The Timeless Simplicity Of Left 4 Dead 2

Between playing GTFO and witnessing the scaling panic over Covid-19, I found myself morbidly revisiting Valve’s Left 4 Dead 2. Of course, I could sit here and pretend to have something enlightening to say that somehow connects all these events together to create an impactful article. However, I’m the master of disappointment, so instead allow me to indulge in one of the finest video game experiences ever.

2009, Kanye West wanted to tell you about a video he liked. The Black Eyed Peas are selling records. Twilight is the epidemic threatening the world (but hey, Robert Paterson is actually really good now, and you should watch Good Time) and Glee has aired its first episodes. What a year it was, in the video scene Uncharted 2 sold PS3 units, Assassin’s Creed got good and Bayonetta dazzled…at least on the 360. But between all the noise, Valve released Left 4 Dead 2

Here we stand, 11 years after the fact, with a slew of titles that have either tried to mimic, match or outclass Valve’s co-op masterpiece. But nothing else matches the intensity, ferocity and utility that Left 4 Dead 2 has to offer. The oddest aspect of it all falls down to how simple the game is. There’s no real gimmick, no steep learning curve or even much of a skill wall. Fundamentally, the entire game is the purest example of pick up and play out there. This aspect lends itself well to the ageing process, but it goes much deeper than that.

Simplicity flows through every aspect of the game, a trait that we tend to overlook. It’s often seen as limiting, but Valve’s ability to harness it and build around it, instead of on it, works wonders. With plenty of space between mechanics, there’s room for organic teamwork to form. It’s this element which seeds itself at the heart of the game, growing the more you play, even to this day.

Everything, and I mean everything, flows with such confidence. Special infected pose unique dangers that synchronize with the various possible situations that can arise. Weapons for each environment and foe. Tools that can be the difference between success, or immolating your entire squad. Even the maps feel like they’re insidiously crafted to take you at any given moment. 

Of course, what are mechanics without the players to experience them. Most veterans of Left 4 Dead 2 will have at least a handful of stories from their time playing. We, as video game consumers, tend to look through the interactive side of multiplayer storytelling. By playing the game with others, especially friends, we craft our own storytelling methods. Those ‘water cooler’ moments where we relive the adventures (or often in the case of Left 4 Dead, misadventures) we’ve had. Valve tapped into this by allowing the series to dabble in the realms of being unpredictable, while maintaining a strict course of action.

Once the novelty of nostalgia starts to melt away, there’s still plenty to be said. The modding community around the game is still potent. Turn the game into a memefest, a Waifu delight or a greatest hits featuring weaponry and characters from other games. And then there’s the community made maps. Play through Half-Life 2’s brilliant Ravenholm section, or dive into countless unique creations. It’s all there and present, a mere click away. 

Even after all these years, all those passing trends, Left 4 Dead 2 is still head and shoulders above the rest in pure entertainment. Nothing comes close to those last stands, shoulder to shoulder with your friends. The simplicity of it all allows the game to stay the course, instantly playable, eternally gratifying. But most of all, it’s just fucking fun.