Back 4 Blood Review

After 12 years since the release of Left 4 Dead 2, the series returns in 2021 with a new experience titled Back 4 Blood, developed by Turtle Rock Studios, the creators of the original game in 2008. Back 4 Blood carried high hopes and expectations to recreate the past magic for a new generation. Today, we’ll find out if the game succeeded in doing so.

Back 4 Blood doesn’t really have a major story. It offers a few cinematic scenes to introduce the characters and world, but the narrative is quite minimal. On medium difficulty, you can finish the story with your friends in about 10 hours. The game also offers side missions where you and your friends can face a variety of enemies, including zombies and mutated monsters.

The lack of a deep story isn’t a downside since Left 4 Dead was the same. This series has always been about cooperative gameplay and enjoying the experience with friends, rather than delivering a cinematic story.

Back 4 Blood is a first-person shooter you can play solo or cooperatively with friends. The story features a variety of missions that you complete sequentially to fight bosses and stop the zombie apocalypse. It’s a typical zombie game plot, which is fine because the focus isn’t on storytelling.

The gameplay is fast-paced and intense, where every wrong move could jeopardize your team. Each weapon serves specific purposes against certain types of zombies, and you’ll often switch between a vast arsenal to adapt to different challenges.

The enemies are highly varied. For instance, one type can spit poison, while another can scream and summon hordes of zombies to attack you. Each zombie has a unique fighting style, so you’ll need to prioritize which ones to eliminate first to avoid danger.

The game also introduces a card system, which offers customization for characters. Some cards provide team bonuses and improve gameplay, while others feel less useful. The card system isn’t perfect and could use more refinement to make it truly rewarding. If you play solo, the experience can be challenging, even on the easiest difficulty. It’s best enjoyed with friends unless you like tough games.

The game also offers an engaging online mode. You can team up with friends in missions where some enemies are controlled by other players. This blends PvP (player vs. player) elements into the PvE (player vs. environment) gameplay, making it more exciting and competitive.

The graphics are solid, powered by Unreal Engine 4. While not groundbreaking, the visuals, blood effects, zombie designs, and weapon models are all well-crafted, showcasing Turtle Rock Studios’ creativity.

My experience on the Xbox Series S was satisfying, with the game running at Dynamic 1440p and 60 FPS. For an even better experience, try it on the Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5, where it reaches Dynamic 4K. For the best performance, the PC version offers higher frame rates.

The PC version runs excellently and doesn’t require high-end hardware. The game also delivers great music and sound effects. However, if you’re planning to record or livestream, consider disabling the music due to copyright issues that could lead to takedowns on platforms like YouTube or Twitch.

Final Verdict:

Back 4 Blood is essentially Left 4 Dead 3. If you’ve been craving the classic Left 4 Dead experience, you should buy Back 4 Blood and enjoy it with friends. The game supports cross-play and offers many great features. While not flawless, it’s a must-play for Left 4 Dead fans.

You can purchase Back 4 Blood now on PC, PlayStation 4/5, and Xbox One/Series X|S. It’s also available on Xbox Game Pass, so you can download and play it immediately. Subscribe to Game Pass here.

Final Rating: 8/10