Back 4 Blood 1.0

Download Back 4 Blood - unofficial Left 4 Dead successor

Back 4 Blood launched on October 12, 2021 and has been a hot topic in gaming circles, especially across the horror and first-person shooter genres. 

Zombies (and zombie-like creatures) have always been a fixture of human culture and are seen by many as the ultimate taboo — a direct break with the established order of nature. 

There are even real-world examples where necrotizing bacteria and infectious fungal parasites (such as ophiocordyceps unilateralis) can alter a living organism’s behavior — and, in more imaginative contexts, can even use the dead as hosts. 

With that in mind, it becomes clear why zombies have managed to endure as the ultimate bogeyman across cultures and time periods. 

In Back 4 Blood, you get to fight back — trying to restore the balance of nature. 

Where can I play Back 4 Blood?

The game can be purchased for most gaming consoles — on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4 and 5, and of course PC. Crossplay is also available (meaning you can play with your friends even if you’re not on the same type of system). 

As with games like Genshin Impact, there’s no true cross-progression yet (i.e., you can use the same account on multiple systems without starting over), but it may arrive later — just like it did in Fortnite. 

Spoiler-free explanation of the story premise

Back 4 Blood is created by the developers behind the Left 4 Dead zombie series — which shows in the fine details that reveal many years of experience in the horror/shooter genre. 

Their expertise also shines in the story campaign, where you team up with three other players (either online or offline with computer AI).

You play as a so-called Cleaner; a group of survivors fighting the parasitized zombies known as the ‘Ridden.’ It’s up to you to clean up the streets after humanity has been infected by a dangerous parasite discovered at the Pingualit crater in Canada. The parasite is believed to be connected to the original impact that hit Quebec.

If you don’t care about story and would rather shoot hordes of monsters, you can also try the PVP mode, which pits a team of Cleaners against a team of Ridden — both sides with their own combinations of weapons, abilities, and perks. 

Survive a horde of zombies with guns and cards

You’ll overcome the feral undead with sheer firepower from a variety of weapons. Choose from assault rifles, SMGs, sniper rifles, and melee weapons like axes, bats, and machetes. 

Beyond your firearms, you can also equip a set of cards (essentially a boost system that gives you or the enemy greater power and lets you change how you play). With this card system and the built-in dynamic Game Director that constantly updates how the game feels, you get tons of ways to replay it.

Does it nail the horror atmosphere?

Back 4 Blood is definitely scary — maybe not exactly in the same way as the Left 4 Dead games, possibly due to the visuals — which are certainly good-looking, but also a bit comic book–like at times, which can sometimes pull you out of the tense atmosphere. 

In general, though, there are plenty of moments that will make you jump — especially when you play with people you don’t know, where a sudden shot can mark your next fight to the death against a whole swarm of undead creatures. 

Other zombie-related games you can try

Zombie Outbreak Shooter is a free 3D shooter where you move across different maps (including parking lots, storage rooms, and houses) while blasting zombies to survive. 

Project 1 is a somewhat more modern game compared to the other two mentioned in this section. The game begins by telling you “this is how you died”. After that, it’s up to you to get as much out of the experience as possible before you’re overwhelmed by an army of zombies. It’s a sandbox game, so you’re in the driver’s seat when it comes to what you want from it. 

Deadhunt is another shooter where you battle monsters. The game is first-person and was released by REL Games in 2005. You are humanity’s last warrior, now fighting bravely to survive the ravenous creatures that have surrounded you.

Conclusion

Back 4 Blood shouldn’t be seen as a direct descendant of the Left 4 Dead series, but rather a reimagining. Approached this way, you won’t be disappointed that it feels different from your favorite game. 

At the same time, the developers have tried to make the game more accessible by adding the card system, which lets you replay it many times in a row without it becoming boring or repetitive. 

The game has a beautiful aesthetic that can sometimes feel comic-like and unreal, which occasionally dampens the creepy atmosphere — but it quickly returns during the stressful battles against the many Ridden and with the jump scares you’ll encounter throughout the campaign and PVP mode. 

(BACK 4 BLOOD™ © Turtle Rock Studios, Inc. All Rights Reserved. BACK 4 BLOOD™ and the BACK 4 BLOOD™ logo are the trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Slamfire, Inc. throughout the world).