Back 4 Blood

Back 4 Blood is an upcoming multiplayer survival horror game developed by Turtle Rock Studios and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. It is slated for release in June 22, 2021, for Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.

The game has been considered to be the spiritual successor to Left 4 Dead, as it is being developed by the creators of the original game, and features largely identical gameplay. The game was announced at The Game Awards 2020, and came nearly a decade after Turtle Rock Studios split from Valve (who published both Left 4 Dead titles and still owns the rights to the franchise) and re-established itself as an independent studio.

Gameplay

The gameplay of Back 4 Blood is largely similar to Left 4 Dead, both are 4 player cooperative games and 8 players in a PvP mode with a focus on multiplayer and replayability. A new feature of Back 4 Blood is cards. At the start of each level, players need to build their deck with cards that adjust various elements of gameplay, such as modifying the player's health, damage, and stamina. Along with player cards, the AI Director will also use Corruption cards against the player to hinder their progress. The AI can spawn extra enemies, activate a fog effect, and increase the size of the horde.

Development

The game was officially announced in March 2019 by Turtle Rock Studios, who were the creators of the first Left 4 Dead game. The game was officially unveiled during The Game Awards 2020, with the closed alpha releasing December 17, 2020. According to the development team, the game features a more expanded story than the Left 4 Dead games, and has a more uplifting tone than other zombie games in the market. Phil Robb, the game's creative director, added that the Cleaners are more confident and capable, unlike the everymen from Left 4 Dead. He added that the players are not merely surviving and finding safe places. They are fighting zombies to create safe spaces. This is reflected in the dialogue between the Cleaners, who no longer sound like they were afraid of their enemies. The team included the card systems in the game because they felt that it can keep the game dynamic and challenging for veteran players, though Turtle Rock also added a Classic mode, a more accessible experience that removes all the cards, for new players.