'Back 4 Blood': How Does Main Game Compare To Beta?

It’s been a little over a week since the official launch of “Back 4 Blood.” While the game has proven to be a stellar experience for the most part, many issues that plagued the beta tests can still be found in the official version.

“Back 4 Blood’s” value as an enjoyable co-op horde shooter with satisfying gunplay and an interesting meta-game is hard to dispute. For many players, the game is still the “Left 4 Dead 2” sequel that they have been asking for. However, some of the more critical members of the playerbase noted that the game has some issues that still haven’t been resolved.

One of the main concerns regarding “Back 4 Blood” in the beta was the staggering difficulty gap between Recruit and Veteran modes. Unfortunately, Recruit is still too easy and Veteran is still too hard even in the official launch version.

Players still found the jump between Recruit and Veteran to be too jarring, with some complaining that Veteran mode was almost impossible to beat the first time around. However, other players noted that completing the entire campaign on Recruit to gain access to better cards was necessary in order to survive in the higher difficulties.

Much of “Back 4 Blood’s” difficulty stems from odd game design choices regarding the special zombies. Unlike “Left 4 Dead,” this game doesn’t give players any time to prepare or anticipate the arrival of mutated Ridden. There are no audible sound cues to be heard or any other form of early indicator, which leaves players constantly surprised.

Trauma effects that reduce maximum health are still oppressive, and they heavily punish players who are careless. However, there are now more cards that can help deal with this debilitating effect.

Speaking of cards, there are now more card options for custom decks that will allow for specific character builds. Players have already crafted power card decks that revolve around boosting specific gameplay aspects like healing, trauma resistance, mobility and melee damage.

AI teammates have been somewhat improved, but they are still not as reliable as many players had hoped for. Bots now prioritize helping players who are trapped by special Ridden and no longer stop functioning mid-game.

The overall game experience remains largely the same when compared to the beta, except players can now explore all that “Back 4 Blood” has to offer. Should Turtle Rock listen to the community’s feedback, fans can expect some changes to happen to the game in the coming months.