Backup for Deleted L4D2 Campaign Reviews

Sometimes my L4D2 campaign reviews will be deleted for one reason or another. When this happens, I'll include an archival copy of the review below. Click here to return to the main page.

Intro

Sometimes my reviews will be deleted for one reason or another — maybe the campaign was taken down and reuploaded, maybe the author didn't like what I had to say, maybe someone at Valve pressed the wrong button. When this happens, I'll include an archival copy of the review below. Click here to return to the main page.

Deleted reviews include:
- Snow Den - 4/5
- Lukewarm Stream - 3/5
- In Too Deep - 3/5
- The Curse of Lazar Castle - Unscored
- Dam It: Complete - 3/5
- Whispers in the Dark - 1/5
- Resident Evil Quadrilogy - 4/5
- Devil Mountain - 5/5
- Crash Course: Apocalypse - 3/5
- Downtown Dine: Dead End - 3/5
- Downtown Dine - 3/5
- Left 4 Duluth - 2/5
- Blight Path - 4/5
- Death Strip - 4/5
- Shadow Moses Island - 2/5

Snow Den (2022)

Snow Den - 4/5 - (deleted due to campaign reupload)

Unique in lots of great little ways. 4/5 stars.

Snow Den is a campaign that's brisk in both tempo and temperature. It's about as long as an official campaign and just a little bit harder, but it feels like nothing else on the workshop -- in a good way!

For starters, the aesthetics are great. I love seeing campaigns set in winter, and this campaign features lots of spacious snowy environments. The time of day changes from chapter to chapter, too. It completely sells the cold and cozy atmosphere it's going for.

The gameplay is also balanced and well paced, with fun exploration and many creative set pieces. However, this campaign is lacking some polish, and many aspects feel unfinished. Skyboxes have visual issues, pop-in runs rampant, zombies won't chase you onto certain car roofs, and the finale is poorly explained, among other minor problems.

None of these issues ruin the core experience, though, so I'd gladly recommend this campaign. It's memorable and well made despite the hiccups.

Lukewarm Stream (2022)

Lukewarm Stream - 3/5 - (deleted for unknown reasons, possibly by mod author)

Slightly better than the original. 3/5 stars.

I'd personally consider Lukewarm Stream to be a "sidegrade" to Cold Stream, but that's just me — most L4D2 fans will like this better than the original. Everything is a bit more polished, the level design is less confusing, crescendo events are more balanced, and the finale was redesigned to be a holdout instead of a gauntlet. There aren't a lot of changes, but they tend to be improvements.

However, that lack of changes leads to my biggest gripe: I don't think this campaign fixes Cold Stream's fundamental issues with blandness and pacing. The first three maps are definitive improvements over the originals, but only by a little — and as one of the weirdos who actually likes Cold Stream's gauntlet finale, I was sad to see it go because the campaign feels even less unique without it. Some graphical changes are also iffy, and I think the original version looks better overall due to its more consistent color palette.

Still, this one's worth a try!

In Too Deep (2021)

In Too Deep - 3/5 - (deleted due to removal from the internet)

Well made in some aspects, but hard to navigate. 3/5 stars.

On the surface, In Too Deep is doing a lot of things right. Visuals are highly detailed, Survivors have dialogue for every situation, and nothing is glitchy or janky. It's a polished gameplay experience that feels Valve-made at times, and I can't imagine anyone would ever hate this campaign.

Sadly, I also can't imagine someone loving this campaign, either. It sticks so closely to vanilla L4D2 in its aesthetics and events that it doesn't have a very distinct identity. I often felt like I had accidentally loaded up The Sacrifice, which is admittedly another compliment to the visuals.

Still, I could forgive the bland vibe if it wasn't for the other fatal flaw: navigation. Map 1 is huge, but it's also maze-like and the path forward is often hidden behind wooden barricades that look like part of the scenery. Map 1 is also at least twice as long as Map 2.

Overall, you won't regret trying this, but it's probably stuff you've seen before.

The Curse of Lazar Castle (2019)

The Curse of Lazar Castle - Unscored - (deleted for unknown reasons, possibly by mod author)

Not bad, but it certainly isn't for me. Unscored.

I don't even know how to talk about The Curse of Lazar Castle because it feels so far removed from a traditional Left 4 Dead experience. This is a brutally difficult campaign full of tricks and traps, and making the wrong decision means death.

I thought the campaign started off okay, with a spooky atmosphere in Map 1 and a hedge maze that felt a little too long -- but then I messed up a lever puzzle and suffered a near-instant team wipe from multiple Witches and Tanks attacking at the same time. Even switching to Easy couldn't save me.

Left 4 Dead is generally very forgiving to its players, and I didn't finish Lazar Castle because it felt like I wasn't playing Left 4 Dead anymore. But since there's a niche diehard fanbase that LOVES this campaign, it's clearly doing something right for some people.

This is less of a review and more of a warning. This campaign is not for the faint of heart, and I give it a rating of Nosferatu out of 10.

Dam It: Complete (2018)

Dam It: Complete - 3/5 - (deleted for unknown reasons, possibly by mod author)

The best way to play the original. 3/5 stars.

Dam It: Complete is, in every way, a better version of Dam It — an official L4D1 campaign that was never finished. While the original beta is so unpolished it's not worth playing, this version of Dam It has received the bare minimum changes needed to call it finished. There are no more obvious glitches, no voids of nothingness, and no untextured models. The gameplay has been rebalanced to be more fair, and there are now cutscenes for the intro and ending.

However, despite being a big improvement, some of Dam It's problems remain. The level design can still feel bland or inconsistent, and a few visual oddities from the original weren't fixed, e.g. the conspicuous floating bathtub.

Still, if you're interested in trying Dam It, this is the version to go with. The level design is essentially unchanged from the original beta, so you can still appreciate Turtle Rock's artistic vision — now with an aesthetic upgrade and gameplay that's actually fun.

Whispers in the Dark (2016)

Whispers in the Dark - 1/5 - (deleted due to campaign reupload)

A barely functional headache. 1/5 stars.

As a rule, I only review campaigns if I'm genuinely interested in them. Whispers in the Dark is a great-sounding title and the campaign has an intriguing poster, so I jumped in. Unfortunately, I kinda wish I hadn't.

Whispers in the Dark is my least favorite campaign I've played since starting my review series two years ago. The only things I liked were that it didn't crash and there were a few decent-looking areas.

The camera goes straight through a solid floor during the opening cutscene -- a sign of things to come. A wide variety of audio and visual problems persist throughout, including floating objects, seams in the ground, and missing sound effects. Navigation is obtuse. Spawns are glitchy. The first horde event is non-functional. I died in Map 4 because the bots froze in place, then I respawned in the ending safe room and skipped to the next map. I had to do the finale twice because the rescue vehicle is impossible to see.

In short, stay away.

Resident Evil Quadrilogy (2015-2016)

Roku's RESIDENT EVIL Quadrilogy: RE1, RE2A, RE2B, RE3 - 4/5 - (deleted because of logistics)

Perfect for RE fans. 4/5 stars.

I'm reviewing all four of Roku's Resident Evil campaigns together because they're extremely similar in terms of content and quality. Each one is dense with details from the original games, and the great aesthetics build an unforgettable atmosphere of dread. I especially love all the clever ways these campaigns translate RE mechanics into L4D2. Herbs that turn into pills, poison spiders that drop Spitter acid when they die, and so on. It's charming and brilliant, although the spiders do creep me the hell out!

I adore these campaigns, yet I have to take away a star because they're almost unplayable to people who aren't RE fans. I've only played the remakes of the games these campaigns are based on, but that was enough for me to make it through just fine. However, L4D2 doesn't have a map or a decent inventory screen, so all the backtracking and key hunting could totally ruin a first-time player's experience.

Regardless, I still highly recommend all of these!

Devil Mountain (2015)

Devil Mountain - 5/5 - (deleted because comments are disabled)

The best hike in Left 4 Dead history. 5/5 stars.

Devil Mountain is a triumph of level design where every step is enjoyable. These are some of the best outdoor environments ever seen in Source, professional or otherwise. Everything is so detailed and meticulously constructed, yet also so expansive and open, with great pacing and a variety of locations to boot. Exploring these maps almost gave me the same feeling of satisfaction and wonder I'd get from a real hike.

Every corner of this campaign is gorgeous, and it captures the atmosphere of mountainous suburbs perfectly. I especially love how each chapter has a unique skybox and weather condition. Outdoor areas are obviously the highlight, but buildings and interiors are also well made with creative floorplans and unique decorations. Did I mention that the crescendo events are a fun challenge, too? Devil Mountain does it all.

My only gripe is a lack of graffiti and Survivor dialogue, but that's a nitpick. Keep this permanently installed!

Crash Course: Apocalypse (2014)

Crash Course: Apocalypse - 3/5 - (deleted because comments are disabled)

A confusing challenge. 3/5 stars.

This campaign is part of the "Apocalypse" series — difficult remixes of official campaigns with modified level layouts and aesthetics, although this one is more of a "reimagining" since the level design is almost all original and there are three maps instead of two.

The core premise of "industrial buildings and a truck yard finale" is still here, but the new maps look good and have a darker, spookier atmosphere than the original Crash Course. Supplies are also limited just enough to make things tough without being unfair.

Unfortunately, there's one massive issue that drags it all down: navigation. Finding the path forward can be a nightmare sometimes because there are too many dead ends and the way forward is often hidden behind barricades and darkness with no hints to help you.

Combine that with bot issues and panic events starting randomly without explanation and you've got a mod that I can only recommend to hardcore fans who want to test their skills.

Downtown Dine: Dead End (2014)

Downtown Dine: Dead End - 3/5 - (deleted because comments are disabled)

Higher highs and lower lows than the original. 3/5 stars.

Dead End is a sequel(?) to Downtown Dine that manages to be much better and much worse at the same time. It's a 3/5 just like the first one, but it's a much more interesting and memorable 3/5, so I honestly prefer it. A lack of identity was my biggest problem with Downtown Dine, and boy, was that issue solved!

Each chapter is so unique that I suspect they were each made by one of the three authors working alone. Map 1 is a lengthy suburban romp with a slow pace and lots of key hunting. The highlight is Map 2, a haunted mansion with a deliciously cheesy atmosphere. Map 3, meanwhile, is a holdout finale that's confusing and unfair.

These maps look great, with lots of colored lighting to spice up the visuals. However, Map 1 and especially Map 3 have performance issues. An outdoor lot before the finale ran so poorly it broke the sound effects until I left the area!

Even 8 GB of VRAM couldn't save me, so download at your own risk.

Downtown Dine (2013)

Downtown Dine - 3/5 - (deleted because comments are disabled)

Interesting ideas let down by sluggish level design. 3/5 stars.

Downtown Dine seems like it has the potential to be a very polarizing campaign. It didn't really gel with me, but I can see some people loving this campaign for the things it does well.

The levels look nice from start to finish and capture the feel of an urban environment fairly well -- but I wasn't into how they were designed. The four maps are long and maze-like, with lots of meandering paths and confusing events that can make it easy to get lost. Every area is also visually similar to the last, which made the "getting lost" problem worse for me.

However, I have to give props to the uniqueness of several of the crescendo events -- you never call an elevator the same way twice, so to speak. The way this campaign handles setpieces and NPC interactions is also unique and charming, and there appears to be a ghostly easter egg spanning multiple levels that I couldn't figure out. If that sounds like your thing, give this a try!

Left 4 Duluth (2012)

Left 4 Duluth - 2/5 - (deleted due to campaign reupload)

Charming, but very unpolished. 2/5 stars.

Left 4 Duluth is a mod I wanted to love so badly. I just got back from an IRL vacation in Duluth, Minnesota and I thought a virtual tour of the zombified city would be a great way to reminisce as soon as I got home -- but it's hard to appreciate a campaign that barely functions.

To its credit, this campaign's biggest strength is attention to detail. Every landmark is in the right spot and it all looks recognizable enough. This is one of the best examples ever of an IRL location recreated in Source, and filling the campaign with artwork from local artists is a wonderful touch. You can feel the love in these maps, and they're a true community effort.

However, there are more problems than I can list. Level design is confusing, custom audio NEVER plays for me, gameplay balance is always off, framerates and pop-in are both nasty, and the finale on Duluth's iconic bridge is a nonsensical anticlimax. I can only recommend this to people who love Duluth.

Blight Path (2011)

Blight Path - 4/5 - (deleted for unknown reasons, possibly by mod author)

Super creative, somewhat janky. 4/5 stars.

Blight Path is a creative, innovative campaign that feels fresh from start to finish thanks to several unique features. You can loot bodies for supplies, you can craft gas cans into molotovs, you can fight NPC soldiers who fire guns at you, and more! There's something totally new to the Left 4 Dead formula around every corner, and it gives the campaign a great sense of momentum and wonder. Blight Path also has solid level design and an incredibly believable Chinese city theme to prop up its gameplay experiments.

However, these new features don't come without jank. Sometimes the path forward isn't clear, sometimes things bug out, and sometimes objects in the distance will disappear when they clearly should still be visible.

While the lack of polish may bother some players, I was able to look past it and have a blast. This campaign is much more than the sum of its parts and I highly recommend it. This is my favorite of Lou Saffire's campaigns!

Death Strip (2011)

Death Strip - 4/5 - (deleted because comments are disabled)

Rock solid despite missed potential. 4/5 stars.

Death Strip is a well made campaign that's much more vanilla than its branding would have you believe. The environments are all standard to L4D2 -- a trailer park, a shopping center, the eponymous air strip -- but there's a natural flow to the level design that gives all 6 chapters cohesion. There are no gameplay gimmicks, but as a result this campaign is polished, easy to navigate, and not too long. There's even custom graffiti that got a laugh out of me!

This campaign is an easy recommendation, but I still had one big issue: Death Strip takes inspiration from comic books without committing to anything significant, making me wonder why it's there at all. Map 1 eschews an opening cutscene for comic panels on the loading screen, which is rad, but that's all there is beyond very occasionally seeing sound effects written in the air. I wanted so much more -- more sound effects, collectible issues, or even just a visit to a comic shop. Oh well.

Shadow Moses Island (2011)

Shadow Moses Island[www.gamemaps.com] - 2/5 - (deleted due to removal from the workshop)

Great to look at, not great to play. 2/5 stars.

As a Metal Gear fan, I was excited to play Shadow Moses Island and see how faithfully the author could recreate MGS in L4D2. Well...

Gameplay-wise, this campaign is a mess. Most things work as intended, but the campaign is extremely punishing (and possibly unbeatable) without 4 human players due to a section on Map 2 where you get a team wipe if anyone fires a gun. There are also too many scripted Tank spawns, many in extremely lethal locations, and the gauntlet finale has you fighting 5 or 6 Tanks with no supplies. I had to skip Maps 2 and 4 just to finish.

Even the aesthetics are kind of a mixed bag. The maps are intricately detailed and often gorgeous, and I like how hitting a button will cut to a camera view that shows what door you just opened, but the lack of dialogue and custom assets hurts the atmosphere. There's no snow, no custom sounds, and no custom music.

There are redeeming qualities, but I can only recommend this to MGS fans.