Valve is one of the most influential studios of all time, making some of gaming's greatest hits. So, it's no wonder that many games take inspiration from the studio's most popular titles. This year is seeing a resurgence of games like the Valve classic Left 4 Dead, and plenty of Valve fans couldn't be happier.
The Left 4 Dead games are staples of four-player co-op shooters, so after a drought of games in the genre, it seems they're finally making a major comeback. There have been several Left 4 Dead-inspired games announced during recent showcases and press conferences, so here's a list of which ones that fans should keep an eye on.
Aliens: Fireteam Elite
The Aliens franchise is one that's begging for a good Left 4 Dead-style video game adaptation. Many thought that 2013's Aliens: Colonial Marines might be the video game entry the series needed, but after its poor reception, hopes of a co-op Aliens shooter seemed to die down.
Following this year's announcement of Aliens: Fireteam Elite, the dream is alive once more. The third-person squad-based shooter seems to be doing everything right based on a hands-off gameplay demo, which featured a crew of marines fighting off hordes of quick-moving Xenomorphs. The Aliens franchise is perfect for this style of game because of the many different Xenomorph variants, as well as the memorable personalities of the marines featured in each film.
Aliens: Fireteam Elite is set to release on August 24, 2021, for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Extraction
Rainbow Six Extraction, formerly known as Rainbow Six Quarantine, has been on the radar for some time. After going through many years of changes and development, the game is finally set to release this year. The first official gameplay trailer for Rainbow Six Extraction was shown off at E3 2021, and featured Rainbow Six operators fighting an infectious alien swarm. Designed around three-player co-op, the game screams Left 4 Dead in all the best ways possible including its destroyed environments and menacing alien variants.
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Extraction is set to release on September 16, 2021, for Luna, Stadia, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Back 4 Blood
Simply saying Back 4 Blood is inspired by Left 4 Dead would be an understatement. Back 4 Blood is a spiritual successor to the Valve zombie series, as much of the teams that worked on both Left 4 Dead titles are working on Back 4 Blood. The games are very similar with squads of four shooting their ways through parts of zombie-infested America, however Back 4 Blood is upping the ante from Left 4 Dead in just about every way. Bigger zombies with more variants, heavier weapons, and crazier scenarios are all a part of what's setting Back 4 Blood apart from its Valve predecessors. Anyone looking for an experience as close to Left 4 Dead as possible without playing the originals should keep an eye on Back 4 Blood.
Back 4 Blood is set to release on October 12, 2021, for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Warhammer 40,000: Darktide
In recent years, there has been no shortage of Warhammer games. Warhammer 40,000: Darktide turned heads when it received an official gameplay trailer because of how much inspiration it seemed to be taking from the Left 4 Dead series. The Warhammer 40,000 universe is full of lore and deep storytelling, so fans of the tabletop army-building RPG will most likely get a lot out of a Warhammer video game in the style of Left 4 Dead. Non-Warhammer fans might just be converted by the series' gothic horror-inspired architecture and character design, making it a solid choice for Valve-inspired zombie shooting. The developers of Warhammer Vermintide seem to know what they're doing when it comes to co-op first-person horde games, so it's likely Darktide will be another hit.
Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is set to release later in 2021 for PC and Xbox Series X/S.
The Anacrusis
While aliens and zombies are common fodder for Left 4 Dead-style gameplay, The Anacrusis is changing things up with its distinct visual style. The Anacrusis is a squad-based alien shooter set on a retro 1970s-themed spaceship and it looks like a refreshing take on the genre. Instead of dilapidated buildings and dingy back alleys, the titular Anacrusis is well-lit and colorful. Run-and-gun gameplay paired with a quirky cast of survivors, The Anacrusis is a game to watch for Left 4 Dead fans looking for something a little less dark and a lot more colorful.
The Anacrusis is set to release in Fall 2021 for PC and Xbox Series X/S.
Second Extinction
Second Extinction is perhaps best described as Left 4 Dead set in an open world infested with dinosaurs. Dinosaurs are an underused monster type in video games, and Second Extinction capitalizes on that by constantly throwing hordes of them at players. The open-world structure really changes things up, making the game feel like it has its own identity apart from the Left 4 Dead series. Perhaps the best part about the game is that Second Extinction is available now in Early Access on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, so fans looking for a taste of the dino action can whet their appetites before the game gets an official release.
Second Extinction is available in Early Access on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, and will receive a full release at an unspecified future date.
Redfall
Redfall served as Microsoft's mic drop at the end of its E3 2021 presentation. The game is a co-op vampire shooter in development by Arkane Studios. While the announcement trailer didn't show any gameplay, it certainly set the tone for what Redfall will be like. Similar to Second Extinction's dinosaurs, vampires are an underutilized video game baddie, and it seems like Redfall is bringing them back. Other than Redfall's vampiric antagonists, little is known about the game. Because it's coming from Arkane and published by Microsoft, hopes are high for its quality as a Left 4 Dead-styled title.
Redfall is set to release in Summer 2022 for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.