Back 4 Blood Review: A Not-So-Perfect Left 4 Dead Heir?
The long-awaited spiritual successor to Left 4 Dead complete with hordes of the undead, but is it a hit or a miss?
last updated Jan 16, 2024
It offers enough innovation with the card system to keep the undead genre feeling alive.
Zombie Rave with Bullets
Dive into Back 4 Blood and you'll find yourself smack in the middle of a chaotic co-op dance party where the zombies are partners that nobody asked for. The gunplay itself is pretty satisfying, with a meaty feedback loop that will have your trigger finger itching for more. Melee enthusiasts can revel in their close-quarters dance with death, though it sometimes feels like the game handed them an overpowered chainsaw in a knife fight. The RPG-lite elements and the 'Corruption Card' system bring a new deck to the zombie-genre table, adding that necessary pinch of variety that keeps the replayability as fresh as a newly-turned zombie. However, the challenge does wobble like a zombie on roller skates, as RNG can sometimes leave you more helpless than a lone survivor in a horde.
Graphic Guts and Performance Grit
The decaying world of Back 4 Blood comes to life in a gorgeously grotesque way that will surely endear itself to fans of zombie landscapes. While the ray of graphical sunshine doesn't quite reinvent the wheel, it turns it slick enough for most gamers to enjoy a visually pleasing undead road trip. Performance-wise, recent updates seem to have mostly banished the bugs back to their crypts, leaving a smoother, more stable experience. But let's address the elephant in the room: despite the post-update glow-up, some special infected still like to play the Houdini act, popping in to say 'boo!' when you least expect it.
Audio Ammo Against the Horde
The game's soundscape is a mixed bag of bullets, groans, and occasionally catchy tunes. While the Black Betty jam session during the Bar Room Blitz level is undoubtedly a highlight, the rest of the auditory arsenal is standard fare. Don't get me wrong, blowing the infected to the beat of some headbangers is fun, but I'd argue the game lacks an auditory 'oomph' that compels you to keep those earbuds wedged in tight. It does, however, serve its purpose and has moments of aural delight, so it's not all white noise and missed opportunities.
Solo Mode Woes and Multiplayer Wonders
Want to venture alone into the zombie apocalypse? Think again, partner. The game compels you to test your social skills, for better or for worse, as it sidesteps true solo play like it's avoiding a zombified ex at the mall. For those who thrive in multiplayer scenarios and don't mind the odd social hurdle, the game offers enjoyable banter and teamwork dynamics. Yet, the shades of frustration grow darker with randoms who'd rather loot than shoot, treating matches like a personal shopping spree at the end of the world – a true test of one's patience and capacity for not yelling at strangers.
STEAM RATING
Developer
Turtle Rock Studios
Publisher
Warner Bros. Games
Release Date
October 12, 2021
The Verdict: Is it Worth the Bite?
Back 4 Blood manages to capture the essence of its legendary predecessors while carving its own bloody path. It offers enough innovation with the card system to keep the undead genre feeling alive. The gunplay is enjoyable, the game looks pretty, and it's clear that a co-op synergized group can extract a lot of fun from this game, even if they have little left in common with their zombie-slaying ancestors. The main sticking point is the price – the hefty tag is a big ask for a game that, despite moments of intense joy, doesn't fully deliver a consistently balanced or fresh experience. Pick it up on sale if you can, gather some friends, and you might find that this zombiefest is worth the mess.
