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N° 15: Guns, Whisky and Zombies.

I asked my readers what I should cover next, and they chose something energetic and groovy. So here it is.


Back in 2008, Left For Dead took the world by storm and quickly became one of the most played and loved game of this decade. It had simple but effective core mechanics : you and three other survivors had to get from A to B as fast as possible and you had to mow down dozens of zombies on the way, while providing cover for your teammates and keeping an eye on the special infecteds, who could quickly end your game if your team wasn't strong enough or didn't cooperate enough.

Then, just one year later, came L4D2. It was the same game at the core, but better: more guns, new characters,new special events, more special infecteds, and so on. Basically Left For Dead + .

As often, music and audio cues play a big role in this kind of games, to let you know what's about to happen, when you're safe, what's approaching, the usual. It does the job, but there's nothing unforgettable.

Except this one track.

You see, the developers behind L4D2 tried to flesh out the world a little bit more, to make it real and coherent. And among all the small details they added, one stands out : the Midnight Riders. It's a fictional band, but they're presented in-game as the biggest band there is (a real-life equivalent would be AC/DC I guess).

And while playing, you may come across a jukebox in a café. If you activate it, it has a chance to play this song (and it will attract zombies too). That's how I first heard it, and the combination of heavy rock, gunfire and screams made it an experience I won't forget anytime soon.

It's nothing special, but there's something in a simple 4/4 beat coupled with heavy and grainy guitars that gets me every time and I always end up headbanging. It's just so catchy and groovy, it evokes the delicate scent of beer, sweat and leather, it's rock & roll 101.

The lyrics are the icing on the cake: it deals with a less than recommendable man, going from town to town, drinking a lot, getting women, stealing and brawling. A lovable outlaw with no morals. I know it's cliché, but it fits the in-game portrayal of the band, and with some distance, you'll realize it's  and a nod to the clichés commonly associated to rock music and all things considered, nothing but light-hearted fun.

Just what L4D2 is.

So I'll hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did (and still do).

Play it loud, get yourself a nice cold beer and keep on rocking my friends,

I'll see you next time,

-Aliascent



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