This is a job well done!
I have not played a campaign this good for a very long time! Supplies are well placed, crescendo events are well-thought of, and the finale is very enjoyable and original. This really brings something fresh to a seven-year old game. Keep up the good work! An absolute 100/100 in my book!
Pros:
* I love the original concept introduced in this campaign. There is a new finale gameplay introduced and there are several NPC's that help you proceed through the map. I love how we can interact with these NPC's. Their animations were so smooth that it almost felt like I was playing an official L4D2 campaign made by Valve itself! * Supplies are sufficient and scattered throughout the campaign making it player-friendly even on higher difficulties. They also appear at random so you will need to explore the map which adds to the challenge. * The intro was cool! * Each map presents different alternative paths which adds to the replayability of the campaign. In other words, it makes the campaign fresh with each replay.
Cons:
* In map 3, there was a part where we go slow mo while watching a hazmat guy drive himself to death through a wall. After that animation, the slow mo doesn't wear off making it kind of hard to back up when being overwhelmed by the infected. At first I thought this slow mo was a glitch. It was only on my fourth replay that I realized that this was part of an animation that triggers the horde. (Although it happens only on a certain part - it was like walking on water, it wears off when you reach dry land) * The alternate path in the final map where you would enter a fake saferoom then the floor gives up triggering the horde is somewhat frustrating because Special Infected are waiting below and there's no way to avoid them. However, I understand that this adds challenge to the game but it was kind of frustrating for me especially when a combination of Boomer and Spitter awaits your descent. * There was a map where you would need to turn off a power box to avoid getting electrocuted by the water. After doing this, you would be able to access a room where there are two health packs and a grenade launcher. The problem here is that I cannot pick up the health packs and only bots are able to acquire it.
Conclusion:
This is ultimately an amazing campaign. This would actually work as an official DLC to connect The Sacrifice comic to The Sacrifice campaign. Although at first, I was a bit skeptical about the idea of the survivors looking for a second train ride, I have learned to love the whole campaign. Everything was great and amazing, not to mention the challenge offered by the events throughout the map. You know what? If there should be a campaign that tells us the story of what happened after Louis, Zoey, and Francis reach Florida Keys or a campaign that shows what happened to Nick, Coach, Ellis, and Rochelle after getting picked up by the military in the Parish campaign, I would love to have you do it because of the absolute originality and creativity of this campaign -- just sayin' ;) One question though: What would happen if I rescue the Gnome? Because, I have played this campaign multiple times and I always fail to rescue it. I always forget about it or put it in places where I can't reach. :(
Pros:
* The map was true to their theme of a Japanese-inspired campaign. The materials used, especially in the first map, were all original and truly Japanese. * I like the traditional Japanese huts museum in Kyoto Town. I spent time reading the information scattered there and let the bots take care of the infected. Haha! * Custom Japanese-themed music in saferooms and in the cable car in the 4th map. I also like the radio announcement in the beginning of the first map. * I like the originality of the custom saferoom (or safetruck) in the first map. * The detail of the Kiyomizu Temple is simply outstanding. * The cable car event was an original idea, although the time spent waiting for the cable car was kind of quick and the panic event was short-lived, but I do not consider this a con because... * The campaign was kind of too easy and this is one of the most relaxing campaigns I have ever played. There were very few panic events (only present in the third map) and the finale was way too easy even on expert (I was able to collect the gas cans even before I called for rescue). For others this would've been a con but for me, I like to play L4D2 to relax, not to pump my adrenaline so the low difficulty of the campaign is a pro for me.
Cons:
There are few bugs in the game that I have noticed while playing. * I died in map 2 and when I respawned in map 3, I did so outside the map and forced me to restart the whole campaign. * In map one, in the kitchen area before the safetruck (I'm not sure if that was a kitchen, but it was the building before the safetruck and after the grocery store), Special Infected would get stuck in the kitchen counter, making them an easy target. * In map one again, I was playing expert and died. When the game restarted, the music vanished and only the sound of the voices of the survivors, the radio announcement, and the infected are heard - no background music. * In map two, when I died and the game restarted, there were no more infected population throughout the map. We were able to get to the saferoom without dealing any damage at all. The only thing that stood on our way are the special infected. * In the third map, when the cable car arrives, bots don't get in the cable car quickly but instead they just stand in front of the door of the car.
Conclusion:
What really caught my attention in this amazing campaign is that it was relaxing to the point that it was way too easy even in expert. I loved it because although I like challenging campaigns, I prefer maps which don't frustrate me due to an almost impossible difficulty. I hope to see more maps like this so I can play in peace. Haha!
Pros:
*Nice skin for the Weretank. *Large maps to explore and places outside the main path of the maps are not vacant for at times there are supplies waiting to be picked up. *Ambience was scary with the distant howling of the wolf. *Original sounds which adds to the eerie ambience of the game. *Clues and trivias can be found in signs and news broadcasts throughout the map. *ENGLAND!!!
Cons:
*I had problems with the third map with my game crashing back to desktop. It happened to me 3 times before I turned off all my other addons. It happened again one time then on my next try, I was able to finish the game. I don't know if the problem was in the map, my addons, or my computer. *In spite of the fact that supplies can be found by exploring outside the main path of the map, I think ammo and other supplies are scarce given the frequency of the horde's spawn which makes the game challenging for single players like me. *Supplies are too scarce in the last map. There should be first aid kits, pills, throwables, and guns before the finale starts but instead they are located midway back to Arthur which is kind of disappointing given that the tank spawns together with the endless horde. *As I have said, the tank spawns together with the endless horde which is kind of frustrating for a single player like me.
Conclusion:
Overall, I do believe that this map was beautifully made with its original concepts and storyline. It is fun to play with friends but can prove itself challenging and frustrating for single players. Despite the bug I encountered in the third map and the frustrating finale, I can still say that this map is worth a try and is pretty great! :D
A Short yet Great Experience