We're ready, zombie-plan in hand for the upcoming apocalypse -- sponsored by Valve. While we're confident our survival guide is top-notch we wouldn't mind a test run before the actual catastrophic event takes place, luckily Doug Lombardi confirmed a Left 4 Dead demo is headed our way soon.
Speaking with IGN, Lombardi -- VP of Marketing at Valve -- confirmed an upcoming demo of Left 4 Dead will drop prior to the game hitting store shelves and will take place, "from the front of the Survivor's first campaign (including the opening movie)." The two map (or level) demo showcases the first two missions of the game where four survivors attempt to work their way to the roof of Mercy Hospital for extraction.
While a specific date for the demo has not been confirmed, Lombardi did tell IGN that gamers should expect the demo to land on the Xbox Live Marketplace and Steam early in the month of November. Left 4 Dead hits stores on November 17.
You know, we like puns and silly humor here at the Joystiq Network (just look at any headline from Alexander or Ludwig). Valve? Now there's a committed bunch to a joke. Months ago Valve released the box art for its upcoming co-op infused shooter, Left 4 Dead. The box art followed a simple, yet witty checklist: Deformed hand of a dead zombie? Check. Four fingers shouting out to the title and number of players in a squad? Check. But, something was ... missing.
Today, Valve corrected one tiny error to make the joke complete. The original image on the box art has been flipped to appear as though it were a left hand. Get it? Left. 4. Dead. We really hope no one paid extra for a few Photoshop keystrokes.
GameTrailers has released an extended version of its interview with Chet Faliszek, writer for Left 4 Dead. The interview focuses on the game's playable zombies, who do their best to do in the opposing team of human survivors. Competitive play has players switching between the human survivors and the zombie Infected each round. After each team plays as both sides, the score is tallied based on which team of survivors made it the farthest. Those controlling the Infected will utilze the special abilities of the more unique zombies such as the Smoker, who can reel humans in with a very long tongue. Working together, the Infected can create unique strategies to bring the humans down. An example given in the video is to reel in a player with a Smoker, and then use a Boomer character's vomit to attract more zombies to the area.
Oh yeah, did we mention that players controlling a Boomer get to use vomit as a weapon? Yeah, they do.
When it was announced at E3 2008 the potential of Portal: Still Alive for the Xbox Live Arcade excited fans of the popular holiday '07 first-person-puzzler. While the title is still anticipated for its bonus content, which is available for free now at BigDownload, many were disappointed that the title simply offers the same experience in downloadable form. As a testament to the popularity of the game and not the shortcomings of the Arcade release, players simply wanted more. Luckily original ideas have found a way into the XBLA release of Portal. Unfortunately they come in the form of new achievements for the game.
Of the twelve achievements uncovered by MyGamerCard nine are original challenges for console gamers to play with when the game hits the service later this year. Well, at least we get something new! Hey, we don't mean to be hard on the game but its like when our parents scold us. They aren't mad, they're just disappointed. Yet, we still can't wait for the game ... sort that one out!
Valve's Gabe Newell has confirmed to VideoGamer.com that a Left 4 Dead demo is on its way to the Xbox Live Marketplace. Trust us when we tell you that this is very good news. The demo is set to include single-player and online co-op (!) and will feature "the first part of one of the campaigns," which Newell suggest will "probably" be the Hospital level that has been shown to the press (though the final decision rests with Doug Lombardi). Unfortunately, there is no concrete release date set for the demo just yet. Here's hoping we get it before the game's November 21 release. Sooner would be better than later, because our zombie shooting trigger finger is itchy.
[Thanks, Rob]
After taking Left 4 Dead for a survival horror test drive during E3 2008, we came away quite impressed! Read our E3 Left 4 Dead impressions to learn why Valve's latest zombie masterpiece will have you screaming with bloody enjoyment.
It's no secret that we heart Left 4 Dead. What we played of the game at E3 was excellent, and we're hard pressed to think of another game releasing this year with such a heavy emphasis on team play. Quite simply, if you don't protect your teammates, you all die. Until now, there has only been footage of the PC version of the game, which is the version we played at E3. Thanks to GameVideos, however, we now have brand new footage of the game running on an Xbox 360. The verdict: it looks great. Check out the video above to see exactly we can't wait to take part in the zombie apocalypse this November.
Update: Sorry kids. Video formatting is fixed.
[Thanks, Jose O]
After taking Left 4 Dead for a survival horror test drive during E3 2008, we came away quite impressed! Read our E3 Left 4 Dead impressions to learn why Valve's latest zombie masterpiece will have you screaming with bloody enjoyment.
Posted Aug 26th 2008 11:00AM by Dustin Burg
Filed under: News
Coming straight from the Leipzig Games Convention floor is a brand new Left 4 Dead teaser trailer courtesy of the fine folks over at Valve. And, if you weren't aware that zombies could throw chunks of concrete through the air, then be prepared to be in utter amazement as an overly large zombie (steroids maybe?) attacks our four friends. The buff zombie is also very sweaty and reflective ... that's just a random observation.
Posted Aug 25th 2008 1:00PM by Dustin Burg
Filed under: News
During a Leipzig video interview with Gamekings, Valve's own Gabe Newell broke some depressing Left 4 Dead release date news, making mention that the game will not release on November 4th as initially expected. Instead, Left 4 Dead will be releasing on Thursday, November 20th, which (admittedly) is only a few weeks later. But what's up the odd Thursday retail release? Well, the reason (as Mr. Newell points out) is due to the fact that November 20th is the tenth anniversary of Half-Life's release. How freakin' adorable.
Update: It seems GameSpot has pulled this story, though as of this update the story headline is still displayed on GameSpot's 360 page. For what it's worth, Kotaku is reporting the same thing, so we're not sure exactly why GameSpot's article has been pulled. See our original post below.
Gamers with the Xbox 360 version of Team Fortress 2 have had kind of a rough time. First we see the PC version get Medic updates and achievements, then the Pyro gets the same treatment, and now our good friend the Heavy is getting his own update (not to mention the Sandvich). We 360 gamers have sat idly by as PC gamers get to romp about with new weapons and there's a even a new map on the way. It's time to cheer up fanboys, because Valve has confirmed to GameSpot that all of the TF2 content released thus far should be hitting the Xbox 360 before the end of the year.
And now be sad again, because it looks like it's going to cost you. In an interview with VideoGaming247, Valve boss Gabe Newell spoke about the updates saying, "On the consoles, they want us to charge money for them, because that's in their model, and our model is very much more to grow the community by giving out free updates." Boy, we like the sound of Valve's model much better. From the sound of things, it's soundling like Microsoft wants Valve to charge for their content even if Valve doesn't want to (now thatsounds familiar).
There's something tragic about posting the Meat Meet the Sandvich trailer on X3F. While Team Fortress 2 is spinning in countless machines as we type, this content is another item that must be added to a laundry list of missing features from the console version of the multiplayer title. However, keeping with our readers love of all things related to TF2 "Meet the" videos we present the latest. Meet Team Fortress 2's "Edible Device" and shotgun replacement, the Sandvich. Now, who was working on that petition to get this content on the Xbox 360?
Posted Aug 13th 2008 9:45AM by Dustin Burg
Filed under: News
Exciting news fanboys! Left 4 Dead - Valve's co-op zombie survival game that we totally gushed about during E3 - will be going on a world tour, allowing gamers from across the globe to witness what a true zombie co-op experience is like. We've been informed that the PC version of Left 4 Dead will be playable at the German Leipzig Games Convention, France's Festival du Jeu Video and the UK's PC Gamer Showdown. And about the Xbox 360 version? Attendees of the Penny Arcade Expo will get a chance to see the debut of the 360 version of Left 4 Dead and snag some free swag! And wouldn't you know, X3F be attending PAX this year! Coincidence? We think not.
After taking Left 4 Dead for a survival horror test drive during E3 2008, we came away quite impressed! Read our E3 Left 4 Dead impressions to learn why Valve's latest zombie masterpiece will have you screaming with bloody enjoyment.
Rumors have been swirling as to the exclusivity of Valve's upcoming team-zombie-shooter, Left 4 Dead. In its latest edition, Official PlayStation Magazine claimed a PS3 version of the game was in the works by an internal team at Electronic Arts -- distributors of Valve retail products. Attempting to confirm or debunk the rumor IGN contacted Valve's Doug Lombardi who quickly shot down the rumor, "there is no PS3 version of Left 4 Dead currently in production."
Could it still happen? Sure. But as it stands it looks like Xbox 360 fans will have exclusive console rights to the anticipated shooter. That means we'll all have to deal with it being called a worthless exclusive and subpar shooter until it is confirmed for the PS3 and then have it be claimed as one of the best and biggest exclusive losses since ... oh I don't know, Final Fantasy XIII comes to mind. Just saying.
When Portal: Still Alive was first announced at E3 2008 it was touted as an Xbox 360 exclusive in 2008. In PR practitioner speak that means the game could see life on other platforms after 2008 but, according to Valve, that isn't the case. "I'd call that today's rumor," a Valve rep told CVG regarding a possible PSN version of Portal: Still Alive. "You're smart to ask. But no."
Portal: Still Alive is the upcoming Xbox Live Arcade, standalone map expansion, game based on the Portal: The Flash Version map pack which is currently available on PC for free -- which you can download now at Big Download. For free. Did we mention it's free?
Hey ... wait a minute! Oh, we guess Valve meant console exclusive. By the way, totally free on PC right now. Get it.
In an interview with Official Xbox Magazine UK, Valve's Doug Lombardi revealed that the company will "certainly consider" bringing some of its older titles to Xbox Live Arcade. With Valve already bringing Portal: Still Alive to XBLA, it would certainly make sense for Valve to look at placing its older titles on XBLA. Lombardi seems to agree, noting, "We'll certainly consider it. If you look at what we've done on Steam, we try to make all our games available and we're always reviewing the prices to keep them current." He added that Valve would "love" to bring it's older titles to XBLA but that "Portal: Still Alive is our first step at doing that beyond the PC." Lombardi also reiterates Valve's current strategy of working with the PC and 360 saying, "Right now, Valve's doing PC and 360 stuff, so anything we would iterate on would be on Xbox. We don't have any immediate plans to do this on PS3 or Nintendo."
Posted Jul 21st 2008 11:30PM by Dustin Burg
Filed under: News
After falling in love with the game during E3, Valve's Xbox 360 exclusive co-op zombie killing fest-of-awesomeness, Left 4 Dead has secured a piece of our video game heart. And today Valve released the game's official box art featuring an abundance of the color green, a dismembered hand (very similar to the Dead Space artwork) and absolutely no thumbs. After all, it is called Left 4 Dead and having a fifth finger would totally mess up the "4" vibe they were going for. Full size and thumbless Left 4 Dead box art is viewable after the jump.
