Holly has become a personal favourite, as her stamina recovery means I can rush into a horde swinging a melee weapon, safe in the knowledge that I won’t run out of pep before the last enemy has fallen. I’ve already found myself favouring a couple of characters over others, and which one I choose directly affects how I play through each level. One might have the ability to recover stamina after each kill, while another can break out of grabs. There’s added variety from the outset of Back 4 Blood, as you’re asked to choose from a roster of ‘Cleaners’, each with their own starting weapons and skills. Luckily, Back 4 Blood places a decent focus on player choice, which might just be the key to keeping it relevant long after its initial release.
What’s also clear is that it’s no longer enough for a game like Back 4 Blood to just be fun to play (gestures in the direction of Anthem), it also has to offer a reason to stick around, to keep a fertile playerbase interested and loyal. READ MORE: ‘Back 4 Blood’ is not ‘Left 4 Dead 3’, but it is a challenging modern alternativeīetween squad-based battle royale games, intricate hero shooters and ever-changing online open worlds like GTA Online, there’s never been a better time to play games with your friends.
While jumping in with a group of pals and facing down hordes of the undead is as fun as it’s always been, things have certainly changed in the gaming space since L4D reigned king. The Back 4 Blood beta is well underway, allowing players to jump in and experience the spiritual successor to the Left 4 Dead series.