Left 4 Dead 2

Taken from Steam:

Valve Announces Left 4 Dead 2
June 1, 2009, 12:05 pm - Valve - Press Release
Sequel to Best-Selling Co-op Thriller Coming This Holiday

June 1, 2009 - Valve, creators of best-selling game franchises (such as Half-Life and Counter-Strike) and leading technologies (such as Steam and Source), today announced Left 4 Dead 2 (L4D2), the sequel to the best-selling and critically-acclaimed co-operative multiplayer thriller.

Coming exclusively to Xbox 360 and PC, L4D2 promises to set a new benchmark for co-operative action games and become one of 2009's marquee titles.

"A large part of how Left 4 Dead became 2008's top-selling new IP on Xbox 360 and the PC was the custom-tailored gameplay made possible by the AI Director," said Gabe Newell, president and co-founder of Valve. "With the knowledge gained from creating the original, new technology, and a passionate team, L4D2 will set a new benchmark for cooperative action games."

Set for release on November 17, the title adds melee combat to enable deeper co-operative gameplay, with items such as a chainsaw, frying pan, axe, baseball bat, and more.

Introducing the AI Director 2.0, L4D's dynamic gameplay is taken to the next level by giving the Director the ability to procedurally change weather effects, world objects, and pathways in addition to tailoring the enemy population, effects, and sounds to match the players' performance. The result is a unique game session custom fitted to provide a satisfying and uniquely challenging experience each time the game is played.

Featuring new Survivors, boss zombies, weapons, and items, Left 4 Dead 2 offers a much larger game than the original with more co-operative campaigns, more Versus campaigns, and maps for Survival mode available at launch.

Supported by a $10+ million marketing campaign, Left 4 Dead has sold over 2.5 million retail copies since it was released in November of 2008. Left 4 Dead 2 is targeted for release on Xbox 360 and the PC on November 17, 2009, and will be launched worldwide with a multi-million dollar marketing campaign across TV, Outdoor, and Online.

"Left 4 Dead was backed by our most aggressive advertising campaign to date, and resulted in a top 5 showing on two platforms during holiday 2008," said Doug Lombardi, VP of marketing at Valve. "Left 4 Dead 2 is a larger game and will be supported with even more consumer and retail advertising programs than the original."

Left 4 Dead 2 will be featured as the cover story on PC Gamer and Official Xbox Magazines this month.

http://store.steampowered.com/news/2552/

A sequel so soon, wow thats some what of a change from usual Valve development time, what do you guys think?

Sounds awesome.

Hey man, it's in demand. Left 4 Dead is so insanely good, and sold so well, with the funds they have backing up the sequel, this shit will be off the hook.

Aww, beat me to it. With this though, I no longer see any need to get Dead Rising 2 to be honest.

It's looking pretty damn good. Left 4 Dead was quite enjoyable and I hope the 2nd one is even more so!

http://www.gametrailers.com/video/e3-09-left-4-dead/49967?type=flv

Video on gametrailers.

Or in embed form if you're too lazy to click the link.

YouTube video

Who wants to come and clean the mess in my pants?

About the new Witch:

But perhaps most exciting is the Wandering Witch. Another new feature of L4D2 is setting some of the campaigns in the daylight. The campaign we played was such, and it’s oddly frightening to see it all happening while the sun shines. Making our way through the sprawling streets of New Orleans, desperately trying to reach a distant bridge at the other end of which was lay an apparent helicopter rescue, the only time we needed our torches was when making our way through buildings. And it seems in the daytime, the Witch has a bit more pep. Rather than sitting crouched, sobbing, singing, now this most terrifying of gaming enemies methodically paces around, wandering where she sees fit, although still apparently zoned out. She may be on foot, but she’s no more interested in being disturbed. This adds in a whole new aspect to Witch evasion. No longer can you simply take the long way around where she’s squatted. Instead, she may well be walking exactly where you’re headed. Or worse, walking up behind you, singing her haunting song, suddenly infuriated by you when you swing around in terror.

Apparently the new Charger infected will also be able to pick you up and slam you into the ground if you are not in a group. Things seem more gory with melee weapons in hand.

No Zoey, Louis, Francis and Bill? I thought those guys would be in all the L4D games.

I'm not surprised, I like the idea of each installment following a different group of survivors. It seems more appropriate, I think.

Changing the main character in each L4D game is like changing the main character in each Dead Rising game. Oh wait...

Originally posted by Nemesis X
Changing the main character in each L4D game is like changing the main character in each Dead Rising game. Oh wait...

Well if it helps, the last stage they did was the lighthouse aptly called The Last Stand so I'm guessing thats where they died.

Yeah. That was my guess as well. ^^

And these are the new survivors for those who didn't get a good enough look at them in the trailer. Only 2 of them are black actually.

Like the female in the last game (Zoey), I think I'll be stickin' with the guy in the hat this time 😬, but

L4D survivors > L4D 2 survivors
IMO

Not gonna be quite the same without blaming Bill. haermm

Originally posted by Ridley_Prime
Yeah. That was my guess as well. ^^

And these are the new survivors for those who didn't get a good enough look at them in the trailer. Only 2 of them are black actually.

Like the female in the last game (Zoey), I think I'll be stickin' with the guy in the hat this time 😬, but

L4D survivors > L4D 2 survivors
IMO

Not gonna be quite the same without blaming Bill. haermm

I think the black guy will be Bill. TBH I don't even want to guess what they named the black guy, I just feel like his name is going to be something like Sampson, or Amos.

Are you even allowed to have 2 black main characters? All this time I thought we could only have one us in the spotlight. I think we're starting to rise up against The Man! Next up will be the all black L4D, L4D3: Escape From Africa.

Originally posted by Ridley_Prime

Not gonna be quite the same without blaming Bill. haermm

I feel like these guys were made randomly. Seriously, it looks like Valve didn't put enough effort in these characters.

What, we can't blame Louis either? 😛

I say they give us

Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Tony Jaa, & Chuck Norris

with bruce lee as an unlockable 😐

Hat dude is made of win.

Originally posted by Zack Fair
Hat dude is made of win.

Nah, I'm going with Poppa Amos.

Originally posted by Wei Phoenix
I think the black guy will be Bill. TBH I don't even want to guess what they named the black guy, I just feel like his name is going to be something like Sampson, or Amos.

Are you even allowed to have 2 black main characters? All this time I thought we could only have one us in the spotlight. I think we're starting to rise up against The Man! Next up will be the all black L4D, L4D3: Escape From Africa.

Resident evil 5?

Still would have liked the original cast, ahh i'm going to miss Louis, Zoey, Francis.....NOT Bill haermm