It boggles my mind that Valve hasn’t made a new Left 4 Dead game for this generation to enjoy. True, part one and two came out pretty closely together; but both games served as superb examples of how to do a co-op game right. Plus, after all these years, they’re both truly intense games, forcing you to work together to survive the fight.
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But thankfully, we have some suitable alternatives to fill the void while we wait for a third chapter to get introduced. Among them is Fatshark’s highly impressive Warhammer: Vermintide 2. It picks up right where the first game left off, with four team members going up against rat armies of all shapes and sizes. After an effective debut on PC earlier this year, the Xbox One version has arrived — and it hasn’t missed a beat.
Like the first game, you choose from various warriors, each with main and secondary weapons and abilities that will allow you to clean house on the Skaven, rat-like creatures that live for dominance in this fantasy world. You could take on the game on your own, but the real fun is putting together a battle party and scattering Skaven to the wind while taking on objectives, like destroying a portal or reaching a “safe point” within a town.
While Vermintide 2’s gameplay doesn’t exactly mark an evolution over the first title, it didn’t really need to. The original game provided a fun take on the Left 4 Dead theme, but with more visceral combat and bigger odds to defy in some cases. The sequel follows that blueprint, as you take on small and big waves of enemies while moving through stages.
Improved Design, Though the Skaven Are Ugly
But one area where Fatshark did make improvements is with the game’s design. First off, the in-game hub looks spectacular, as you choose your objectives and then proceed into a fantastic-looking portal, only to be warped to your location seconds later.
While the loading time is a bit heavier than the original game, the level design makes up for it. The developers did a superb job creating more detailed environments, from cities torn to shreds to forests where enemies could literally come popping out of the woodwork. Speaking of which, the animations are also better than before, especially on the bigger enemy types this time around. You can actually see the struggle of trying to cut into their armor, only to come back and swiftly land a lower blow on them. And all this does show with nary a drop in game speed, either — a nice feat for Fatshark.
That said, the game does have some moments that can wear you down if you’re not prepared. This includes taking on hordes of enemies that come jumping at you when your team may not necessarily be around, forcing you to act quickly and either clean up on them or run to safety. The boss battles can also be a bit of a grind, particularly the larger tank creatures that don’t even look like they’re properly taking your blows. Seeing them take damage would’ve been cool. Maybe the developer can consider that for a future update.
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Slice and Dice In Style
Vermintide 2 also benefits from great audio. There’s not much music here, but what’s included fits the mold for the series. And on top of that, your heroes’ quips are pretty on point, fitting each character’s confidence and attitude perfectly. That said, I do wish some of the quotes weren’t so heavily repeated.
The gameplay is the real drawing factor, though. While some may see killing hundreds of Skaven as a repetitive feat, there’s something that feels really good about carving up enemies like Thanksgiving turkey and standing tall afterward. And like Left 4 Dead, it allows you to create an effective chemistry with teammates, creating a co-op experience that shouldn’t be missed if you’re into that sort of thing.
What’s more, each character brings something great to the picture, whether you prefer long-range assault or getting up close with your sword and musket. You will occasionally need to pick up ammo, but the combat as a whole feels welcome. Again, it’s only during “grindy” moments that you may feel its strain.
I do like how Vermintide 2 has lots of missions to choose from, providing a great deal of variety in the Skaven you can bring down, as well as the locations you can do it in. And you can progress your soldier in a number of ways as well, even if the system isn’t as in-depth as in other games. No matter — there’s still fun to be had, especially when you’re hurling fireballs with the Witch Hunter like it’s going out of style.
A Must For Co-Op Fans
While some Xbox One owners may prefer Left 4 Dead 2 for their co-op kicks, Warhammer: Vermintide 2 shouldn’t be ignored. The game goes for a very good price — around $30 — and it’s solid when it comes to having your friends jump in and have a blast. Sure, the difficulty spikes may be a bit much at times if you’re on your own (especially against bosses — even with AI characters, it can be a handful); but the gameplay, visuals and character variety make up for them. And what’s more, each character has a sense of usefulness, compared to being the “weak part” of a game. You’ll want to try each one out just to see how they fare.
It’ll probably be a while before the next Left 4 Dead game surfaces. So you should feel right at home filling in the void with some vermin.
WWG’s Score: 4 out of 5.
Disclaimer: A review code was provided by the publisher.
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