During The Game Awards 2020, developer Turtle Rock Studios shared the first look at their next cooperative first-person shooter Back 4 Blood; by all accounts, the spiritual successor to Left 4 Dead, also developed by Turtle Rock. During the trailer they released during the Game Awards, they revealed that people can try the game during the PC Closed Alpha. Leading up to the launch of the Alpha, Turtle Rock shared more information about the game and what everyone who is participating can expect from the Alpha which runs over the weekend from December 17-21.
Back 4 Blood has players take on the role of a Cleaner who is waging a war against the Ridden. You and your friends will fight your way through a dynamic, perilous world in a 4-player co-op story campaign where you must work together to survive increasingly challenging missions. Players can play the game with up to 3 friends or go solo with AI teammates.
In addition to the campaign, Back 4 Blood will also support competitive multiplayer. You can become a Cleaner or switch sides and play as one of the horrific Ridden. Both sides come with unique weapons, abilities, and specialties.
The thing that differentiates Back 4 Blood from its predecessor is the new “roguelike” card system that will create different experiences each and every time you play the game. You’ll be able to craft custom decks, roll different builds and undertake more demanding fights. The variety and changes that happen every time you play is handled by the game director, a system that will affect which enemies, modifiers, how the environment changes, and more during each run.
The Closed PC Alpha showcases an early mission called Evansburgh from the campaign. The mission will have you and your friends fight overwhelming odds and tackle towering monstrosities to survive. There are 4 playable characters to choose from in the Alpha: Walker, Holly, Evangelo, and Hoffman. The full game will have 8 characters. Each character will have distinct personalities and have their own unique secondary weapon and character perk.
Back 4 Blood is available to pre-order now. The game releases on June 22, 2021, for PS4|PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC.