The zombies are back with a vengeance! The original Left 4 Dead was a cult success, and featured intense arcade-style gameplay. It's something that you'd expect from developers Valve, creators of Half-Life, Portal and Team Fortress. A sequel was inevitable, and the concept remains largely the same - control one of a group of four unfortunate souls as they travel across country to survive an undead horde. Why fix what's not broken, after all?
Left 4 Dead 2 does have some new features and extras which make for a different zombie-bashing experience. Melee weapons are introduced here, with everything from pipes to chainsaws available to use on the living dead, and new weapons allow for some fresh butt-kicking to take place too.
That's not to mean your life will be any easier. Set-pieces are more complex and interesting - one stage set in a fairground will involve you dashing through a rollercoaster track, smacking zombies along the way, to turn off an alarm on the other side of the park.
Enemies themselves are more frequent, surprise you more often and are generally more difficult. Formidable foes such as Boomers and Witches, before only seen on occasion, can sometimes be found in twos among a horde of oncoming flesh-eaters.
The return of the classic multiplayer versus mode, with some new offerings to spice things up, brings back the heart of Left 4 Dead. Surviving with your mates. Or against your mates. Get ready for the ride of your life, again...