Poll: Is Left 4 Dead better off with or without story?

[Nexus424]

I searched around and didn't see this question. It probably arose when it first came out but I didn't see it then or now and I am kinda curious about it.

I was playing through the "beginning" of Left 4 Dead (aka No Mercy) with one of my friends that had never played before and he asked me a question that just stuck with me. He asked me How did a Vietnam Veteran, Biker tough-guy, female college student and Black businessman meet in the city during a zombie apocalypse and come to the conclusion to kill all? I looked at him and all I could say was "I don't know we're just here, look out Smoker". For some reason I never thought about it until he said something. When I think about it I am not sure whether or not it is better with a story. I mean it's interesting to come up with you own hilarious idea of how they all met up. But still I am left extremely curious about it.

What do you think?

 

[Goldbling]

I thinking maybe they thought this question may arise, look out for assasins, there going to come after you now

 

[electric_warrior]

its definitely better, leaves more room to kick zombie ass

 

[Mister Benoit]

I didn't buy the game to get a story, that's that dawn of the dead is for.

 

[rdaleric]

hmmmm it's a tricky question, i quite like it without, mainly because since you can potentially play all the characters, too much backstory may lessen the immersion

 

[fix-the-spade]

What do you think?

Who cares where they come from just shoot the bastards!!!

 

[J.B]

It's better off without.

It's a great game already, and I fear an attempt for a story would fail, making it more of an annoyance.

 

[Fronken]

Much like its predecessor Serious Sam this game doesnt really have to have a developed story, take Serious Sam for example, being the best Shoot 'Em Up ever, the story to that game is something a 12 year old could think up in less than 10 minutes, but that doesnt really matter, its all about kicking ass.

 

[NinjaDwarf]

The game is probably better without it, as it'd be a little annoying to be thrown into the start of a campign straight after all the stress of the last one. But it would have been cool to see how the survivors met, even if just through some concept art slideshows or short cut-scenes (the l4d 'meet the's maybe?). Plus it would have tied the group together a little more than they are now.

 

[Sinvel]

Well.. I suppose it's part of the mystique of the left4dead universe. No body really knows how the zombie apocalypse took place (there are tons of reasons for this in hollywood movies) and the only think left is survival. The whole premise is a 'B movie' (ala grindhouse) atmosphere feel to the entire experience, as in not to question how they got into that mess, just how you get out of it -- by shooting everything in the head and asking questions later!

 

[Librarian Mike]

There is a story in Left 4 Dead. It's found in the grafitti on the walls. Granted, it's not a deep story, but it's enough to provide information about how the apocalypse happened and the state of things. Instead of more story, what I would have liked is differences between the 4 characters (i.e. Francis can hold more ammo, Louis has more max health, etc).

In any event, this game is tons of fun.

 

[Pigeon_Grenade]

well as far as i can tell the story is they arent infected, they managed to get together and now they kill tons and tons of infected

 

[Korhal]

Left 4 Dead is far better off the way it is... there is a story, but it is implied. There's an infection, probably a virus of some kind, that is changing most of the population into violent psychopaths, and mutating small portions of it. People from various walks of life have found each other, and teamed up to try to get as many of them to safety as possible. The graffiti on the walls tell stories of other survivors, dead bodies you encounter tell their own stories, such as the covered body in the subways with the makeshift funeral... this shows that his friends continued to survived and moved on. You're not some STARS investigator here, there's no discovering or fixing the problem because Zoey just happens to be a biologist and a pilot and a princess or whatever... there's just run for your life until you die. Like you would do in a zombie apocalypse. Assuming you aren't "Guy slightly out of focus, three to the left, getting his face chewed off by a zombie" in the opening sequence.

 

[Irridium]

Left 4 Dead has a story?!

I just thought that it was get from point A to B while murdering everything you see

 

[SsilverR]

seriously i miss these kinda games ... "here's a gun kid .. good luck" **throws you out of the chopper** ... kill anything with a heartbeat

 

[Hallow'sEve]

I like it when I came up with my own backstory...

 

[Altorin]

Instead of more story, what I would have liked is differences between the 4 characters

Play with the bots and I swear they seem different. Francis always shoots cars and witches, Bill gets killed by the tank always (Brave sonofa-), Louis always dies first and shoots the boomer, and zoey gets pounced and pulled more often.

Anyways... I still think it is great how we love Valve and allowed them to provide less story and still satisfy us with it more than the traditional RE fail plots.

SO basically they all suck in their own personal way?

seriously i miss these kinda games ... "here's a gun kid .. good luck" **throws you out of the chopper** ... kill anything with a heartbeat

"Zombies have infested the city, are you a bad enough dude to make it out alive?"