Zombies have yet to be usurped by lesser cultural phenomena as the coolest things ever, but for good reason: they continue to rock. So while it's fortunate for Turtle Rock Studios and Valve that their quadplayer co-op zombie shooter Left 4 Dead is arriving while zombies still have their street-cred, it's even better that the game gives us undead (or seemingly undead) in a way we haven't seen before. Our own Chris Remo penned a lengthy exposition on the basics of Left 4 Dead earlier this year, so I won't bother with the small stuff; instead, learn what makes this game worthy of your rapt attention.

I picked up play as a survivor in a four-player round mid-level--as another player was leaving--and was instantly acclimated to the gameplay. Outside standard shooter controls, there was just one key press for all of the game's actions and context events. There's no on-screen map or much of a HUD to speak of, and teammates' ghostly white outlines can be seen through walls for quick regrouping. To be able to present a modern shooter in such an accessible way is definitely an accomplishment. But to present a four-player cooperative online shooter with literally zero learning curve in seconds is worthy of even greater accolades. Of course, if this simple gameplay wasn't paired with an overall experience of much greater breadth, those merits would be unfounded--not the case here.

The 28 Days Later-influenced hyper zombies come out in unheard of volumes, not quite comparable to Dead Rising's hordes, but more impressive in that they're all running at a full sprint toward your tasty-looking party. The standard infected usually travel en masse, and will latch on or knock you down when they get close. Once you're out of health and awaiting rescue from your teammates, you'll still be able to fire on enemies from your recumbent position on the floor. Though a stronger boss enemy may mount your fallen body and pound the remaining life out of you before you can be rescued. Some survival-horror games include rationing ammunition and avoiding enemies as a way to introduce further anxiety in gameplay--not in Left 4 Dead. This is a shooter, and you're going to give every zombie you see a bloated bellyfull of buckshot.

Left 4 Dead makes this overall atmosphere of desperation and distress even more addictive and enjoyable with the addition of several minor gameplay elements. Though the visuals certainly aren't a new high bar for shooters, the Source engine gives more than enough oomph to handle these touches. At lower health levels, characters will limp more and more, slowing to a crawl when near-death. The four distinct characters also throw retorts back and forth when in proximity, providing another element of realism to the gameplay.

In the loud demo area where I played the game, our four characters managed to stumble upon the right path to an area-ending safe point with pretty minimal communication. With headsets on, I imagine the collaboration would be markedly better. Valve's Chet Faliszek told me the game's traditional server browser has been replaced by a more modern and comprehensive lobby system. The game will definitely include some sort of matchmaking ability when it ships, allowing you to play with your friends online. This should assuage the fears some may have about the game's unalterable friendly fire feature. As previously reported, you'll be able to play the game from the perspective of an infected enemy as well, again with a team of four players, though I didn't get to try this mode out.

With about 30 minutes of gameplay under my belt, I could've stood to play a few dozen more hours without taking a break, but the guys from Valve had to pack up their gear. I'll definitely be tempted to pick up where I left off when this game retails.

Look for Left 4 Dead on PC and Xbox 360 early next year.