Retro Review: Left 4 Dead IMO

I have this fixation with zombie media and culture. I love it. It is also the most frightening thing in the world. I continually watch movies or read books or play video games and every time I am unable to sleep that night. There are many schools of thought on zombie lore, where they come from, if they are alive or undead, fast or slow. However they come, zombies are just the most terrifying creature ever conceived. Max Brooks wrote The Zombie Survival Guide and World War Z which both define 'zombie' in the most complete way. These ghouls are the traditional slow moving, one bite and you're screwed flesh eaters. I think this type is my favourite. The psychological danger is just as great as the physical danger. I don't claim to be an expert but I have spent my fair share of time immersed in the zombie phenomenon and as such I feel like I can review Left 4 Dead with confidence.
Left 4 Dead has four campaigns which take roughly an hour each to complete. These campaigns are not connected to each other but are all very cool. The first campaign is my favourite. It starts on the roof of an apartment building and moves through the streets to a hospital and finishes in a climactic battle on the roof. The other campaigns include an airport and more rural backgrounds. Somehow the city back drop is more realistic (and battling zombies in the dark forest is just too terrifying). Each campaign is five chapters long and is divided up by having to get into safe rooms that save the game and load the next chapter. I didn't like a few of the chapters, they seemed a little unrealistic. I mean at one point I jumped into the sewers to continue our journey. Who knows their way around city sewers!? And why is it filled with zombies!? I liked the short campaigns, they were fun and high energy. That being said, I still found myself wanting a longer campaign and deeper story line. Maybe that's the epic adventurer in me looking for a long, emotionally draining, edge of my seat zombie survival journey. But, I understand that Left 4 Dead is a multiplayer survival game and the campaigns need to be short.
There are four playable survivors: Francis, Bill, Louis, and Zoey. To be honest I don't like any of them. They're stereotypical and lame. Although the game needed to have characters, and since the campaigns have no room for character growth, all the character types I could think of would be one dimensional too. There are five types of "boss" zombies ready to eat your flesh. All of them are quite creative, but the best of these is the "witch." I didn't like the "Tank" boss though, it seemed like I was fighting the Hulk. This isn't Marvel Zombies.
In my opinion, one of the most important factors in deciding if a game is worthy is its sense of immersion. To feel any emotion while playing a video game (other than frustration) depends on the ability to forget you're playing a simple video game. This is called immersion. Left 4 Dead has this uncanny ability to build suspense and dread in your heart, and when the situation really hits you, you'll be holding your breath. While I crept through a dark apartment in the first campaign I was so nervous. Immersion is what makes a great game.
There really isn't much to complain about in Left 4 Dead. A few things here and there but overall it was a really fun game, and I'd recommend it to anyone. Just remember: Left 4 Dead is designed to be played with other people. The more the merrier! That's why it's an amazing co-operative multiplayer game. Playing by yourself is kind of disappointing and leaves you wanting. If you do get a chance to play it make sure you have others to join in on the zombie killing fun.
Left 4 Dead 2 is scheduled to be released on November 17 2009 and looks incredible. It introduces 4 new characters and melee weapons. I'm looking forward to it; so should you.

Thank you for your time, my friends.