Left 4 Dead 2 Unofficial guide - SuperCheats

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Table of Contents

Introduction 2Game Modes 3Characters 4Dead Center 5- Get to Safe House #1 6- Get to Safe House #2 8- Get to Safe House #3 11Dark Carnival 15- Get to Safe House #1 16- Get to Safe House #2 18- Get to Safe House #3 20- Get to Safe House #4 22Swamp Fever 25- Get to Safe House #1 26- Get to Safe House #2 28- Get to Safe House #3 30Hard Rain 33- Get to Safe House #1 34- Get to Safe House #2 35- Back to Safe House #1 39- Get to Safe House #3 41The Parish 43- Get to Safe House #1 44- Get to Safe House #2 45- Get to Safe House #3 47- Get to Safe House #4 49Weapons 55Melee Weapons 60Equipment 62Multiplayer Survivor Tactics 65Multiplayer Infected Tactics 68Achievements and Tips 71Unlockable Avatar Items 75

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SuperCheats.com's Unoffical Guide to

Left 4 Dead 2

by Mike Hazleton

This is an unofficial game guide for Left 4 Dead 2, it is not official, or endorsed by or connected to the game developer or publisher. All characters, locations, images and video

game content are copyright to their respective owners. Any trademarks displayed in the guides are exclusive property of their respective owners. Images and videos used in this

game guide have only been inserted to illustrate our words more effectively.

This guide may be not be reproduced under any circumstances except for personal, private use. It may not be placed on any web site or otherwise distributed publicly without

advance written permission. Use of this guide on any other web site or as a part of any public display is strictly prohibited, and a violation of copyright.

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Left 4 Dead 2 Guide

Unoffical guide by Mike Hazleton for SuperCheats.com

Valve's Left 4 Dead brought zombies back into the living room as its arcade nature and impressive mechanics won

over gamers. Now there is a sequel, complete with more dynamic levels, varied set pieces, as well as new 'Special

Infected' and weapons. It is set during the same zombie apocalypse as the first game, and while downloadable

content is on the way to integrate the characters from the original into Left 4 Dead 2, you play as a new set of

characters.

This guide aims to give you the low-down on every level, set piece and enemy in the game's campaign. It will also

address multiplayer tactics and look at some of the other modes available in Valve's latest classic.

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Game Modes

Campaign

This is the bulk of Left 4 Dead 2's content. There are 5 separate levels, each of which will take up to 2 hours,

depending on how often you die, the number of players taking part and the difficulty level. You can play in

split-screen on Xbox 360 (if additional controllers are connected), or online with up to four-players. It is

recommended that you play with the full compliment of human players, simply because escaping the levels at the

grand set-pieces that mark their conclusion becomes very difficult with AI slowing you down.

The general idea of Left 4 Dead is to survive until the next safe-house, a location where the game loads, you can

refresh your ammunition, weapons, and health, and the restart point should your entire party be wiped out. The

safe-houses make up the end of each segment or act in the level and the level itself ends with a 'final showdown'.

This is where the game throws Infected at you from all angles, including multiple instances of the most difficult

Infected in the game, the Tank. Usually there is a timer that, when reached, allows the player to run for an extraction

vehicle of some kind.

Versus

An interesting take on the usual multiplayer from first-person shooters, Versus mode supports up to eight players.

One team of four plays as the Survivors, much like in the Campaign mode, and tries to reach each safe-house and

finally the end of the level. The difference is that the other four play as 'Special Infected', aiming to stop the Survivors

from reaching their goal. Once all the Survivors are killed, or they reach the safe-house, the roles reverse and this

continues until the end of the level. As Special Infected you have all the abilities the AI Infected have (though you

cannot play as the Witch). The levels are virtually the same, and Common Infected still populate the environment, as

do AI controlled Special Infected at key moments.

Survival

Rather than a whole level, or section, the Survivors are placed in a restricted area (such as the extraction points from

the Campaign) and must simply fight against hordes of Infected until they cannot fight anymore. The idea is to stay

alive for as long as possible. Survival is an ironic name as this is quite simply impossible.

Scavenge

Like Versus mode, this has four Survivors against four Infected players. The idea here is for the Survivors to collect

and retrieve fuel, while the Infected must stop them.

Realism

You can activate Realism Mode with any of the other modes. This removes the silhouette surrounding players

(making spotting stranded allies much more difficult), as well as the similar indicators on items, and prevents players

from coming back when killed through the Survivor cupboards that they otherwise would spawn in. Infected also

take less damage to the body (so aim for the head), and Witches kill in one hit, like they do on Expert. The idea of

this mode is to make the difficulty you prefer more interesting and more challenging without ramping it up as

significantly as actually moving the difficulty level up one notch.

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Characters

Coach

Coach is the leader of the four, and as the name suggests, he was a teacher at the local high-school before the

Infected rolled into town. Coming from an early retirement in American Football, he naturally takes command and

acts as the father-figure to the group. Coach is originally from Savannah, the town ravaged by Infected at the start of

the game, making his battle against the horde all the more poignant.

Nick

Coming from hustling and gambling roots, Nick is a sharp-dressed, self-obsessed kind of guy. His priorities all

revolve around himself, and as he's not originally from the South, is something of an outsider in the group. Still,

despite his egocentric nature, Nick recognises that his best chance of survival is with this group and is forced to forge

new relationships and bonds of trust to get out alive.

Rochelle

'Ro' to her friends, Rochelle is a determined individual with a love of adventure stemming from her journalistic roots.

Sent to Savannah to cover the beginning of the epidemic, Rochelle took her chance to escape with Coach, Nick and

Ellis once it was clear things had gone very wrong in the Deep South. Being the only woman in the group is a tough

role, but her grit and character allow her to hold her own alongside the others.

Ellis

As a mechanic, Ellis has a vital role in the group to ensure they are able to move across the Deep South. His youth,

heavy accent and lack of education are misleading; he is willing to put his life in danger to impress others, and to

help them, Ellis adds a strong dose of character to the group striving for survival. Like Coach, Ellis hails from

Savannah, and with his mom and all his friends in the town, the Infected now have a date with this kid's vengeance.

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Dead Center

General Notes for all campaigns in this wlkthrough:

For each campaign level the basic layout of the level and its set-piece moments will be analysed and the best

strategies divulged. The 'Uncommon Common Infected' for each level will also be detailed (there is one unique class

of enemy on each level, all with a special ability or trait that must be countered by the player).

Due to the nature of the 'AI Director' which alters the location of items, enemies and even the layout of each level,

specific item locations will only be given tentatively as we found them on a number of playthroughs. Note that this

guide was written based on the Normal difficulty. Higher difficulties decrease item drops such as medkits and the

best weapons, and increase enemy health and their frequency.

Intro to Dead Center

Our four heroes have been brought together by collective misfortune – they were too late for the helicopter

extraction, and now must cooperate to escape the infection. The idea in this campaign is to get to get to the

shopping mall and extract using the vehicle inside.

Uncommon Common Infected

The Uncommon Common Infected in this level are CEDA workers, dressed in hazmat suits. They are resistant to fire,

so don't be surprised to see them walking through the flames at you in the early sections of this level.

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Dead Center - Get to Safe House #1:

You begin in a situation similar to the first game, on top of a roof with medkits and weapons. There are no primary

weapons here, however, and you must pick either a melee weapon or a pistol for now. You need the majority of

your team to have pistols, as Special Infected lower down the building (such as Smokers, Spitters, Hunters and

Jockeys) are very tough to melee without getting caught.

When you are ready, head down the stairs and into the door on the left. This is a relatively tame section, but Special

Infected can cause a few problems.

Open the door and deal with the Infected inside. You can explore most of the side-rooms for additional equipment

(no weapons yet, but you should be able to find a second pistol). Continue down the corridor until you find your

way blocked by fire. Head into the room adjacent to this blockage, and proceed onto the balcony outside the

window.

The second room along the balcony should provide an entry point back into the corridor. Watch out for the fire, as it

seriously reduces your health. Follow the corridor and move down the stairs once you come to the end. Enter the

door at the bottom before the fire barrier, and you'll find yourself on a very similar floor.

Get onto a balcony using one of the rooms on the left and follow it along. You can stop to get equipment on your

way. Re-enter the building when you get to the bend in the balcony area and rejoin the hallway. Before long it will

open up into a larger room where you can find an open elevator to the left (if you entered from the corridor and not

outside).

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This is home to the first real conversation between the survivors, so listen in to get a grip of the story. Once you exit

the lift, pick up the SMG just outside. This is the first set-piece of sorts. You won't face much of the horde, but you

should still beware not to move along too quickly and get caught out. Most of the Infected will have to travel through

the flames to get to you, so will be slower and easy to spot.

TIP: The CEDA Infected cannot be killed by fire, so watch out for them in this section.

Move to the end of the corridor once the horde subsides and pick a path through the flames. You will find yourself in

a kitchen and will need to jump over a bar to proceed. Continue to follow the fiery path until you find yourself out of

the smoke and flames.

Get away from the fire

Move through these rooms until you come to the safe-house at the end.

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Dead Center - Get to Safe House #2

Stock up on everything you need in this safe-house, and head out of the barred door.

Clear the Infected as you make your way up the slope. Once you get to the top, follow the road downhill and enter

the door at the bottom on the right. Fight your way down the steps and re-emerge outside via the first door on the

right (check the bottom room for a grenade launcher).

Take the road underneath the bridge and you will come out by a grassy area. This is a prime location to get

ambushed, but nonetheless is the only route ahead. Pass through the brush to get back onto a road (it is a good idea

to do this as quickly as possible to get your bearings again). Deal with the horde and check the back of the white

truck for weapons.

Locate the ladder on the dumpster underneath the bridge (see picture above) and climb up. Drop down the other

side to get to the next part of this level. Move up the steps into a building and then up a flight of stairs to find

weapons, an ammunition stash and a medicine cabinet.

From the gangway outside you can take out much of the Infected horde in the road below. Once the coast is clear,

drop down onto the truck and then onto the containers in front of it. Proceed up the road and then up the steps

about half-way along. Take the path into a dark building with yet more stairs. Move upwards into the light and cross

the narrow bridge over the road (watch for an ambush by Special Infected here).

At the end of the bridge you'll see a sign for 'Whitaker's Gun Shop'. This is our target for now. Go down the steps

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and into the door of the shop to find a treasure trove of weapons and equipment.

In here you can find plenty of top-notch weaponry, as well as medkits and laser-sights for your currently equipped

weapon. This dramatically increases a weapon's accuracy and should certainly be picked up.

TIP: A laser-sight remains attached to the weapon and will not move to another if picked up. For this reason, you

will rely on ammunition piles if you want to keep the sight active.

When you're ready, go round the corner and activate the radio to speak to the gun-shop owner, Whitaker. He'll tell

you that he will clear the blocked road ahead with his grenade-launcher if you fetch him some Coke from the nearby

shop. This is a set-piece which requires you to pick up the Coke and run back to the gun-shop to deliver it to

Whitaker – all while under attack by a horde.

Head up the stairs and once outside look for the shop, highlighted in blue. Make your way over to it, taking the stairs

to the left to get down. This is also the route you must take to come back, so remember it. Proceed along the road

and use the truck to jump onto and cushion your fall. When you get to the front of the store, gather your team.

Once you open the doors an alarm will sound alerting the horde. The Cola is located right at the back of the shop

and whoever picks it up will be unable to use a gun (note that you can use the Coke as a melee weapon, or drop it

and use your main weapons – just make sure you don't lose it!).

With the Cola in hand, sprint back out, pushing away any Infected. Make your way back to the van and jump over

the fence, before climbing the stairs up to Whitaker. Run up to his door at the end of the balcony and hold the action

button to put the Cola into his hatch.

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Get Whitaker his Cola.

Make use of the stairs for the third time (remember to visit the gun shop again first if you need to). Pass through the

destroyed barricade along the main road and turn left at the CEDA EVAC sign. Proceed towards the mall which you

should be able to see in the distance as a large building, straight ahead. The first door you come to on the outside is

a safe-house, so get inside and close the door to seal out the horde.

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Dead Center - Get to Safe House #3

Ensure you have everything you will need for a lengthy journey to the next safe-house Open the door and bustle

your way out, clearing the area and moving up the escalators.

Continue on this upper floor and duck under the metal shutter with a gap forced in it.

In the next area move down the escalator after exploring for equipment if you wish. From the bottom of the escalator

double-back on yourself and cleave a route through. Pass all the stalls and fences until you come to another

escalator. Head up it to the next floor. Go up the ramp in the doorway near to the top of the first escalator and move

down the corridor. Explore the toilets and offices if you want to, then head through the last room on the left to find

an ammunition stash, a medicine cabinet and the route we need to use to progress.

As you enter the next room an alarm will activate. The Infected horde will continue to come at you until someone

deactivates it. The button to do so is on the third floor. Once out in the mall again, go up the nearest escalator to

reach the third floor. Push on into the security room and make haste to shut off the siren.

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Once the siren is down, pick up any medicine or equipment from this room and head out of the door. Go through

the corridor and down the steps. Progress through each room, picking up equipment en route, until you come to

another open section of the mall.

Go for the escalator as usual, and then fight your way to the safe-house at the far end of this floor.

Get to the Stock Car and Refuel it:

This is the last safe-house, so stock up on everything you will need for a final-showdown. In particular, focus on

Adrenaline, as this will make the fetch and retrieve aspect of the final act much easier.

Continue along the corridor and then cross the scaffolding bridge once you emerge in the mall again. Get in the

elevator at the end of this path, and seal the doors once your team are aboard.

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Once you reach the bottom the final battle begins. The idea here is to collect eight or thirteen petrol canisters

(depending on the number of human players), bring them back to the blue stock car and pour each one in. Key to

this mission is sticking together, and it's a good idea to stay in pairs. Leave one pair down by the stock-car, while the

other goes around the mall collecting the canisters.

Like the Cola, the person carrying a canister cannot fire and may only melee or shove. Press RT (360) to throw it,

allowing you to use your main weapon again.

TIP: Go for the fuel that is further away first. This means that if you are low on health and fighting a Tank later, the

only fuel to get will be on your level or at least nearby.

TIP: Travel in a pair to locations where there are two fuel canisters to save making the same trip twice, or travel to

different ones and throw the canisters down to the car.

Some canisters are located on the top floor, which is accessed via the stairs nearest the stock car, others are on the

floor below, via the stairs further away from the car, and the rest on the ground floor.

TIP: Medkits are available at the information desk area near the stock car

First do a search of the top floor with Adrenaline and chuck every canister off (preferably near the stock car). Repeat

this with every floor until you have enough canisters. If they get destroyed, they will reappear in their original

location, just be patient and keep an eye on your screen. You need to be guarded while putting the fuel in the car, so

plan ahead for this at the end of the sequence. Note also that some that appear to be accessible by one set of stairs

may not be at all – work out how high up the canisters are (highlighted in white) and which set of stairs actually goes

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to that level.

TIP: With two human players, each person can search a different floor, saving time.

If you have been doing this on your own you will now need to head back down and pour them all into the car.

Once this is done, you can stand next to it with your team and can drive off.

Fill the car with fuel.

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Dark Carnival

Intro to Dark Carnival

Having escaped from the shopping mall in the stock car, the group disembarks as the road ahead is blocked. To get

to New Orleans, the ultimate objective, they need to pass through a carnival.


The UCI in this level are clowns. Their squeaking shoes attract other Infected so it is vital to take them out as quickly

as possible. They also look pretty freaky. You should not see any until you enter the Carnival section.

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Dark Carnival - Get to Safe House #1

First, make sure each member of the team picks up a med kit and primary weapon from the stash behind the stock

car. There should be a machine gun and a shotgun here, so take your pick.

Make your way through the cars and lorries, using them to act as walls and prevent Infected such as Smokers from

getting hold of you. You need to jump on top of the car underneath the 'West Atlanta' sign, before continuing on

along the highway. Infected will come from the undergrowth to the side of the road, and Special Infected such as

Chargers, Spitters and Smokers will be in the area.

TIP: Use the vehicles in this section to gain a height advantage. Remember too that Common Infected are slow to

climb up to such objectives and can't jump! Watch out for Smokers though.

If you look to the left when facing down the highway you will see some spotlights – that is our objective, a concert

arena at the Carnival.

Once the bus blocks one side of the highway, find the path through to resume travel on the right side.

TIP: There are a few empty trucks dotted around the highway, some of which contain useful equipment.

Near the off-ramp you should find some sleeping bags as evidence of a camp on the road as well as equipment such

as Bile Bomb and weapons. Take the off-ramp sloping downwards. Once at the bottom you should find an ammo

pile and additional weapons and equipment. Head through the tunnel, watching for Infected dropping from the road

above and indeed from the advertising board to the right. This is where you should head next, using the grassy slope

to get onto the road and then jumping onto the maintenance platform behind the advertising board.

Up here you should find a Hunting Rifle, so use it to pick off as many Infected as you can see.

TIP: This is an infinite-spawning weapon, so can be picked up by each team member to assist in clearing the way

ahead.

Up here the horde will still come to you, but it's not a bad position. Note also that there is an alarmed car in the

area. When you have got enough head shots, drop down to the rooftop below, and move through the motel staying

on the upper floor by using the path to the right.

Search each room if you want to make sure you get as much equipment, ammunition and health (if you need it) as

possible, though watch out for Infected hiding within! Follow the green floor around the corner to the left until you

come to a break in the walkway. Move into the room to the right and follow through until you drop down safely to

the ground floor.

Check the rooms down here and move out, taking the grassy path behind the motel building we were just in. Here

the Infected can come from anywhere and out of the bushes at close quarters. Stay close to the wall of the motel and

don't go over the crest of this steep ridge. Once you do, you will be unable to halt your slide downwards. It's fun but

risky without the rest of your group doing the same. Move far to the right and slide down to the camp area not far

below.

Collect the equipment and slide down further to the next ledge on the left. Try to hit the other ledges with your group

until you are on flat ground. Clear the area and then move along the riverbed. Once the dam blocking the way is in

sight, look to the left and you should see a path leading out and up away from the stream. Beware as you move over

the top here, watching out for Special Infected.

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You should now see the 'Whispering Oaks' sign indicating the entrance to the theme park. Watch out for the car

alarm, check the truck nearby for equipment, and then head to the right of the sign and into the first safe house of the

mission.

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Stock up on ammo, any new weapons you think you may need and of course, with med-kits. There is a hefty set

piece before the next safe house, so it's better to ensure you have enough med kits spare than using them all to get

your team to 100 health a piece.

Head out of the safe house and through the ticket booths (check for equipment). The theme park is a big place, and

there are lots of nooks and crannies to investigate. Explore the toilets, buildings and stalls littering the area for more

items to help you along the way. Move through the warehouse and out the other side. Follow the path and you will

emerge back amongst the rides in an open area.

TIP: The Strong Man minigame is in this section, required for the Gong Show achievement. See the Achievements

chapter of this guide for more info.

Follow the safe-house sign. As with all tight bottlenecks in Left 4 Dead 2, watch out for a charger here. Check the

truck and interiors at the end of the alleyway for equipment. The room at the end of this street is the way to the next

section, but the game forces you up a ladder (and in one playthrough, it was guarded by a witch sitting right at the

bottom!). Make use of the health/equipment on the lower floor, then clear a safe route upwards.

Move across the rooftops and you will emerge at the top of a slide. With the area clear below, slide down!

From here, ensure you take the steps into the upper room that overhangs the route ahead. You should find health

and equipment in here. Head back outside and onwards. From this vantage point you may be able to spot the

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Tunnel of Love past the hedge and fence below. The set-piece you are about to encounter is to open the way to this

amusement. Drop down and move towards the merry-go-round.

You need to turn on the power to open up access to the ride, and then deactivate it to seal off the horde once safely

through. Make sure there isn't a horde attacking as you push the button and then run through the merry-go-round

until you are back out in the open. From here, you need to head round to the right to cut the power. Watch out for a

tank during this set-piece.

TIP: Bear in mind that the horde will not stop coming until you cut the power and the gate seals them off. It is in the

interest of your team to shut them out as soon as possible.

With the gate shut and the horde under control, head into the Tunnel of Love and the second safe-house.

Survive the first set-piece of the level

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Stock up and move out. There is another set-piece before the next safe house. The Tunnel of Love is a linear section

of the level, so is quite simple to navigate. Turn right once the swan-boats start. Feel free to explore the side-rooms,

and once you get to the stage where one is opposite the other, you will find ventilation shafts in the right hand side

one. This leads to a maintenance room, if you can stomach the thought of crawling through tight spaces in a horror

game. Head back along the ride's path, investigating the vent and room to the right. Soon you will notice a large

room on the left where all the swans go to be fixed and when not in use.

Clear the area and head up the stairs. Follow the gangway into a well-lit room. There is an assortment of vents that

can be investigated, but the route ahead is to drop down through the hole in the floor. You will now be back on the

swan river, but it's considerably darker down here. As before, progress along until you come to a hole in the wall to

the left, marked with an arrow. In this room there should be an assortment of weapons. Take what you need, then

head outside. Go through the building and back out into the dusk.

Follow the path and you will be guided underneath a roller-coaster. This is the stage for the next set-piece. The aim

here is to activate the roller-coaster and use the tracks to reach the next stage of the level. As before, it has to be

deactivated, but this time to stop the alarm from attracting the horde. It is a long way back to the safe house from

here, so it's important to do it right first time.

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Once on the tracks bear in mind that going uphill and downhill you travel quicker than normal. If you have AI

members in your party they may well get knocked off, which is pretty disastrous, but less so than if you or a fellow

human does the same. Use a Pipe Bomb or Bile Bomb to send the horde off the edge of the ride.

TIP: You need at least 2 human players to be able to do this set-piece confidently. If one player tries on their own

they will be pinned by a hunter or straddled by a jockey, so you need someone their as backup (the AI is somewhat

unreliable).

Go through the tunnel and back down to the station before deactivating the ride and thus the alarm. You can hide in

the booth where the power button is until the horde begins to thin out.

Follow the ramp until you find yourself in the roomy safe-house.

Ride the roller-coaster to the next safe-house

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Take any ammunition and health necessary, bearing in mind this is a short stint with an easy set-piece before the

final safe house. Move amongst the stalls until you come to the dodgems. Walk up the ramp and out of the back of

the ride. Once you arrive at a wire fence, locate the building nearby and follow the doors through until you arrive at

its back. Use the crates to jump up onto the roof, and move along them to drop down on the other side of the fence.

TIP: This is where you can complete the two Achievements: Stache Whacker and Gong Show (see Achievements

chapter below).

You will soon find yourself outside the concert hall where there is another set-piece. Find the yellow ladder on the

scaffolding and assess any explosives that you can use as defensive items against the horde. When you are satisfied

that you know your environment, flip the switch to open the gates and then high-tail it back to the scaffolding.

Wait for the message 'The gates are open, run for the safe-room!' and then do just as it says. Drop down and sprint

for the final safe house of the level. The horde will keep coming because of the alarm, so there is absolutely nothing

to be gained from dawdling.

Get to the Extraction Helicopter:

The idea here is to start up the concert music originally planned for the Midnight Riders to attract the attention of the

helicopter that has been flitting overhead for a while. Pick the gun that you will want for the final battle (there is a

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grenade launcher in the arena, but you should really just use whatever you find best for dealing with Tanks).

Head out of the safe house, investigating the restrooms along the way. In one you may find some Bile Bomb, which

will help greatly in the final showdown. Once at the arena, head up to the top and turn on the lights in the centre

(enemies will not be triggered until you activate another switch on the stage). Just below the technical area on one of

the scaffolding towers you will see the grenade launcher. Meanwhile there is an ammo pile lower and in the center

complete with weapons.

While it may seem best to have a height advantage, the stage is replete with defences to aid you in this final fight.

The first of these is directly under the ammo pile in an indentation on the ground floor. There are heaps of fireworks

in the box here, so take them and place them around the ground floor of the arena. Tanks may come from the upper

seating area, so it can be worth placing a few up there, if you think you can shoot them in the heat of battle.

You should also find a stash of Molotovs nearby. Other things to remember include a switch by the microphone

which activates a wall of sparkling fireworks creating a flaming barrier to the Infected (unless they flank it or walk

through the middle!). This recharges after a while but should still be used sparingly. There are medkits on the raised

platform on stage. Finally, Coach has a humorous interaction with the microphone that is worth experiencing.

TIP: It is unlikely your ammunition will last for the duration of this encounter, especially if you are using a gun with

a high rate of fire. Remember where the ammunition is and try to reach it during the few lulls in proceedings.

With the defences laid and your team ready on stage, press the button to begin the concert. You will see the firework

wall activate. There are three directions that must be defended. The route from the right, behind the stage, and the

opposite route from the left. You should focus attention on the front of the arena, however, but ensure the flanks are

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covered for when the horde and Tanks come.

After the first Tank comes (usually when the lights go out) and is defeated you should have a break in proceedings (a

short one) to go and stock up on ammo and use any medkits you have available. After a few more rounds of enemies

and Tanks the helicopter will come in and wait for you to get on board (its position varies). Now is the time to use

the Bile Bomb if you still have it. Lob it high into the arena seating area and sprint for the helicopter. You will

probably need to climb either the left or right seating areas to get on board.

As you will see from the video below, the AI cannot be trusted to extract intelligently or successfully. This is a

particularly difficult level due to the multiple routes up to extraction, and in the case of the example below, they

decide to engage a Tank that has come to halt our escape rather than to get out of there as quickly as possible. Once

aboard however (make sure you fend off the Infected trying to climb up if you are waiting for anyone else) and with

no one surviving outside, it will take off to complete this level.

Survive the rock concert and escape

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Swamp Fever

Intro to Swamp Fever

Unfortunately the helicopter pilot turned out to have been infected and so had to be killed. The team are stuck in the

middle of the alligator-infested swamps looking for a way out to get to New Orleans


Swamp Fever's UCI are Mud Men or 'Mudders'. These are little crawling Infected that look very similar to Jockeys,

but without the characteristic noise. Thankfully they do not have the same effect, but will simply splatter mud on

your screen if you let them get too close.

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Swamp Fever - Get to Safe House #1

In contrast to Dark Carnival, Swamp Fever is a confusing morass of water, undergrowth (though there are some

village sections) and Infected. The AI director can change the routes and environment a little more noticeably than in

the previous levels, and with a similar theme (with few distinguishing features) throughout, it can be hard to keep

track of where you are.

You start in a cargo container and can pick up some medkits and primary weapons, but nothing of the melee variety

yet. Head out past the petrol station, investigating the warehouse buildings you can access to get your melee

weapons. Move along the wooded path, investigating the houses en route if you wish. You may find a second pistol

in the first house of the village that you come to.

TIP: Locate the jukebox in the bar building to play some music!

Take note of the Charger that the locals strung up at the side of the swamp – this is a very atmospheric moment. By

the water flies are swarming, and it is too deep to cross. This is a set piece, and I strongly recommend exploring all

the houses to get the necessary equipment for dealing with the horde, and lots of Special Infected. A melee weapon

is advisable. You should be able to find guns and explosives by the water's edge. When you are ready, call the ferry

to take you across. This boat moves frustratingly slowly. Using the house for cover can be a good idea against

enemies such as Smokers, and the lack of entrances for Infected make it good defensively too. The only problem is

that you must take notice of the ferry when it arrives.

If you stay by the water, however, you can of course be confident that you are covered in the direction of the swamp

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by the depth of the water. All the Infected come from the village and its surroundings. When the ferry arrives, get on

board and press the button. A gate will come across that should stop the Infected from getting on.

Hold off the Infected until the ferry arrives.

Follow the wooden walkway. This area is tough as the Infected can come from anywhere

TIP: Stay out of the water! Movement speed is vastly reduced while wading through the swamp.

Head underneath the crocodile sign and up the steps onto a raised walkway. You must try not to fall off once up on

the walkway, but there are ladders dotted around to allow re-entry to the path above.

Move through the covered area and you will eventually come to a dead end – surrounded by swamp on all sides.

Move down to the right and follow the wooden path that goes precariously through the water.

TIP: If a horde attacks, retreat back to one of the islands so you can move around and dodge out of the way of any

Special Infected.

This section is a bit of a maze, and you may get a Witch or Tank to spice things up a bit. It is not that long until the

safe-room, however, so find a route going forwards (it is a good idea to remember landmarks in the swamp so that

you don't go back on yourself) until you reach the safe room.

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Re-supply and then head out back into the swamp. Forge a path onwards until you pass the beached rowing boat.

After a while you should come across an army paratrooper caught in the trees. He's dead, but still has some health,

an explosive item and a top-notch weapon to share with you.

The next landmark is also the focal point for the game's second set-piece. It's a downed jumbo jet. Clear the Infected

from the area (ensure there are no Witches lurking around to get in the way – if there are, it is a better idea to take

them out before the set-piece [not on Expert, however]). I recommend holding the team back on dry land, well away

from the plane. The initial horde will only come from that direction, making it easy to kill them and get the

Achievement listed below. If you have two Humans, send one to open the hatch and retreat. With AI, you'll have to

do it yourself. When ready, open the hatch. Use Molotovs and Pipe Bombs to deal large damage to the clumped

horde – Molotovs will force the horde to cross a wall of fire and most will be dead before they get to you.

TIP: This is also where you can get the On a Wing and a Prayer Achievement for not taking any damage in this

section (see Achievements section).

Don't go through the plane door until the horde has been defeated.

With the set-piece completed, jump off the wing and wade out into the swamp. You will shortly come to a house on

stilts, which should have some useful equipment and health in. Get back to swamp-level and move through the

burnt out building. From here it's pretty much swamp all the way, but you can use the roof of the next building to get

a vantage point safely out of the reach of most Infected.

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TIP: Should you encounter a witch in this area, be aware that she can be underneath the swamp water – only the top

of her head will be visible until she reacts to a disturbance and stands up – so be careful!

TIP: When navigating these tricky swamp sections try to travel from building to building as this will help you

remember which way you have come (and so which way not to go next!)

Once you are back on dry land with the raised path leading to a barricade, move up to the blockage and head back

into the swamp to the right. Follow the wall and you will soon have access to the village and safe-room ahead.

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Emerge from the safe house into the village. Move into the house with the bright light on and then descend the hill

into the swamp. Do some house clearing and head up the steps to the higher level. Follow the walkway until you

leave the village area. Once you come upon the set of houses on stilts, the next set-piece is nearly ready to begin.

This is the easiest one in the level, however. Locate the stilt-house with the lever inside to lower the bridge across.

Unlike the ferry, as soon as the lever is pressed you can begin to move across (you may have to wait a short while to

allow it to lower far enough – but it doesn't have to be all the way down).

When ready, initiate the set-piece. As soon as possible, head across the bridge – make sure the coast is clear,

however, so as not to risk falling off. Once on the other side, hold out in the building until the horde stops coming.

Pass this relatively simple set-piece.

Make your way across the various rooftops and gangways until you are back in the swamp. Follow the path into the

final safe-house.

Get to the Plantation House and Reach the Rescue Boat:

Upon leaving this final safe-house you will notice that the sun has risen, making the final section a little clearer.

Stock up and head out into the village. Explore the houses (remember that the end of the level is near, so certain

items may need to be picked up based on your preferences in these situations) and continue along the road until you

come to the row of trees leading to the plantation house.

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Proceed along this route until you come into the grounds of the house itself. This is where the final showdown takes

place, but you need to get round the front of the building first. Climb the ladder to the right of the main door and

move through the house. Once out the front stock up on ammunition and medkits, and use the radio by the front

gate. You have to do two interactions before the final showdown begins, so for now just use the radio once. You

should also find grenades in the front rooms of the mansion.

For this battle the best tactic is to take up residence on the balcony overlooking the garden. It is a pain to get down

to the ammunition stash and indeed to escape at the end, but you are better protected than downstairs and there is a

mounted gun waiting to be used on the balcony. It must be remembered that you cannot survive the jump down

unless you land on the wooden plank that is below the right hand side of the balcony. Players should be willing to

battle down through the house and outside. I recommend heading down before the final wave begins and fighting in

the front hall of the building. You can then make a quick getaway before the final Tank arrives.

This is one of the hardest final stages due to the crowd of Tanks that will come charging at you. In the first wave you

should encounter just one (like with the other showdowns, this will occur during a lull from the horde). The second

wave finishes with two tanks, so if you are up on the balcony be aware that you could be overwhelmed. The third

and final wave has the fourth tank as you have to make your escape.

TIP: There should be some Adrenaline on the lower floor of the house – using this can make your escape much,

much easier.

If you are playing with human allies, get everyone in position and send someone out to signal the boat when you are

ready. Then sprint back through the door, up the stairs, over the gap (watch out for this!) and back onto the balcony.

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I recommend that you have one man on the mounted turret, one watching the left and another watching the right

(while also ensuring the gunner does not get hit by Special Infected or overwhelmed by the horde) with the fourth

team member guarding the door into the house – many Infected drop down from the roof and will overwhelm the

balcony and turret if this is not done.

The Tanks should come from the front.

TIP: In the small confines of the balcony, melee weapons can deal devastating damage to the Tank. If you watch its

movements you can tell when it has been stunned or is interacting with the scenery. Getting a couple of axe blows

in here and there can be vital to bringing the Tank down quickly. Moreover, if it is pummelling a team mate, using a

melee weapon is the quickest way to help – though it puts you at considerable risk. Clearly the best tactic is to take

them out from range, but this is not often possible, and once the Tank is on the balcony things get pretty hectic.

Just after the pair of tanks attacks at the end of the second wave a horde will come, complete with plenty of Special

Infected, and the boat will arrive. You may wish to make your way into the house and downstairs as soon as you kill

the Tanks – you should be able to deal with the horde from here. Once the boat arrives, sprint out of the house and

follow the wall to the right. Use your Adrenaline if you picked some up. The garden can be something of a maze,

and the last thing you need is to be trapped by a Tank at a dead end.

Escape the plantation.

If you follow the fence you should come to the front gate and then simply have to make it down the pier, through the

shallow water and onto the boat.

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Hard Rain

Intro to Hard Rain

The boat we are travelling on has run out of fuel and so we have had to stop to get some more gas. Once we have it

in hand we will make our way back to the docks and re-board the boat (which will be waiting just offshore for our

signal).


The UCI's in this level are construction workers. The sugar mill that is the level's centrepiece is waiting for

demolition, and presumably these Infected were once workers there. Their special talent comes as a result of their

hard-hat. They are unaffected by explosions and ignore noises such as the pipe bomb's attractive beep. This will not

be much of a hindrance to you on lower difficulties, but on Expert or in Realism mode it can make things interesting.

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Hard Rain - Get to Safe House #1

It should first be said that this level is not for the faint-hearted. It is one of the few occasions when Left 4 Dead is right

up there with the best horror games rather than just being a classy FPS. If you don't like Witches, you might want to

give this one a miss!

From the dock pick up a melee weapon and second pistol if you wish (you do not start with a primary weapon on

this level). You can then climb on top of the pickup truck and jump up onto the roof. Send some of your team in the

bottom of the building – there is a hole in the roof stashed with weapons – drop down into it and rendezvous with

your squad there. At this point it should be noted carefully that this game involves backtracking. After you get the gas

you come back exactly the same way (with a twist), so be sure to leave weapons, ammo and medkits whenever you

see them oversupplied (i.e. when the game gives you six medkits and obviously you only have four team mates).

This room in particular will be the restock point for the final showdown on this level, so it may be a good idea to

leave as many pipe bombs and molotovs as possible. Get a medkit each, a decent gun, and then head outside.

Unfortunately the gas station here is out of fuel, so we need to head to the next one. Handily there is a large

electronic board pointing the way. Go up the wooden plank and down the other side. Use the ladder to access the

next area. Move through the playground and houses, collecting any equipment en route. Once onto the road again

follow it past the ambulance and 'Garage Sale' signs (the garage sale itself should have weapons on a table outside).

It will begin to rain shortly, if it hasn't already – a sign of things to come.

Explore the garage sale house and go out the back door – investigate the house across the road with a pickup truck

outside and you will locate a ladder to allow access to the roof.

From the roof jump from house to house, using the dumpster to get across the larger gap. Feel free to explore each

house if you wish, you can easily get back up to the roof. At the end of the row you will see a stairway leading to the

safe-room.

TIP: The four safe-rooms in the game come with this one being re-used, one at the gas-station and another back near

the dock.

TIP: Until you get to Safe House 2 you have the chance to earn the Sob Story Achievement, for not disturbing any

witches en route to the gas station. (See Achievements section below)

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While in this safe-house you may want to read the graffiti on the walls. It will give you an idea of what is waiting for

you at the Sugar Mill. Remember to leave medkits for the return trip.

Once you are suitably intimidated, head out of the safe-house down the steps. Note the 'Stay Out! Witches!' sign

strung up to the Sugar Mill. This section has to be taken very slowly indeed, as there can be around ten Witches in

the Sugar Mill vicinity – many in the same location but on different wandering routes (it's during the day, so they are

all moving around).

By the time you enter the first great hall you will probably be able to hear the Witches' noise. It is very dark in here

but you should not risk shining a torch on a Witch if you can help it. Head outside via the side door (I would not

recommend looking in the many rooms in here if you want to avoid any nasty surprises). You may find a Witch (or

two) on patrol around here, so proceed with caution. As you move underneath the building and into the next area

the glare from the sun will obscure your vision – make sure you don't step on a Witch!

Treat the Witches with extreme care!

TIP: When a Witch stands up and looks at the aggressor it is not necessarily going to attack. The Witch will only

attack if you come into very close contact, shoot it, or set it on fire. Even if it stands up and growls you can move

away and it should continue as before. If you hear it scream from a distance it is usually because of a loud noise.

Once at the porta-cabin, take a breather and re-supply.

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Move through the rubble ahead and up the conveyor belt into the large building full of mechanical equipment. Look

out for Witches on the upper gangways in here, and remember to keep torches off.

TIP: Defibrillator units are vital on this level as Witches have the potential to wipe out your team (especially on

Expert where they kill [as in you cannot be helped up] in one swipe)

Move out of the confines of the building and the Sugar Mill proper should come into view. If you thought there were

a lot of Witches so far, you haven't seen anything yet. The area leading up to the mill is one of a couple of places

where you might see two Witches sharing the same turf.

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Use the porta-cabin as a resupply and rest point, then head inside the dark mill.

TIP: Witches will only attack one person – the one who originally startled them (unless someone sets them on fire, in

which case that person is also targeted). Rather than risk incurring its wrath on your entire party, on Expert difficulty

it is a good idea to allow the witch to run off after it kills the startler – this is also apt punishment for ruining a

potentially great team maneouvre!

Work your way up each floor of the mill until you get to the top. This is the location of the level's only set-piece. If

you've got this far without startling any witches then you've done very well indeed, so there is little need to offer any

more advice on the subject. However, should you find yourself with a Witch on the top floor, you may want to take

it out before you alert the horde by starting the set-piece. Monitor its patrol route and see how close it comes to the

lift, but remember, Smokers and Jockeys have a horrible habit of dragging you into a Witch's path.

Similarly, if you are knocked off the top floor during the fight, remember that the other floors may have Witches on

as you rush back up. Begin the set-piece but stay with your backs to the lift. Keep an eye on it because as soon as it

arrives you can get inside and shut the gate by pushing the button. You are then out of harms way (for about 20

seconds until you reach the witch-infested field below...!)

Get into the elevator

You are likely to encounter at least one Witch almost directly under where the lift lands. They should not patrol up

to the door, however, so wait for them to disappear into the field (use the small shack for cover) and then head in

yourself (preferably away from the Witches).

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The problem here is that you obviously cannot see any Witches more than about 5 metres in front. If you are playing

on Realism mode, you also can't see your team! You can walk on the pipe going through the middle of the field to

help give you a height advantage in terms of spotting Witches, but there will also be hordes and Special Infected to

pull you off and into a Witch's path should you take that route. A better idea is to stick to one of the sides of the

field. This way you are partially covered in one direction, but the hordes and in particular Jockeys will still cause big

problems.

The game still forces you into the middle using the farm machinery, but at least you are not going to get Witches on

all sides. Make your way out of the field and into the gas station safe-house.

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Hard Rain - Return to Safe House #1

Stock up (feel free to take everything from this one as we won't be revisiting this area again) and head outside. Once

you re-emerge the reason for the level's name will become apparent. As you were collecting gas an intense storm

has brewed up creating hurricane conditions and completely flooding much of the lower parts of the level.

There are a few things to bear in mind about the storm:

1) As with swamp water, you can only wade slowly through it

2) The crash of thunder and lightning will usually attract a horde (or coincide with a horde's arrival)

3) The effect when the storm rages is so intense that you cannot know where you are going or what enemies lie

ahead (such as Witches). Seek cover in a building or if outside stay in one place until the rage passes.

4) Witches appear to be alerted by the crash of thunder.

5) Do not get separated from the group during the rage periods – it can be very difficult to locate your allies again,

especially on Realism mode.

6) Witches may only have the top of their head visible if they are in the water.

7) There should be far fewer Witches than on the way to the gas station (perhaps 2 or 3), but these are much harder

to spot.

8) The Witches will no longer be wandering, due to the dark conditions.

With that in mind, head out of the safe-room. You will probably experience the first 'rage' of the storm shortly. Take

note of its duration and effects so you are not caught out in the future.

If the idea of travelling through the sugar field again fills you with dread, fear not, as the witches head inside to seek

shelter (though of course we will be visiting them shortly).

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Watch out for dead ends in the corn field and remember to stay still during the storm's rage, before coming out and

re-entering the lift as before. Watch out for Special Infected at the top of the lift, and work your way back down to

the ground floor.

Once outside, climb up the silo using the ladder and stick to the gangways – avoid the water wherever possible and

remember to keep an eye out for Witches. They are likely to be inside and should no longer be wandering due to the

darkness, but the AI Director may just throw a spanner in the works. Enter the building and make your way across

the gangways, onto the pipes and out.

Stop off in the porta-cabin we used earlier to get your bearings and wait for any storm rage to subside. From there

use gangways, pipes and machinery to stay up high. You should eventually find yourself in the upper floor of the first

sugar mill building. Once you get to the bottom head into the building across the street and back into the familiar

safe-house!

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We are now going to a new safe-house near the docks. It is still backtracking, but is not very far from here. Stock up

on any medkits you didn't take first time around, and move out.

Climb the ladder directly in front of you as you leave the safe-house. This gets you back on the roof of those houses

from earlier and out of harms way. When the storm comes, however, be careful not to fall off. Enter the final house

in the row and drop down onto the pickup truck and use the wooden pallets to stay out of the water.

Go down the side of the building across the street to emerge by the garage sale. You will have to wade from hereon,

but it's not far now. Move from building to building to keep out of the storm's wrath. Once you pass the playground,

the final safe-house is just across the street.

Get to the Docks and Reach the Rescue Boat

Stock up, taking everything you need from this safe-house. At least you do not have far to go should you fail this final

section. All we need to do is get to the first building by the docks and activate the Burger Tank sign. Head out of the

safe-house, up the ramp through the broken fence and into the Burger Tank restaurant (it's where we got all the

ammo and guns from at the beginning of this level).

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TIP: If you get into heavy combat before reaching Burger Tank, feel free to head back to Safe-House #3 as it's so

close and you don't want to waste anything by the docks.

Once in the Burger Tank restaurant, stock up and get onto the roof to activate the light and signal your rescue boat.

You can access the roof via a pickup truck at the front and a 4x4 at the back, with a ladder at the side. The best

location for this final battle is debatable, as if you are on the roof you are exposed to be pushed off and have the full

brunt of the storm, while if you are inside movement is restricted and the water slows your actions.

I personally found the roof to be preferable, but you have to work together to protect anyone taken off it by Special

Infected. Use the gangway around the edge of the restaurant's roof to get good vantage points on incoming enemies,

and remember the route to get back up should you fall down. After two Tanks the rescue boat should come in – if

you time it well you should be able to fall back to the docks and get on board before a third Tank engages you. With

that done, congratulations as you have just completed a very intense level.

TIP: Listen out for the boat's horn and as soon as you hear it, fall back to the dock to await its arrival. You can jump

on as soon as it arrives.

Escape the dock

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The Parish

Intro to The Parish

The driver of the boat won't go any further and it's on foot from hereon. We need to locate the military extraction

point that is rumoured to be here in New Orleans. The area we will fight in was once a safe zone, then a quarantine

zone.


New Orlean's UCIs are riot police. They cannot be taken out from the front, though you can shove them (only

chainsaws can kill from the front) and get easy kills from the rear.

TIP: As a daylight level you will get wandering Witches making life difficult in New Orleans.

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The Parish - Get to Safe House #1

You will notice the bright sun that remains throughout this level. Pick up a primary weapon and medkit and then

move away from the dock up the slope. Head through the corrugated fence into the next area. You can explore the

upstairs of a house using a white ramp on top of a van, before moving on top of the buses to pass through.

Drop down at the end and go into the bar nearby (there is a jukebox in there for those who enjoy a tune). Move

through and out of the back door. Next you should come to a kitchen, replete with frying pans and Common

Infected. Clear the room and make your way into the seating area and back outside (watch out for parked car alarms)

Across the street and to the left you will find the first safe-house.

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Stock up and move out down the road before crossing up the steps and into the park (check the military jeep in the

road for medkits). Follow one of the side paths in the park until you find your way to the centre. Watch out for

Special Infected here, as well as a few hordes until you find your way out of the other side.

Go out of the gate and once on the road head through the small doorway cut into another corrugated fence. Load up

on weapons underneath the highway. Follow the road and you will come to a decontamination trailer. This is one of

this level's few set-pieces. Feel free to get in and collect the medkits, but once you open the back door and move out

you will trigger an alarm. You must deactivate it before the horde will stop attacking, and it is quite a circuitous route

to get there.

Take note of the position of the tower (where the alarm deactivation is located) as you exit the trailer, and then get

ready to run.

TIP: It is a good idea to designate two people to run on and attempt to get to the tower as fast as possible, and have

the other two remain by the truck to deal with the majority of the horde from range.

Follow the fenced paths backwards and forwards until you finally make it to the tower in the middle (look out for a

ladder, and then another one above it).

Deactivate the alarm

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Go around the corner and move inside the building, following the safe-house arrows. Once you emerge in the bus

depot head for the fence and down the alleyway adjacent to it. Cross the lot and you will come to the second

safe-house.

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Tool up and exit the safe house, following the line of the highway above. You will come into a spacious area – keep

going forwards until you come across a small road – there is a channel at the end to funnel your team down before it

opens up again. Locate the steps near the dead end to climb to the first floor of a house, then drop off the balcony

onto the bus below.

You will need to go into the grassy area nearby to bypass the fence blocking the route, but then turn around and get

back onto the road just past it. Continue along, exploring the nearby house to find your way through an opening and

up some steps into another building.

Clamber out of the hole in the first floor and drop onto the van underneath. Cross over the road and into the wooden

building. Make your way through and out of another convenient hole back into a grassy area before rounding the

corner and entering the next structure. You guessed it: move through the house and out of a hole.

TIP: Many of these buildings have plenty of equipment in, if you are willing to take the time (and risks involved) in

looking for them.

In a slight change to the hole-entry gameplay we've been seeing lately, you now have to go down a manhole into

the sewers (not a great idea during a zombie apocalypse). Visibility in here is seriously reduced, and you will lose

track of your team if you don't stay directly in the middle of the sewer. You should find your way to a ladder in the

centre once the tunnel opens up.

You will now come to an open area filled with cars – the vast majority of which are alarmed. In some cases the only

way through is to jump on them – you must ensure that such cars are not alarmed. That's right, jumping on an

alarmed car will set it off and attract a serious horde.

TIP: This is where you can get the Violence in Silence Achievement (see Achievement section below) for not setting

off any car alarms.

TIP: With all these alarmed cars, shotguns are ill-advised (because they spread their fire inaccurately) and melee

weapons are recommended for dealing with all except Special Infected.

TIP: Shoot at the legs and feet of the enemy (it doesn't alter how difficult most are to kill) to avoid hitting a car with a

stray bullet.

Begin to move across the field. When a horde comes, watch your fire (look out for enemies coming from behind

you, from in the manhole). Once you have to navigate an impassable barrier of cars, locate the one that is not

alarmed and jump on it (you may need to move from one car to the next to get down – but the same rule applies:

only step on cars with no alarm!). Move over the top and down the other side, and get the hell out of there.

Locate the ladder at the end of the lot and climb up the stairs above it to reach the highway. Loot the ambulance and

proceed, taking note of the military's exuberance in the area. Drop down at the broken section, ensuring you take

the smallest drop to avoid damage.

You now have to navigate a cemetery (again, not the best idea under the circumstances) more akin to a maze and

changed each time thanks to the Director. Trial and error is the only policy here, but as long as you stick together

you should make it through.

Soon you should be able to see the two towers of the bridge in the distance. That is our target. At the exit of the

cemetery, check the van for equipment and head along the road. In the building to the left at the end you will find

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the third safe-house.

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The fourth safe-house is up on the bridge, handily located right next to the final showdown. Collect all the

equipment you need and exit the building. The military's attacks are coming in closer now. Exit into the urban

environment. Move into the building at the end of the square and go up the stairs.

You will emerge onto a balcony. Drop down onto the van once you reach it, and proceed along the street. Enter the

building at the end of the street by the crashed bus. Make your way through, heading upstairs and then dropping

down to come out of the other side. Proceed down the alleyway until you locate a maintenance area with a door

leading into another house.

Again you need to move upstairs, but this time up two flights of steps to find a way through.

From the balcony drop down onto the small building beneath and clear the area from here. This is the location for

the last set-piece of this level. Someone needs to go down the lower floor to activate the float nearby. This will move

it into a position allowing us to cross to the next house. Unfortunately, it will also attract the horde in the process.

Nominate two people to go and set it up, and the other two can cover them. There is a set of stairs on the other side

of the area from the float to find a way back up (see video below).

Once everyone is ready, activate the float and get the first half of your team back up onto the small building for an

optimal position.

TIP: The scaffolding next to the small building has explosive canisters on to make this battle a little easier.

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It doesn't take long for the float to get where we need it, but you should be wary of any of your team being pulled

from the roof. Once it's in the right place, head across in to the upper floor of the house.

Move the float into place and move across when its ready

Go downstairs and out of the back door. Follow the narrow alleyway until you enter another building that leads

back out onto a main road. Stock up on weapons and health inside before heading out. Do some more

house-clearing until you locate the route down another alleyway (or through a house) to allow passage back towards

the highway.

Pass underneath the highway and you will see the bridge looming large above. Pass through the concrete blocks into

the final safe-house of the level.

Get to the Military Extraction Point

There are plenty of medkits in this safe-house and the extraction showdown in this level is probably the most difficult

in the entire game. Heal your wounds and equip an additional medkit if possible (there are some downstairs and

upstairs). Make sure you have a decent weapon and head out.

TIP: This is a frantic, moving extraction, where you are required to plough through the horde until the end. Because

of this, a melee weapon (such as the machete) is advisable to help cleave a path.

TIP: It is essential to take the Molotov in the safe-house to deal with the Tank on the bridge, unless you plan on

bypassing it.

Interact with the dead soldier's radio to make contact with the military on the other side of the bridge – they will call

off their bombing run to allow you to cross. When you are ready, hit the switch to lower the bridge and allow

passage. As you move forward, ensure you first turn around and engage the Special Infected that come from behind.

With these enemies dealt with, continue on along the bridge.

TIP: This is where you can unlock the Bridge Over Trebled Slaughter Achievement (see Achievement section below)

for getting across the bridge in under three minutes.

The horde will attack first as you move between the buses. Stick to the right hand side, avoiding the gap in the

bridge. Be sure to avoid these holes, or you will fall down and be left hanging for a team mate to pull your up. Soon

you will come to a petrol tanker with a ladder at the back – a height advantage is very valuable on the bridge, and

while there is a slight risk of being pushed off the edge, it's worth it. You can see the Special Infected coming from a

mile off.

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Move from vehicle to vehicle going forwards, and switch onto the other truck on the left when you get the

opportunity. You will then have to drop down and engage the horde up close, but underneath the lorry just up

ahead you should find some more weapons.

TIP: Get more ammunition at every opportunity. If this means changing weapons, do it, as your ammo will not last

the duration (or even half the duration) of this extraction.

Bypass the hole in the bridge and flaming military jeep before heading up the ramp to the top of the bridge. Again,

height advantage is invaluable. Move down onto the top of the truck once you get there, and then head into the

back of the truck nearby. There should be ammunition in here and once you have made use of it, clear the horde, as

a Tank will be inbound.

Whoever has the Molotov should go ahead and try to nail the Tank with it. It will be forced into a narrow route, so

you should be able to land the Molotov in front of it so it will catch fire as it nears your team. This is the only Tank

worth worrying about (you can't do much about the next one!), so concentrate on getting it right. Take note, this

Tank will fling cars at you and should you get hit by one, it will knock you down and force your team to help you up

– if they've not been hit as well, that is.

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TIP: Use the lorry with the ammunition in for cover – the Tank cannot move this and flying cars will not affect it!

With a combination of fire and bullets, down the Tank and proceed (after restocking on ammo). Keep an eye out for

the gangways protruding from either side of the bridge. Take the one on the right hand side as the Infected have

problems getting onto it – move up using a combination of this and the right hand side of the road. You can shoot the

Infected through the bars and clear a path. Again, ensure you do not fall or get knocked off (the horizontal poles on

the far edge are not consistent and there are some gaps – watch out for Jockeys in particular), as that will rule you out

entirely unless you get lucky.

Rejoin the road when forced to the first time, then get back on the scaffolding again.

TIP: It's a good idea to split your team between the scaffolding gangways and the road as this will create crossfire

lethal to Infected.

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At the end of the second gangway, get back onto the bridge and scavenge ammunition from the back of the truck.

This is a tough section as the quantity of Infected can be overwhelming. When you are able to, climb on top of the

petrol tanker using the ladder. You may have to come back down to help other team mates who get pulled off, but

this is by far the best way to avoid getting massed by the horde.

TIP: This is a good stage to use a Pipe Bomb or Bile Bomb.

As you move from petrol tanker to lorry, then up to the next section of the bridge at an obscure angle, the end is not

far away but takes a slice of luck to get to easily. Note the helicopter on the shore to the right as you move from this

slanted section to get on top of a bus. This is our target. Drop down from the bus and you will be notified that rescue

has arrived. There are a number of possible outcomes here. Regardless of where the Tank spawns, you need to forge

a path through the horde as quickly as possible. I recommend melee weapons only for this final section, unless you

have Special Infected or a Tank to deal with directly.

TIP: This is not like most extractions where the rescue vehicle is thirty seconds away through a clear area – this one is

more like two minutes filled with Infected, so running and praying may not be enough – you will have to do some

fighting. Note also that the horde only stops for the first Tank, so if you try to hold position you will be overwhelmed.

Keep moving until you get to the first Tank, stop and then keep moving again until extraction.

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Ensure you stick together to help each other with Special Infected traps and head into the area cordoned off by

fences and a military humvee (check the bonnet for Pipe Bombs which can be invaluable in clearing a route

through). Note that by this point you should be able to resort to running to the helicopter, but only if the Tank is

behind you rather than in front (though Adrenaline would help). There is an ammunition pile and a Heavy Machine

Gun mounted on the back of a truck not far down this road. If you have stragglers in your team, clear them a path

using it. It can also help to deal with the Tank, but that depends on where it has spawned.

TIP: Try to spot the Tank so you are not surprised by it, but if you can’t see it just forge a route ahead and hope it's

not too close behind you!

If the Tank has spawned on the bridge, you may be clear of it by now (but time is of the essence so that it doesn't

catch up). If, however, it has spawned in the area by the rescue helicopter, you will struggle to get past it without

killing it or at the very least sacrificing a member of your team to delay it.

TIP: If you are struggling, make sure you take some adrenaline to run past the first Tank – if you are playing with AI

you can leave them behind and speed past the horde to get to the escape helicopter – there is also an achievement

for clearing the bridge in under three minutes, so it can be done!

Unless you feel that you have to fight this Tank, ignore the mounted gun and drop down where the road is blocked.

Head to the right and through the funnel towards the rescue helicopter. Climb on board using the ramp to the rear

and your mission is complete. You have successfully survived the infection! For now.

Successfully extract your team

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Weapons

Traditionally, the weapons in Left 4 Dead games are divided into two tiers. Tier 1 are the basic guns that are

regularly found in the first few stages of each level, while Tier 2 weapons are considerably rarer and only tend to

appear towards the end of a level.

Note: Shotgun damage per round refers to the entire spread of the shot hitting the target. For every pellet that misses,

damage is reduced, hence the reason for mentioning 'wide' and 'narrow' spreads (a wide spread deals less damage

but to more Infected).

Note: Total ammunition refers to the total in each weapon's magazine, added to the total amount a player can carry.

P220 Pistol

The standard pistol in Left 4 Dead 2 is a great addition to people with a cumbersome primary weapon, such as the

Grenade Launcher, sniper rifles or shotguns. It can also be dual-wielded (doubling each of the statistics below,

except damage per bullet, obviously). This is also the weapon that the Survivors pull out when downed by the

Infected – even when a player is only carrying melee weapons.

Magazine capacity: 15 bullets

Total ammunition: Infinite

Damage per bullet: 36

Rate of fire: 300 shots/minute

TIP: Pistols should be picked up if the user's primary weapon cannot function effectively at mid or close range

(unless your team is very good at covering while you deal with distant targets).

Magnum

The Magnum has massive damage compared to the P220, but barely half of the magazine capacity and a slow rate

of fire. When you also bear in mind that you can dual wield the P220 (though you obviously have to find the second

pistol), its benefits are hard to see. It has high recoil, making firing at Special Infected a chore (though it is accurate

when crouched), but it kills Common Infected in one and can take out a line of enemies with just a single bullet. The

main perk to carrying a Magnum is that it replaces the P220 when incapacitated where its high damage is

invaluable.


Total ammunition: Infinite



TIP: Magnums are good alternatives to shotguns and should be used by players wanting a high-damage, one-hit kill

Common Infected-slaying weapon.

Tier 1

Sub-Machine Gun

A pretty standard Uzi style gun that also appeared in the original Left 4 Dead. Its high rate of fire makes burning

through ammunition a problem, but it is great at dealing with a horde.


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Total ammunition: 700 bullets



TIP: The SMG is best for dealing with fast moving enemies or a horde. It comes unstuck against Special Infected,

however.

Silenced Sub-Machine Gun

The big advantage of this gun is obvious: other Infected may not notice your presence quite so readily as if you were

toting a shotgun, for example. It also does more damage than the regular SMG, but has a higher recoil making

aiming at distance difficult.





Pump Shotgun

Shotguns are great against the Infected as you can take out a clump with just one shot. Their big disadvantage in Tier

1 comes with a slow rate of fire, with the Pump Shotgun the worst of a bad bunch. It does, however, dish out slightly

higher damage than the Chrome Shotgun, but is less accurate. All these weapons must also be reloaded regularly –

not great when a horde or Tank is approaching.

Magazine capacity: 8 rounds

Total ammunition: 64 rounds


Rate of fire: 69/minute

Chrome Shotgun

The most accurate Tier 1 shotgun, this is good for killing Witches in one shot (see Survivor tactics below) as well as

when the Infected are lining up to be despatched. It does higher damage in a concentrated area, but less in a wide

location, as each part of the spread deals higher damage than the Pump Shotgun, but there are fewer pellets in each

shot.





TIP: For the easier sections at the start of the game the Chrome Shotgun is a good choice to get simple and numerous

kills, while its accuracy keeps friendly fire down.

Tier 2

Combat Rifle

This is a very satisfying weapon that fires in bursts of three shots, keeping accuracy high and reducing ammo waste.

The main downside is its reload time, a whopping 3-seconds (the most of any assault rifle in the game)

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TIP: The Combat Rifle is best at picking off distant enemies and Special Infected, but also being able to function in

close quarters. It's a great multi-purpose weapon.

AK-47

Popular favourite, the AK-47 is a fully automatic assault-rifle. It is very powerful, but as a drawback is slow firing,

inaccurate and must be reloaded more regularly than the others.





TIP: AK-47s are great against Tanks due to their high damage and good range.

M-16 Assault Rifle

The M-16 may do the least damage of the assault rifles, but its mammoth rate of fire means you can down the

Infected even quicker. The obvious drawback of this is that it wastes a lot of ammunition, but it can be a lifesaver in

a horde. It is also relatively accurate, so suits most situations.





TIP: The M-16's high rate of fire makes it a good choice against a Tank, where you want to down it as fast as

possible.

Combat Shotgun

The automatic shotguns are some of the most lethal weapons in Left 4 Dead 2. The Combat Shotgun is more

accurate than its counterpart the Tactical Shotgun and is akin to the Chrome Shotgun vs. the Pump Shotgun.





TIP: This is not too bad at medium range, but cannot pick off distant Special Infected.

TIP: The Combat Shotgun is a great weapon for one-hit killing Witches.

TIP: The Combat Shotgun is arguably the best weapon for dealing with Tanks, perhaps second only to the M-16.

Tactical Shotgun

In a team of four humans the Tactical Shotgun is best as the ultimate close-quarters weapon due to its wide spread

and heavy damage. It struggles at mid-range, but nonetheless is great against the horde.

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TIP: The Tactical Shotgun is also good for killing Witches in one shot

TIP: Shotguns can be fired before all the rounds have been reloaded, in case you get into difficulty while reloading.

TIP: Use Incendiary Ammo with these shotguns to set an Infected alight with every pellet – all the better when there

is a wide spread such as on this particular shotgun.

Sniper Rifle

Large capacity magazines and a large ammunition reserve make this a good choice in addition to a pistol or melee

weapon. It only functions effectively at close range, but can take out many Common Infected in a row with just a

single shot. The main benefit of the rifles in Left 4 Dead 2 is their functionality against Special Infected, whereas

many of the game's weapons fail to deal with them effectively.





TIP: Use a melee weapon to ensure you are covered against close-quarters enemies, or better still a pistol for close

and medium-range targets.

Hunting Rifle

This is more accurate than the Sniper Rifle, but has just half the capacity in each magazine. It can fire through

obstacles, making it great inside buildings when Special Infected are lurking around the corner. It is only truly

effective outside at long range, however. It does possess the same ability as the Sniper Rifle, killing Common Infected

in one shot, and the bullet continues travelling until it hits an impassable object or Special Infected (allowing for

many kills in a straight line with one bullet).





TIP: Both the sniper rifles' accuracy is greatly reduced while moving (unless scoped).

Grenade Launcher

The Grenade Launcher is not strictly a Tier 2 weapon as it spawns on its own, often in relatively hidden locations

(i.e. in a room you wouldn't normally check) and very rarely. It does great impact damage (watch out for friendly fire

though!) and the explosion will do the same to surrounding Infected. It also causes any Infected in the blast radius to

stumble, except for the Tank. Despite its huge damage potential it takes a harmfully long amount of time to reload. It

should also be noted that the only way to replenish ammunition for the Grenade Launcher is to find another one (an

extreme rarity) or use Incendiary or Explosive ammunition to top it up – these also increase the blast radius of each

shot. Ammunition stashes have no effect.

Magazine capacity: 1 round




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TIP: The Grenade Launcher is best during horde attacks or when a clump of enemies (including Special Infected) are

in the open.

TIP: Rather than saving the Grenade Launcher it is best to use it in a short space of time, allowing you to take

advantage of its damage potential but quickly get back to a proper primary weapon. With that said, against a Tank it

can cause 1,000 damage per hit (if direct), meaning just four shots would kill it on Normal difficulty, so it may be

worth saving it in a good squad. The reload time may not be practical against attack, but just one shot will make

things considerably easier for your team.

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Melee Weapons

Many of the melee weapons in Left 4 Dead 2 do essentially the same damage, but they can be analysed based on

speed and reach (in terms of width – so how many Infected they can kill with one swing) to find the best. There are

obvious downsides to melee weapons, the most important include their unsuitability against Spitters and Boomers

and obviously limited range, but they are vital against hordes due to the ability to kill many Common Infected (and

indeed Special Infected) at once and cleave a path through the level.

Chainsaw

The headline grabbing chainsaw is undoubtedly the best melee weapon in the game. You can slice through the

horde like water, but it only has about a minute of fuel and cannot be recharged (once it runs out, you get a pistol to

use). The key with the Chainsaw is that it can deal a possible 1,000 damage per second. It must be revved up prior to

use, so allow a few seconds before the horde arrives. Watch out for friendly fire, however.

TIP: While great on the Common Infected, the Chainsaw is also great against the Witch (when slicing her from

behind), Tanks (when its attention is elsewhere) and Special Infected in general. Even Boomers can be dealt with –

you want the horde to be called so you can slice them up!

TIP: The Chainsaw is also a good defensive weapon, as it hinders the ability of Jockeys, Hunters and Smokers to grab

or pin you.

Axe

The axe has a wide swing and its sharp blade allows deadly one-hit kill decapitations with every swipe. As a result it

can really help out during a horde attack, taking out many Infected each time. It is also fast, allowing many swings

per second.

Machete

Much like the axe, but with a slightly shorter range, the machete is brilliant against a horde and immensely

satisfying. It is faster than the axe, however, in fact it is the fastest melee weapon.

Katana

The katana has long range, but a slower attack time than the Machete. The Axe, Machete and Katana are all

relatively evenly matched.

TIP: While dealing high damage, the melee weapons (apart from the Chainsaw) should only be used against the

Tank and Witch when desperate. Their attack time is too slow and the player will be incapacitated or pushed away

too early.

Crowbar

The classic Half-Life 2 weapon, the crowbar is a high damage but slow attack time melee weapon. It also will not

take out such a wide array of Common Infected in front of the player as some other melee weapons.

Baseball Bat

This was available with preorders of the game or can be used on a multiplayer server where someone else has it. It is

fairly average, but can get some satisfying home-run style head decapitations.

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Cricket Bat

Much like the Baseball Bat, the Cricket Bat can feel inferior due to its blunt edges, but still kills Common Infected in

one hit.

Nightstick

The Nightstick is only found in The Parish campaign where players have to contend with the Riot Police Uncommon

Common Infected. It has an incredibly fast attack speed (the fastest), but a narrower reach than the likes of the Axe

and Machete. It also cannot cause decapitations, which makes it slightly less satisfying (but reduces the amount of

blood impeding the screen).

TIP: This is a good choice for a last-ditch attack on the Tank as it can (in theory) take it down it quicker than any

other melee weapon.

Guitar

The guitar is great fun, with every swing of this melee weapon that connects with an object striking a chord. As you

would expect, it's slow to use, but deals the same damage as all the other melee weapons.

TIP: The end of the Dark Carnival campaign has tonnes of these guitars on the main stage. It's worth making use of if

only to get into the mood of the campaign!

Frying Pan

The Frying Pan was a well publicised melee weapon which makes a humorous 'clung' noise when it hits a member

of the Infected. It has a wide angle of attack, making it able to knock down and kill many Common Infected at once –

great for the horde. It has a slow attack time, however. It is usually found in kitchens or houses during the various

campaigns.

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Equipment

Bile Bomb

This acts much like the Pipe Bomb, except is more potent and allows your team to do all the killing. It attracts the

Common Infected using the boomer bile like a moth to a lamp, drawing their attention away from your team at

crucial moments, such as at the end of a level. If thrown at a Common Infected, a horde will arrive to attack the

target. If thrown at an empty space, a horde will arrive and swipe at the location of impact, allowing the Survivors to

finish them off. You can use it on Special Infected and even Tanks.

TIP: The effectiveness of the Bile Bomb on a Witch is minimal, as it will frequently attack you before the horde can

get there.

TIP: Some CEDA agents (those in hazmat suits) drop Bile Bomb when killed, though this is hardly common.

Pipe Bomb

Resurrected from the original Left 4 Dead, the Pipe Bomb emits a loud beeping sound, attracting Common Infected,

before exploding in a satisfying mist of blood. The beeping lasts for about six seconds.

TIP: Use Pipe Bombs to clear a path to extraction, distract the horde so you can revive a team mate, or simply to

take out as many Common Infected as possible.

TIP: Pipe Bombs will attract a horde more than a Boomer bile-covered Survivor. By contrast, a canister of Bile Bomb

will not (presumably being just about as attractive as fresh Boomer bile!).

Molotov Cocktail

Requiring accuracy, unlike both the Pipe Bomb and Bile Bomb, the Molotov Cocktail is often the most useful of the

equipment in Left 4 Dead 2. Its key functions are in slowing down a Witch, and dealing constant damage to both

these enemies and Tanks. By contrast it makes a Tank run faster, but will kill it relatively quickly. It is also good to

block off a horde coming through a narrow space – as all the Common Infected will catch fire and likely die before

the reach the Survivors (except for CEDA UCIs).

TIP: While good against the Tank, primarily for the consistent damage it deals while the Survivors can run away,

against the Witch it is important to use the Molotov before startling it. It is easier to aim at while sitting down or

moving slowly for one thing, but if someone sets a Witch on fire once it's startled they will be attacked in addition to

the person who originally startled it – an unnecessary risk.

Incendiary Ammo Upgrade

This ammo upgrade takes the place of a medkit (remember to pick it up again if you swap them out temporarily) and

is great against Special Infected. It can also top up ammo, and is the only way of doing so to a Grenade Launcher. It

should not be used against a Witch unless the players are confident of their ability to take it down quickly, as it will

consider each one who sets it on fire a direct threat.

TIP: When used with shotguns with a wide spread the effectiveness of this upgrade is huge, as each pellet will set an

enemy on fire.

Explosive Ammo Upgrade

Explosive ammo causes high damage and can cause high-risk enemies such as the Tank and Witch to stumble – it is

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therefore invaluable – the only downside coming as a result of its spot in the medkit slot.

Laser Sight

One of the rarest items in the game, the Laser Sight improves the accuracy of the gun it is attached to. It has no effect

on shotguns or the Grenade Launcher. There is only one place you are guaranteed to find a Laser Sight and that is in

Whitaker's store in the Dead Center campaign. They are non-transferable, so if you die or change weapon you will

lose the laser-sight, but they have a noticeable affect to a gun's accuracy (and look awesome!) so are worth hanging

on to.

Medkit

Unlike Pain Pills and the Adrenaline Shot, Medkits permanently increase a Survivors health. You can heal yourself or

another Survivor with them, removing any injuries (which may cause Survivors to limp slowly otherwise). They don't

increase it back to 100 percent from zero, but to 80. There are many tactics surrounding the correct use of medkits,

but you should remember that both the Ammunition Upgrades and the Defibrillator can take its place – so its not as

simple as holding onto a medkit until your health is as low as possible.

TIP: As the medkits only give you 80 health back, there is no point in saving it after you get to 20 health. If you die,

it's lost to the team.

Adrenaline Shot

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The key function of adrenaline is not necessarily to restore health like the Pain Pills (although it does restore health

by 25), but more to increase reflexes and speed. It is most useful in the extraction sections, particularly on The Parish

and Dead Center, where speed is key. Common Infected also do not slow you down when running through them,

whereas otherwise Survivors can get caught up in their swiping. Similarly, when escaping to the rescue vehicle in the

other campaigns it can be invaluable in giving a Survivor the pace to outrun a Tank.

Pain Pills

Returning from the original Left 4 Dead, Pain Pills temporarily increase a Survivor's health. They will boost your

health by forty, but the downside is that it decreases by 1 point every five seconds. This can be just long enough to

find a med-kit or get to safe-house.

Defibrillator

Taking up the med-kit slot, Defibrillators have the ability to revive a Survivor from the dead. Simply equip this item

and the bodies of allied players will glow, allowing the player to revive them with 50 permanent health to boot. You

can also do this when a Survivor is in a closet waiting to be rescued and they will reappear with your main party.

TIP: Defibrillators become vital on Realism mode and on Expert difficulty, where one swipe from the Witch will

otherwise kill a player and Survivors are only brought back at safe-rooms.

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Multiplayer Survivor Tactics

Versus/Survival/Scavenge Mode Survivor Tactics (these also apply to the

main game)

Below is a list of tips for dealing with specific enemy Infected, whether in Campaign, Versus, Survival or Scavenge

mode. Note that in the latter two, set-piece events and the end extraction do not take place. Also worth bearing in

mind is that in Versus mode, certain things (such as damage and health) is changed to even things up in some cases.

Also, maps like Hard Rain see aspects altered, like movement speed in water, and the number of Witches is reduced,

as is their effectiveness.

Common Infected

The horde can be dispatched using any gun in the game, but assault rifles, shotguns and melee weapons are best. It

is a good idea to have players with melee weapons in doors and bottlenecks, crouched so the other players can fire

over their head.

Boomer

The Boomer is very easy to hear, with loud audio cues and music making it obvious when he is in the area. The AI is

adept at keeping the Boomer hidden until the last possible moment, which is vital as it only takes one bullet to burst.

The key with the Boomer is to ensure that when you hear the music not to have an itchy trigger finger. If you round a

corner and the Boomer is there, push it back (using the LT [Xbox 360] shove), move backwards and then shoot when

you are far enough away. If too close, its bile will spill onto you and attract the horde while covering your screen.

The Boomers can vomit bile on you, though this is rare in the Campaign (but is an established attack in Versus).

Spitter

Like the Boomer, the Spitter has projectile attacks. However, the difference is that the acid projectiles inflict heavy

damage. The most dangerous place to face a Spitter is in a corridor where the swamp of acid will constantly drain

your health. You will be incapacitated in seconds if walking through the obstacle.

Jockey

They Jockey is a new brand of Special Infected that acts like the Smoker because it can forcibly separate Survivors.

Running like a Hunter but only able to jump at closer range, it sits on the Survivor's head and steers them into

obstacles or away from the group, swiping at the target and inflicting damage as it goes. It can be pushed off or shot.

Survivors should be very, very careful when near a Witch as Jockeys specialise in steering Survivors into this terrible

foe.

Jockeys are adept at steering Survivors into Witches

Smoker

Similar in appearance to the Spitter, Smokers return from the original Left 4 Dead and are one of the most difficult

Special Infected to kill. They often hide on rooftops or in the distance and use their long tongue to drag Survivors

from the group. This is particularly effecting during set-pieces or extractions, as everyone has other priorities at these

points. They also love to do this to drag you from heights. You can be saved from a Smoker by either having the

Smoker killed by another Survivor (though there are a couple of seconds where the person being dragged off can

shoot the Smoker) or from another Survivor pushing you. This will detach the Smoker's tongue, but it will still survive

for another attack. The best defence against Smokers is to stay inside buildings as they can rarely pull a Survivor out

of a window; the Survivor will get caught on the ledge, making rescue easier.

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Hunter

The Hunters are also superb at separating Survivors who have strayed off on their own. They repeatedly inflict high

damage on a Survivor until shot or pushed off. You can here them from a distance and it is possible to dodge their

attacks, but only for so long.

Charger

The Charger is another new enemy for the Survivors to face, and can look worryingly like a Tank at first glance. It is

large and extremely fast once it gets going. When you hear its loud grunting, be ready to dodge. It is quite easy to

avoid the Charger's main attack if you have enough warning, after which it will keep running until it hits a wall, at

which point it will be stunned. It can only focus on one target, but will knock any Survivors in the way to the

ground. Once on top of its prey it pummels them until death, unless killed by another Survivor. Unlike other Special

Infected (excluding the Witch and Tank), Chargers take two shots to kill. It should also be noted that Chargers cannot

be pushed like other Special Infected (again with the above exclusions), and the only way to stun it is using

explosive ammo or other exploding devices (such as gas cans).

Witch

The Witch is the most terrifying enemy in Left 4 Dead 2. This is particularly true of the Hard Rain level, where they

populate the Sugar Mill. In daylight they wander around on patrol routes, so it's important to keep your distance and

learn their path before moving on. In darkness they sit still, making them easier to avoid but also more hostile to

noise and light. You can hear a witch from a mile off, and where possible should switch your torches off as soon as

this happens. When a Witch knows about your presence it will stand up, arms outstretched to the side, and growl. If

the Survivors resume their game and do not disturb it further they will be fine, but linger too long and attack is

inevitable. Witches hate light and noise, so torches, explosions and primarily fire should be avoided around them.

When set on fire, Witches are slowed, making it a good tactic, but only when planned, as anyone who sets a Witch

alight is targeted in addition to the original 'startler'.

Witches have the second highest health in the game, a whopping 1,000 HP on Normal difficulty. If it wasn't for their

speed, attacking from range would be the best option, but their reluctance to fight and potential lethalness

(particularly on Expert or Realism) means avoiding them should be priority number one. You can use a shotgun from

behind to kill it in one, but this takes some practice and should not be attempted by newcomers to the game. This is

called cr0wning, and requires a head shot on high difficulties, but a body shot (if you're lucky) on the lower ones.

Tank

The Tank is the enemy that ruins most Survivors' chances of escaping a campaign in one piece. Positioned

strategically by the AI Director, though mainly causing most harm during the extraction finales, the Tank has 4,000

health on Normal difficulty (four times that of a Witch) and requires at least ten hits with a melee weapon to kill.

Molotovs, Incendiary or Explosive ammunition are the best counters to a Tank attack. When set alight it moves faster

if possessed by AI (no noticeable change if possessed by a Human), but will receive constant damage all the while. It

can also be made to stumble from an explosion. There are various animations such as when climbing, swinging to

strike or picking up a piece of concrete (which it then throws at a Survivor) that allow a chance to melee attack. This

is only recommended when the Tank is right on top of you and you have no chance of downing it with bullets, but

the high-damage melee weapons can be a life-saver (at least for some of your team) here.

Get the Tank into the open and surround it if possible so you can attack it from distance and out of reach of its

deadly melee attacks

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General Tips

If you stay together, you will survive. Something to remember about Versus mode is that the pace is relentless and

the Special Infected (generally being possessed by human players) are far more aggressive than in the Campaign.

They can also spawn very close to you, meaning you can go inside a room with the coast clear only to emerge and

find a Hunter waiting outside. If you have to split up, go in pairs so that at least there is one extra player to lend a

hand should someone get snagged or pounced on. Bear in mind that four Special Infected able to detain a Survivor

cannot spawn at the same time, so there should always be one player free to save the others (other Special Infected

that would spawn in this period being Boomers and Spitters).

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Multiplayer Infected Tactics

Versus/Survival/Scavenge Mode Infected Tactics

The main tactic for anyone playing on the side of the Infected in Versus mode should be to separate individual

Survivors from the group. The best Infected for doing this are Jockeys and Smokers.

Witch

Witches are not playable by Humans, but can be used as an AI-controlled obstacle in Versus mode to steer or drag

Survivors into.

Jockeys

Jockeys can steer Survivors away from the group – into side-rooms, off edges (there is a possibility for an instant-kill

here, although usually Survivors can be pulled back up by team mates) or into other Infected – the best target being a

Witch. Of course, you needn't find anything else to deal the damage if you can keep the Survivor away from his or

her friends for long enough as you will be able to finish the job yourself.

Smokers

Smokers are best at getting up high and using the tongue attack to rope Survivors away. This is particularly effective

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when one Survivor has gone looking for ammo or medicine and the rest of the group has not followed. It is a good

idea to attempt to snag people in mid-air, as this will allow you to drop behind cover while they are constricted in

front of it.

Hunters

Hunters are quite easy to defend against providing the Survivors stay together. Watch for players looking for items on

their own, or separated from the group during a horde or set-piece. Team up with Smokers so that once the Smoker

is killed, the Hunter can then jump on the prey and finish it off.

Boomers

These are very light defensively and should be kept hidden until the last possible moment. Important to remember

about Versus mode is that as Infected you can spawn (almost) anywhere so long as it is out of sight of the Survivors.

This means hiding around a corner is a viable option to spray your bile on the enemy.

Spitter

Their tactics are much like Boomers', though you can take a little more damage and your size means hiding is easier.

Use blind corners, darkness and rooftops to get perfect locations for spitting lethal acid on Survivors. Try to pen them

in by spitting when a Survivor is trapped at a dead end or pinned by a Tank, Charger, Hunter, Witch or Smoker – this

will mean that when they turn around a pool of acid will be waiting for them.

Chargers

These are particularly good against Survivors who love to stay together! They can knock all the Survivors in a tightly

packed group down and carry one off until hitting an object. Note that hitting a Survivor does self-inflicted damage,

while hitting a wall does even more. For a guaranteed kill, try to run a Survivor off a cliff (or the bridge on The

Parish). If you are able to run a Survivor far enough (large areas are good for this) you can pummel them to death

before help arrives. A Charger's great strength and health is good in this situation.

Tank

The Tank is vital as it can really be the turning point at the end of a Versus battle. The AI Director picks a Infected

player at random and they have a set amount of time to locate and deal damage to the Survivors before control

switches to a team mate. After two players have tried, the AI will resume control. Unlike in Campaign (usually), the

Tank can be assisted by Special Infected, separating members of the group. When the Tank is on the scene other

Special Infected also have the chance to kill Survivors as most of their attention will be on the main threat.

Be sure to avoid Molotovs or fire (you can put out a fire by jumping in water, but the opportunity for this is a rarity!),

and make use of the rock throw from distance. Try to get up close, fast, however, so that the Tank doesn't get

frustrated and switch to AI mode (there is a meter to indicate this). If you manage to get the jump on the Survivors by

climbing walls, for example, it can be deadly to them. Try to push them off ledges for an instant kill. The Tank can

also break walls, safe-house doors and push cars and other objects into Survivors – such interactions are marked on

screen. On the bridge in The Parish, hitting a Survivor with a car is an instant knock-down. The Tank can kill other

Special Infected, so stay out of its way if you're not in control! Smokers are good in conjunction with a Tank as you

can separate someone while staying out of harm's way.

To really succeed as a Tank you need to incapacitate multiple Survivors, so avoid getting sidetracked into the open

as this AI Campaign Tank has been

General Tips

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Much like with the Survivors, the best Infected teams work together. It is important not to be greedy (though dealing

the most damage is important), because if you can incapacitate the whole team early enough, victory is assured. Try

to distract each member of the Survivors' team to do their own thing, separate them, and pick them off. Wait for

other Special Infected to be pushed off or killed, and then resume the attack on Survivors while their health is low.

Work together and communicate to let your team mates know who has what weapons, and which Survivors are

where and in trouble. Use choke points to ambush the entire squad, and you'll win every time.

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Achievements and Tips

Price Chopper (20G):

Survive the Dead Center campaign

Midnight Rider (20G):

Survive the Dark Carnival campaign

Ragin' Cajun (20G):

Survive the Swamp Fever campaign.

Weatherman (20G):

Survive the Hard Rain campaign.

Bridge Burner (20G):

Survive the Parish campaign.

TIP: For the campaign completion achievements (e.g. Price Chopper), this can be done on any difficulty, with AI or

Human friends.

Still Something to Prove (35G):

Survive all campaigns on Expert.

TIP: The easiest campaign to do this on is Dead Center, as it is the shortest, with one of the easiest extractions.

The Real Deal (35G):

Survive a campaign on Expert skill with Realism mode enabled.

TIP: The easiest campaign to do this on is Dead Center, as it is the shortest, with one of the easiest extractions.

Confederacy of Crunches (30G):

Finish a campaign using only melee weapons

TIP: You can still use grenades and turrets, but no pistols (even when downed).

TIP: AI Bots can still fire and it won't affect the achievement, so play with as many as possible

TIP: You can complete any campaign on any difficulty to get this

Head Honcho (15G):

Decapitate 200 Infected with a melee weapon.

Club Dead (15G):

Use every melee weapon to kill Common Infected.

TIP: Baseball Bat doesn't count (as it was a preorder special) and neither does the Chainsaw.

Chain of Command (15G):

Kill 100 Common Infected with the chainsaw.

Tank Burger (30G):

Kill a Tank with melee weapons.

TIP: The Tank must take no damage from any bullets for this to work.

Shock Jock (30G):

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Revive 10 dead Survivors with the defibrillator.

TIP: You can't just kill your team mates and then defibrillate them – they must be killed in action, though fall damage

counts so you could get a Human to jump from height and let them bleed out).

The Quick and the Dead (30G):

Revive 10 incapacitated Survivors while under the speed-boosting effects of adrenaline.

TIP: You can't have downed the Survivor that you are healing.

Armory of One (15G):

Deploy an ammo upgrade and have your team use it.

Burning Sensation (15G):

Ignite 50 Common Infected with incendiary ammo.

Dismemberment Plan (20G):

Kill 15 Infected with a single grenade launcher blast.

TIP: Do this while the Infected are clawing at a Bile Bomb canister.

Septic Tank (15G):

Use a bile bomb on a Tank.

Crass Menagerie (20G):

Kill one of each UnCommon Infected.

TIP: You only need to kill a UCI from each of the first four levels.

Dead in the Water (20G):

Kill 10 swampy Mudmen while they are in the water.

Robbed Zombie (15G):

Collect 10 vials of Boomer vomit from Infected CEDA agents you have killed.

CL0WN'd (15G):

Honk the noses of 10 Clowns.

TIP: You do this by using the melee attack (LT) on a clown's face – you can repeatedly do it on the same Infected.

Fried Piper (15G):

Using a Molotov, burn a Clown leading at least 10 Common Infected.

Level a Charge (15G):

Kill a Charger with a melee weapon while they are charging.

Acid Reflex (15G):

Kill a Spitter before she is able to spit.

A Ride Denied (15G):

Kill a Jockey within 2 seconds of it jumping on a Survivor.

Stache Whacker (15G):

Prove you are faster than Moustachio.

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TIP: You must earn a score of 42 in the Whack a Mole minigame during the fourth stage of Dark Carnival – all

Survivors taking part in the whacking get the achievement.

Gong Show (15G):

Prove you are stronger than Moustachio.

TIP: Again in Dark Carnival's fourth act, use a melee weapon combined with Adrenaline on the test-your-strength

minigame.

Guardin' Gnome (30G):

Rescue Gnome Chompski from the Carnival.

TIP: Collect the gnome after getting a score of 760 points in the shooting gallery of Dark Carnival's second act. You

must then carry him (like the Cola) to the end of the level and extract to the helicopter. He can be dropped and

picked up again, allowing use of a weapon.

TIP: As long as one person finished the level with the gnome, all will get the achievement.

Wing and a Prayer (30G):

Defend yourself at the crashed airliner without taking damage.

TIP: Activate the set-piece during Act Two and then retreat so that the horde comes at you through the door of the

plane.

TIP: You only need to play the second act of Swamp Fever to gain this achievement.

Sob Story (30G):

Navigate the sugar mill and reach the safe room without killing any Witches.

TIP: The key here is that as long as you don't kill any witches, you get the achievement. They can kill you, but you

can't damage them or the achievement is lost.

Violence in silence (30G):

Navigate the impound lot and reach the cemetery safe room without tripping any alarms.

Bridge Over Trebled Slaughter (30G):

Cross the bridge finale in less than three minutes.

TIP: Ideally without any AI players, use Adrenaline to bypass the Tank and keep on running!

TIP: You can do this on any difficulty.

Heartwarmer (20G):

In a Versus round, leave the saferoom to defibrillate a dead teammate.

Strength in Numbers (15G):

Form a team and beat an enemy team in 4v4 Versus or Scavenge.

Qualified Ride (15G):

As the Jockey, ride a Survivor for more than 12 seconds.

Back in the Saddle (15G):

As the Jockey, ride the Survivors twice in a single life.

Rode Hard, Put Away Wet (20G):

As the Jockey, ride a Survivor and steer them into a Spitter's acid patch.

Great Expectorations (15G):

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As the Spitter, hit every Survivor with a single acid patch.

A Spittle Help From My Friends (15G):

As the Spitter, spit on a Survivor being choked by a Smoker.

Scattering Ram (20G):

As the Charger, bowl through the entire enemy team in a single charge.

Meat Tenderizer (20G):

As the Charger, grab a Survivor and smash them into the ground for a solid 15 seconds.

Long Distance Carrier (15G):

As the Charger, grab a Survivor and carry them over 80 feet.

Beat the Rush (15G):

In a Survival round, get a medal only using melee weapons.

Hunting Party (15G):

Win a game of Scavenge.

Gas Guzzler (20G):

Collect 100 gas cans in Scavenge.

Cache and Carry (20G):

Collect 15 gas cans in a single Scavenge round.

TIP: This is 15 for your whole team in one round.

Scavenge Hunt (15G):

Stop the enemy team from collecting any gas cans during a Scavenge round.

TIP: Spitters' acid destroys gas cans, which may help with this achievement.

Fuel Crisis (15G):

Make a Survivor drop a gas can during overtime.

Gas Shortage (20G):

Cause 25 gas can drops as a Special Infected.

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Unlockable Avatar Items (Xbox 360)

Bull Shifters Shirt

Win 10 games of Versus – Unlocks Ellis's shirt for your Avatar.

Depeche Mode Shirt

Rescue the Gnome from the Dark Carnival i.e. doing the Guardin' Gnome achievement – Unlocks Rochelle's shirt for

your Avatar.

Left 4 Dead 2 Shirt

Win 10 games of Scavenge – Unlocks a Left 4 Dead 2 shirt for your Avatar.

Med Kit Accessory

Beat all campaigns on any difficulty – Unlocks a medkit for your Avatar.

Zombie Hand Shirt

Kill 10,000 Infected – Unlocks a shirt featuring the Left 4 Dead 2 iconic hand for your Avatar.

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Left 4 Dead 2 Unofficial guide - SuperCheats