Back 4 Blood has done a lot of things right, it has captured the essence of the Left 4 Dead franchise perfectly. It hasn’t just captured the essence of Left 4 Dead though, it has built upon and improved the games. One way in which it has done so is with the atmosphere of the game. Left 4 Dead had a decent atmosphere but it wasn’t one of the strong points of the franchise. The games had their moments. There’s nothing like hearing a Witch in Left 4 Dead but overall the games were probably held back by the time.
Back 4 Blood with all of the new generation improvements has nailed the atmosphere that Left 4 Dead lacks compared to today’s games. The improved graphics, sounds, and lighting all work wonders to really pull you into the game. There may not be a Witch equivalent, which to be honest is disappointing (get a warlock in there Turtle Rock!), but there’s nothing like hearing any of the special ridden coming after you in Back 4 Blood. The creepy feeling that the sounds of the game create is magnificent.
Then, we have what on the surface seems like a very minor change, but what has added a surprising amount to the atmosphere of the game. The flashlight. In Left 4 Dead the flashlight is turned on and off by the player. In Back 4 Blood it is purely automatic. It’ll turn on if you go into a very dark closet but otherwise it’s off. This keeps the entire world in relative darkness for almost the whole time you’re playing. It adds a lot to the feel of the game. It’s probably something that could not have easily been done on 2007 Xbox/PC technology but I’m very thankful to have it now.
Back 4 Blood feels like a zombie movie in more ways than Left 4 Dead ever could. I have a feeling that Back 4 Blood will be the perfect game to play this Halloween.
