Left 4 Dead is now in stores worldwide, and the gaming press has had a chance to take it for a test drive. The reviews are out, in print and online, and we're incredibly honored to report that the response has been overwhelmingly positive, with a score of 88% at Metacritic as of today:


Ars Technica: "This is a game you need to own."

G4TV: "Fast zombies? Check. Non-stop tension and intensity? Check. The quality of gameplay we expect from Valve? Check." 5/5 stars

PC Gamer: "You'll go back and play the same map again and again... No two run-throughs of Left 4 Dead are the same." 9.3/10

1UP.com: "I love this damn game." (A-)

Game Informer: "...The multiplayer experience of the year. One of video games' most imaginative, visceral, and indecently impactful experiences." (9.25/10)

Kotaku: "I'm addicted. It's rare that I enjoy a game this much from the get-go. This is a brilliant, tightly executed shooter that feels fresh and exciting."

Gamespot: "...A remarkably fun, excitingly tense game that will make you want to revisit the apocalypse again and again." (8.5/10)

MS XBOX World: "Left 4 Dead is THE best game I've played in years, and offers one of the best new multiplayer experiences available on the market. Bravo, Valve, game of the year in my books." (10/10)

GamerVision: "Left4Dead gives the best cooperative experience in gaming, hands down. Nothing compares." (9/10)

Maximum PC: "Left 4 Dead didn't just meet our high expectations for the zombie apocalypse, it exceeded them." 10/10

Official Xbox Magazine: "Left 4 Dead presents the zombie apocalypse the way we always hoped it would be: filled with non-stop tension and continuous carnage." 9.5/10

IGN UK: "One of the finest zombie games ever made, and one of the finest co-op games ever made." 9.2/10

GamePro: "I can't recommend Left 4 Dead highly enough." (Editors Choice Award)

VideoGamer.com: "Left 4 Dead is a game you simply can't pass up." (9/10)

Game Stooge: "This is a game for anyone who loves playing co-op - there isn't a better game this side of Halo 3 for four player co-op insanity." 5/5 stars

Edge Magazine (Christmas 2008 Issue): "Left 4 Dead stands among the very best that online gaming has to offer."

ShackNews: "Left 4 Dead may be the best co-op experience of my gaming life."

TeamXbox: "...A great blend of survival/horror and FPS action." (9.1/10)

GameSpy: "Left 4 Dead has actually been built from the ground up specifically for co-op play, and the resulting product is one of the most intense, enjoyable gaming experiences to date. Best of all, it gets exponentially better with every human player that's added, to the point that playing with three of your friends is close to gaming nirvana." (4.5/5)

IGN.com: "Left 4 Dead is one of the most social and exciting multiplayer games that we've ever played. It's almost pitch perfect in how it captures the tension and the action of a Hollywood zombie movie. This is an incredible and highly replayable multiplayer experience." (9.0/10)

Wired.com: "...One of the most exciting and addictive gaming experiences ever."