Left 4 Dead is a 2008 multiplayer game developed by and published by . The game uses Valve's proprietary , and is available for and . Development on the game was completed on November 13, 2008, and two versions were released digitally: A downloadable digital version, released on November 17, 2008, and a digital retail disc version, with a release date determined by region. The digital retail disc version was released in North America and Australia on November 18, 2008; and in Europe on November 21, 2008.
Set during the aftermath of a worldwide , the game puts its four protagonists—dubbed the "Survivors"—against hordes of the infected. There are four game modes: a single-player mode in which allied characters are controlled by AI; a four-player, co-op campaign mode; an eight-player online versus mode; and a four-player . In all modes, an (AI), dubbed the "", controls level pacing and item placements, in an attempt to create a dynamic experience and increase .
Left 4 Dead was well received by the industry media upon its release, with praise given for its replay value, focus on cooperative play, and -like experience. Several criticisms were aimed at the limited level selection and the lack of a narrative. The game has won several publication awards, as well as distinctions from the and . As was done with , Valve supplemented the game with free downloadable content. The first, called the "Survival Pack", was released on April 21, 2009. The second piece of DLC was charged for on Xbox Live and came in the form of a new Campaign entitled "Crash Course," released for both the PC and Xbox 360 on September 29, 2009. Left 4 Dead was released for the Mac on October 28, 2010.
The popularity of the game led to the development of a sequel, , which was released on November 17, 2009. A new map for both Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2, called "The Sacrifice", was released on October 5, 2010. In July 2012, all Left 4 Dead campaigns were ported over to Left 4 Dead 2, with cross-platform multiplayer support between Windows and Mac versions of the game.
- Fighting their way through the city's streets, subway and sewers, they are rescued from the hospital's roof by the pilot, only to discover he is infected
- With Zoey forced to kill him, the helicopter crash lands in an industrial district outside the city. Finding an armored delivery truck, the group uses it to make their way to the town of Riverside.
- However, they find the road blocked, and travel the rest of the way on foot. After encountering a hostile and delirious man (voiced by Nathan Vetterlein) in the local church, they discover that the town is overrun, and decide to head to a nearby boathouse for rescue
- Contacting a small fishing vessel, they manage to reach the city of Newburg on the other side of the river, only to find much of it in flames.