L4D2 The Passing Debut

With Left 4 Dead's Crash Course content being a huge bust awhile back, many passed up on the thought that Left 4 Dead 2's new DLC The Passing wouldn't be anything worth getting everyone's hopes up for. I must say, I was one who paid very little attention to this one. Now that it is out, I decided to give it a run and for once, Valve has given me something worthwhile.

The only real problem I see with the campaign is the returning factor that it is only 3 maps in length. People keep saying that this is a good thing for people who don't have an hour or more to play a game, but in my opinion if you only have 30 minutes to play you could just join a game that is already started or just leave early. You still get the same experience out of the game and you still get the fun and enjoyment from playing as compared to if you played the whole map.

As far as content goes, this one is definitely a plus. Valve has added a few new things that are unique to this campaign. The new things consist of Footlockers, a M60 Heavy MG, a new melee weapon Golf Club, a new uncommon infected called the Fallen Survivor (which carry items the same as a regular survivor would, and when you kill them the items drop and you can pick them up), and even has the long awaited appearance of the original 4 survivors from Left 4 Dead 1. There are also new DLC specific achievements that you can earn in different gametypes for The Passing.

The last but definitely the best addition that came with The Passing is a little teaser called Mutations. Mutations are weekly gametypes that feature specific changes to match settings, available for all campaigns. Evidently Valve already has 20 of these bad boys waiting to be released, but they are going to take it slow and do it week by week to keep people playing the game (Smart one Valve). The first of these "Mutations" is Realism VS, which applies the campaign's Realism mode to the ever-popular Versus. Make sure to launch up your game and see what Valve has to offer each week!

What some people may not fully realize is the effort by Valve to create a believable post-apocalyptic experience. They have managed this through environmental hints such as messages from other humans and the dialogue between the Survivors. There's a bunch of Easter eggs hidden throughout the campaign as well as a number of funny and occasionally haunting scenarios. A theme is set in The Passing of failed attempts at survival, with evidence everywhere of normal people making last stands against the infected horde. This ties into The Passing's main event where the original survivors make their official debut into L4D2 and help you through the nightmare that they were once a part of.

All in all I would definitely recommend giving this one a try whenever you have a chance. The mutations give the game a twist making it more difficult to succeed rather than the same repetitive thing every time you play. The new campaign gives you the thrill of some of the already existing campaigns, while adding it's own unique flavor. The new items give you something to watch out for and the achievements give you something to work for.

Now what are you waiting for? Go give it a try!

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