I recently got back into it, and it’s easily a go-to for passing some time. But the modding community offers plenty of ways to add a bit of flair to an already-great game. The Steam Workshop alone already has over 60k entries, with everything from new survivors, maps, and weapons to choose from. And best of all: I’ve already sorted through everything so you don’t have to. Let’s take a look at some of the best L4D mods you can try for yourself.
30. Left 4 Dead 2 HD Remaster
Check Out This Mod Say what you want, but L4D2 isn’t exactly one of the best-looking games, especially against newer releases. If you’re looking for a quick visual refresh, this should do the trick. Left 4 Dead 2 HD Remaster doesn’t do much in terms of effects, but textures have been replaced with HD ones to add a bit more detail and realism to the game. If you want to enjoy the game as is, except with some graphical upgrades. All you have to do is install this and you’re good to go.
29. Improved Blood Textures
Check Out This Mod L4D2 is all about wasting hordes of zombies. That’s something we already know. Why not do it with more flare? Well at least this mod gives you that feeling with blood splattering everywhere. This one would go well with the HD Remaster mod as the blood textures are already higher resolution here, so it makes the game look better overall. Take the game to Doom-level brutality with the Improved Blood Textures mod.
28. Team Health Counter
Check Out This Mod Other than graphical upgrades, there are some mods that can actually make playing the game a much smoother experience. Though L4D2 is a lot of fun gameplay-wise, there are still some minor upgrades that the modding community offers – this one included. Essential the multiplayer aspect, the Team Health Counter mod is something we all wish we had in the base game. All it does is give the exact health value of each of your teammates, so it’s much easier to play. Especially when handing out those med kits and heals.
27. Improved Bots (Advanced)
Check Out This Mod Of course, we have something for the solo players as well. Given that L4D2 is really a team-based game, playing solo means you’ll be given bots for teammates. We all know the challenges this comes with as they almost never do what you want. Lucky for us, modder Ziggy already made improvements to the game’s friendly AI. Bot teammates now have much more realistic decision-making skills, so they’ll be more help during fights. Among the changes include the ability to use melee weapons, better reactions when a teammate is being attacked, and the ability to rescue downed players.
26. Chef Coach
Check Out This Mod In my search of the best L4D2 mods, I came across some mods that are just downright silly. If you’re anything like me, you can probably see how a bit of humor could go a long way. So to throw something in here, we have the Chef Coach mod. There are actually tons of reskins for the in-game characters. But who wouldn’t want to dress Coach as a Chef? The skin is actually based on King of Cuisine from Dead Rising 2, except here his custom chef hat actually reads “Chef Coach”. The mod even includes HUD imagery and first-person arms to match.
25. Velociraptors
Check Out This Mod There’s really not much to say about this one. It just goes to show that anything can be done, when it comes to video game modding. I mean…dinosaurs in Left 4 Dead? Don’t let anyone tell you it can’t be done. Modder Splinks definitely isn’t stopping you. The Velociraptors actually let’s you play the game as a team of four dinosaurs named Ripp, Raps, Claw, and Tiny.
24. Delorean Time Machine – Jimmy Gibbs Jr.
Check Out This Mod Here’s a treat for the Back to the Future fans out there. Everyone remembers that mission where you’re tasked with searching for gas cans to refuel Jimmy Gibbs Junior’s car. The car in that mission is actually a Dodge Charger – which would be a perfect getaway vehicle. Well what if you could actually be collecting gas cans to refuel the Delorean instead? I think that says it all. And then maybe we could just go back in time to before any of the zombies appeared?
23. Deathcraft Zombies
Check Out This Mod There are even tons of reskins for the zombies, so depending on what you feel like killing on any given day, there’s probably something out there for you. One of the best though are the Deathcraft Zombies by KabeN and Splinks. It changes the appearance of common infected to Minecraft zombies. So you’ll be shooting through hordes of blocky green flesh-eaters instead of the typical ex-human ones. There’s even a whole Minecraft-based campaign that features the Deathcraft Zombies as well… but more on that later on.
22. Left 4 Teletubbies 2 Official
Check Out This Mod Conspiracy theorists have never stopped suggesting that the Teletubbies are evil. They can be pretty creepy on their own depending on how you look at things. But give them zombie eyes and blood-smeared mouths, and you’ve basically got a whole other thing coming. As listed on the Steam Workshop page, features here include explodable heads, custom sounds, random bloody skins and textures, and ruined childhoods. I guess the theorists were right. Imagine all the fun you’ll have exploding those infected Teletubby heads.
21. Pudge Boomer
Check Out This Mod Another cool reference to another popular video game – Dota 2. The similarities are actually already there, but with this mod you can replace the boomers in L4D2 with actual Pudge skins. No need to worry though. As they don’t come with the Meathook skill Pudge is known for. It should be loads of fun shooting through Pudges, especially for Dota 2 fans.
20. Hitler Witch
Check Out This Mod We all have that one friend. Nobody ever wants to shoot the witches except that one guy. Well they’re designed that way, with the haunting singing sounds and creepy cries – as if the game is already telling you that something bad is about to happen. If that one guy is going to shoot the witch anyway, why not make it fun for everyone? The mod replaces the witch skin with a disturbed Hitler, complete with a sound pack as well. You’ll find him around the map chanting in German and he starts to yell as he chases you after being triggered. Just watching the sample video gave me a good laugh.
19. Witchney Houston
Check Out This Mod If that’s not motivation enough to kill those witches, this one will definitely help. What could be more annoying than hearing Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” being sang in between cries? Well this mod does exactly that. So now all four of you are probably going to want to make her stop. What makes it even worse is that the belting chorus comes in right after she’s shot, making it all the more motivating to get rid of her right away.
18. Terry Crews Tank
Check Out This Mod Funny as this may be, I’m probably a bit biased when it comes to this mod. I remember when the Terry Crews sound pack was made available for the GPS app Waze, and I jumped at the chance to have Terry dictate directions to me as I drove around the city. L4D2 is no different. A chance at having Terry Crews in the game? Take my money! Well the mod is completely free, but that’s not the point. What better way to include Terry Crews than as the Tank? He’s bigger than ever, and having Terry Crews’ head doesn’t make him any less dangerous.
17. God of War Leviathan Axe
Check Out This Mod Other than character reskins, there are also tons of amazing weapon skins too. Whether you’re looking for true-to-life guns, or fantasy-based swords, there’s probably a mod for it. One of the more recent video game weapons that everyone knows is the Leviathan Axe. Wielded by Kratos in the recent iteration of God of War, fans loved throwing and swinging the axe around so much that it quickly became a worthy successor to the Blades of Chaos. Well, you can just as easily have the axe in L4D2. If it can kill gods, it should be great for killing zombies too right?
16. “The Shining” Axe
Check Out This Mod Another famous axe, but this one might be familiar from the classic horror film The Shining. Made for the GameBanana 2016 Halloween Skinning Contest, a lot of work actually went into the detail of this one. As famously used by Jack Torrance to break through the restroom door in the film, you’ll have loads of fun slicing through zombies in L4D2 with this one.
15. Minecraft Melee Weapons
Check Out This Mod If you liked the Deathcraft Zombies mod, you’re definitely going to enjoy this one. After all, what else are you going to use to fight off hordes of block zombies if not block weapons? The pack replaces five melee weapons in the game – the Tonfa, Machete, Crowbar, Frying Pan, and Fireaxe, with some Diamond Set weapons from Minecraft.
14. O’Ren ishii’s Katana (Kill Bill)
Check Out This Mod Cottonmouths Katana from Kill Bill is another iconic movie weapon. Though it wasn’t used much in the film, you can make up for that in L4D2. The detail here is something to appreciate as it even captures the cherry blossom design on the handle of the sword. Definitely a great addition to your L4D2 melee arsenal.
13. Surprise Mother****er – Pipebomb Explosion Sound
Check Out This Mod “Surprise Mother***er” has become such a popular meme, that you’d sometimes hear people using it without even knowing where it came from. Well for those not familiar, the meme was taken from the TV series Dexter. Popularized by Sgt. James Doakes in the show, the phrase has become somewhat of a catchphrase. Being so easily applicable to video game scenarios, it’s no surprise that it’s made its way to L4D2 as well. The sound plasying during pipe bomb, oxygen tank, and propane tank explosions. Warning: you may find yourself screaming along as you blow those zombies to shreds.
12. Admin System
Check Out This Mod One of the best ways you can add tons of hours to L4D2 is through additional campaigns and scenario maps. Before we get to those, you can give Admin System a try first. Admin System is a sort of “God Mode” for L4D2 where you’re given admin privileges over everything going on in your game. You have the power to spawn infected, assign weapons, and even kill survivors off. Make a completely custom game where anything goes with the Admin System mod.
11. Tanks Playground
Check Out This Mod The first custom map is more of a mini game, but one you’ll have a lot of fun with nonetheless. The map has tons of ramps and ledges too, so there’s a lot to explore. It can be played in three modes – campaign, survival, and coop. You’re basically spawned in what appears to be a random concrete island where you have one simple goal – survive the tanks!
10. Star Wars Death Star Survival Map
Check Out This Mod There’s something about gaming and Star Wars that just always works. And this makes a glorious crossover for any big series. Most mod-compatible games have Star Wars mods, and so does L4D2. This is a survival scenario mod that takes us inside the Death Star. Shoot through hordes of Imperial Storm Troopers with blasters or fight for survival with nothing but lightsabers – that’s completely up to you.
9. Helm’s Deep
Check Out This Mod This one has been surrounded by controversy for a very long time. Regardless, the map has become one of the most popular maps for L4D2. With everything that was going on, the map was unfortunately removed from public access leaving many fans disappointed. But without getting into all the community drama, the Helm’s Deep map has been fixed and is back up on the Steam Workshop. Thanks to modders JAiZ, Xanaguy, and a few of their friends, fans can now enjoy the epic Battle of Helm’s Deep in L4D2 style. This takes you to the high walls of Helm’s Deep except this time, you’ll be shooting your way through zombie hordes. The LoTR soundtrack even plays in the background adding to the atmosphere.
8. Diescraper Redux
Check Out This Mod Diescraper Redux is another great way to add content to the game – with a completely fresh four-map campaign to play through. There’s not much to expect here when it comes to unique ideas. But if you’re a fan of the base game and just want more story to play through, this is a great place to start. The city has just been firebombed and you have to survive and escaped – classic Left 4 Dead. What’s good about this one is that extensive testing has been done, so you can expect a smooth and polished experience.
7. Nacht der Untoten
Check Out This Mod This time we’re taken to World War II with “Nacht der Untoten”. Based on the zombie map from Call of Duty: World at War, you’ll be facing hordes of infected Nazi soldiers in survival mode. Not only do the textures look great, but the modders even included some of the best features from the popular CoD map. Plus they’ve added the barricading, which allows you to board up passages to keep zombies from passing through. And they even included the Mystery Box feature which can be purchased in-game for a random weapon.
6. Devil Mountain
Check Out This Mod If you’re looking for a complete change of scenery, Devil Mountain might be exactly what you’re looking for. Trading in the typical Left 4 Dead cityscapes for a more rural, mountainside setting, Devil Mountain takes us through suburban areas and caves in a battle to survive the zombie invasion. The campaign includes five maps, and all have been praised for their atmosphere and detail. This will definitely make for a great playthrough, whether you’re playing by yourself or with friends.
5. Yama
Check Out This Mod If you prefer to go even further away from what you’d typically see in L4D2, you should check out the Yama campaign by the0rthopaedicsurgeon. This one takes us through the back-alleys and shopping districts of Tokyo, Kyoto’s Kiyomizu Temple, and apartment districts in Kobe. With five maps to play through, exploring a zombie-infested Japan will surely make for a unique L4D2 experience.
4. Urban Flight
Check Out This Mod Urban Flight is another campaign that doesn’t stray too far from traditional Left 4 Dead scenery. You’ll be fighting through a burning city through four maps. The mod supports single-player, co-op, versus, and survival modes. What’s interesting about this map is that the modder actually included a scavenger hunt to the campaign, where you’re tasked with finding 10 easter eggs scattered around the maps. You start off with cryptic descriptions like “a news-worthy drive-by” or “a floating upgrade” and it’s up to you to search the city to find the easter eggs.
3. Deathcraft II
Check Out This Mod As I mentioned a bit earlier, there’s a complete Minecraft-based campaign for Left 4 Dead 2. Not much is given away story-wise, as we’re only told that the last minecart has left town and the survivors must find an alternative means to escape – but this just adds to the mystery. The entire world is retextured to give it that signature blocky aesthetic we’ve all seen before. Fight through the hordes of block zombies and escape the snow-filled city in the crossover we never thought we needed. You won’t even be sure if you’re playing Minecraft of L4D anymore. Which is actually a good thing, considering how both games are simply incredible.
2. Dark Wood
Check Out This Mod Here you find yourself trapped on a small stretch of road in the dark of night. With not much to go off, you have no choice but to head for the forests ahead. If you thought Left 4 Dead belonged to the Horror genre of video games, you haven’t seen Dark Wood yet. Inspired by horror films as well as games like Silent Hill, Resident Evil, and F.E.A.R., Dark Wood takes the game to a much darker and scarier place. You’ll be able to play through five large maps composed of woods, dark caves, and even secret underground prisons. There’s much to explore as the mod contains some easter eggs too, as well as secret weapons to discover. Plus there are even custom textures, models, and sounds making the experience all the more immersive.
1. Back To School
Check Out This Mod If we’re gonna be talking about L4D2 campaign mods, Back To School is one you can’t ignore. The story actually plays into the original game, making it feel like the sequel (or prequel) we never got. The four original survivors return for a new storyline across six completely new maps. There are even ten new panic events, new models and textures, as well as other graphics upgrades like color correction and added particle effects. It’s been said that Back To School feels like a completely fresh L4D2 game, so fans of the original game are sure to love this one as well.
