Jumping 4 joy

Co-op is the way of the future in games. Much as the way Team Deathmatch has become a standard on-line option in any game involving a crosshair or some kind of projectile in the last few years, good, reliable co-op is the next step. I'd be surprised if any hardcore game that releases in the next year neglects some kind of drop-in/drop-out co-op function. I don't think co-op has hit the level of selling point for most games, yet; hardcore deathmatch players and those looking for that story/character-driven experience expect different things from their games, after all. But it's getting there. On a personal note, it's what made me endure all iterations of Dynasty Warriors. Shitty, repetitive game, but it is fun cutting through non-existent AI enemy soldiers with another person equally as invincible as you.

That being said, I've been waiting for ages 4 Left 4 Dead. Cheesy mid-90s West Coast hip-hop-esque title aside, this is a game that I had a good feeling about right from the start. Maybe it's my passive nature, appreciation of working together with cohorts, or antagonism towards racial-slur spouting 13 year-olds on Xbox Live, but I loved the idea of team-based co-op gameplay. A few years ago, many of the "oh my God, you'll never believe what happened in an on-line match" conversations would reason to be strictly derived from deathmatch-only matches, but with this game, the endless swath of zombies along with the presence of the Boss Infected bots makes for intense run-and-gun gameplay that stresses the idea of players working in unison as opposed to four people who happen to have friendly fire turned off in the console.

Also, imagine the advanced griefing techniques that will arise from more options and innovations in co-op gameplay. Mmmmm.

My initial expectations, as I've surveyed on Metacritic, will come to fruition in a few minutes when my gift-ed copy of Left 4 Dead finishes downloading on Steam (Steam uses a pretty nifty IP blocker that bans users from using an international card abroad; sad face).

Thanks again, Randy. You're too awesome 4 words.

Onwards, zombie-slaying companions. I call Zoe.

So long 4 now.