The Left 4 Dead series is largely considered to be the zombie game that started it all. Precious few competitors in the genre have been able to eclipse that powerful, stylized spotlight. Whether you’re playing co-op or versus, Left 4 Dead's gameplay aged like a fine wine, and that's due in no small part to Valve's zombie designs.
We're not talking about the standard fair of slow, shambling corpses, either, but a host of viral mutations with unique abilities that make your life an unliving hell. We've compiled a list of every single baddie, ranked them, and thrown in a tip or two, just in case you're still invested in the classics.
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Updated on April 13, 2022, by Cameron Roy Hall: It's only been a few months since Techland's Dying Light 2: Stay Human was released, but it's clear to us that our readers are still interested in sating that gross, gross zombie fix. What better way than turning to Valve's quintessential multiplayer murder fest, Left 4 Dead? We've reanimated this old article in the hopes of helping you conquer your own co-op quest. Stay safe, survivors, and don't get bitten.
10 Common Infected
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These are the foot soldiers in the army of the undead. Found wandering literally everywhere, the Common Infected lack strategy and can appear as a single attacker or an obnoxious herd. Don't let your hubris be your downfall; a simple car alarm can trigger a screeching swarm that can rapidly overpower you.
Any weapon will do here, provided that you're focused. With a hoard, we recommend an explosive, or, in lieu of that, firing through a hole in a closed door to buy yourself a few precious seconds to formulate a real plan.
9 Uncommon Infected
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Left 4 Dead 2 introduced the Uncommon Infected. These are the undead saps that took their work with them beyond the grave. For instance, the CEDA (Civil Emergency and Defense Agency) Worker zombies are stuck inside their hazmat suits and are therefore resistant to fire. The Riot Infected wear bulletproof armor and carry front-facing shields, Worker Infected are immune to pipebombs and their construction helmets deflect headshots, Mud Men are fast and sneaky, and Clown Infected call for backup with their squeaky shoes.
Rarer Uncommon Infected include the Fallen Survivors, which are basically stacked minibosses that drop good items; we recommend trying a chainsaw on them. Rarer still is Jimmy Gibbs Junior, a race car driving zombie who's fireproof and spreads blinding motor oil. We recommend a headshot... get it over with fast.
8 Smoker
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Considered to be one of the Special Infected, Smokers are zombies with freakishly long, prehensile tongues that they use to drag survivors away from the safety of their group. When killed, they emit a blinding, black smoke that shrouds the area of play.
The Smokers cough aggressively, so they're easy to echolocate. We recommend caution near arena hazards when you can hear the cough because these undead nicotine addicts can and will drag you through them with their slimy tongues. Their tongues can be severed, and they themselves are functionally easy to kill, but boy are they gross.
7 Spitter
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Considered to be one of the Special Infected, Spitters are gaping mawed creatures that snipe you with acid shots. Wherever the acid lands will become a deadly, corrosive arena hazard. The hacking sound it makes while spewing foul liquid is wretched, but if you're light on your feet, then the sound is as bad as the encounter gets.
We recommend exploiting the fact that Spitters are temporarily paralyzed after spitting but retreat immediately post kill because it leaves behind a remnant of puddling acid.
6 Boomer
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Considered to be the Special Infected, Boomers are walking pustules that can project vomit their expansive tummy bile which, other than being the worst thing ever, causes blindness and draws in the Common Infected. When they're shot enough - or fall from a great height - the Boomer can and will violently explode.
They're dangerous at even a distance, so we recommend firing from an even further distance, out of reach for its deadly sniper puke and even deadlier bile explosions. Unfortunately, a safe distance makes the second tip more difficult; kill Boomers quickly. Every successful shot it gets off is another chance for the Common Infected to arrive and overwhelm you.
5 Jockey
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Considered to be one of the Special Infected, Jockeys aim to humiliate you before they kill you. They will ride you like a rat in a Disney kitchen straight into the nearest arena hazard... and the longer they're in charge, the worse they get. If you're not prepared, a clever Jockey can force you to trigger other Special Infected and compound your misery for an even swifter demise.
The second a Jockey latches on you need to start resisting it by steering your little feet in opposition to its will. You can't directly kill it but your fellow survivors can. If you hear its haunting laugh, just know that your buddies were too slow, or otherwise really, really hated you.
4 Charger
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Considered to be one of the Special Infected, and often referred to as Tank-Lite, the Charger viciously barrels through Infected and survivors alike with no regard for proper running technique. Also, anyone unlucky enough to get caught by its good arm will be subjected to something that we like to call the "Puny God Treatment."
Fortunately, the Charger telegraphs its charge with a bellow. We recommend the big brain strategy of moving out of its way. Explosives will cause it to drop whomever it's holding, so always keep a few pipebombs around.
3 Hunter
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Considered to be one of the Special Infected, Hunters are literally Angry Parkour Bros. They can jump tremendous distances and climb like the Spidey Monkey Kristen Stewart only wishes she could've been. If you hear a simple growl, we recommend bolting for cover, because Hunters can and will lethally dive bomb you from high above.
Other tips include avoiding areas beneath high ledges and running in serpentine patterns. Hilariously, it’s possible to use a shotgun or melee strike to immediately stop a pounce midair, but the timing has to be perfect.
2 Tank
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Considered to be one of the Special Infected, Tanks are exactly what they sound like; colossal zombies, with colossal health bars, that pack colossal damage potential. They're lethal at any distance, punching anything nearby with Hagrid-sized fists and hurling massive rocks at everything else. A Tank's very presence morphs the arena into a hazard because it simply pushes through obstacles instead of going around them, and anything it shoves becomes a danger to you.
We recommend distance, patience, and plenty of supplies, but if the Tank comes with friends... we recommend crying... at least it's cheaper than therapy. Honestly, your only hope at that point is to stun it with explosives, douse it with molotovs, and empty your cartridge into its hulking body as fast as you physically can.
1 Witch
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Another one of the Special Infected, Witches are every survivor's worst nightmare. At first relatively docile, they'll either lie on the ground or wander aimlessly, but if they're startled by gunfire, explosions, or a simple breach of proximity, they become hellbent on murder. A few hits from a Witch is all it takes to put you permanently in the ground.
A nearby Witch can be detected by the sound of broken sobs; of all the Infected noises in Left 4 Dead, listen for this one. We recommend treating these seemingly fragile creatures like armed nuclear warheads... stay away and pray no one else sets them off.