Left 4 Dead Survivor Gameplay Tips

How to Live Through a Zombie Apocalypse

Mar 4, 2009 Andrew Hemphill

With these few tips, Left 4 Dead gamers can go from zombie-bait to born survivor in no time at all.

Left 4 Dead (L4D) is proving to be one of the most popular games on Xbox Live. Offering gamers a mix of zombie-killing action and co-op excitement. The game, while deceptively simple, offers hours of online of offline fun.

However, it also has a punishing difficultly level, especially in the versus mode, and these small tips should make the game all the more enjoyable.

Movement Tips for Left 4 Dead Survivors over Xbox Live

As a survivor, gamers are nowhere near as mobile as the zombies, both common and special, so tactical movement is key to success.

Teamwork - Teams should stick together at all times, as the special infected love picking off stranded survivors, and the advantages in firepower offered by having four guns can be a real bonus in a tight spot.

Teams should try to have at least one team member covering the rear and shutting all the doors as the team progresses- doors slow the infected down, as well as providing ample opportunity to shoot through the holes zombies gouge in them.

Crouch - When surrounded by a group of enemies, such as the horde, the player should put their character into a crouch and let teammates sweep their fire over the assembled enemy zombies,. This will result in the zombies dying quicker and will also cut down on friendly-fire incidents, which are often fatal.

Corners – When facing a superior enemy force, teams should back into a corner and fight outwards from there. By backing into a corner, enemies are naturally forced to approach from one direction and become easier to defeat- even the deadly Tank will fall prey to the heavy fire provided by four survivors in a corner.

Equipment Tips for Left 4 Dead Survivors over Xbox Live

Sharing – The more survivors are still alive, the easier each campaign is to complete, so L4D players should not hog the health packs. If a fellow survivor is low on health, healing them or offering pain pills will keep them in the fight for longer and make the gameplay easier, as well as more fun to play.

Also remember that healing another survivor takes less time than healing the gamer’s own character- and the fellow survivor can offer covering fire while being healed.

Weapons – Choosing the right weapon for the right situation can turn the tide in L4D. For example, when fighting in tunnels or enclosed spaces, such as those found in No Mercy or Death Toll, a shotgun would be ideal. When fighting in the more open spaces provided in Blood Harvest, an assault rifle would be much more suited to the battlefield- choose the right weapon to suit the environment.

Also, avoid the sniper rifle in multiplayer, as other online gamers are not likely to wait while a sniper picks off targets. However, in single player campaigns it can be ideal.

Pickups - Often, when preparing for one of L4D’s finales or key moments, barrels of kerosene, propane or oxygen can be found lying about or stacked in corners. Before triggering the key event, teams should take time to plant these pickups around the defensive area and within gunshot range.

Try to set kerosene tanks in particular places that zombies will swarm from, as the flaming kerosene can take out huge numbers of zombies in one go- even the special ones.

Finale Tips for Left 4 Dead Survivors over Xbox Live

The finale of each campaign is the most difficult part of the entire campaign, but with a little forethought taking on the last push of the infected can be made much less troublesome.

Preparation – Before answering the radio for the second time, teams should canvass the area and locate any weapons, kerosene or propane tanks and place them in tactically important positions. Locating the stock of Molotov cocktails and/or pipe bombs located in the area is also a priority.

Also, be sure to heal and take another health pack from the stores before starting the final push.

Positioning – If there is a mounted minigun available, have a team member get behind the trigger, and have another watch his or her back, as zombies will often appear behind the minigun’s field of fire.

Try to get above ground level as this will force zombies and special infected to climb up to the player, and make sweeping the enemy away much easier. Also, take care to remember where the stock of Molotovs/pipe bombs is, as replenishing between waves is essential.

Communicate – Communication between teammates is essential to survive the finale levels of each campaign. As a team, players should constantly call out the locations of special infected such as Boomers or Smokers, as well as the direction the dreaded Tank is attacking from.

By constantly updating each other on the location of key enemies, a team can mount a cohesive defence and pick the advancing zombie horde off before they even get close.

Read tips for playing as an Infected in Left 4 Dead.

The copyright of the article Left 4 Dead Survivor Gameplay Tips in Video & Online Games is owned by Andrew Hemphill. Permission to republish Left 4 Dead Survivor Gameplay Tips in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Zoey and Bill, scared

The team assemble in Mercy Hospital