Another Week Ends

I am presently waiting at my computer for a message to join a game of Left 4 Dead from a friend of mine. I'm waiting for a friend to join because I've grown tired of joining games that are filled entirely with strangers. As the frags rack up in my profile the fun is starting to notch itself down. It stings me a bit to speak poorly of a game I have championed from a developer I believe in, but I'm not here just to point out the positive aspects of the games I enjoy, and Left 4 Dead is quickly topping my list of personal disappointments in $50 titles. The longer Valve takes to fix the patches, exploits, and quirks, the less community we'll have left to host and play our games when it finally occurs.

It had to be the holiday rush. Valve has a spectacular record of releasing fully fleshed out games, some of which have been delayed for well over a year for polish. Half-Life 2 wasn't released until six years after its older brother, and was lauded by critics as a masterwork for its time. I'm worried that with all of success Valve has had in the titles succeeding that sequel they've started to lose their focus on what used to sell their games. Releasing something as unfinished as Left 4 Dead and charging a full $50 for what might amount to a complicated Half-Life 2 modification is uncharacteristic of the company. The game still stands on its own as a unique and entertaining cooperative experience, but novelty alone wont carry a game far beyond the holiday season, and I hope the team comes back strong in January to pick up the pieces.