All of the horde-slaying that fans would come to expect from the creators of Left 4 Dead is there, but this time around, it seems like the hordes are in greater numbers than they ever have been before. In the few trailers that have been shown, the sheer amount of zombies that take up the screen at one time is technically impressive, and will likely delight Left 4 Dead veterans that have been waiting for some kind sequel. A lot is riding on Back 4 Blood to be the Left 4 Dead 3 that fans never got, and with how massive the hordes look already, it could succeed in meeting those expectations.
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Horde Combat In Back 4 Blood
The way hordes work in Back 4 Blood falls in line with just about every major zombie game over the last decade or so. The zombies charge players in large numbers, relying on an overwhelming amount of force to take them out. Trailers have shown that taking out one or two zombies on their own is easy enough, but the size of Back 4 Blood’s hordes makes eliminating a whole wave of zombies much more challenging. Their numbers are so substantial that they’re able to withstand grenade explosions and heavy gunfire, which should prove to be a dynamic challenge for players looking to mow down zombies as quickly as possible.
Specialty Zombies And The Horde
Just as Left 4 Dead is known for its specialty zombies that mix up gameplay, Back 4 Blood has its own suite of variant Ridden that challenge players in all-new ways. While some of the zombies in Back 4 Blood are clearly inspired by ones found in Left 4 Dead, there is one zombie that is truly unique to Back 4 Blood. The Snitcher is a zombie that, upon seeing any players, will call the horde to their location. This special zombie puts the game’s massive hordes front and center, forcing players to either take out a Snitcher as quickly as possible, or face the horde’s overwhelming numbers.
The Technical Side Of Back 4 Blood’s Hordes
The sheer amount of zombies that Back 4 Blood is able to put in the game at one time should bode well for how the game is taking advantage of next-gen technology. The processing power required to put so many assets on screen in a console game was unheard of years ago, but now with tools like Unreal Engine 5 and next-gen hardware, games are on a whole new level from a technical perspective. Not only is this a great sign for gamers that are looking for a zombie game with hordes bigger than what’s ever been seen before, but it could be a sign of things to come for the future of gaming as a whole.
The zombie game has been a staple of the video game industry for decades now, and Back 4 Blood looks to give players an experience that calls on nostalgia while also forging its own path. The game already has a significant amount of hype behind it, and with the Swarm PvP mode also included, Back 4 Blood could be one of the best zombie games in a very long time. Hopefully Turtle Rock Studios will be able to stick the landing, and give the newest generation of gaming a zombie game to be proud of.
Back 4 Blood releases on October 12, 2021, for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S
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