Dubbed "The Passing," the first game add-on for L4D2 brings the original Left 4 Dead (L4D1) Survivors down south for a meeting with the L4D2 cast, while delivering new single-player, multiplayer and co-operative gameplay for the PC and Xbox 360.
Targeted for release in early spring, "The Passing" takes place just after the Dead Center campaign of L4D2. Set in a small town in rural Georgia, players assume the role of the L4D2 Survivors as they meet with the L4D1 characters.
In addition to the new co-operative campaign and associated narrative, "The Passing" will include new arenas for Survival, Versus and Scavenge mode and introduce a new co-operative challenge mode of play. The Passing will also include a new "uncommon common" zombie class, melee weapon, and firearm.
"The Passing will become the most important campaign in the Left 4 Dead story, as all the Survivors are being called together in one campaign," said Doug Lombardi, VP of marketing at Valve. "It will also be a huge offering of new gameplay content, with something new for every game mode plus a new uncommon common and weaponry."
I'm a little surprised this episode is set after Dead Center, which places it near the beginning of the Left 4 Dead 2 timeline and not after it, as you might expect. So you have to imagine nothing too terrible is going to happen to our intrepid heroes like Coach and Ellis, since they'll need to go on and participate in the game's four subsequent campaigns.
I would've liked to see what happens after the end of the game, but then again, I will in no way argue with a significant piece of new content for this game. How about you? Excited to see Louis and Bill again? Ready to (presumably) fork over for a new campaign?