'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Perhaps the most successful reveal at The Game Awards was Turtle Rock’s new co-op zombie rogue-like shooter, Back 4 Blood.
Maintaining the theme of somehow including the number “4” in place of the word in their titles, Turtle Rock’s spiritual successor to Left 4 Dead generated a large amount of hype during their reveal. Furthermore, many players were excited to find out that a lucky few of them would even get to playtest the Back 4 Blood Alpha very soon.
Registering for the Back 4 Blood Alpha
The Back 4 Blood Alpha will be a closed test for the developers to make sure the game runs smoothly, and be an opportunity for them to balance gameplay and experiment with what works best, in addition to finding bugs before the game’s official release.
The Back 4 Blood Alpha will only be active from December 17th to December 21st, and simply signing up for the alpha will not guarantee entry. Also, the alpha will only be playable for applicants in certain countries, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France and Germany. Lastly, this alpha will only be playable on PC.
Players who can meet all of these requirements can register for the Back 4 Blood Alpha here.
What will the Back 4 Blood Alpha contain?
To prime players for the upcoming alpha Turtle Rock has released a video that gives players a quick briefing about what the game will feature.
This includes the acclaimed “game director” feature showcased in Left 4 Dead, an AI director that places items, directs enemies, and coordinates encounters. This director is given the task of ensuring that games are well paced and challenging, and reacts to how the players play.
Back in Left 4 Dead, the game director could go easy on struggling players or make the game harder for players who are cruising through too quickly.
But Back 4 Blood features a number of ideas and game mechanics which set it apart from its predecessor. Notably, the game now includes modifiers called “cards” which get chosen at the start of each match. These modifiers reportedly alter how certain enemies will behave during the course of the game.
Players will have a deck of cards to choose from as well. Completing challenges in Back 4 Blood will earn players cards to add to their deck, and at the start of each game players can choose which cards they want to activate which will give them various benefits that can help them develop a strategy.
Overall, Back 4 Blood should be an exciting game and this alpha will be a way for players to discover how this new game will feel. Back 4 Blood is set to release in June of 2021, barring delays.
