Book it if
You want a cheap, fast co-op shooter that any group can start tonight.
Skip it if
You want long-term progression, building, or modern visuals.
Trip sheet
- Crew size
- 1–4 players
- Online
- Yes
- Crossplay
- No
- Split-screen
- No
- Solo
- Playable with AI teammates
- Voice chat
- Helpful
- Danger
- Dangerous
1The pitch
Four survivors fight from safe room to safe room across short campaigns full of zombie hordes and special infected. The AI Director changes enemy placement, items, and intensity each time, so runs rarely play out the same. Special infected are built to punish players who leave the group.
2Playing together
Campaign co-op is for 4 players, and Versus mode supports 8, with two teams of four swapping between survivors and infected. Play is online through Steam; the PC version has no supported split-screen and no crossplay. Bots fill any empty survivor slots.
3Roles in the squad
There are no classes, but roles form fast: someone carries the medkit, someone watches the rear, someone handles the Witch. Special infected like the Smoker and Hunter pin single players, so the team has to stay close and react. In Versus, coordinated infected attacks are where the real teamwork lives.
4Look & sound
The Source engine visuals are dated, but lighting and level design still sell the atmosphere. Audio cues for each special infected are distinct, so good players learn to listen. Music stings warn of the Tank long before you see it.
5Setup & value
It costs $9.99 on Steam, runs on Windows and Linux, and is listed as Verified on Steam Deck. Steam Workshop has a huge library of custom campaigns and mods. Low system requirements mean almost any friend's PC can run it.
Best bits
- Very low price
- Runs on nearly any PC
- 8-player Versus mode
- Huge Workshop library
Watch out
- Campaign co-op capped at 4
- Dated visuals
- No crossplay
Score sheet
- Teamwork 25%
- 92
- Fun as a squad 25%
- 92
- Easy to join 15%
- 92
- Replay 20%
- 88
- Value 15%
- 96
92 × 25% + 92 × 25% + 92 × 15% + 88 × 20% + 96 × 15% = 91.80 → 92
Trip report verdict
Verdict
“Left 4 Dead 2 is still the template for co-op shooters, and at $9.99 it is the best value on this list. The four-player campaign limit and age show, but Versus and the Workshop keep it fresh for groups of up to eight.”
By the Squad Play Review editorial desk · Updated 6 Oct 2026 · How we score · Report an error
