So I finally have a computer that is capable of running on Left 4 Dead 2, so I thought I might expand upon an earlier review of it that I made, and what better time than with the release of the Passing? So, where to begin...

Let's start with level design. I have to admit that I'm more of a fan of the night maps. As I mentioned before, the use of lighting to guide the player was a key part of Left 4 Dead, and it is something that is somewhat lost in the day maps of Left 4 Dead 2. However, I do enjoy the slight variations to the map upon reset that make it so that the playthroughs aren't always the same. Once I got over the initial dizziness of the day maps, it wasn't too difficult to navigate, and being lost on a map generally only lasts until you've played through it once, which is more than I can say for a lot of other games.

Now, let's take a look at weapons. I like the new weapons, for the most part. My main gripe is that when a teammate is using a melee weapon, it becomes a lot harder for me to shoot zombies without hitting said teammate too, and one the harder difficulties, shooting a teammate can be the difference between getting through a match and getting wiped. That being said, the melee weapons bring an interesting new option into the game, as to whether you want to run with a ranged secondary or not. I'm a pistol guy myself, but not even I can pass up an opportunity to run with the chainsaw (even if I can't hear the subtle music cues and cries of the various special infected). I also like all the variation in the weapons now. We used to have two stock weapons, three upgraded weapons, and one sidearm. Now we have a myriad of melee sidearms as well as two or three pistols, something like four low tier weapons, and seven high tiered weapons, as well as two über weapons. I picked up a SCAR-L in a recent game and was pleasantly surprised to find that it was a burst-fire weapon. Adds a bit of flavor to the otherwise shotgun-sniper-assault rifle categories that most weapons fall under. I also picked up the M60, and found it much to my liking, even if it has a limited ammunition capacity, overall. I'm a lot less prone to hurt my teammates with it than with the M79, for example. I should also note that I'm liking the Bile Bomb.

As for the special infected, I rather like them. A big problem that infected would run into in Versus in Left 4 Dead was that the Survivors had an easy time finding a corner to fight out crescendo events and panic events from. With the addition of the Charger and especially the Spitter, this is a lot harder to accomplish. The area denial ability of the Spitter is very effective when used correctly, and the Charger is a huge contender in Versus because of its ability to ram Survivors over edges to their instant deaths, much like the Tank could do in certain parts of Left 4 Dead. That aside, the Spitter, Charger, and Jockey all serve the higher purpose of causing disorganization amongst the Survivors and hopefully breaking them up, much like the Boomer and Smoker did in Left 4 Dead and still do.

And the game types. The game types! First, we have Realism, which is a very interesting twist on Campaign. It really forces the players to coordinate, though it can be a touch annoying to play online with people you don't know, since they seem less prone to cooperate and communicate than your friends might. Not to mention Scavenge, which is an interesting new game type similar to Versus, but centering around the collecting of gas cans similar to the finales of Dead Center and The Passing. But then, there's Mutation, which isn't just one, but a score of game types that cycle each week. So far, they've released Realism Versus (no explanation needed) and Bleedout (campaign but Survivors only have temporary health and there are no medkits on the map), but some of the things to look forward to include a Campaign game type where the players only get chainsaws with unlimited gas, a Campaign game type where players get an M60 and Desert Eagle, both with unlimited ammo, "Ultra Realism", Versus without health, a Scavenge game type where there is only one gas can at a time to collect, a Versus game type where three Survivors have to guard a Gnome-carrying VIP, and Versus Survival. With game types like these to look forward to, I can't imagine playing much else besides Left 4 Dead 2.

Now, as for The Passing, I really enjoyed the campaign. It was nice to see all of the original characters again, and I rather enjoy the alarm crescendo events of Left 4 Dead 2: it adds an interesting twist when I can't just bunker down for a crescendo event. On that note, I enjoy the gas can scavenging for the finale, though it's a bit annoying if you're playing it with NPCs, who refuse to be of any real use. The Passing felt, in a lot of ways, like Left 4 Dead, but with all the bells and whistles of Left 4 Dead 2, so anyone who misses the old style of level design should be happy with the new release. It was also nifty to see a Witch in a variant model: bridal Witch. Sometimes, you wonder why all of the people that mutated into Hunters happened to be wearing hoodies. Well, they haven't done much towards that, but an alternate model for the Witch is a start.

Anyway, overall, I'm really liking Left 4 Dead 2. I was hesitant, like many, at first - worried that Left 4 Dead 2 would just be an overpriced DLC for Left 4 Dead - but I really enjoy the new game, and understand Valve's decision to make it a separate game, as well.