An Even Greater Endorsement for Zombies

Marjorie is just about as not-a-gamer as a person can be, so it's definitely worth stating that when I showed her Left 4 Dead last night she actually sat and watched me play through a whole movie. That never happens. It's just that good.

Incidentally, it was also the first time I actually survived the "Blood Harvest" campaign, so it was extra-special to have a spectator there. I had died many times during the finale over the past few weeks, a few times within a yard or less of the rescue vehicle. In practically any other game I would probably have gotten pretty frustrated to get so close to victory only to have it cruelly snatched away, but when it happens in L4D it's awesome just about every time. Seeing the story end terribly and tragically is in keeping with the genre of film they've so skillfully brought to life on the console. So while I'm screaming in anguish as a monstrous infected hulk squashes me into paste beneath the skid of the evac helicopter, at the same time I'm cheering. It's a mean and perfect conclusion.