"Left 4 Dead" series (1 and 2) were once one of the best, genre-defining survival horror games our consoles have ever seen. This time, Turtle Rock, also previously known as Valve South, is gearing up for its spiritual sequel, "Back 4 Blood."
Following the devs' announcement during The Game Awards 2020, where "The Last of Us Part 2" took home almost all the major trophies, fans finally get more news on the legendary co-op zombie survival title. Many have noticed an exact rip-off between L4D and B4B, while most appreciate how the devs take things to the next level by adding more complex elements.
"Turtle Rock Studios, the talented team that put the co-op zombie genre on the map, is the perfect partner for us with Back 4 Blood as we pursue this important genre of gaming," said David Haddad, President, Warner Bros. Games. "This passionate development team is giving fans a new franchise that pushes this category of shooters forward with fun, frenetic combat."
So, what else do we know about this game? What will it center? What features will it bring to the table? When will we see it on the market?
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'Back 4 Blood' Trailer
After years of teasing, Turtle Rock finally released a full trailer for "Back 4 Blood" during The 2020 Game Awards.
We can see a clear trajectory from the L4D series from the trailer: the last four standing people on earth facing head-to-head against monstrous creatures. The world has been battered by a parasite named "the Devil Worm," and these four characters, for whatever reasons, are immune to the illness.
However, Turtle Rock also did emphasize that it will be more than merely surviving. Unlike L4D, where there almost no story-driven arc whatsoever, B2B will be about finding a will to live.
Gameplay and Features
As the trailer reveals, Back 4 Blood will be a much better upgrade with more graphical abilities than the previous games.
Just like L4D, B4B will also feature several unique types of zombies. A long-ranged vomiter, a "Hocker" that can make players freeze, a giant "Charger," and an overly gigantic Tank-like creature will haunt your nights in B2B.
Each character: Walker, Holly, Evangelo, and Hoffman, has a unique skillset and secondary weapon ready to go, giving each one of them a unique B2B experience.
However, the most significant change is the "rogue-lite" system to add more unpredictability to each B2B campaign. Besides, the game will combine several firearms with melee weapons, like bats and samurais.
Release Date and Supported Systems
"Back 4 Blood" is engineered for both current-gen and next-gen consoles, meaning it will come on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, and Microsoft Windows.
There's a Closed Alpha event, starting from December 17 until 21, while the devs are yet to announce the beta sometimes before its release. Up to this writing, "Back 4 Blood" is eyeing for a June 22, 2021 release, and hopefully, we will not see any delays or postponements prior to that.
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