Left 4 Dead begins in Pennsylvania, following an outbreak of the so-called Green Flu, a highly transmittable virus which manifests itself as massively increased aggression and the loss of many higher brain functions within its victim. Two weeks after the infection of Patient Zero, four immune Survivors of the outbreak make their way through the city of Fairfield, only to discover that the virus is creating new, even more dangerous mutations. After narrowly avoiding these new Infected, along with hordes of others, the Survivors are alerted to the presence of an evacuation point at the nearby Mercy Hospital by a passing news helicopter. Fighting their way through the city's streets, subway and sewers, the Survivors are rescued from the hospital's roof by the pilot, only to discover that he is succumbing to the Infection. With the youngest of the group forced to kill the pilot, the helicopter crash lands in an industrial district outside the city. Finding a delivery truck that has been armored by other Survivors, the group decides to use it to make their way to the town of Riverside. Before arriving in the town, however, they find the road blocked, and are forced to travel the rest of the way on foot. Following an encounter with an infected madman in the local church, they discover that the town is overrun, and decide to head to a nearby boathouse for possible rescue. Contacting a small fishing vessel owned by a married couple, they are thrown off board in the city of Newburg on the other side of the river, only to find much of it in flames. Seeking cover in a large greenhouse, their rest is interrupted when a military plane passes overhead, leading the Survivors to travel through the city's business district towards Metro International Airport. Upon arrival, the group is shocked to see that in an attempt to contain the Infection, the military had bombed the airport; the runway, however, is largely intact, allowing the Survivors to fuel up and escape in the waiting C-130. Despite this apparent rescue, the Survivors once again find themselves alone on the outskirts of Allegheny National Forest. Following a series of train tracks through the area, the group find themselves at a functioning but abandoned military outpost. After answering a radio transmission, the Survivors make their final stand against hordes of Infected, before a military APC arrives to transport them to Northeast Safe Zone, supposedly the only location in the area yet to be overrun. Afterwards, instead of being taken to the Echo Safe Zone, the Survivors are taken to a military base at Millhaven with orders to capture and test "Tango Mikes" as the military refers to them. They are informed that they are Carriers of the virus, and while showing no physical symptoms, they can still infect others. An alarm is sounded by a rebellious lieutenant and the Survivors are guided to a train by helpful military staff. Their newfound friends are unfortunately left for dead as the eldest Survivor refuses to compromise his fellow Survivors by letting them board. The train then stops in Rayford, Georgia, a city located not too far away from Atlanta. Their disputes put aside for now, the group begins looking for a sailboat to take them to the Florida Keys where they believe there are to be no Infected. Their journey brings them to a sailboat blocked off by a lift bridge. The Survivors work to get the bridge lifted so they can wait for the horde to go away then get down and hijack the boat; however, the generators lifting the bridge stop halfway to the top. The oldest of the Survivors then decides to risk his life to save the other Survivors and get them out safely. He jumps off the bridge and makes his way back to the generator and restarts it, but before he can make his way back, he is attacked by three Tanks and mortally wounded. To make sure his sacrifice wasn't in vain, the three remaining Survivors set sail for the Florida Keys, but only after helping four other Survivors which they help out by lowering the bridge to let them on their way to New Orleans.

• published: 27 May 2011
• views: 2784