Left 4 Dead

Over the weekend I purchased Left 4 Dead. It's one of those cool shooters I like.

The setting for this one is a zombie apocalypse. You play one of four characters that work together as a group, four survivors who are somehow immune to what's happening: There's a grizzled Vietnam vet, a biker, a young black IT nerd, and a young girl who runs around shooting as opposed to screaming.

Oh, these aren't old school zombies, they're the new faster variety, ala the remake of Dawn of the Dead or 28 Day Later & 28 Weeks Later. So this game is friggin' intense!

What's more, the game AI that controls the zombies is known as The Director. It adjusts the game in real time, based on how your group is doing. So, all of a sudden, you could get mobbed by a horde of running zombies. Next time you play, when you get to the same spot maybe nothing happens. So each run through is a totally unique experience.

The music is controlled by the Music Directory, which adjusts the music (again, in real time).

If you like to shoot stuff and blow things up, as I do when I want to blow off some stress, then this is the game for you. As one of my buddies put it, this is an easy game to pick up and put down when you're done.