Can Valve’s grab-bag of southern comfort and zombie goodness overturn Infinity Ward’s steamroller of an action blockbuster? Click on for our pre-release feature face-off.

Running the gauntlet.

#5 Maps and Level Design

With only one category to go, it’s up to Left 4 Dead 2 to drag the proceedings back to even Stevens. Fortunately, that emphasis on refinement and replayability is likely to work in Valve’s favour here. The campaigns feature new “Gauntlet” sections, gruellingly protracted stretches which are endlessly restocked with Infected, to bring the familiar stew of elevations, crannies, open areas and dimly-lit interiors to boiling point. There will be, no doubt, tremendous satisfaction to be had tackling levels “in reverse” when you slip into the Infected’s shoes during Versus mode, digging further idiosyncrasies out of the terrain.

Snowmobiles. Modern Warfare 2's Achilles Heel?

Not that Modern Warfare 2 should come up short on this front either. Its competitive multiplayer maps will doubtless rival those of Halo 3, with no defensive location impenetrable and no angle of attack beyond repulse, and its single player campaign has already displayed its share of memorable moments (the airfield stand-off in Cliffhanger being a prime example). But as a broader and more piecemeal game, there will probably be duds to accompany the highlights. We’re not sure snowmobile racing is all that preferable to a good old-fashioned shoot-out, for instance.

Final Score:

Modern Warfare – 3
Left 4 Dead 2 – 3

And so the conflict peters out into a highly anti-climatic draw. Boo hiss. Stop back in a week or two for the definitive FPS Gamer verdict on both titles, and be sure to let us know if there are two shooters, old or new, you just can’t choose between.

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3 Responses to “1-on-1: Modern Warfare 2 vs Left 4 Dead 2”

1. joseph says:

   12/11/09 at 8:40 pm

   l4d2 is winner based on intelligent game play making it interesting 6-12 months from now….cod same thing over and over promoting a braindead mindset…lol…Cod turns ppl into zombies we can practice killing in l4d2!!
2. Anthony says:

   22/11/09 at 10:37 am

   Left 4 Dead 2 is way better than Modern Warfare 2. It the type of game you can still enjoy playing 2 or more years down the road as if it was your first time playing. I’m not knocking Modern Warfare 2 but Left 4 Dead 2 gives you more enjoyable gameplay that promote teamwork to its max. Left 4 Dead 2 all the way baby!!!
3. Fink says:

   17/02/10 at 10:29 pm

   I don’t think it is even fair to compare the weapons between the two games. In L4D2 these are weapons that you could pick up in real life. Everyday people don’t have all these military weapons at their disposal. Also, I’m pretty sure that in real life after you kill so many opponents in a row you don’t get the option to have your radar point out where the others are hiding, or have a plane drop bombs or whatever. It is pretty sad that I am going to say this…but I think the post-apocalyptic zombie shooter is more realistic than a game based on the military. My vote goes to L4D2 because of the realism and just all around better gameplay.