved and gamers can take a moment to relax.
These saferooms are an essential feature in Back 4 Blood. Before opening the saferoom door to start the next act, players can choose to change their weapons and spend hard-earned in-game money on upgrades and accessories.
7 Different: Back 4 Blood's In-Game Currency Is Copper
Scattered around each of the challenging levels are piles of copper which is the in-game currency in Back 4 Blood. After completing a mission, players are also rewarded with copper and supply points for their efforts. Copper can be used to buy offensive and support items as well as and weapon upgrades, such as extended magazines, suppressors, and optical sights.
Active cards, which are used to counter the corruption cards, are also found in the levels and can be bought with copper. Supply points can be spent on loadout cards. These cards increase the number of benefits to choose from before starting a level.
6 Similar: Pipe Bombs Are Here To Stay
One of the greatest and most useful tools in the Left 4 Dead series is the pipe bomb. Once thrown, the device beeps loudly and has a red flashing light that attracts enemies to its location.
The pipe bomb is a really useful distraction before it explodes launching zombies and rotten limbs in every direction. Once a pipe bomb detonates, players should have guns reloaded and be ready to face any remaining enemies. Other recognizable items in Back 4 Blood also consist of molotovs, frag grenades, and reliable explosive barrels, which can also be used to distract the ridden.
5 Different: Card System Gives Players More Advantages
Another feature Back 4 Blood introduced is the card system. This allows gamers to customize their perks and bonus skills before going into battle with undead beasts. With numerous cards to choose from, and up to 15 available card slots, the customization factor is completely different from what Left 4 Dead fans are used to. Access to all cards is granted during PvP matches.
There are also corruption cards that are chosen by the AI director before each level. These are random disadvantages for the cleaners which challenge players further applying negative effects such as fog, power outages, and harder-hitting enemies.
4 Similar: Special Zombies Make Things Harder For The Cleaners
Just like in the Left 4 Dead titles, there are special enemies that make the game more difficult. They are usually found lurking in a dark place, around an unsuspecting corner, or somewhere above eye level. Players may also be able to detect if an enemy is hiding underground.
The Ridden are made up of several special zombies such as the stinger, reeker, and tallboy. Instead of smokers and witches, Back 4 Blood has sleepers and hags. The special zombies have unique designs and unpredictable attacks. This encourages gamers to replay missions trying out different tactics and loadouts.
3 Different: Characters Have Individual Traits and Team Benefits
In Back 4 Blood, there are eight characters to play as, each with individual benefits and team stat boosts. These character traits are a new feature and don't exist in the Left 4 Dead games. This new feature encourages gamers to choose a character based on skillset and advantages rather than appearance.
Individual benefits include Hoffman's ability to find ammo in the field. He can also carry an extra offensive item while Evangelo's character trait gives him a +25% stamina regeneration. Each cleaner also has a team stat boost such as Holly's +25 team stamina and Walker's +10 team health.
2 Similar: Back 4 Blood's Gameplay Is Uncannily Similar To That Of Left 4 Dead
A reason Left 4 Dead fans have been looking forward to the release of Back 4 Blood is because of its familiarity. Gamers were hoping for a Left 4 Dead 3 due to the franchise's success, and they now have the next best thing. Not only is Back 4 Blood made by the same creators, but the gameplay is also almost identical to its predecessors.
With similar objectives, uncanny enemies, and cheeky character quotes, the games exhibit similarities. Reviving others and rescuing players from falling are just some of the qualities Back 4 Blood shares with the Left 4 Dead games. Players will also recognize some of the weapons in Back 4 Blood which are common to see in many FPS games.
1 Different: Not As Many Sound Cues For Special Zombies
In the Left 4 Dead series, tension builds quickly when traveling to different parts of the map and after defeating hordes of infected. When it all goes quiet, the sound of a nearby enemy can sometimes be heard keeping players on their toes as they look out for special zombies waiting in the shadows. Audible cues let people know when a strong enemy is close. For example, the presence of a Witch is apparent due to the creepy music and melancholy crying sounds.
Back 4 Blood creates tension in a different way with consistent waves of zombies attacking players. This 'no rest for the wicked' gameplay encourages people to stay on the move whilst players push forward, scavenge for ammo, and complete objectives. Some audible hints do exist, such as sleeping and retching, which can alert players before they spot the enemy.