Valve. (2009). Left 4
Dead. [Video game]. Electronic Arts.
Genre: Horror,
Action, Suspense, Thriller, Humor, Zombies
Reading level/
interest age: 17+
Plot summary:
Four survivors of a plague known as “Green Flu” must make
their way to a helipad for evacuation at a hospital across town. They must survive
hordes and scavenge for supplies along the way. Left 4 Dead is a first person shooter that allows for a four person
co-op. Players must battle their way through zombies and unique mutants.
Hunters pounce on unsuspecting prey and are hard to spot because their clothes
match surrounding zombies. Boomers explode when near and emit a green ooze that
attract more zombies. Lickers immobilize and then drag their victims off and
away from help. Witches are placed strategically so that players have to listen
for them. They are recognized by their cries and can be assassinated easily if
snuck up on. However, if scared, witches will claw their enemies in a
one-hit-kill. Lastly, Tanks are the hardest to kill and are strong enough to
flip cars. Different weapons work best on different types of mutants. Players
can choose from a variety of armaments from axes to pipe bombs.
The game also has several different modes. Players can pick
to go solo in single-player, roam with friends in co-op, attempt survival mode
with unending hordes, or complete the campaign.
Reader’s annotation:
Lickers, Tanks, and Boomers oh my! Fight your way through
the hordes to get to Mercy Hospital in time for evacuation.
Information about the
author:
“When you give smart talented people the freedom to create
without fear of failure, amazing things happen. We see it every day at Valve.
In fact, some of our best insights have come from our biggest mistakes. And
we’re ok with that! Since 1996, this approach has produced award-winning games,
leading-edge technologies, and a groundbreaking social entertainment platform.
We’re always looking for creative risk-takers who can keep that streak alive.
“We started with Half-Life®, the first-person, sci-fi
shooter game that’s won more than 50 Game of the Year and a few ‘Best Game
Ever’ awards. We expanded the Half-Life franchise with a sequel and Half-Life
2 Episodes 1 and 2. Then we added the horror titles Left 4 Dead® and
Left 4 Dead 2, the multiplayer combat franchise Team Fortress®,
the #1 online action game Counter-Strike® and the award-winning puzzlers
Portal™ and Portal 2. And we’re just getting warmed up”
(ValveStudios.com, 2014).
Curriculum ties: N/A
Booktalking ideas:
1.
What is your favorite/least favorite zombie type
to fight?
2.
Can you share any strategies for beating the
game easier?
Critical evaluation:
Left 4 Dead might
lack a storyline altogether but it more than makes up for it in gameplay. Designed
as more of an old school arcade game, players only have to worry about getting
from point A to point B through each area of the city. Character selection is
pointless because none of them offer different strategic bonuses. Their
dialogue between one another varies but is unimportant to the story. Players
quickly learn which weapons work best for what foes but this can sometimes be
frustrating the first few run-throughs. For example, a Tank is best taken out
with a Molotov cocktail as lighting it on fire greatly diminishes its health. However,
a player must have this weapon on them when confronted with a Tank or he or she
will most likely run out of ammo and be killed otherwise.
Most amusing are the small Easter Eggs players can find
within the game. One of the reasons Left
4 Dead is rated as mature for nudity is simply because the developers
decided to add zombies wearing open-backed hospital gowns. This is a game that
does not take itself seriously and exists purely for a good dose of
spray-and-prey.
Challenge issues:
·
Violence
·
Language
·
Nudity
Defensive Maneuvers:
·
Have the library’s collection development policy
memorized and on hand in case a situation arises.
·
Keep positive reviews on hand to refer to or
hand out when needed.
·
If the book has won any awards, mention them to
the patron and briefly explain the award.
·
Listen to the patron and practice good customer
service skills when communicating. Let the customer know where or if he/she can
escalate his/her complaint.
·
When necessary, cite sections of the ALA’s
Library Bill of Rights or refer to the ALA's
Strategies and Tips for Dealing with Challenges to Library Materials.
Why included:
Zombies are a poplar genre for the time being and so I
believe that teens will enjoy this game. It currently has a sequel as well that
they may enjoy playing after finishing this story.
Reference:
ValveStudios.com. (2014). Welcome to Valve: We’re always creating. Retrieved August 24, 2014
from http://www.valvesoftware.com/company/index.html
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