Is It Too Soon For Left 4 Dead 2? No.
As you have probably heard by now, Valve has announced and plans to release a sequel to Left 4 Dead this year. I for one love Left 4 Dead and I will buy this game regardless of the cost. Details are scarce for this game, but it will be set during the same outbreak as the original game. Only now you will play as Uncle Phil from The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, or other sundry characters. The biggest new addition is different melee weapons such as a chainsaw, a baseball bat and a frying pan. There are also new special infected, an improved AI director and a more story-driven plot. Enough to merit a sequel and not just DLC? Some fans say no.
From the link above you will notice that a considerable number of fans have begun to boycott L4D2 on the grounds that “significant content for L4D1 was promised, and never delivered.” As well as complaints that “Valve put little faith in L4D1 since they almost certainly started working on L4D2 right after release.”
Lets take this one point at a time and maybe I can show you just how dumb you’re being. Content for L4D was promised and never delivered. The game has only been out for a little over 5 months and they’ve already released a massive DLC package including two new versus maps and a whole new mode, for free. Along those lines, I haven’t heard a single announcement from Valve saying they’ve stopped developing DLC for the first game. Just because they’re working on a sequel doesn’t mean they’re not going to continue making content for the first instalment.
As for the argument that “Valve put little faith in L4D1 since they almost certainly started working on L4D2 right after release”, that’s just complete and utter bullshit. That’s like saying Bungie didn’t have faith in Halo 2 since they immediately started making Halo 3. Shut up and think before you make wild and unfounded accusations, idiots.
Another great “complaint” is “[t]he announced date is not nearly enough time to polish content or make significant gameplay changes.” My god, I have completely forgotten that everyone on the steam forums is a successful game developer and can adequately make claims like that. How naive of me to assume that Valve – who has never released a bad game, in my opinion – would know what they’re doing and create a game that’s up to par with the original. Yes they make “significant gameplay changes”, but who are we kidding, underneath it all it’s the same game. You’re saying a year isn’t enough to make a few new maps, add some weapons, and re-tool some AI? I don’t know, maybe it is, maybe it isn’t, but I certainly don’t have the balls to question Valve’s staff.
The rest of the complaints are
* The new character designs seem bland and unappealing so far
* L4D2 is too bright to fit in with L4D1′s visual aesthetic
* The fiddle-based horde music is extremely disliked, though the differently orchestrated music is otherwise welcome
* L4D2′s release will result in a drop in quality and frequency for L4D1 content, even compared to before
* The community has lost faith in Valve’s former reputation for commitment to their games post-release
I will now respond to each one quickly, but effectively.
* So far. SO FAR. Oh my god shut up. That’s one of the most ridiculous complaints I’ve ever heard in my entire life. Obviously there’s room for change, and in case you haven’t noticed, the “character design” in the FIRST game wasn’t exactly something to write home about.
* Too bright? Ok, I’ll give you that one. Half the fun of that game was being scared and night obviously adds to the creepy-factor of the game. However, as I’ve stated before, you’ve only seen a pre-rendered trailer for the game. You have no idea what the actual game will look like.
* The music? Are you freaking kidding me? In a game about the Zombie Apocalypse, where you’re playing with 3 of your friends, you’re going to complain about the music? You should all be dragged out back and beaten.
* A drop in quality and frequency for L4D1 Content? The game was JUST ANNOUNCED and you’re ALREADY complaining about something that Valve hasn’t even had a chance to do? One of your chief complaints is a speculation. Actually, 4 of your complaints are based solely on speculation.
* How dare you speak for the “community” you cocky bastards. I’m part of the community and I find you all to be raging idiots that need to think before you write angry posts on a forum. I happen to have an immense amount of faith in Valves commitment to their games post-release. Just look at TF2.
In conclusion, while I will be upset if it’s a “full price” retail game once it’s released, that certainly won’t stop me from buying it. Valve has been more then fair in the past when it came to games being released, and we have no reason to assume Valve is trying to dick us over with Left 4 Dead 2. So stop speculating on what you think will be problems and be happy that a great game is getting what will probably be a great sequel.
Editorial, Rant Tags: DLC, Left 4 Dead, Left 4 Dead 2, Valve
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I’m buying this day one, cannot wait.
I’m sure I’ll buy it as soon as the preorder comes up on Steam. I do sympathize with a lot of those complaints though, save for the “lacking character development” and “BRIGHTNESS IN MY GAEMZ?” ones. There really isn’t a reason for this expansion (no, not sequel, expansion) to be coming out this early. Look at all of Valve’s (and, by association, Turtle Rock’s, the studio that’s made L4D and Counter-Strike) previous games. CS: Source has been out for HOW LONG without a sequel? Look at how much — free — content is out for that game. Sure, nothing as “drastic” as what appears to be in the first game, but it’s definitely comparable.
Maybe Valve was pushed to make this sequel by Microsoft? The popularity of the first game on consoles was pretty good from what I hear, as a ton of people tell me to play it on 360, whereas I have it on PC (maybe this is just my personal experience, but it’s dumb imo).
Not that it’s a bad thing that this sequel is a bad thing, most people would be ecstatic about the blockbuster hit of last year to have a sequel announced so soon. I’m definitely excited about the new Gauntlet feature, and the melee weapons, but I can’t help but get the feeling that it’s too soon for this game.
I am definitely buying this game on release date. I look forward to seeing more of it in the coming months. The day time thing doesn’t bother me. Actually, I kinda like it.
Imagine trecking through a dark building or sewers and looking towards the light at the end of the tunnel while a huge horde of zombies are running after you.
It might be less creepy, but thinking realistically (in video game terms), if a zombie apocalypse were to occur zombies wouldn’t just attack at night.
Whether Microsoft forced Valve to make a new game or it was part of their original plan, we’re going to get another great product. Hands down.
Day one purchase for me as well. Down with the haters, lets burn them at the stake.
I’m waiting for the reviews on this one.
Was this written by an actual game journalist? If you want to write a good counter argument the first rule is not to try and belittle your opposition by writing “Oh my god shut up” or “you cocky bastards” JEEZ learn how to write, I’m only a high school student and i can see how unpersuasive your arguments are!
@pepitolepito: So, after you tell me I’m a terrible writer because I belittle my opposition, and then you attempt to belittle me in your comment?
I laugh at you, Sir.
Also, this is a rant, on NEGATIVE GAMER. I’ll be as negative as I please, and yes that includes belittling people who I find stupid.
Also, you lost all credibility on knowing how to “write” when you wrote JEEZ in a comment. No one with half a brain uses slang when writing. Also, everyone knows caps lock is a terrible way to denote emphasis. Oh wait, you’re from the internet, where caps lock is cruise control for cool, right?
P.S.
Learn to capitalize your I’s as well. Grammar FTW. :)
RavenSan, I believe pepitolepito’s “JEEZ” was to emphasize the point he was making. Anyhow, I cannot speak for him. Now, on to the point I’d like to make. There are more than pre-rendered trailers out there and they accurately represent the product being pushed. The music does make a difference because that’s one of the developers’ emphasized features to let you know the nature of what is/about to happen. The main reason that I think people are not thrilled about this game coming so soon is that there isn’t much new content and all of the content they’re presenting is what was promised for L4D. Basically, it seems like they’ve taken a used car, painted it, put an air freshener in, and re-sold it back to us for the price it was new. So it might look like a new car and smell like a new car, but it’s really the same old car. I think I’d like an oil change sir.
@Psydeus:
+1 Psydeus.
And L4d2 boycott have changed their manifesto to address things that aren’t so.. lets say, nit-picky. There is no doubt I will get l4d2 when it comes out, but that doesn’t mean I’m as excited as a premature teen touching a boob for the first time. I understand there are some people who are just touching themselves over the fact l4d2 is coming out, and who am I to stop you? But seriously, wouldn’t it be more “jerk-worthy” if valve stopped being a bunch of queerbaits and sold this game as a half priced expansion? Since it pretty much IS an expansion. Yeah sure fdc would be absolutely lovely, but lets be real people. That isn’t going to happen.