Dominating the Undead

Published December 22, 2008

Left for Dead™ for Xbox 360® is remarkable for both its speed and unpredictability. Unrelenting swarms of ravenous undead can hurtle themselves at you and your teammates from any direction at any time. Of course, what makes the game great also makes it one of the more challenging titles available on the console. Try tackling any Campaign on Expert and survival will require precision teamwork, excellent twitch shooting, and an almost supernatural awareness of your surroundings.

Too close for comfort. Back away!

The following tips have been zombie-battle-tested on all difficulty levels and should serve you well on your quest to, if not destroy the undead horde, at least escape to live another day.

Joined at the Hip
Whether playing cooperatively or just with the A.I., there's no more important strategy than simple teamwork. Specifically, no player can freelance on their own away from the other survivors. You're most vulnerable to Smoker, Hunter, and Boomer attacks when separated. Always move together, taking the time to talk through where you're heading so no one veers off from the group on accident.

All Angles
Sticking together is crucial, true, but so too is covering every field of fire when you do. Make sure one player is looking straight ahead, two are covering your sides, and the last is keeping an eye on your flank. Zombies and Special Infected come from everywhere, so you need to keep an eye on every angle of attack.

Also, just because a wave of enemies comes from one direction doesn't mean every player should turn their attention to the incoming. If you do, chances are a second wave will appear unnoticed and tear you to shreds. Rather, I suggest two players go to work on the first wave that appears, and the other two continue to scan the horizon.

Vomit incoming.

Listen!
The sprinting masses of basic zombies are dangerous, but it's the Special Infected—Smokers, Hunters, Boomers, Tanks, and Witches—that represent the real threat in Left 4 Dead. However, each Special Infected advertises their presence with an audio cue to alert you to their presence.

If you hear a series of gurgles and belches, you can be sure a Boomer is lurking somewhere nearby. If you hear a screeching howl, there's a Hunter getting ready to pounce. Likewise, a nasty cough should alert you to a Smoker's presence while girlish sobbing lets you know a Witch is huddled somewhere close. Finally, if the music takes on a more dramatic tone, there's a Tank on its way.

The Vomit Corner
Should you find yourself liberally sprayed with Boomer vomit, you know you're in for a sudden influx of sprinting zombies. Your best bet for taking as little damage as possible is to back yourself immediately into a corner, or, better yet, a small room. This way, you know the zombies can only approach you from one or two directions.

Hunter Melee
Combat can get pretty claustrophobic in Left 4 Dead when you're being surrounded by dozens of sprinting, bloodthirsty zombies. When you hear a Hunter let loose their trademark howl there's often not enough time to look, aim and fire.

If you think you're about to get pounced on, try spamming the melee attack with Left Trigger. Provided you're facing in the right direction, you should knock the Hunter backwards mid-leap and buy yourself some time to take them out. Plus, you'll score the Dead Stop achievement.

Remember, you can still shoot if you're incapacitated.

Preemptive Smoker Strike
If you find yourself lassoed by a Smoker but facing their direction, you may not have to depend on your teammates for help. You should have a second or two to blast them a few times and take them out them out before you're good and constricted.

Witch Avoidance
A startled Witch means instant incapacitation for anyone she strikes even on Easy difficulty. Luckily, they're fairly easy to bypass. When you hear a Witch sobbing make sure everyone turns off their flashlights. Next, take a few seconds to track down her precise location and then look for an alternate route past her.

It's very rare that you'll encounter a Witch you can't sneak around, but if you do, startle her from long range and have all four players lay into her as she sprints towards you. Also, be sure you've got room to back up if necessary.

Never Assume
Part of what makes Left 4 Dead so remarkable is the A.I.-powered "Director" that controls when and where zombies appear and attack. Consequently, you can never approach any one section the exact same way twice. If you die and have to replay through a section, never assume you know what lies ahead.

Shut It!
The zombies in Left 4 Dead may be tenacious, but their problem solving skills are rudimentary at best. Even something as simple as opening a door is beyond them. Make sure to shut every door behind you unless you plan on backtracking right away. If nothing else, it will buy you extra time to prepare.

If you hear the undead horde rapidly approaching and you're in a room, you can buy yourself all sorts of easy kills by shutting the door and picking off the zombies through the holes they create as they attempt to bash it down.

I'm sure it's perfectly safe.

High Ground
Whenever you're about to engage in a large scale fight or you feel you're about to be overwhelmed, always try to gain the high ground. Yes, zombies can leap and scale just about any object, but the time it takes for them to do so will allow you to thin their ranks substantially. This tactic is especially useful for Tanks, where those extra seconds can make the difference between everyone living and half your team getting slaughtered.

Explore
Left 4 Dead plays extremely fast, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't spend time exploring in between battles. You'll find Molotov cocktails, pipe bombs, extra ammo, health packs, and more scattered throughout every level. Staying patient enough to find and use these items can make a world of difference.

All that being said, dawdling too long just gives the Director more opportunities to send extra waves of zombies after you. Take the time to search, but don't let your guard down.

Now grab hold of your weapon of choice, gather your wits, and prepare to dominate the undead horde!

Article by Ryan Treit