Demo Review: Left 4 Dead

Yes, I am reviewing a demo. I havn't even played through all of the demo's features. BUT, I simply can't resist. When Left 4 Dead's demo unlocked today, and I began to watch the intro video, I had to pause it and change my underpants. Yes... I nerd-gasmed all over the place. The intro video is so fucking cool that I couldnt contain my sexual reproductive organs which instinctively wanted to mate with my computer so that our robot babies would have the coolest genes in robo-preschool. Unfortunately for Left 4 Dead, an AMAZING non-gameplay intro movie is not enough to garner a positive rating from this blog. FORTUNATLY, I played through the entire first demo mission and much of the second mission and the gameplay is really freaking sweet.

Valve did an amazing job of creating a truely tense and frightening atmosphere in their new game (I expected no less from one of the most brilliant game companies out there). The zombies' AI is extremely well designed. Zombies generally sit around and do nothing, but once you call attention to yourself, the undead hordes mobalize into massive stampedes. This creates the necessity for teamwork and tactics. The zombies' movements can instantly transform a secure situation into a tense action sequence reminiscent of the remake of Dawn of the Dead.

What also sets this game apart from other zombie survival games (aside from the great co-op dynamic) is the inclusion of the specialty zombies. These sinister creatures turn a normal zombie scenario into a terrifying, death defying, fear fest. Simply hearing the sounds of a nearby hunter is enough to put you on edge. The discusting feeling of being vomited on is quickly surpassed by the fear of not being able to see as you get swarmed by every zombie in the area. Watching Bill get strung up by a smoker while Frances is holding off a massive horde with his shotgun and Zoe is busy healing herself creates a very tense scenario.

My only complaint would be that in the demo levels are pretty easy, but I would guess that thats the point. I am excited to feel the fear of running out of ammo, but that will have to wait until November 18th when the full game comes out.

If this demo is any indication, the final product is going to prevent me from obtaining my diploma. But I don't really care, because Left 4 Dead is amazing and recieves 634 missing undead thumbs out of 635 missing undead thumbs.

Dream theatre 2000

Welcome to dream theatre 2000, here I will present to you a recent dream in hopes that you, the reader, will respond with an accurate psychoanalysis.

This dream was dreamt during sleep on the morning of November 2nd 2008:

The dream begins with the United States of America using a tactical mini-nuke on a large hotel in Australia without the consent of the Australian government. The attack is justified by the U.S. government's claim that, according to intelligence reports, there were terrorist suspects maybe in the building. In the dream, I become outraged and my outrage is enhanced by the fact that nobody else seems to care. I then am on CNN with Frank Sesno and Bill O'Reilly. (Yes, I know) Bill O'Reilly is defending the decision of the U.S. and I am screaming at him. After this, I find myself in Australia after being given a free flight. I am at the site of the attack (surprisingly no radiation) and I fall to my knees at the foot of the ruin. I then begin to weep uncontrollably on the ground. For some reason, Josh Benjamin and Scott Backer (Scooter Bagelman) are present and attempt to console me. I respond with more outrage at the deaths of countless innocents. I continue to weep uncontrollably until I wake up.

Weird fucking dream, huh!!!