Back 4 Blood Video Game Review: Perfecting an already 'near perfect' horror FPS with new mechanics

Back 4 Blood is a 4 player Co-op horror shooter with multiplayer and a fun, game-altering, card system. Availble for most current games consoles (both PS4 & 5, PC and the Xbox Series), B4B is an indirect sequel to the hugely popular 'Left 4 Dead' series from a previous decade of Zombie shooters. As well as featuring updated graphics, characters and a whole range of new enemy types to shoot, slice and explode, B4B implements a new game changing mechanic known as "decks". Each deck holds up to 15 cards, created by the player ahead of time, and alters a huge variety of things, meaning the same level, on repeat playthrough, is never quite the same as the last. (Things such as character stamina, zombies aggression and strength of weapons). It's this new twist, on an already near-perfect series, that sets Back 4 Blood up as yet another Zombie classic in the gaming industry for years to come.

Back in 2008; when developers, such as Activision, were only just starting to delve into the realm of the undead in their video games (COD Zombies Saga) one team had managed to create something special with Left 4 Dead. Developed by Valve south (whom later went on to become Turtle Rock Studios) and published by Valve themselves, L4D was an instant cult classic with its 8 player PvP (player vs player), gameplay mechanics and challenging 4 player co-op campaigns. This then led to Valve's equally popular Left 4 Dead 2 (2009), which was developed by an entirely new team but still managing to encapsulate the fun of the first.

Now, over 10 years later, the original team have returned to the genre in order to create something that somehow feels both exciting and new yet maintains enough of the structure previous fans will remember and love to incite feelings of true nostalgia in the older fanbase. The narrative in FPS shooters is never the key selling point so now, with a simple button press, you are able to skip those repeated cut scenes, allowing you to delve straight into the action. Playable characters are now called 'Cleaners', a rather ironic name for those 'cleaning the streets of the walking dead' but also humorous due to the large piles of undead bodies left in their wake. It's the sheer amount of undead that can swam you (at quite literally any point) that really shows just how impressive the game now is. Moments often feel more like scenes from a zombie movie than that of a video game.

"It's really dangerous and I could possibly die? Well, sign me up!" - Holly

Like most other FPS games, gameplay requires a simple run and gun approach, however its not just the common undead (Ridden) you have to be worried about. There's also some more advanced AI enemies that prevent you from progressing a level at a leisurely pace. Enemies with varied special attacks such as 'The Stinger' which binds the player on impact by firing projectiles as you pass, preventing you from moving onward until a fellow companion melees you out of the putrid wrap, or 'The Reeker', which spits bile upon the player, temporality inhabiting your vision and attracting more common 'ridden' to your area. The only way to stay alive is to cut down all that lays in your path, and this is made easier by the multiple choice weaponry found dotted around the levels (such as pistols, shotguns, machine guns and a variety of melee inspired weaponry) each with expansive attachments to improve distance, damage and mobility.

Level design is key to keep players engagement, making each level gripping and fresh throughout each playthrough. B4B runs with the same formula seen in L4D in that there's 'Acts' (4 in total at launch) and these split into around 7 or 8 subchapters, each varying in gameplay length. It's this level breakdown that keeps the initial 12 hours (roughly) gameplay feeling new from start to finish. Level locations range from abandoned hotel buildings and rooftops to a lake side dock littered with banked boats and cruise ships. No one level tends to feel the same, other than the returning 'Safe Zone' the characters tend to start each mission from.

As mentioned earlier, the main feature point of the game is the "Deck" system which allows players to edit the game to suit their play style. Cards such as faster reload speed will be better for those wishing to use shotguns for example, or faster healing for those worried about keeping themselves alive. There's also some more detailed cards such as 'no friendly fire whilst crouched with LMG' which will undoubtedly be more useful for those playing on the higher difficulties (greater team damage infliction) but what makes the game interesting is the random order in which you obtain these cards. No two player gets the same card from each deck so its a mater of replaying levels to build up points to buy/unlock more cards. Gives the game tons more replay ability with what would otherwise be simple gameplay.

"Not gonna rest until I've put down every last Ridden" - Mom

As well as playing either offline (with 3 AI controlled players) or online (with up to 3 of your friends) you can also opt to control special ridden in the game mode known as 'Swarm', which see's players fight as one of the undead against online combatants. There's nothing more satisfying than stopping a team of 'cleaners' from entering a safe room with a well timed group attack composing of a 'Hocker' pining one survivor in place whilst a fellow 'Bruiser' swings their muscular, mutated arm at those frantically trying to save them. Similarly to how the living need to coordinate safe and reliable progression from start to finish; the team of special ridden also need to set up traps throughout in order to win each round.

The game already has plans for expansions which will likely see some new characters and hopefully some different level locations, and these will likely keep any fan's attention way into next year. One thing we can only hope will be improved upon is greater outfits and cosmetics for the existing 'cleaners'. (with each character only really having 4 alternative outfits, 3 of which are just colour scheme alterations) One could argue in an FPS game when you do not actually see the characters attire, this is not outright a reason to be disgruntled at launch. However, with it being something the team clearly had plans to implement in a way, hopefully they can flesh it out some more with future updates and DLC packs.

As a huge fan of both Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2, this was a must have ever since announcements were released back in 2019. When a game has such a cult following as L4D it's always going to be hard to improve upon and still manage to capture the essence of the original, however Turtle Rock Studios have managed to do just that. It's the same style of game as L4D, provides the same amount of endless fun with your friends but has just enough new ideas to be able to stand out as an improvement overall.

A Bearded Critic rating: 4/5