Along with the PC Gamer staff, I just can’t get enough of 2008’s multiplayer game of the year, Left 4 Dead. The formidable team of Stapleton, Lahti, Chan, and Will Smith (of Maximum PC fame) has exhausted all of the game’s missions, and we’ve reached a point where we can complete any campaign on the Advanced difficulty setting with relative ease. But to get to this point, we’ve had to teach ourselves some important new lessons and play habits for cooperative play. After all, the teamplay tactics of Team Fortress 2 don’t all apply in a pure co-op challenge, and Left 4 Dead is not your ordinary Gears of War-style co-op game. And if you’re starting on your way through a campaign on Expert difficulty with a squad of bunny-hopping Counter-Strike junkies, you’re not going to get very far before the team breaks down. So to avoid the blame game, here are the rules that every player should master before embarking on a serious session of zombie killing.

1. Know the Map
It’s your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the level layout before joining any server with experienced players. This means not only knowing the right path through the map, but also where to expect weapon, health, and ammo drops, suitable defense positions for every area, and the location of “hot spots” where you can expect to be attacked. Left 4 Dead’s environments are mostly linear with optimal routes, but there are several alternate pathways that you’ll have to switch to on the fly in case you run into a tank or witch. Your team should also come up with standardized nicknames for area landmarks to avoid miscommunication.

2. Assign a team leader
Before the round begins, the team should designate one player to be the party leader, and agree to follow his or her directions for the duration of the campaign. Succumbing to the temptation of venturing off as a lone wolf is the easiest way to fail, so if you don’t like following orders, learn to adequately give them. The leader should always be at the front of the pack to navigate the team as a whole, letting the other players know when to pause for a zombie horde rush or the direction of immediate danger.

3. Be aware at all Times
Sound is your most important sense in Left 4 Dead. Pay close attention to the game’s music and thousands of dynamic sound effects, which help indicate the location of nearby threats. Being aware of your situation also isn’t limited to knowing where enemies are in the map; it means knowing the overall strength of your teammates (health, ammo, and items) and when you’re likely to be attacked. In Versus mode, for example, you should have an idea of how long it’s been since you’ve killed a Boss Infected, so you can take advantage of enemy respawn times to scurry away from locations that leave you vulnerable for harassment.


The diamond formation, like its namesake, is the toughest structure to break

4. Stay in formation
The best four-player formation: a diamond. The team leader sits at the front, crouched and always looking ahead. Two players also crouch-walk at his side, watching the left and right flanks for infected rushes. The last player stands tall and watches the backs of the other three players, calling out if a Smoker tries to pick him off. In games where one player is the obvious weak link, the formation should be rearranged to keep the weak player at the center of the pack, safe from Hunter pounces. In moments of chaos when the team is separated, use the buddy system and stay in pairs until the entire team can be reunited.

5. Don’t let newbies use the shotgun
Keep these powerful but inaccurate toys in experienced hands. You don’t want to fall victim to a friendly-fire “accident.” Just ask Harry Wittington.

January 9, 2009