Poll: Left 4 Dead 1: Vastly Superior to L4D2

[Ryokai]

I'll explain it slowly then. Daytime ruins the feel because it kills the no visibility that adds so much to the scary factor.

Yeah, except that the darkness didn't really hamper visibility in Leaft 4 Dead 1. You could still see in most areas without needing your flashlight. It would be annoying and confusing if you always had to use the flashlight to see. You only needed it in certain areas, just like in Leaft 4 Dead 2. So claiming the atmosphere has been ruined because of this makes no sense.

It also makes it feel like I'm on a picnic, only with zombies. The bad dialogue makes the atmosphere forced.

The character dialogue has little to do with the atmosphere, so this point is moot anyways. Far more important things go into creating the games horror atmosphere, all of which are stll present in Left 4 Dead 2. Also, maybe you should explain why it feels like a "picnic" instead of just saying that it does.

The boring locales take away interest in what's around me. The bright colors again take away from horror and make it feel more friendly--which is why kindergartens and nursery schools are painted brightly.

So you're saying something is only scary if it's grim and gritty? That's pretty narrow minded. Valve didn't intentionally make areas of the game brighter. They made them have realistic lighting. If this somehow ruins the atmosphere for you, that's a personal problem.

The boring characters take away immersion, as do the little touches.

The characters are highly subjective so I don't see their as a valid point either.

I believe I've now explained it enough for you.

Not really. Your argument still has nothing to substantial to back it up. When I consider that many of the things from Left 4 Dead 1 that created atmosphere; such as the music and set pieces, are still in Left 4 Dead 2, I just don't see where you are coming from. Your entire argument seems to be based around some of the maps having daylight.

Please stop claiming my argument is "invalid". If you disagree with me, that's fine, but don't just brush aside my points as if I haven't made them. Daylight is simply one point I made. There are others, don't just call them "invalid" and pretend I haven't said them. Claim you don't agree and leave it at that. I have plenty to back it up, you simply don't agree with it. And that's okay, we can agree to disagree.

Also, I feel the music in L4d2 is not haunting, creepy, or scary (there are some exceptions, but not many IMO).

But your argument IS invalid, you simply "back up" your statements with equally "unbacked-up" statements.

What are you talking about? I stated the reasons, explained the reasons to within a reasonable degree. Do you want me to go into why visibility takes away from the unknown fear?
The psychology of why night inspires more fear than day? Why little touches in a game make it more immersive? Why boring environments make me stop paying attention to them, also killing the immersion? How if I don't identify with the characters, then its harder to feel like I'm really "them"? Why bright colors have a psychologically soothing effect?

Is THAT detailed enough?

Fair enough, but I'm going to just scrub it off as your opinion.

That's ALL I said it was. I realize that some people don't share my views, and I'm fine with that. I just didn't want you to brush them off as "invalid".

Still, though, if this conversation were on youtube comments, it would have long ago spiraled into a flame war. So, go Escapist!

 

[Aenir]

In terms of ONLY the characters, I agree that, aside from Ellis, the L4D2 characters are lacking. But the gameplay is just so much more varied and polished, with different locations you go to? L4D2>L4D

 

[Stoic raptor]

Well, I never played l4d, so my argument might be 1 sided.

I love the campains in l4d2. I found nothing wrong with the brightness. I mean, it makes more sense. Who would go out at night to fight?

I agree with internet kraken about the music. I like how each campain has its own horde music.

 

[DEATHROAD]

I agree compleatly, but mostly on the bit about the campaigns, i LOVED all the ones in L4D1, i didnt like any of them enough in L4D2 to play them more than once by myself,whereas i think i played no mercy a total of 6 times before i even went online.

 

[Mighty Lighty]

I stopped seeing l4d2 as a horror game when I gave easy mode a shot now its a joyful romp around different locations while killing hundreds of zombies.

I enjoy the game more on easy as you can experiment with the weapons more and can take your time.

 

[Vaccine]

Couldn't put my finger on why, but I liked 1 over 2 as well. :/

 

[AlphaOmega]

I agree with some of your points, but L4d2 is a completely different game for the most parts.

L4D = Dawn of the Dead
L4D2 = Shaun of the Dead (still about zombies but much more uplifted and fun orientated)

 

[Willwillwritehiswill]

Left 4 Dead 1 was just hunter spam all the goddamn time. At least the variety in L4D2 keeps the game fresh.

 

[The Cheezy One]

Oh and Valve... why Valve... Bill was my favorite character...

mine was louis, who i liked for being the average guy, who anyone could be, who valve ironically couldnt kill because of his skin colour
i heard that online some people would team kill louis for the sake of it, which is just wrong

 

[icypain]

I like both because they had something special about them, l4d had more deep characters and a darker tone to it, while l4d2 had melee weapons, new infected and some new multi-player modes.

 

[DazZ.]

The gameplay of L4D2 is much better, just running from corner to corner isn't a viable tactic when you have spitters around. Also there are more events other than "alarm goes off and we throw a few extra zombies at you whilst you sit in the corner", you actually have to run though them to turn off the alarm, meaning it's easier for you to get scattered. Then there is oil filling, which again is more fun than anything L4D had.

I couldn't go back and play L4D since it's just same shit different corner.

 

[chstens]

I agree with some of your points, but L4d2 is a completely different game for the most parts.

L4D = Dawn of the Dead
L4D2 = Shaun of the Dead (still about zombies but much more uplifted and fun orientated)

This is the most fantastic description og the L4D games I have ever read.

I love left 4 dead. It's brilliant. I hate first person shooters but I play this game at least four hours a week... and I don't even own it. Valve continuously brings out great games and it's all very fun and... I HATED LEFT 4 DEAD 2!!!

What made the first left 4 dead feel so fun? Walking through on little health... running out of shotgun ammo... saying, "Who should use the pills...?"... then screaming in terror as the tank came.

My left 4 dead 2 experience? Running through hacking everything, saying, "Where the hell do I go?", "Why don't these hordes stop?" and "These new zombies are pissing me off."

The jockeys are hunters, the spitters are boomers and the chargers are tanks. I mean seriously. Nothing new?

God, I really wanted to love this sequel... I really did. But I will NEVER play it again.

So what you are saying is that you are unable to adapt?

Oh and Valve... why Valve... Bill was my favorite character...

mine was louis, who i liked for being the average guy, who anyone could be, who valve ironically couldnt kill because of his skin colour
i heard that online some people would team kill louis for the sake of it, which is just wrong

Besides, Bill is the only choice that makes sense. He's the oldest, he've lived through hell twice now, ('Nam and the Apocalypse) and he just seems like the character that would sacrifice himself for the good of the team. (Bill was my favourite character in L4D1, R.I.P. William Overbeck)

 

[Daipire]

I never got around to the characters in L4D2.

They just aren't as cool.

 

[Optimus Hagrid]

What me and my friends didn't like was that the levels in L4D2 were just massive slogs, which weren't really that fun if you died. It's like they couldn't make up their mind if L4D2 was a zombie movie game or a zombie survival game.

 

[Grouchy Imp_v1legacy]

Basically, the characters can make the game, and Left 4 Dead 2's characters left something wanting.

I don't even notice the characters when I play. That's not me saying they're not memorable, that's me saying that when I'm facing down a zombie horde with a fire axe I don't give a tinker's cuss about some random character blabbing about how their dreams are lying in tatters. It just doesn't bother me. In a game like L4D2 'characters' are just there to hold guns and shoot zombies - like in Gears of War 2, no-one who played the game gave a crap about Dom's missus, he was just there to allow a mate to play co-op. This is the case with L4D2, the 'characters' are only there to fill up space until your mates log on, at which point it's your mates' personalities that you are in the game with.

 

[Hybridwolf]

LFD just didn't cut it for me. Characters where uninspiring, locations where as dull as mud and eerily similar, and the infected had severe balancing issues. One good team of survivors and you had no chance.

LFD 2 is just...better in my opinion. Characters are far more indepth (apart from Rochelle) and there is far more interaction between them. Verses is now more reasonable, at least you have more of a chance then before with better infected choices. Melee weapons are OP, but thats because you throw yourself into the fight, rather then hang back and shoot. The arguement that the game has less atmosphere to me sounds mad because as said before the settings where dull, and had little variety. Least in this one, you have more unqiue challenges (Hard rain is the best example).

Honestly though, I could argue until I'm blue in the face, but that won't change your opinion. LFD wasn't as fun as LFD2 in my opinion, and LFD2 improved on nearly every area of the old one.

 

[Iron Mal]

I liked both L4D and L4D2 (and this is coming from someone with a pessimistic disliking of Valve) but I will admit that the first game did feel like a bit unrefined and it was clear that they were just testing this stuff out publicly for the first time (in one of the commentaries they even admit that the only reason they chose zombies was because they were a known fun quantity so they could afford to take a bigger risk with the game itself).

Let's face facts, the first game was riddled with problems, randomly spawning hordes every thirty seconds, witches being placed in doorways, a feeling of repetition that made me laugh at the claims of 'infinate replayability', annoying friendly AI and other issues that I'm sure we're all familiar with.

The second game improved in some areas but still retained some of the problems from the first (the AI will still stand there playing with themselves while a rabid hunter helps themselves to your kidneys) but they got slightly closer to that claim of 'infinate replayability' with more infected types, more weapons, a limited number of options regarding some paths (and some panic events that can be opted out of altogether)and a more varied experience in general.

L4D usually consisted of 'run down corridoor, shoot zombie, hold area until you can progress, repeat process while L4D2 at least tried to mix it up with objectives (grab the old man's cola in the first campaign), environmental effects (trying to navigate through the storm in Hard Rain) and other challanges (running the roller coaster in Dark Carnival is murder on the higher difficulties).

Both were good, but the second one was a definate improvement on the first.