Swamp Fever
Chapter 1 begins in a train car set to the backdrop of a wrecked helicopter. Nick and Ellis explain the wreckage with an amusing exchange regarding the fate of their pilot from Dark Carnival who was unfortunately iced by Nick after turning into a zombie mid-flight.
Disembarking from the train car, the Survivors must negotiate an abandoned rural town teeming with the undead. If the Survivors overcome the undead, and the zombie Horde lying in wait at the outskirts of the bog, then they are carried deep into the belching swamp by way of ferry. Once across, they make a short trip through some plank paths in the muck to a sewage tunnel where a safe room has been established.
Chapter 2 begins by following the Survivors deeper into the swamp. After a few brushes with Infected Mudmen, a smattering of standard zombies, and an encounter with an army paratrooper stuck in the trees with an open chute, the Survivors come across a crashed jet liner which triggers a Horde until the liner itself is cleared.
Upon making their way through several houses ruined by the muck, the Survivors come upon a fenced in safe room crafted by the rural Survivors that have already passed through.
Chapter 3 sends the Survivors through a shantytown built in the swamp by inhabitants, which are now infected. At the center of the town, the Survivors must cross a small bridge to move on to Plantation, a place said to be safe. If the Survivors successfully escape the swamp, they are brought to their third and final safe room.
Chapter 4 begins by entering the plantation area through the last of the shantytowns; after fighting through the plantation itself, the Survivors contact a man named Virgil who will rescue them via boat. After surviving numerous special Infected and several waves of Horde, the boat arrives and the Survivors ride it to safety.
Hard Rain
Hard Rain begins as a diesel run for Virgil, the savior from Swamp Fever. Obviously, it couldn’t possibly be that easy and, sure enough, there is no diesel to be found. However, another handy highway marquis points to a location two miles down the road that’s stocked with fuel.
The Survivors quickly note that rain’s a comin’, and remark that it would be a good idea to remember landmarks to find their way back. After winding their way in and out of the lifeless town that continually sprawls out before them, the Survivors find refuge in a safe house just as the rain begins to fall.
Chapter 2 follows the Survivors as they navigate the ruined city, ultimately coming upon a derelict sugar plant. The warning on the outside of the plant is very straightforward, and very accurate: This place is crawling with Witches and, what’s more, they’ve taken to walking around a bit. Some frustrating squeezes and one Horde-inducing elevator ride later, and the Survivors arrive at the safe room inside the gas station behind the sugar plant.
Chapter 3 begins at this gas station, where the Survivors have collected their fill of diesel (it’s actually on their backs, good touch). The rain has begun to pour, reducing both visibility and movement speed. Their goal now is to return to the dock from whence they came, which would be simple were it not for the Witches that have returned to the sugar plant and the surrounding area. Players disinterested in surprise incaps will have to limit their vision even more by leaving the flashlight off.
As the Survivors trek back through the areas they’ve previously visited, they’ll give verbal confirmation of each major landmark on their way. At several places along the way, however, they encounter storm squalls that greatly impair movement speed while under assault from the Horde. When they finally return to the safe room near the outskirts of the city, the Survivors can take a breather before making their run for the boat with diesel in tow.
Chapter 4 is the final chapter of the return trip, and it leads the Survivors back through the small outlying town with a few interruptions in the form of zombies and inclement weather. Though the flooding has hampered movement, the rooftops helped them speed towards the final safe room in the finale.
The finale opens with the Survivors making short run by the remaining landmarks to the burger joint they were originally dropped at. After clearing out some of the common Infected in the area, the Survivors hail their transport and await its arrival.
The battle that ensues is one of the least forgiving thus far. The most advantageous position here is the roof, but Survivors knocked to the ground by the Tank must immediately return to it or the Horde will quickly overcome them. If the Survivors endure the rush of two Tanks and two Hordes, then they can finally board the boat and make good their escape.
The Parish
The final campaign of Left 4 Dead 2 is a challenging one that kicks off with good ol’ Virgil dropping the Survivors off at the docks in New Orleans.
Chapter 1 is little more than an introduction to the new environment provided by the downtown area. Even with a few Riot Trooper Infected mixed in, this chapter is definitely the shortest and simplest the Parish has to offer; ten minutes and a bit of running’n’gunning, and the Survivors find their first safe room.
Chapter 2 sends the Survivors wandering through the hedge-ridden park in an attempt to get to the bridge which promises rescue via helicopter. While the Survivors do run beneath the freeway to reach a safe room, they cannot reach the bridge from this vantage.
And so Chapter 3 begins with the Survivors at the foot of the freeway, closing in on their goal of reaching the bridge. Heading up to the highway, they find that the military is bombing the bridge to halt the spread of the infection, which means they have to move fast.
The Survivors cut through a large cemetery to shorten their travel, and they do so while fending off wave after wave of Horde. After a difficult trek through the sewers of the city, the Survivors emerge on the other side of the cemetery to the sanctuary of a safe room.
Chapter 4 starts with a bang. Literally. Missiles begin striking the safe room from the outset of the chapter, and they continue to strike the area throughout. This exceptionally long crawl through the alleys and apartments of the city pits the Survivors against legions of special Infected. Making it to the safe room, the Survivors close in on the end of their ordeal.
Chapter 5 of the Parish is a very unique experience indeed. Immediately after exiting the safe room, the Survivors find themselves on the bridge. After activating the radio, the finale begins by pitting them against everything that could possibly stop them from crossing: Tanks, Chargers, Spitters, Smokers, Hunters, Boomers, Jockies and Horde.
We personally encountered every special Infected in the game but the Witch on our journey across.
On the way, the Survivors are likely to run out of ammunition, but they are treated to ammo caches strewn throughout the wreckage. Once the helicopter is in sight, Survivors have to work hard and fast to reach the helipad it landed on several levels below their spot on the bridge. The heroes have precious time to board helicopter while dodging the Tank(s); if they make it, the heroes lift off and are spirited away to the sights of an Infected New Orleans.
Observant players will notice in this final escape that several locations have been taken directly from the real-life city.
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