Left 4 Dead goes live on Steam

By Tom Bramwell Published 18 November, 2008

Tales from decrypt.

Valve has thrown the switch and released Left 4 Dead to the waiting hordes of Steam users eager to get cracking on the PC version.

Left 4 Dead is a co-operative first-person shooter in which four players fight their way through four campaigns of rampaging zombies.

Each player gets a big old assault weapon and an unlimited-fire pistol, along with a med-pack, before facing off with hundreds of zombies, which appear in different patterns from different places depending on the whim of Valve's "AI director".

The key to survival is coordinating with your human allies to save one another from being overrun, and restocking at safe rooms along the way to a final extraction point, which then comes under siege. Also, don't shoot the witch.

On the flipside, another team of four people can also play as the infected "boss" types - a hulking tank character, a pouncing hunter, an exploding fat man called the boomer and the smoker with a noose for a tongue.

The game's been praised - not least by giddy players at the Eurogamer Expo - for deceptively simple mechanics that belie surprising depth.

There's also a single-player mode with AI support, but you really want to be playing online. If you haven't played Left 4 Dead with other people, you haven't played Left 4 Dead.

Anyway, it costs USD 49.99 on Steam, and it will be available in shops for PC and Xbox 360 on Friday in Europe. Look out for our review this week.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (22) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • neilka #1 3 years ago

    The Steam price (including VAT) is nearly double what you can get the boxed version for...

  • the_dudefather #2 3 years ago

    yeah, shame I probably wont get my boxed version until this time next week :( (at least)

    oh well, fallout 3

  • mingster #3 3 years ago

    want this a lot.. does it need a hefty PC?

  • Trane #4 3 years ago

    Aye neilka, it's about £35 on steam due to the current exchange rate.

    I don't mind, I'm happy to pay (slightly) over the odds for a game I REALLY want every few years.

    Means I get to play the demo and full versions earlier then, rather than see all my steam friends playing it when I'm not =)

  • mikeck #5 3 years ago

    Can't wait to get home tonight, and log straight into my pre-loaded copy via Steam :p The demo was great fun with three of my mates, and I'm looking forward to playing through the full campaign. Good times...

  • kinky_mong #6 3 years ago

    The game's been praised for deceptively simple mechanics that belie surprising depth.

    This x 1000.

    Based on he demo this is my GOTY without a doubt.

  • viper_h #7 3 years ago

    Work cannot end fast enough!

    L4D4TW

  • Colin8703 #8 3 years ago

    I have this in the 360 already and it's easily one of the best games I've ever played. All four campaigns rock. I wouldn't say the graphics are the best i've seen on the console but it's forgiveable purely because of the amount of zombies it throws at you.

    Amazing.
    Edited by 1 at 18/11/08 @ 09:53

  • ChrisOTR #9 3 years ago

    I've been evangelising to everyone I know for what seems like years about this one...

    Now to see if I was right ;)
    Edited by 1 at 18/11/08 @ 09:53

  • spiny #10 3 years ago

    mingster: It's source engine, no uberrig required, but does look nice. Radeon X1900XT here at 1680x1050 & 2xAA & 4xAF. Full settings otherwise. Plays smooth.



    PS: Braiiiins!

  • Tomo #11 3 years ago

    Argghhh. Want. My. Copy. Now.

    B]241|\|5!

  • viper_h #12 3 years ago

    lol my company's already going down. It's only a matter of time.

    Will give me more time for games, put it that way :D

  • gaselite #13 3 years ago

    cracking game, worth the wait

  • TitusCrow #14 3 years ago

    been playing through on expert since the 5am unlock so difficult its amazing - u die and get beat up and come under seige but want more every time - game of the year 100% there is nothing like this u can play outside this game that will give you anything like the feeling this gives.

    -in short this is the fkin bomb! and not like aflek was in phantoms - the good version :)

    buy it - buy it now!!!

  • muscleblade #15 3 years ago

    GOTY no doubth. The Horde mode in Gears 2 is incredibly good fun too. 4 player coop is the way to go.

  • sneetch #16 3 years ago

    Curse this stupid job! I could play now, if it wasn't for it!

    If I punch my boss, I'll get fired then I can go home and play now, unless he calls the gardaí, then I'll be arrested and won't be able to play for ages.

    Damn this dilemma! Damn it all to hell!

    Edit: oops, forgot the sine fada, my old teacher would skin me.
    Edited by 1 at 18/11/08 @ 12:11

  • zombies #17 3 years ago

    When's the review up then?


  • muscleblade #18 3 years ago

    "When's the review up then? "

    There are a few reviews up actually. All very positive too.

  • Feanor #19 3 years ago

    I was too sick to stay up past midnight last night and play it, but not sick enough to stay home from work today and play it.

  • smoison #20 3 years ago

    What a SUPERB GAME.

    Staying alive waiting for the Heli on the hospital roof is BAD ASS.

    2 Tanks on Advanced!!!

    I can't stay alive 15 minutes!!!

    What a great game!

  • StooMonster #21 3 years ago

    Bastard tank killed me just as I was about to get on the helicopter!

    What a bass ass and fun fun game, although I do feel ashamed for spending the extra wonga on Steam rather than waiting for retail (darn Pound Sterling collapse, stupid UK economic conditions).

    PS: being the super-optimized Source engine means you don't need a super-rig to run it well either.

  • Gearskin #22 3 years ago

    After nailing the demo for 5 hours the retail game seems kinda boring. Same enemies, same tactics. It's VERY limited.