Left 4 Dead 2 Video Review

Whether or not Left 4 Dead 2 is for you really depends on your level of exposure and affinity for the style of hardcore team-focused gameplay Valve is offering here. If you’re still interested in the gameplay, then you’re going to enjoy every aspect of the sequel since it’s improved in all areas, from available game modes to strength of character and personality to replayability and its visual style. After playing, you’ll find it impossible to go back to the first game. Though plenty of other games offer co-operative gameplay against mobs of computer-controlled foes, no other game emphasizes teamwork as strongly as this, and few other games are as satisfying when you’re able to pull through successfully, particularly when competing in Versus mode against four human-controlled boss zombies. If you saw the original and were always curious to try it out, then by all means get the sequel. It is, without a doubt, the better game. Yet despite all the advancements and additions, it’s still very familiar, and something meant to appeal to those who are already sold on the concept. If you’re someone never cared for the game, Left 4 Dead 2 isn’t going to change your mind. Even so, it remains one of the most distinctive co-operative titles out there, and allows for some of the most nerve-searing team-based multiplayer gaming on the market.

IGN Ratings for Left 4 Dead 2 (X360)

Rating	Description
out of 10
9.0	Presentation Better characterization and personality this time, both with the survivor characters and the environments. A great HUD keeps the frantic action comprehensible, and the game retains its B-movie tone.
8.5	Graphics The game isn’t the sharpest out there, but it’s still a great looking product. The sunnier environments and improved animations contribute heavily to this. Xbox 360 users will run into some slowdown.
9.0	Sound Excellent sound design throughout. Audio alerts you to waiting boss zombies, the weapons and groans and screams all contribute to the atmosphere, and the character voice-overs are appropriately campy.
9.0	Gameplay It’s a style of game that won’t appeal to everyone, but for what it’s going for, this sequel hits all the right notes. Better combat and superior campaign design.
9.0	Lasting Appeal With an AI Director that keeps the campaigns interesting and a host of modes that weren’t in the original at launch, there’s plenty more here for fans to enjoy.
9.0 Outstanding	OVERALL

[IGN]

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NFL Picks: Week 10 Results / Week 11 Picks

Welcome back to NFL Picks!

Here are those wild picks from Week 10:

• EVERYBODY picked Minnesota, New Orleans AND Tennessee to win in their respective games, and we all got those CORRECT.
• Jerhawk and Stopable were the ONLY ones to pick Tampa Bay WRONG in their loss to the Dolphins. This was one of the 2-point conversions that didn't work.
• xxInspirationxx was the ONLY guy to get the Jacksonville Jaguars CORRECT in their win against the N.Y. Jets.
• Deus Legend and xxInspirationxx were the ONLY ones to get the Redskins CORRECT after they took down the Broncos.
• IronHorse1995 was the ONLY one to go for the 2-point conversion with the Cleveland Browns, but got it WRONG.

None of the 5 Upset Specials went through this week. Trust me, some of them will work out this season.

The results from Week 10 alone:

1.) xxInspirationxx / 12
T2.) Stopable / 10
T2.) JohnnyX77 / 10
T4.) Jerhawk / 8
T4.) KnightnBattle10 / 8
T4.) JRC865 / 8
T7.) Deus Legend / 7
T7.) IronHorse1995 / 7
9.) BlazenHawks / 6

Finch865 and Castortroy4206 did not pick.

Now for our overall PowerRankings, presented this week by the Ford F-150. Drive one.

1.) Stopable / 97
T2.) JohnnyX77 / 95
T2.) KnightnBattle10 / 95
4.) BlazenHawks / 94
5.) JRC865 / 92
6.) Jerhawk / 89
7.) xxInspirationxx / 87
8.) Deus Legend / 85
9.) IronHorse1995 / 80
10.) Finch865 / 46
11.) Castortroy4206 / 8

The Week 11 Matchups. There are no more bye weeks for the rest of the regular season, so we will be getting the full 16 games a week until the playoffs in January.

Miami @ Carolina (Thursday Night Wild-cat)

Indianapolis @ Baltimore

*Washington @ Dallas

Cleveland @ Detroit

San Francisco @ Green Bay

Buffalo @ Jacksonville

*Pittsburgh @ Kansas City

*Seattle @ Minnesota

Atlanta @ N.Y. Giants

*New Orleans @ Tampa Bay

Arizona @ St. Louis

San Diego @ Denver

*N.Y. Jets @ New England

Cincinnati @ Oakland

Philadelphia @ Chicago (Sunday Night)

Tennessee @ Houston (Monday Night)

Here are the point spreads for the five games that I've chosen for us to go for the 2-point conversions:

Washington Redskins (3-6) vs. Dallas Cowboys (6-3)
The Cowboys are favored by 11 points.

Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3) vs. Kansas City Chiefs (2-7)
The Steelers are favored by 10 points.

Seattle Seahawks (3-6) vs. Minnesota Vikings (8-1)
Minnesota is favored by 11 points over the Seahawks.

New Orleans Saints (9-0) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-8)
The Saints are favored by 11.5 points.

N.Y. Jets (4-5) vs. New England Patriots (6-3)
New England is favored by 10.5 points over the Jets.

The link to the point spreads: http://www.footballlocks.com/nfl_point_spreads.shtml

Last week we had the chance to change our Super Bowl picks. These were the three people to change those picks, and go down to 5 points rather than 10 possible if their pick is right:

Jerhawk: Changed from Tennessee to Minnesota
Deus Legend: Changed from Baltimore to Indianapolis
BlazenHawks: Changed from Atlanta to Indianapolis

It's been awhile since we've done a player comparison, so here's one brought to us by our good friend JohnnyX77. This one includes Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry (left) and the characters from James Cameron's new movie coming out in December, Avatar (right).

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Modern Warfare 2 DLC

Activision is planning two map packs for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 -- one less than was released for Call of Duty: World at War. CEO Mike Griffith said, plainly, "We plan to launch two separate map packs for this title." We already knew that two map packs would be timed 360-exclusives, so these would seem to be those promised packs.

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