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Denver, 7:22 PM
Fri Dec 11
53 posts in the last 24 hours
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09/10/09
However...
Gabe Newell has made explicit promises about what will be added to Left 4 Dead as DLC, and not all of these have yet come to fruition (Crash Course fulfils some of them, but not all). So as neat as L4D2 looks, I'm holding out until they make good on their promises for L4D1. Otherwise companies will just get in the habit of promising all kinds of stuff for their games and never coming up with the goods (The Peter Molyneux Model)
Is that what people want? a whole gaming industry filled with Peter Molyneuxes because we didn't hold people to their promises?
09/10/09
You set the bar high with TF2 Valve. Probably too high. That doesn't mean we won't call you on trying to lower it.
09/10/09
09/10/09
you say five levels isn't impressive, as though this is just some run of the mill FPS. you even say so while conceding that they have merits. L4D isn't about capturing flags, protecting "hills" or jumping around and killing people for points. it literally is in a genre all its own. there's nothing "like" L4D. those five levels each have several entirely different parts that you'll be playing for at least a few minutes each, and are all about survival. why is that not good enough for a sequel for the game? and at least PC players get mods, us console guys have to stick it out until we are handed whatever valve gives us.
four new characters is plenty, the fact that they all control the same balances the gameplay. not to mention that most games where you control avatars that are substantially different in what they bring to the table don't have them banter with each other in the fashion they do in L4D. the game's situation is personalized in that respect.
again, this isn't TF2 where if you lose a spy, he respawns in seconds, you can change your class, or someone else can replace him. when you die in L4D, you're gone for a while. and if you had some special talent that is crucial to getting through certain areas, the group is lost without you. how hard would it be to find a fair game in L4D if everybody wanted to be bill and zoey, so the others are usually left to the cpu?
I'm not even gonna continue this wall in regard to weapons, etc. you get the point. people pay for new games in older series that offer less in the way of new content all the time. I am unaffected by the quick turnaround for this game, I'm almost 33 years old, I've seen other companies do a lot worse.
09/10/09
Apples vs. Oranges of gameplay acknowledged, the amount of support each title has received is a fair point of comparison- at least I have yet to hear a compelling argument as to why it shouldn't be- and the balance does not add up equally. TF2 has received multiple new weapons, maps, modes and gameplay tweaks while L4D has received bug fixes, one new mode, one new level (which only works on survival), no new weapons, and nothing in the way of extras (like new costumes for survivors. Not a big deal, but every little bit makes a difference).
While I don't agree with the boycott movement, because I know damn well I'll end up buying the game at some point, I believe fans have a right to express their disappointment with Valve because we hold them to a higher standard. Other companies produce quick sequels everyday and I don't bat an eye because it's what I've come to expect from them. They are mere mortals though, and that fact escapes me at times.
As a last note, I only griped about the characters because Faliszek pitched them as if they were a justifying feature -something that sets this title apart from it's predecessor- when they are really just different skins and voice clips; things which could be incorporated to the first game without much trouble.
09/10/09
09/11/09
09/10/09
So then L4D2 has more content than L4D?
Aaaaaaaand why are people complaining that it's a sequel?
09/10/09
To compound these facts, Valve have been using the same engine since 2004 and have been essentially printing money off mods of Half-life 2 and it shows. Textures and lighting simply don't look as good as games running UE3 or Cry Engine 3. Don't get me wrong the game play is what matters most but it's hard to justify spending $50 or $60 for a a game that's not as good as it could be. Another problem people have is how L4D is being handled in comparison to Team Fortress 2 which had a lot more content and was only $20 on top of which has been getting regular content updates. "Where are those updates for L4D?" is a question a lot of players are asking.
A separate issue I have is Valve abandoning VAC basically not having ongoing deterrence to cheaters using aim-bots. I love counter-strike but there's rampant cheating going on in the game.
Don't misunderstand me, I'm not opposed to paying for L4D2, I just refuse to pay full price for it. I'll be waiting for it to go on sale for $29.99. However, I still have problems with L4D's hit detection when playing as infected and until I know that's resolved I won't bother with L4D2. Problems clipping through the survivors when pouncing as a hunter, boomer juice not covering all the survivors because one player got in front, or not being able to drag survivors as smokers through common infected or over railings. It's hard enough to coordinate with random people as it is. These problems require more luck than skill which is a problem when the whole idea is supposed to be based on teamwork.
I know a lot of this sounds like bitching, I'm just giving you the answer to why people are complaining.
09/10/09
09/09/09
I picked up Left 4 Dead a week after my friends got it. This removes any ability to find stuff out the fun way. All you get is people telling you not to do something, and why. Just like watching a movie with someone telling you everything thats going to happen five minutes before it happens.
Going based on that experience, the five campaigns in L4D2 will give someone like me 7 hours of playtime. For $50. It gets worse when you factor in the cost of L4D1. $100 for 11 hours. As opposed to a fighting game, or an arena or more competition style game, it is terrible for the money.
There is less detailed content in it than Half Life 2 Episode 2. And less overall than DFBHD: Team Sabre. As far as content/dollar it seems like crap.
Then, I'm curious where the demand was for the game that they decided to pursue it instead of making L4D1 better. It's similar to releasing a Portal 2. Everyone loved the first, but the vast majority are content enough to not give a crap until news comes out. How this got such a quick turnaround while people still ask where Counterstrike 2 or Episode 3 is is beyond me.
It's kind of odd though; this is the first console generation where people can set up an actual platform, and the first PC generation where publishers can tell them to shove it and do it their way. But, instead of setting up a platform, make as much money as you can off of relatively inexpensive map packs, edits, and changes while working towards the goal of making the sequel for the next console generation three times as good as the current game, developers are releasing nonsense like Rock Band 2, Guitar Hero 57, Left 4 Dead 2, Tony Hawk Pro Skater We Ran out of Numbers, and Madden 2009.
Anyway, sorry about the rant. I wanted to make it a lot longer, and miss a lot less logic holes, but this is way too long for a comment section as-is and I don't feel like proof-reading.
09/09/09
09/09/09
09/09/09
09/09/09
then add $7 for new infected
then another $7 for new weapons and characters and we get a total of
$49.00 Oh hey look at that! I guess this is DLC then huh.
09/09/09
Melee weapons
3 new special infected.
worth $49.99 (PC) and $59.99 (xbox 360)?
you decide.
Me? I have no doubt it will be just as fun to play as the first game. But with MW2, GT5, U2, and a slew of other games coming out this fall/next spring, I'll pick this up when steam offers 50% off sale.
09/09/09
09/09/09
Even Valve doesn't refer to the specific maps, but instead the overarching campaign. They're sequential, reference each other, and are meant to be played in one setting.
09/09/09
I just wanted to make the point that L4D2 is competing with a lot of big titles this Fall and for me I only have enough money for the top 3 on my top 5 games i'm looking forward to, this will have to be put on the backburner
09/09/09
melee weapons? I can already smack zombies with my gun (or gas tank).
campaigns...why not make them DLC?
new zombies... EDIT:2 of which are weaker variations of tank. one is a boomer but quicker.
where is the logic in even considering purchasing this game?
09/09/09
4 characters no one is attached to.
YET
were you attached to L4D's characters before release? Your logic makes no sense.
also, the if they released the campaigns as DLC, the DLC would be bigger than the actual release.
weird arguments are weird.
09/09/09
I liked louis very much the second I saw him in the trailer. Bill seemed like a cool guy as well.
09/09/09
That's where I stopped reading.
09/09/09
[n4g.com]
09/09/09
09/09/09
09/09/09
-The fact that this game has way more content than the original.
Justified.
09/09/09
@Sparkimus Prime: Heh, the console versions of TF2 have more content than Left4Dead.
09/09/09
09/09/09
While I can't say I plan on rushing out to buy L4D2 I will say that I'll pick it up the first Steam sale that puts it around $30.
Valve already got my $50 for what was, IMO, an incomplete L4D. They can wait to get the $30 I think this expansion is worth.
09/09/09
An incomplete yet amazing game. I absolutely loved every moment of L4D.
09/09/09
They didn't screw up to the point of me not purchasing the game. But I, and many others I know, plan on sending a clear message by waiting for the price to drop before purchasing.
06/14/09
06/14/09
06/14/09
It's just crass :\
06/14/09
What offends you might not offend me, and vice versa. Or are you proposing Kotaku (and all websites on the internet) run every single story by you first just to make sure you're not offended by anything?
06/14/09
I never said I was offended by this. I don't give a rat's behind whether or not some guys want to have Zoey naked while filling walking cadavers with lead.
It's Owen's overall attitude that I find jarring. Sometimes you have excellent pieces written here that examine the industry in a new and refreshing light, and then you get posts about how two lines in the new Call of Juarez trailer make it sound like a porn movie and include the "cumming=coming" pun. Seriously?
I'm hardly offended by things posted on the Internet. Who cares? It's this duality of Kotaku that bothers me. Serious, professional videogame journalism website one day, penis jokes the other.
06/14/09
"professional video game journalism" must be some kind of oxymoron right? (joke) Let's face facts, video games are not high society and Kotaku is a blog not a national newspaper. If you were prepared for 60 Minutes and got Late Night with Conan O'Brien I could see how you feel let down, but there shouldn't be that kind of expectation here. It isn't that blogs are "lesser" forms of journalism, but the fact they let us comment and bicker over articles instead of just giving us the plain, dry facts should say something.
06/14/09
I suppose you're right... Doesn't make it any less creepy though...
06/14/09
Kids read this stuff.