In the UK, most arcade machines are gaudy, flashing money-sinks, designed to trap the arms of extra-strength-beer-swilling drunks as they attempt to pry loose change from the coin return slot. They are places of hellish despair, rich with unique smells and suspicious stains. In other countries, they also contain the promise of fun, friendship, and not stepping in a puddle of sick. Nowhere is this more the case than in Japan, where an array of popular arcades can still attract the interest of developers. Valve, for instance, are now collaborating with arcade specialists Taito on an arcade port of Left 4 Dead.
An informative trailer has surfaced on the port's official site:
Titled Left 4 Dead: Survivors, the concept will likely be similar in scope to Valve/Taito's previous collaboration, Half-Life 2: Survivor.
That's right, there was a Half-Life 2 arcade game, and it looks amazing. Terrible, sure, but also amazing.
In fairness, those are modes designed for arcade. The game's story mode is... sort of Half-Life 2. If you squint a bit.
If we're all very lucky, Left 4 Dead: Survivors will be similarly terribrilliant.
