Left 4 Dead 2

Left 4 Dead 2 is a cooperative action shooter from Valve, released in 2009. Coach, Ellis, Nick and Rochelle try to survive a major epidemic in the southern US. Their journey runs from Savannah through swamps, cities and suburbs to New Orleans.

Each campaign includes several sections with safe rooms, scarce equipment and changing challenges. The four characters must work together, as difficult situations are rarely solvable alone.

Left 4 Dead 2 was released in November 2009 for PC and Xbox 360. Steam lists November 16, 2009 for the PC version. The Xbox 360 version launched in North America on November 17. Versions for macOS and Linux followed later.

On September 24, 2020, the extensive community expansion The Last Stand arrived with an additional campaign and new maps for Survival and Scavenge.

Left 4 Dead 2 was released natively for PC and Xbox 360. The PC version is available on Steam for Windows, as well as macOS and Linux. The Xbox 360 version can run on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S via backward compatibility.

On PC, the game supports the Steam Workshop and tools for custom maps. A standalone native version for PlayStation or the newer Xbox consoles was not released.

Left 4 Dead 2 follows four survivors through five connected campaigns in the southern US. From Savannah to New Orleans, they must reach safe rooms, share resources and keep moving together. The arsenal includes shotguns, assault rifles and melee weapons such as axes, chainsaws and frying pans.

Besides common infected, special enemy types appear that can separate the group or pin individual characters down. With different weapons and coordinated teamwork, the sections can be tackled in several ways.

Left 4 Dead 2 received additional sections after launch. Expansions include The Passing and The Sacrifice. The major community update The Last Stand added a campaign and further arenas for Survival and Scavenge in 2020.

Left 4 Dead 2 requires at least a Pentium 4 at 3.0 GHz, 2 GB RAM and 13 GB of free storage on Windows. A graphics card with 128 MB of video memory and Shader Model 2.0 is specified. The Linux version requires at least a dual-core processor at 2.8 GHz.

On Steam, the historical requirements for Windows XP, Vista and 7 are still listed. Since January 2024, the Steam client only supports Windows 10 or newer.

The AI Director 2.0 changes the conditions during campaigns. Enemy groups and locations react to how a round unfolds. Weather and alternative routes also make repeated playthroughs feel different.

Left 4 Dead 2 offers cooperative campaigns and several competitive multiplayer modes. Alongside the classic adventure, Versus, Survival and Scavenge are available.

On PC, the Steam Workshop lets you use additional maps and campaigns. Valve's tools enable custom projects.

Left 4 Dead RTX is a free graphics mod for the PC version of Left 4 Dead 2. NoMercyStudios is using NVIDIA RTX Remix to develop new lighting with path tracing, revised surface materials and more detailed models. NightSightProductions publishes the fan project.

Left 4 Dead 2 is required on Steam to play. The original campaigns, game modes and the Xbox 360 version are not affected by the graphical overhaul.