Review: Left 4 Dead 2

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The numerous opportunities to kill zombies is one of the nicest things about being a gamer. And with the follow-up to brain-sucker slayfest Left for Dead, the genius developers at Valve have made it even nicer. This title focuses on multi-player, rather than single mission (although solo play is possible). The story is simple: you're one of four human "survivors" of a devastating disease trying to chop, shoot and burn your way through hordes of "infected", assisting your fellow un-undead as you complete minor missions. Without fully co-operating and constantly talking about where ammo, weapons and health packs are, life gets a lot harder. There are several game modes to get your teeth into, the most entertaining being Versus. Guns, grenade launchers and a nice selection of potential melee

weapons inflict far gorier damage, so it's not for the squeamish. Those who are looking for a new and shiny gameplay format with Left4Dead 2 will be disappointed - it is very similar to the original, but more polished and far more engaging with better weapons, AI and characters.

Verdict: If you missed last year's Left 4 Dead, enjoy co-operative play on or offline and don't mind a bit of brain matter getting on your shoes, this is a must-have.

Rating: * * * *
Xbox 360, R18