Back 4 Blood is the newest game from Turtle Rock Studios and Warner Bros., and is the spiritual successor to Left 4 Dead, and it definitely delivers. This Open BETA will offer players a few levels to explore and play with five playable characters to pick from, each owning a unique trait and starting loadout.

Back 4 Blood is a four-player co-op first-person shooter where a team of survivors, or as the game labels them, cleaners, are fighting hordes of undead while making their way to safe rooms. These safe rooms will have a storage crate that acts as a store where players are able to use a copper currency that is found as players progress in the level. When one player collects copper each player will be given the same amount. This Copper can then be handed over to buy items such as upgraded guns with pre-set attachments, first aid items, tool kits, and an extra buff for the whole team which costs the most in the store.

The tool kit is an item I would suggest at least two players in a team have on hand as they are used to unlock certain doors and crates found in the levels. Locked crates can hold some high-grade attachments or miniguns that can be used when you are defending an area. Also, randomly scattered across the levels are crows, alarmed doors, car alarms, and a special infected that screams all of which will attract a large horde to the team’s location if set off, so be very aware of your surroundings. Some alarms may be unavoidable like having to use a towtruck to raise a car or blowing up a wall to get out of a compound.

There is a competitive multiplayer which unfortunately is not like that of Left 4 Dead. Instead, it is a best of three rounds where one team of four will play as the cleaners in a small level that gets smaller. The aim is to set a good survival time while the other team of four plays the role of the special infected. This all happens while the common hordes will swarm in as well, so teamwork and communication are key.

As Back 4 Blood features a wide range of weapons and attachments that can be applied, and with specific ammo requirements, it is good to have teammates stock up on ammo they are not using as they can drop and share inventory.

Back 4 Blood has an interesting deck system where players build a deck of cards that are drawn at either the start of a level or after failing a level. These are used to help boost the player or team, from adding to the total health, being able to carry an extra grenade slotted item, or having better stamina. Having useful cards can shift the tide of battle against the massive hordes that will swarm you.

More cards can be unlocked and purchased during a level if you find card boxes or by finishing off supply lines back at the home base. You earn supply points upon level completion and also during games played in competitive, so progress is available for either PVP or PVE players.

I am looking forward to the full release as Back 4 Back will be a game I will keep playing over and over to fill the zombie-killing void that is missing in my life.

Written by: Shane Walsh