Left 4 Godot

Last updated on: May 21, 2009 at 9:40 am by Richard Clark

Left 4 Godot 2009-05-21T09:40:24-06:00 Richard Clark

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Ludus Novus explains why Left 4 Dead is a lot like Waiting for Godot. I love this stuff:

Even death is no escape for a Survivor. A dead Survivor will appear at the next safehouse, but they will also find themselves trapped in “rescue closets,” waiting to be discovered by the others. They seem to have memories of the others while trapped; for example, Zoey will sometimes call out, “Guys? Guys! I’m over here!” when in a closet.

Of course, many of these creepy details are motivated by gameplay requirements; permanent death would hardly be fun, and campaigns need to be played multiple times. However, other things also suggest this hopeless eternity. The “Death Toll” campaign includes graffiti saying “Exodus 9:15,” a Bible verse describing divine punishment through pestilence, and contains a section where a church provides little refuge. “Dead Air” contains numerous spraypainted messages that “God Is Dead.” No other uninfected humans are ever seen throughout the game; only their voices are heard over radios and through doors.

The Special Infected are unsettling, as well. The Boomer is bloated and overweight, evoking thoughts of decadence and indulgence. The Smoker is thin and clearly unwell, in keeping with its name. The hooded Hunter suggests various undesirables of uninfected culture, from the Unabomber to rebellious skaters. The Tank is an embodiment of artificial, steroidal muscle, and the Witch is defined by unrestrained emotion. These zombies are not alien; they suffer from maladies that are all-too-human, which is what makes them so disturbing. A case could be made that these are the incarnations of modern-day Deadly Sins, populating the Survivor’s eternal hell.

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