The lead up to the game saw much controversy after it was announced at 2009's E3 and was set to be released in November that year, a single year after the release of the first game. The narrative to the game has also changed as each campaign now leads into the next one rather than being standalone (for the most part) like the first game did. Also introduced is Realism, where most auras are removed (including the ones around teammates), Witches instantly kill on any difficulty except Easy, there are no 'rescue' closets (dead players only respawn at the start of a new level), and a few other things. Also introduced is the new Scavenge mode, an eight-player mode similar to Versus where the point isn't to reach the safe room it's to collect gas cans and dump them into a generator, the winner determined by which team can get more into the generator before they're overwhelmed. The game sports a few new features such as three new special infected: the self-explanatory Charger, the acid-puking Spitter, and the body-clinging Jockey.
The difference this time out is the setting is located somewhere around the Louisiana area. You play as one of four survivors trying to make their way though bloodthirsty hordes of mutant infected to reach safety. The plot is roughly the same as the previous game: a deadly virus epidemic has claimed the country.
