Don't get me wrong, the Left 4 Dead games are great and have plenty of their own merits (large level design, interesting character dialogue, robust multiplayer etc.), but there are some things about RE5's Mercenaries mode that makes plain old zombie killing more fun.
1) More diversity. In an L4D game you get 4 characters as per the name. Each character is the same other than their character model and voices. In RE5, there are also 4 characters but each character comes with their own weapon builds, melee attacks, and mannerisms. There are even different variations of each character, making for a total of 10 unique loadouts. If you want a character that can scissor kick zombies and then shoot them with a longbow, all while wearing a tribal bikini outfit, you've got one. From a gameplay standpoint, the characters are more than just carbon copies of each other.
There are also more enemy types as well. You might exclaim "but wait! L4D has several different special type zombies such as the Boomer and The Spitter!"; true, but those comprise about less than 10% of the zombies you see while playing. Most of the zombies in L4D are clones that all die with 2 or 3 shots anywhere on the body. In comparison, there are a greater variety of zombie types amongst the "common" species in RE5, from ones that wield flaming crossbows to ones that wield shields and spears, while featuring many special zombies as well such as the Executioner.
2) Better graphics. RE5 is one of the best looking games ever made and it retains its visual quality in the Mercenaries mode. Some of the prime benefits that this delivers are a cinematic feel, and more immersion as the zombies show fairly detailed emotiveness on their faces. In addition, parts of the environment can be destroyed with large explosions.
3) More urgency. In L4D, I rarely felt any pressure even on the higher difficulties. The zombies are fairly stupid and you have a team to back you up. Though 20 zombies may come at you in a horde, since there are 4 of you that is effectively divided by 4 and really only 5-6 are allotted to you. Since they die so fast, and since they may even be killed by your teammate's crossfire, you rarely ever feel overwhelmed. The higher difficulty settings in L4D only seem to increase the damage dealt by the zombies, and not their actual numbers or tactics.
In comparison, the zombies in RE5 will do their best to surround you before attacking; they also sidestep bullets, and wield both explosives and projectiles. If one gets too close, they will sometimes grab a hold of you to provide time for the others to close in or attack. This provides a greater sense of urgency, and forces you to make each shot count.
4) Kills are more satisfying. Melee attacks are elaborate, and almost seem like miniature explosions in their effect. Headshots yield both satisfying visual and audio effects. L4D seems a bit limp in comparison.
All in all, RE5 just seems like better zombie slaying action in my opinion. Characters are a bit more diverse gameplay-wise, the visual presentation is much better and it's a bit more involving. Plus, there's the good ol' arcade feel.
So what do you guys prefer?
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