Xbox One Critic Reviews

Aside from average voice acting, Earthfall is a gorgeous, innovative masterpiece that innovates on the Left 4 Dead formula. And it is well worth a look.

It may seem from the outside looking in that Earthfall isn’t anything special. Looks can be deceiving. Earthfall is special in the sense that it takes a beloved series with a unique style of gameplay that most assumed to be dead and gave it new life. Left 4 Dead is a series that’s better left to die in the past. Earthfall is a game that you should give every opportunity to play.

If the absence of Left 4 Dead 3 has you itching for something alike, Earthfall will just about do the trick. It’s a shame that the game doesn’t do much to innovate, and repetition will indeed sink in once you’ve plugged in a few hours, but with that said, the core structure and its gameplay loop is compelling enough to justify a recommendation. Basic it may well be, but it’s fairly action-packed and exciting nevertheless.

Earthfall is a solo or multiplayer FPS that pits four remnants of a human town against some underwhelming aliens that are rampaging and at times swarming. It will not stand out from the other dozen games of its type but it is another reasonable choice that - at least - doesn’t require lessons.

Overall and whilst Earthfall is looking to carve an identity of its own and bring the alien invasion to our screens once more, it’s impossible not to compare it with the Left 4 Dead series. On a positive though, those wishing for a new Left 4 Dead title will find plenty of fun to be had with this addictive shooter and with a few more campaigns added to increase the longevity of the game, this is easily a title that many will want to head back to time and time again.

Unoriginal and with dull gunplay, Earthfall should only be considered if you plan to play it online with your friends.

Earthfall is a decent try at filling the Left 4 Dead 3 hole in our hearts, but it's rarely strong enough to be anything other than a lesser imitation of that classic series. Occasionally, the AI director will put on its best show and it'll feel exactly as fans of this sort of game want it to feel, but those moments are too few and far between. With flat characters, AI issues on both sides of the war, and above all else, some glaring pacing problems, Earthfall is a tough sell when the game it's cribbing so closely is backward compatible and still superior a decade later.

While it’s not Left 4 Dead, it is still a decent co-op shooter that really tries its best to be one. While there are some issues with AI and glitches, I still had a decent time with Earthfall. Co-op really makes up for a lot of the issues, and for a relatively cheap price, you can more than likely get a few friends to pick it up and have some fun co-op action for a few hours.

There will be something here for those looking to scratch the Left 4 Dead itch, but Earthfall revels in simply functioning like it should, rather than standing out on its own. It exists in a limbo between a great and bad game, simply becoming a perfectly adequate but forgettable experience. Earthfall will be very heavily reliant on future updates to decide which side of the fence it falls on.

A playable and competent - if lightweight - crack at a Left 4 Dead style shooter. [October 2018, p.78]