Review: 8-bit Left 4 Dead

January 8, 2010 by Chris Gampat
Filed under: Action, Emulation, Homebrew, and Modding, Reviews

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The much talked about 8-Bit version of Left 4 Dead has arrived, and after some quality time with it I can tell you that this is the most addicting game I’ve ever epic failed in. It’s a brutally tough game even in the easier difficulty, and it takes a little bit of time to get accustomed to the controls. The music, however, is awesome. While you may not be able to download this at work and play (it’s deeper than your standard TimeWaster), it’s highly suggested that you give it a shot at home.

The premise of the game is the same as the actual first-person shooter. You’re a survivor (one or two of four) and you need to fight your way through the cities and levels in order to get to an extraction point where you can be rescued. Along the way, you’ll encounter many types of zombies that you need to take out. In the FPS, you have your entire team of four players to help you out. In this version, you have at max two players which can makes thing difficult.

The controls are a bit more complicated,with a bit of a learning curve. They are as follows.

It gets pretty hectic when thew zombies are chasing you; you need to shoot them or they’ll start attacking when they get very close. (if youu need to run away a bit or melee them, move back then shoot). Unlike the FPS, you can’t melee a zombie to death.

As a lone survivor though, you do feel almost like all hope is lost. However, you then remember that the game is 8-bit, how hard can it be? I didn’t/couldn’t beat it. I couldn’t beat the equivalent of the first level of the first campaign, which is No Mercy. All the spots that you remember the zombies coming out from and spawning in huge hoards are there. However, it doesn’t seem like there are any alarms or cars to set off.

The graphics are the best that you could get for an 8-bit version of this game. No HDR lighting, no very detailed and different colored and looking zombies (besides the specials) but instead it’s all just awesome looking fun stuff. The characters have big heads too, which is really pretty funny.

The music is pleasantly badass. For players of the game, imagine the current music that Valve made put into a van and then crashing head on into the Mario Bros. It is surely something you’d enjoy at a chiptunes festival. There is a weird glitch though: the first time I played the game the music and sounds played flawlessly Afterward, they didn’t play at all. Further, there are no options to control any of this.

It’s highly recommended that both retro gamers and fans of Left 4 Dead check out this enjoyable 8-bit de-make (you can download the game from one of many places on the site of the game’s creator, Eric Ruth). It’s not perfect, but it’s a fun action shooter that highlights what a fan’s passion and creativity can bring to a major franchise.

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Tags: #8bitleftfordead, 8 bit weapon, 8-bit left 4 dead, chiptunes, emulator, homebrew, left 4 dead, nes, review, stand-alone PC game, TimeWasters