Last night the crew dove into Back 4 Blood a day before its official release. It's the perfect time of year for a game like this and we were immediately reminded what makes these experiences so special. And while on the surface its easy to see Turtle Rock Studios return to the Left 4 Dead formula from many years ago, Back 4 Blood definitely feels like a modern shooter.
I think Mike nails it best in our stream, the gunplay in the game isn't as arcade like as others in this genre, it feels more akin to something like Far Cry. There are real world mechanics and feel at play here combined with a deep customization system like the ability to add attachments and tweaks to make the gun do exactly what you want. Need range? Add a scope. Want a bigger magazine? Add it. Looking for better accuracy, add a different muzzle. All of this is done during an instance of "your run" - basically the rogue like element to the game.
Each run can take you through the entire campaign's 4 acts and almost 35 missions. The other big change here is the new card system which has both the director and player playing "cards" which add buffs and objectives. For instance the director may play a card that causes flocks of birds to spawn in the map, scaring them will set off a horde. You may play a card that adds health, stamina or a special ability. These cards then stack with every section you reach drawing from your deck.
Another change players may not immediately realize are the characters themselves offer unique abilities, it's not just a cosmetic thing. These range from team buffs like spawning ammo to instant revives or more passive like faster stamina regen.
We've only scratched the surface so far in the few hours we've played and definitely plan on streaming more soon. Check out our playthrough of Act 1 -
- 1.3 Pain Train
- 1.4 The Crossing
- 2.1 - A Clean Sweep
- 2.2 - Book Worms
- 2.3 - Bar Room Blitz