Back 4 Blood, the latest game from the creators of Left 4 Dead, is out and it is excellent. The original Left 4 Dead created an entirely new Co-Op experience, one that is still regularly played to this day. That’s a lot of staying power for a game series that doesn’t receive regular updates. Now, Back 4 Blood is out and the idea that it is essentially Left 4 Dead 3 has proven to be absolutely correct.
Back 4 Blood is the Co-Op experience we have been waiting for since Left 4 Dead 2 was released, all the way back in 2009. Fans of the Left 4 Dead franchise have been hoping for Left 4 Dead 3 for over a decade at this point. Finally, that unique zombie Co-Op experience is back with the new game.
Back 4 Blood perfectly captures the Co-Op experience of the original Left 4 Dead games and updates it for 2021. The new campaign mode is arguably more challenging than anything offered in the Left 4 Dead games, save maybe expert difficulty in those games. The Co-Op experience in Left 4 Dead was groundbreaking in the way every single player had to pull their weight. Unlike other Co-Op games, one person couldn’t carry the group in Left 4 Dead. If everyone didn’t work together then everyone was going to die. Back 4 Blood captures that essence and dials it up to 11. In Back 4 Blood, you’re relying even more on the successful collaboration of all the members of your team. Without it, you’re not going to get past the first act of the campaign.
Add in the new currency system which forces players to work together to afford upgrades and the limited ammo, weapons, and supplies across the map and you’ve got an awesome Co-Op experience. One that we haven’t seen the likes of since 2009. I for one am excited to have another decade of playtime in Back 4 Blood. Hopefully, it doesn’t take another decade for us to see even more improvements to this excellent Co-Op experience.