The Card System Shenanings and Getting Used to The Process
With Back 4 Blood, there aren’t any breaks. The moment you enter the apocalyptic streets filled with Ridden (essentially, zombies, but worse), it’s bonkers, and it wants you to step right in. Along with that, the game is more than happy to give you the freedom to tackle the situation however you see fit. The game’s identity is manifested by its Card Deck System. It’s similar to a class setup that adapts to the styles within the game and changes. Do you wish to be a melee beast obtainable by consitently smashing everything you come into contact with? There is a card for everything. Do you identify as a swift and sneaky person? Consider this, if you add stamina boosters, the chances of you sprinting around bosses take a whole new twist.
In 2025, Back 4 Blood’s community already knows how to tinker with the builds so readily. The beauty of it all is that one is able to wield the system without worrying too deeply about the consequences. I was first a shotgun-carrying tank that plunged into hoards aimlessly. Then, I kitted Holly out with so many speed perks I felt like I was racing my shadows. All this is extremely chaotic, unpredictable, and astonishingly thrilling. Yes, from time to time I did pick a card that ruined my run, but I suppose that adds to this whole energetic experience, correct?
Squad Dynamics: The Excitement of Co-op
In very simple terms, the game performs better when one has a squad. Whether those are your close friends or randomers that for once, clicked the game, the friendship or chaos just amplifies everything. The sound of a huge Ridden horde screeching significantly enhances the scale, even after numerous runs. It’s satisfying to scream into your mic, “LEFT SIDE, BIG GUY,” then launch a Molotov at the beast charging towards your group.
However, Back 4 Blood has its own drawbacks. The moment one teammate drops, the cracks in your squad’s armor become painfully obvious. In one of the nail-biting finishes, Crusher was just spawned and our sniper got downed. The next thirty seconds were pure insanity; I had a machete and was attempting to circle around the beast while screaming at my sniper to get revived. The silent teammate in the corner was tossing grenades like they were New Year’s Eve. That has to be my fondest memory moment. Somehow, we just managed to scrape through. That is the type of moments that make memories.
Madness at the Endgame Stages and the Choice We Make
Back 4 Blood really gets the adrenaline pumping during the last stages. During normal missions, losing one squad member feels bad, but when you are on the final stretch and at the end, it is simply brutal. When one is in the final stages, all the fatigue is gone; one is wide awake. What I will undoubtedly never in my entire life forget is the particular run where my squad lost their best DPS just a moment before a boss fight. Spoiler alert: we did wipe out, which was oddly satisfying. We almost ended up debating on resetting a few checkpoints there, but pride just got the best of us.
Your expectations might not surface from the game itself as this is not a hand-holding game. You might be in for a shock if you’re still keeping that rusty rifle which was picked three missions back. An extensive weapon pool is available but if you fail to upgrade, it will surely hurt. This becomes especially evident during the defense of the ferry set-piece moments where you get relentlessly attacked by Riddens. Gunfights are sweaty and incredibly fun.
The Left 4 Dead Legacy Missing Elements
Every gamer was super excited. Fans really were expecting Back 4 Blood to serve as a name-only spin-off of Left 4 Dead 2, but it is fine that it casts a different shadow. Turtle Rock took a new approach such as pure simplicity and focused on progression systems. There are plenty of Ridden variations, card systems, and even class-based character builds that set it apart from its original sequel.
That being said, people will agree the game has some serious oversights starting with a solo play. You might want to give it a rating and this is in stark contrast to playing Normal with bots. Also, the card system might seem overwhelmingly complex from a newcomer’s perspective and certainly isn’t great for first impressions.
Should You Dive In?
If you enjoy frenzied gameplay, expanding your character’s arsenal in the process, and you buy cheap PS4 games then look no further because Back 4 Blood is for you! And it certainly lives up to the hype in 2025. But I shall warn you! It is not entirely devoid of difficulty and it can indeed be a bit challenging, so you will need a lot of patience, be willing to work together with your team, and be ready to put in a lot of basic work. Back 4 Blood will take you through some heart-racing low points but you will be able to appreciate it much more fully once you have triumphed over it.
It is best that before you jump right into the game grab a few friends along and brace yourself! And just like how I advised you, if you are still unsure then you should know that Steam’s refund policy also caters to you. You just need to give the game two hours’ worth of playtime. If you still do not enjoy it, then it is safe to say Back 4 Blood probably isn’t worth playing.
The gaming world is too familiar with the highly awaited installment of Elden Ring, the Shadow of the Erdtree. After everything FromSoftware’s Millicent and Malenia have put us through, we have gotten another taste of the alluring nightmare. From the sword fights feeling like a personal statement to each boss battle feeling like a soul sucker – the thrill does not stop and The Level FC makes sure of that. In the same way, the sequel did justice to the fans, so too does this expansion make it feel like a sequel was in the making.
