Back 4 Blood is published by Warner Bros Games, developed by Turtle Rock Studios, available on Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4/5 and PC – reviewed on Xbox Series X.
Available now on your platform choice marketplace or from your local game store. Back 4 Blood will also be available on day of launch on Xbox Game Pass
Synopsis
Back 4 Blood is a thrilling cooperative first-person shooter from the creators of the critically acclaimed Left 4 Dead franchise. You are at the center of a war against the Ridden. These once-human hosts of a deadly parasite have turned into terrifying creatures bent on devouring what remains of civilization. With humanity’s extinction on the line, it’s up to you and your friends to take the fight to the enemy, eradicate the Ridden, and reclaim the world.
Cooperative Campaign Fight your way through a dynamic, perilous world in a 4-player co-op story campaign where you must work together to survive increasingly challenging missions. Play with up to 3 of your friends online or go solo and lead your team in battle. Choose from 8 customizable Cleaners, one of the immune survivors, and a range of lethal weapons and items. Strategize against an ever-evolving enemy bent on your total destruction.
Competitive Multiplayer Play with or against friends in PVP. Switch between playing as a Cleaner with special perks and the horrific Ridden. Both sides come with unique weapons, abilities, and specialties. Extreme Replayability A new “rogue-lite” Card System creates different experiences each and every time, putting you in control to craft custom builds and undertake more demanding fights. The Game Director is constantly adjusting to player actions, ensuring exciting fights, extreme gameplay diversity, and tougher legions of Ridden – including mutated boss types up to 20 feet tall. Buy the digital Xbox One version of Back 4 Blood and download the Xbox Series X|S version at no extra cost.
Review
I love Zombie games, basically anything with a big gun and lots of gore then I’m more than likely all in. Straight off the bat Back 4 Blood fills me with confidence that this is the game I have been looking for, the name says it all.
If, like me, you were a fan of the Left 4 Dead games, you will recall they were the best zombie shooter games of all-time. I have been waiting for another game to recreate the non-stop zombie action that I could lose hours to playing. So when I heard that Back 4 Blood was being released and deemed as the cultural successor I just had to take a look and see for myself. The bar was set ridiculously high, could Back 4 Blood live up to expectations?
I honestly had nothing to worry about. Back 4 Blood has taken that high bar and smashed it across its knee. My expectations were well and truly met and surpassed. Back 4 Blood mixes what we know of FPS co op zombie shooters together with rogue-lite card system which brings unique gameplay each and every time you play.
You have the option to play through game either solo, using bots to fill in the other team members or to play together or against friends. The solo gameplay is a decent experience, but Back 4 Blood is really made to be played online and with friends. You play either together or against other plays as a “Cleaner” or one of the zombified “Ridden” bringing a fresh look to multiplayer gameplay, letting you play as both the good guys and bad guys.
You start the play through at the beginning (as in most games) however the difference here is you play as a run where you work together to get as far through the campaign as you can picking rewards up as you go. The game starts of relatively easy with the challenges becoming more stronger as you progress through the levels bringing bigger and badder “Ridden” giving for me the most unrivalled and addictive gameplay I have played for sometime.
There is an eclectic mix of a team members to choose from, unlocked from the start as a core team with others available to unlock as traverse through the game. A team of “Cleaners” are made up of a medic, who also happens to be a crack shot with a gun, an elder – called Mom – of the group, she’s a complete badass with a heart of gold who is out for revenge following the death of her son. Then there’s Holly, a fiery red head on a revenge mission to take revenge on the Devil Worm for killing her family armed with her trusty nail spiked bat she definitely has the arsenal to do it. Evangelo, the token jock who is a mean hand with a machete. Karlee, a seasoned looters with a boat load of attitude to take on the Ridden. Jim, a seasoned and battle scared military veteran armed with a shotgun you know this will only end one way, Hoffman isn’t the most athletic or muscle bound hero but he can definitely stand up for himself. Lastly, and my personal favourite, is Walker. He is an army ranger who looks and feels like he could just take the Ridden on by himself, a great mix of characters for you to work with.
Back 4 Blood is definitely a game that you could quite happily play again and again without ever getting bored with the unique gameplay system no two playthroughs will ever be the same. The PvP mode is fun and good to play as the bad guys for a change but the games main strong point is the main co-op story, it is literally what the game was made for whether you play with friends or play with randoms online it really is one of the best co-op games I have had the pleasure of playing.
Verdict
Genuinely one of the best co-op games I have ever played, taking the original idea of Left 4 Dead and taking it to a whole other level. If you like your zombie games and looking for a new title to play then definitely make this your next game to pick up you most definitely won’t be disappointed. Honestly how can you not love fronting up on a zombie with an Axe or machine gun? So much fun! So strap up and COME SLAY WITH US
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