Overview
Left 4 Dead solo achievement guide. Features original add-ons, artwork, and an extended section on custom maps and configurations.
1. Introduction
This guide has been colour-coded as follows:
Easy Achievements Medium Achievements
Hard Achievements PC-Exclusive Achievements
Superseded Achievements
Glitches And Secrets Extra Guide Information
Developer Console: Enabling it offers the ability to use helpful commands such as kicking Survivors or Special Infected from any map as the host of a local server. Commands can be input into the Developer Console (Main Menu > Options > Allow Developer Console > Enabled) or formed into a configuration file and executed.
A pre-built Infinite Kick Script add-on is available via Game Maps[www.gamemaps.com] or ModDB.
Place the add-on in “…steamappscommonleft 4 deadleft4deadaddons“. To view a list of installed add-ons in-game, start Left 4 Dead and go to the Main Menu > Extras > Add-ons. By default, all add-ons are enabled and can be toggled on or off by checking the respective box in the game’s add-on menu.
William “Bill” Overbeck
Tough-as-nails Vietnam War veteran and leader of the group. Served two tours of duty prior to an honourable discharge; now, he has a new war to fight.
Francis
Rough, tough, and tattooed. When the apocalypse came, everyone else stockpiled food and water, looking for a place to hide. Francis found a gun, turned up the music, and looked for some fun.
Louis
A slim, trim IT professional, Louis was actually planning to quit his job before the world suddenly downsized. His lunch break practice at the gun range and video game sessions have proven invaluable.
Zoey
Young, high-spirited and energetic. Having spent more time watching old horror movies than attending class, it looks like she was studying the right subject after all.
(Bottom right) Witch
Can be heard crying from afar, and does not attack unless provoked. 1 hit kill on Expert difficulty, 1 hit incap otherwise.
(Bottom left) Tank
(Top right) Smoker
Uses long tongue to ensnare and drag victims toward it, to attack them more securely. Average attack power, longest reach of any Infected.
(Top left) Hunter
Crouches down and growls before pouncing on and trapping its prey. Can pounce from long distances and great heights. Average attack power, highest speed of any Special Infected.
(Center top) Boomer
Vomits bile on Survivors, attracting hordes of Infected. Large, slow and fragile. Lowest attack power, speed, and health of any Special Infected. Ugly.
(Center bottom) Screamer
Special Infected meant for Left 4 Dead, replaced by the Boomer. As you can see, the Bruton Fedora’s origins are far reaching indeed.
HIDDEN/OBSOLETE ACHIEVEMENTS ┬┴┬┴┤･ω･)ﾉ├┬┴┬┴
These are achievements that are present at some point in the game’s code, but not in the final version:
CRASH MONEY – Earn a Gold medal in Survival mode on both chapters of Crash Course.
AKIMBO SURVIVAL – Earn a medal in Survival mode in Crash Course using only pistols.
GRAB EVERYTHING YOU CAN – Use every Molotov, gas can, and pipe bomb in a Survival mode round of the Crash Course campaign.
TAG TEAM TERROR – Work with another Infected player to Special Attack a Survivor.
FOUR-MAN ARMY – Play a campaign from start to finish with three of your friends.
Some of these got carried over into L4D2 in some way (obtaining a Bronze medal using only melee attacks or playing a full Versus match with your friends against the other team) but were ultimately cut from L4D1. The Tag Team Terror achievement dates back to when the game was originally a Counterstrike mod called Terrorstrike (alpha/pre-beta).
As a side-note, it is reasonable to assume there might have been an achievement related to obtaining a Platinum medal on one, if not all, of the Survival maps. This is most of all based on the existence of a Platinum icon within the game’s files. The Platinum medal can be seen here with a star.
Information discovered by csgs.
2. Items & Weapons
Medkit. Important health item, healing up to 79 points of damage. Can be used to heal yourself or a fellow Survivor, but expires after one use.
Pain pills. Consumption will give a temporary health boost, up to 50 extra points. Single use item, can be given to and received from other Survivors.
Pipe bomb. Emits flashes of light and noise when thrown that attract nearby zombies. Will explode after a short time after throwing, but will not distract Special Infected from attacking you.
Gas can. Littered throughout each map, and flammable. Can be carried, thrown, shot at and ruptured from explosives to produce a temporary gas fire, burning anyone it touches.
Propane tank. Highly explosive, and can be used to make Tanks stumble. Has similar characteristics to oxygen tanks, but is shaped differently.
Oxygen tank. Highly explosive. Similar effect to a propane tank when shot or ignited, but is less common and of a different shape.
Molotov. Single use item that spreads a temporary fire, spreading from its point of impact when thrown.
Barrel. Both explosive and flammable, reacting to explosions, fire, and gunshots. Only barrels that can be used for the Barrel Rolled achievement, and only found across two game maps in random locations. Will explode like propane, then spread a temporary fire like Molotovs and gas cans.
Ammo pile. Found on every map in various locations. Using will replenish ammunition for all weapons; can be used an infinite number of times.
Generator. Found in the Crash Course and Sacrifice finales, there are four in total that need to be interacted with to progress toward escape.
Jukebox. Good old-fashioned music machine that plays all your favourite hits! Found on The Sacrifice‘s final map, Port Finale.
Bruton Fedora. A rare item indeed. Find it to release your true power!
Mounted machine gun (MMG). GE M134 Minigun; has infinite ammo, but will eventually overheat and need to cool before firing again. Found in several locations throughout most campaigns, needed for the Red Mist achievement.
Heavy machine gun. Browning M2 firing .50 BMG. Very high damage and rate of fire, infinite ammo, long cooldown period. Found only on Port Finale in The Sacrifice campaign.
Howitzer. Low velocity cannon with very high damage. Is used once in the game, appearing solely on Alleys in the Crash Course campaign.
Radio. Used in campaigns to call for rescue and escape. Using twice will always prompt a rescue attempt except in Dead Air, where a radio is only used once followed by a lever. In Survival mode, the radio is used to start a match.
Pistol. M1911-A1 handgun firing .45 ACP. Survivors will start with one each in a campaign, finding others along the way to pick up for dual-wielding. Fifteen bullets per clip, with mid-high damage and infinite ammo. Fast reload for single, slow reload for dual. In Survival mode, Survivors will start with two each.
Pump shotgun. 12 gauge, likely modeled after a Flite King Model K-1200 Riot Deluxe. Looks to have a Remington style trigger guard and Ithaca type mag tube. High damage, eight shell capacity, slow reload.
Auto shotgun. 12 gauge semi-automatic Benelli M4 Super 90. High damage, ten shell capacity, slow reload.
Submachinegun. IMI Uzi; low damage, fast rate of fire, fifty round capacity, fast reload.
Assault rifle. Fully automatic M16A2; 50 round capacity, high damage. Fast rate of fire, very fast reload.
Hunting rifle. Ruger Mini-14 Ranch Rifle; semi-automatic, scoped, fifteen round capacity. Very high damage, slow rate of fire, slow reload.
Car alarms. Throughout the game, you will come across cars with flashing orange lights, letting you know their alarm is set. The first time you run into one, you will be warned via a floating icon and message that shooting one will attract zombies. Doing so will set off an alarm, enticing a horde. An alarm-set car will also give you sound cues when you shoot or move too close to it.
[:] Easy Achievements (#01 – #05)
#1: 101 Cremations — Set 101 Infected on fire.
This must be accomplished by shooting gas cans, throwing Molotovs, and exploding flammable barrels (coloured white with red flames). The fastest way would be setting approaching hordes aflame, or else attracting zombies with a pipe bomb. Being touched by Boomer bile will almost always attract a horde.
#2: Blind Luck — You or another Survivor take no damage after being vomited on by a Boomer.
The trick here is to quickly hide in a room with as few entry points as possible until the bile’s effects wear off. You can try:
A) Loading the fifth map of No Mercy (Rooftop Finale) and let yourself get puked on from the safety of the starting safe room.
Rooftop Finale:
B) Make your way just outside an end safe room and, with barf on you, wait with your teammates inside it until it dissipates. Zombies will funnel through a single entrance, allowing the other Survivors to take the brunt. The saferoom door can also be closed, provided not all Survivors are inside. Take the first map of No Mercy (Apartments) as an example.
Apartments:
#3: Brain Salad — Make 100 headshot kills.
Any weapon can be used; just aim for the head. This will likely be earned while casually playing.
#4: Bronze Mettle — Last 4 minutes on any Survival map.
This is the easiest Survival achievement, and can be combined with #17: Last Stand.
#5: Burn The Witch — Light a Witch with a molotov.
Simply set a Witch on fire either by throwing a Molotov directly at her or tossing a gas can next to her and shooting it. Bear in mind that she will chase you as soon as that happens. You can also set her aflame with an exploding barrel, if you’re lucky enough to get the chance.
[:] Easy Achievements (#06 – #11)
#6: Clean Kill — Shove a Boomer and then kill him without him splashing on anyone.
Ideally, attempt this in a wide open space. Quickly shove a Boomer when it appears, backing up if necessary, and waiting about two seconds before firing.
#7: Crash-Proof — Survive the Crash Course campaign.
On any difficulty, including Versus mode, play through the entire campaign from start to finish. The two chapters are:
1. Alleys
2. Lots a.k.a. The Truck Depot
#8: Dead Baron — Survive the Dead Air campaign.
While this can be attempted on any difficulty and thus a fairly easy achievement, for efficiency it is recommended to complete it on Expert in combination with #72: What Are You Trying To Prove? All chapters must be completed from start to finish without quitting to the main menu. The five chapters are:
1. Greenhouse
2. Crane
3. Construction Site
4. Terminal
5. Runway Finale
#9: Distinguished Survivor — Earn at least a Bronze medal on every official Survival level.
You will have to last at least 4 minutes on every Survival map, excluding the unofficial Sacrifice and Crash Course chapters. For help, refer to the Kick Commands section at the top of this guide.
#10: Do Not Disturb — Sneak past all Witches in a campaign without disturbing one.
Sneak past or Cr0wn any Witches throughout any campaign. Not only is Cr0wning allowed, but it might also be required in some cases to prevent the AI survivors from startling one. Any instance of “[Survivor] has startled the Witch” will negate the achievement.
[:] Easy Achievements (#11 – #15)
#11: Drag And Drop — Rescue a Survivor from a Smoker’s tongue before they take damage.
This is just like #53: Tongue Twister, except you are saving another Survivor and not yourself. Be sure to kill the Smoker before they deal any damage to the Survivor; obstacles or other infected in the way can help.
#12: Grim Reaper — Complete the Blood Harvest campaign on any difficulty.
While this can be attempted on any difficulty and thus a fairly easy achievement, for efficiency it is recommended to complete it on Expert in combination with #72: What Are You Trying To Prove? All chapters must be completed from start to finish without quitting to the main menu. The five chapters are:
1. Woods
2. Tunnel
3. Bridge
4. Train Station
5. Farmhouse Finale
#13: Helping Hand — Revive 50 incapacitated Survivors.
When a Survivor becomes incapacitated, they fall to the ground, slowly bleeding out and unable to get up on their own. Help teammates back up whenever possible, not being afraid to shoot a few down here and there to expedite the process. Survivors can be incapacitated twice before dying, until healed by a health kit.
#14: Hero Closet — Rescue a Survivor trapped in a closet.
When a Survivor dies, they will eventually reappear in a closed room, banging against a door and yelling for help. They will have a yellow outline until you open that door to free them.
#15: Hunter Punter — Shove a Hunter off of a pinned and helpless Survivor.
Shove a Hunter after it has pounced a Survivor. If you’re too close, your character will stumble backward before you can act. Jumping can cancel the stumble animation.
[:] Easy Achievements (#16 – #20)
#16: Kill Bill — Have Bill sacrifice himself for the team.
This achievement is exclusive to the final chapter of The Sacrifice campaign (Port Finale).
Method #1:
A) Playing as Bill, start all three generators. Find and hold onto a pipe bomb until you are ready to raise the lowered bridge and drop back down to restart the nearest generator. Go to the turret on the catwalk to the right and jump to the opposing balcony.
B) Throw your pipe bomb safely away from you, making your way as quickly as possible toward the generator to restart it. Try to ensure your health is not too low so as to avoid slow movement.
Method #2:
A) Playing as Bill, open your Console and input:
B) This will trigger the final generator, enabling all living Survivors to escape. The #29: Supreme Sacrifice achievement will also unlock by extension.
#17: Last Stand — Complete one round of Survival on Last Stand.
It doesn’t matter if any medal is obtained, as long as time is submitted (Survivors die).
This map appears as The Lighthouse through the in-game achievement menu. Select it from the lobby or load it via Console by inputting:
#18: Mercy Killer — Survive the No Mercy campaign.
While this can be attempted on any difficulty and thus a fairly easy achievement, for efficiency it is recommended to complete it on Expert in combination with #72: What Are You Trying To Prove? All chapters must be completed from start to finish without quitting to the main menu. The five chapters are:
1. Apartments
2. Subway
3. Sewer
4. Hospital
5. Rooftop Finale
#19: My Bodyguard — Protect any Survivor from an attacking Infected 50 times.
This can be accomplished by killing any Infected attacking your teammates while they are preoccupied. Shooting while incapacitated will count. Using other items such as Molotovs, pipe bombs, and gas cans can also count, but will risk damage to other Survivors.
#20: No One Left Behind — Beat a campaign with all 4 Survivors.
Excluding The Sacrifice, this can be acquired on any campaign at any difficulty. During the finale, all four Survivors must safely reach the rescue vehicle. Do not kick any AI Survivors.
[:] Easy Achievements (#21 – #25)
#21: No Smoking Section — Kill 10 Smokers as they are pulling helpless Survivors.
You must kill the Smoker while it is actually dragging a Survivor, and before the Survivor is dragged into the Smoker’s claw range.
#22: Outbreak
In Versus mode, be vomited on by a player who already has this achievement. This began with Valve developers using Boomers to puke upon different players online, starting a chain reaction.
#23: Pharm-Assist— Give pain pills to 10 Survivors.
Pills are the only health item in the game aside from medkits, and will appear in small white bottles. To give pills away, equip them and use the shove button in close proximity to and direct line of sight of a teammate.
#24: Pyrotechnician — Blow up 20 Infected in a single explosion.
Method #1:
Try the first map of Dead Air. There will always be pipe bombs available at spawn, with a large group of zombies just beyond the first wall.
Method #2:
Throw a pipe bomb toward an oncoming horde or thickly populated area. Alternately, you can try the Sewers map in No Mercy, near the beginning where you run into the level’s first truck.
#25: Quick Power — Restart the generator within 30 seconds of it shutting off in the Crash Course campaign.
When you start the generator at the end of the second map, Lots a.k.a. Truck Depot Finale, don’t stray too far. Unless you finish the finale very quickly, it will shut off and spark, prompting you to restart it.
[:] Easy Achievements (#26 – #30)
#26: Red Mist — Kill 1000 Infected with a mounted machine gun.
Campaign locations for MMGs are as follows:
1. No Mercy
A) Subways – midpoint, behind large generators near a medical cabinet.
B) Rooftop Finale – second floor of farthest building with supply cache and radio.
2. Death Toll
A) Town – in the middle of the street near the forklift panic event.
B) Boathouse Finale – up the stairs near the boathouse radio.
3. Dead Air
A) Runway Finale – in front of the large transport truck near a wooden crate with an ammo pile.
4. Crash Course
A) Truck Depot – past the rescue vehicle, past some boxes.
Said maps can also be played in Survival mode for a higher, easier kill count.
#27: Silver Bullets — Earn a Silver medal in Survival mode on any official level.
You will have to last at least 7 minutes on any official Survival map. For help, see the Kick Commands section at the top of this guide.
#28: Spinal Tap — Kill an Infected with a single blow from behind.
Shove a common infected from behind without them being alerted to your presence, killing them. The first map of Crash Course is perfect for this, with a wide-open spawn area and a number of lone zombies to choose from. If successful, the zombie will drop dead from a single hit. Remember that flashlights and gunshots tend to attract attention.
#29: Supreme Sacrifice — Complete The Sacrifice.
Playing on the Port Finale, preferably as Bill, open your Console and input:
This will trigger the game’s rescue event, with all living Survivors escaping. The #16: Kill Bill achievement can be obtained as well, provided Bill is chosen.
Unlike other campaigns, only playing the finale chapter of The Sacrifice campaign is required to count as completing the campaign.
#30: Toll Collector — Survive the Death Toll campaign.
While this can be attempted on any difficulty and thus a fairly easy achievement, for efficiency it is recommended to complete it on Expert in combination with #72: What Are You Trying To Prove? All chapters must be completed from start to finish without quitting to the main menu. The five chapters are:
1. Turnpike
3. Church
4. Town
5. Boathouse Finale
[:] Easy Achievements (#31 – #33)
#31: Towering Inferno — Light a Tank on fire with a Molotov.
As with #5: Burn The Witch, any flame originating from your actions (gas can, Molotov, fire from exploded barrel) that burns a Tank will unlock this achievement.
A quick way to do this is on the first map of The Sacrifice (Docks). Have a gas can on-hand before you drop down to the train car area, complete with boats and an ammo pile. A Tank is waiting on the other side of the first car door; as soon as you open it, move back and shoot your gas can.
Another location is any campaign finale such as the Crash Course finale, where Tanks are guaranteed to spawn and gas cans or Molotovs can likely found on the way.
#32: Witch Hunter — Kill a Witch without any Survivor taking damage from her.
Cr0wning a Witch with a shotgun will also unlock this achievement by extension. Using fire or explosions to provoke and shoot her from a distance can also work.
#33: Chaos Generator — Have all three generators running at once in The Sacrifice finale.
The only way to start all three generators at once solo is via Console. Playing Port Finale in The Sacrifice campaign, open it and input two separate commands:
The generators won’t actually start up, but the event for activating a generator will occur, unlocking the achievement.
Chaos Generator, Kill Bill, and Supreme Sacrifice can all be done in rapid succession; see #16 and #29.
[:] Medium Achievements (#34 – #38)
#34: 20 Car Pile-Up — As a Tank, hit 20 Survivors with a car in the Crash Course campaign.
To do this, make your way to the finale area on the second map, Lots a.k.a. The Truck Depot. You can use cars and dumpsters to knock them down; both count towards the achievement, despite it specifying cars. For efficiency, try to knock down three Survivors or less at a time, allowing revivals and healing before attacking again.
#35: Akimbo Assassin — Survive any campaign using only pistols.
You’ll have to play through and survive an entire campaign only ever using pistol(s). You can either shove your way through a campaign or fire only pistols. You can shoot all you like while incapacitated, as only pistols can be used in that scenario anyhow. Crash Course is recommended, as it has only two maps. This achievement allows for everything but shooting a primary weapon. Using throwables and picking up a weapon are fine.
#36: Barrel Rolled — Kill a Special Infected with an exploding barrel.
This description is misleading, as any Special Infected being killed by a barrel’s explosion and not an exploded barrel’s fire will not give you this achievement. It can be any Special Infected, but Boomers tend to be easiest because their health is by far the lowest.
Before you start, realize that:
A) Apart from modded servers or custom maps, these barrels are only found in The Sacrifice campaign.
B) Any Special Infected dying from a barrel’s explosion instead of fire will not unlock this achievement.
C) Having AI Survivors with you will almost certainly complicate this achievement. Feel free to kick them as needed.
D) These barrels spawn randomly throughout the first two Sacrifice maps (Docks, Barge). Don’t get frustrated struggling to find the right angle with what’s available, and be ready to restart maps as needed.
Docks:
Barge:
#37: Chain Smoker — Constrict two Survivors in one life as a Smoker.
Start a split-screen Versus match as Infected, with a dummy Survivor in play. When you become a Smoker, kick two AI characters and grab the third with your tongue until they die. As soon as possible, grab your dummy player and repeat the last step.
Timing is important, as you don’t want someone overwhelmed by a horde before you can grab and kill them. You have to do so with two Survivors yourself; if they die before you strike the killer blow, you will forfeit this achievement.
#38: Dead Giveaway — Heal a fellow Survivor when your own health is below 10.
This can be quickly done at the very beginning of Crash Course, where you spawn near a burning helicopter. You can shoot one of your teammates to bring their health below 100%, and burn yourself in the helicopter fire until you have five health remaining. Have your health kit equipped and heal a nearby survivor.
[:] Medium Achievements (#39 – #43)
#39: Dead Wreckening — Dole out 5000 total Survivor damage as a Special Infected.
This accumulates over time, and can be easier to achieve in more closed spaces where Survivors have less room to maneuver. For help, see #34: 20 Car Pile-Up.
#40: Dead Stop — Punch a Hunter as he is pouncing.
Shove a Hunter in mid-pounce. You can tell they aren’t just jumping from the outstretched position of their arms and the screeching sound they make when trying to pin someone.
#41: Double Jump — Pounce two different Survivors in one life as a Hunter.
Just like #37: Chain Smoker, start a split-screen Versus match as Infected, with a dummy Survivor in play. When you become a Hunter, kick two AI characters and pounce upon the third, attacking them until they die. As soon as possible, crouch and pounce on your dummy player, repeating the previous step.
#42: Field Medic — Heal 25 Survivors with a first aid kit.
To farm heals, kick two of your three teammates; they will drop their medkits, which can be used to heal your remaining comrade. Shoot them once between heals, starting with your own medkit.
#43: Jump Shot — Headshot a Hunter while he’s leaping.
Leaping (pouncing) Hunters screech while doing so, with their arms outstretched (see #40: Dead Stop). The auto shotgun is recommended, as it has a wider blast radius and high damage, reducing the need for tighter accuracy. It is not required to kill the Hunter, in the event the headshot isn’t fatal. This achievement will not unlock in Versus.
[:] Medium Achievements (#44 – #48)
#44: Heroic Survivor — Earn at least a Silver medal on every official Survival level.
You will have to last at least 7 minutes on each. For help, see Kick Commands at the top of this guide.
#45: Man Vs Tank — Single-handedly kill a Tank.
Play on Port Finale in The Sacrifice and find a Molotov or gas can. Just before you start any generator, kick your teammates. A Tank will quickly appear, prompting you to set them ablaze and shoot them until they die. The assault rifle and auto shotgun are most effective, and playing on lower difficulties will hasten your victory.
Port Finale:
Alternately, set yourself up as a sole Survivor in any map and find a Tank.
#46: Nothing Special — Survive a campaign with no Survivors taking damage from Special Infected.
With kick commands, this is almost completely unavoidable upon completion of any full campaign. Without kicking Special Infected, you will have to be very careful with your movements. While Boomer bile and a Smoker’s tongue will not directly damage you, they will leave you vulnerable and usually attract attention. Note that this achievement does not count Witches.
#47: Smash Hit — Win a Versus campaign of Crash Course.
Despite the in-game achievement description, the criteria to obtain this achievement is not to “Win a Versus campaign of Crash Course.” Instead, you must end up on the Survivors team at the end of a match consisting of at least two rounds. You don’t even have to play through the first map to unlock it.
A) Open your Console and input:
B) Swap teams (if necessary) using the console like so:
C) Kick or kill the bots and finally the split-screen dummy player to end the round.
D) In the next and final round, use your Console to input:
E) End the round with a different score than the previous round, avoiding a draw. The achievement will unlock just as you exit the campaign, right before returning to the lobby, and not during the display of the score results.
#48: Stand Tall — Survive a campaign without being incapacitated.
While any campaign works, Crash Course is recommended due to its short length. When your health bar falls to zero, you will become incapacitated, falling to the ground with only pistols to use. Your health bar will become red with stripes, and you will slowly bleed out and die unless revived by a teammate. Hanging from a ledge will not affect the achievement.
[:] Medium Achievements (#49 – #53)
#49: Stomach Upset — All Survivors complete a campaign without being vomited on.
You may shove a Boomer, but not excessively without killing it. Crash Course is recommended as there are only two maps, meaning less chance of anyone being puked on. It is also possible to obtain this achievement in Versus mode with a dummy player.
#50: Tankbusters — Kill a Tank without it dealing any damage to a Survivor.
Keep your health above 40 so you can outrun the Tank. High damage weapons and any explosive or flammable items are recommended, including propane tanks, Molotovs, and gas cans. Do your best to maintain your distance and avoid any long range throwing attacks. Do everything to maintain constant fire and reduce the Tanks’ health as quickly as possible.
#51: Tank Stumble — Stun a Tank with an explosion in the Crash Course campaign.
To do this, you need to find a white propane tank and carry it with you until you run into a giant pink Tank. There are some scattered across both maps. Feel free to toss away or drop it as necessary, so long as you have one nearby to use when needed.
Once you see a Tank approaching, throw your propane directly at them and shoot it quickly. The container will explode and the Tank will stumble if it’s close enough. Tank spawns throughout the chapter are random, but Tanks are guaranteed to spawn during the finale, where you start and restart a generator to lower your escape vehicle.
#52: The Littlest Genocide — Kill 5,359 Infected in the Crash Course campaign.
This is just a question of patience and perseverance. Playing the first map (Alleys) in Survival mode will net you more kills, with the mounted machine gun serving as an opportunity to work towards the #26: Red Mist achievement as well.
Alleys:
#53: Tongue Twister — Free yourself from a Smoker who has grabbed you with his tongue.
You only have a couple of seconds to kill a Smoker once he’s latched on; start firing at him right away before you lose control. The auto shotgun and assault rifle are most effective. Another option is to start burning one before they grab you, killing them with fire damage as they begin constricting you.
[:] Medium Achievements (#54)
#54: Violence Is Golden — Earn a Gold medal in Survival mode on any official level.
You will have to last at least 10 minutes on every official
[:] Hard Achievements (#55 – #59)
#55: Wipefest — Your team incapacitates three Survivors within five seconds in the Crash Course campaign.
While the in-game description for this achievement is correct, Steam’s description is misleading. This can only be done in Crash Course, and in split-screen Versus for solo play. Any form of damage that incapacitates a Survivor counts, even friendly fire. Using a dumpster or car to incapacitate multiple Survivors at once is recommended.
Lots a.k.a Truck Depot Finale:
#56: Zombie Genocidest — Kill 53,595 Infected.
At first glance, this looks overwhelming, but it is by no stretch unbearable. There are methods to expedite this unlock, such as:
A) Leave the safe room door closed, position yourself for oncoming hordes, and continuously shove incoming infected while you are AFK. In your Console, input:
To disable continuous shoving, simply input:
B) Farm kills on Survival maps using MMGs, kicking whatsoever you please to extend your kill counts.
C) Custom maps. See Custom Maps & Configurations at the bottom of this guide.
#57: All 4 Dead — Incapacitate or kill all four Survivors in one life as a Tank.
In a split-screen Versus match, go to the Crash Course finale area and punch either the car or dumpster nearby the Survivors. Once they crowd together, knock them all down in one hit.
Lots a.k.a. Truck Depot Finale:
#58: Back 2 Help — Leave a safe room to save an incapped teammate and bring them back safely.
Play in split-screen Versus on any map, the first of No Mercy (Apartments) being the shortest. Just before reaching the end safe room, kick two of four Survivors. Allow the third to be swarmed by Common Infected and/or grabbed by either a Smoker or Hunter. Before they are incapped, enter the safe room, close the door, and reopen it. Once they’re down for the count, revive, heal, then lead them to the safe room and end the round by closing it a second time.
#59: Barf Bagged — Cover all four Survivors with Boomer bile at once.
This is a difficult achievement, as Survivors don’t tend to be too tightly grouped or stay in one place very long. Set up a split-screen Versus match via Console with a dummy Survivor standing idly in the beginning safe room. The third map in The Sacrifice campaign (Port Finale) would be my pick. You’ll have to wait ninety seconds for the safe room door to open, and can project your bile to every Survivor from that door.
A) Go to Steam > Library > Right-click Left 4 Dead > Properties > General tab > Set Launch Options
B) Input:
C) Click Okay and launch the game.
D) Through the in-game Console, input:
E) If needed once the match begins, change teams with this command:
F) Cycle through spawns as needed. Survivors will be outlined in green, which turns purple when your bile covers them. So long as one vomit nails all four, you’ve got it.
[:] Hard Achievements (#60 – #64)
#60: Big Drag — Drag a Survivor 100 feet with your tongue.
In theory, this achievement is done by pulling a Survivor as they are running away, adding more distance than what would otherwise be possible from stationary positions. In practice, pulling a Survivor from a sloped surface will add enough distance. In a split-screen Versus match, try:
A) Runway Finale on Dead Air, dragging up the escalators.
B) Woods on Blood Harvest, dragging up the map’s largest hill.
The in-game description for achievement #60: Big Drag is wrong. The drag distance required is 61 feet or 732 units. For reference, the maximum pull distance of a smoker is 750 units, so a sloped surface isn’t even required (although it does help). If 732 units were equal to 100 feet as stated in the description, the Survivors would, by that math, be almost 10 feet tall. Either everyone in L4D is a giant or whoever wrote that description just picked a high number off the top of their head.
#61: Cr0wnd — Kill a Witch with a single headshot.
This can be done with a pump or auto shotgun on any difficulty, though the latter has higher damage. You can also kill a Witch without startling her using a hunting rifle, but it won’t count as one shot. Approach quickly, making sure she is paying attention to you before you fire. Try to aim for the upper part of the head (temple, crown, forehead) being as close to her as possible.
When playing on high ping or default connection settings on a dedicated server, it might help to aim at the top of the head or slightly above the head to account for the hit-box discrepancy. Remember that if you miss, you’ll probably end up incapacitated or dead.
#62: Ground Cover — Save another Survivor from a Special Infected while on the ground.
A) Allow yourself to be downed during a horde in close proximity to your teammates, hoping you get the chance to shoot off a Hunter or kill another Special Infected.
B) Play with kick commands, keeping one or two other Survivor(s) in play and waiting for Special Infected to spawn, kicking them as needed.
#63: Jumpin’ Jack Smash — Pounce a Survivor for 25 points of damage in the Crash Course campaign.
The best map for this in split-screen Versus is the first of Crash Course (Alleys). Survivors will spawn near a burning helicopter, between two large buildings. Choose the building closest to them and crouch to prepare for a pounce. It is the initial pounce damage, not cumulative damage dealt from the grapple, that counts for the achievement.
It can also be done from either the opposite building or the one overlooking trucks, as long as enough height is available. Kicking Survivors will allow more time for precision at the expense of the ability to retry from an unsuccessful grapple.
Alleys:
#64: Lamb 2 Slaughter — As an Infected, incap a Survivor who has entered and left a safe room.
For multiple attempts, the game’s shortest campaign map (Apartments on No Mercy) may become a preferred choice. In a split-screen Versus match, you can:
A) Incapacitate at least one Survivor just before they enter a safe room, causing the others to come back out and giving you your opportunity.
B) Have only one Survivor go inside the safe room, and drag them out as a Smoker to incapacitate them.
Apartments:
[:] Hard Achievements (#65 – #69)
#65: Legendary Survivor — Earn a Gold medal on every official Survival level.
You will have to last at least 10 minutes on every map. For help, see Kick Commands at the top of this guide.
#66: Sacrifizzle — As a Special Infected, incap someone who is trying to sacrifice themselves.
This can only be accomplished on Port Finale in The Sacrifice campaign. When a Survivor comes down from the raised bridge and moves to restart the nearest generator, you must incapacitate them before they succeed. This can be done as follows:
Using two controllers, start a split-screen Versus match. Use your dummy Survivor to start all three generators, then jump down from the raised bridge. Try to move them somewhere hidden from AI gunfire, like inside the brick building next to the bridge’s nearest generator. Incapacitate them.
Port Finale:
#67: Safety First — Play an entire campaign with no Survivors taking friendly fire damage.
This description is misleading. If you deal no friendly fire damage but die at the finale, it doesn’t unlock. It should say survive, not play, like other achievements.
AI Survivors will seldom cause this, though it can happen. If you’re having trouble, either try to only shove your way through a campaign or use more accurate weapons. Damage from flammable or explosive items also count.
#68: Slippery Pull — Smoker pull a bile-covered Survivor until you hold them during Crash Course.
This must be done in Versus on Crash Course maps, and your victim must be covered before they stop being dragged.
Alleys:
Lots a.k.a. Truck Depot Finale:
Correct:
Incorrect:
Infected POV:
#69: Truck Stop — Your team wipes all Survivors after the rescue vehicle has opened in Crash Course.
This achievement can only be done in Versus mode on the second map of this campaign, Lots a.k.a. The Truck Depot. Once the escape truck has finished lowering and the Skin On Our Teeth music kicks in, you have to kill or incapacitate every Survivor. As a Tank, you can hit them with dumpsters and cars, both of which will be nearby with coloured outlines, for quick damage.
Lots a.k.a. Truck Depot Finale:
[:] Hard Achievements (#70 – #73)
#70: Unbreakable — Finish a campaign without ever being healed by a first aid kit.
It is recommended to play on a lower difficulty as infected will deal less damage throughout the campaign. AI Survivors will try to heal you when your health becomes low; to stop them, hold out either a medkit or pain pills.
#71: Untouchables — No Survivors take damage after contacting the rescue vehicle.
Unless you get lucky or use a glitched area to help you, this can be difficult, especially with AI Survivors. Even a single hit or point of damage from any source to any Survivor between calling for rescue and escaping will void this achievement for you. Keep your health above 40 before initiating the finale so you can move quickly.
One glitched area is the Jesus Rock (see Glitched Areas) at the very end of Death Toll‘s fifth map, Boathouse Finale. Clear the area before calling for a rescue, keeping a pipe bomb on-hand for when the rescue boat arrives. Kicking Special Infected and/or other Survivors might help. If using the kickloop add-on, you may need to keep toggling it toward the end of the rescue sequence, making sure you leave enough time for Tanks to spawn and avoiding a never-ending finale.
Once the boat has physically neared the dock (or once you decide to follow your AI teammates), throw your pipe bomb in a strategic location so as to attract as many Infected as possible, immediately making your way to the escape vehicle. You may also have gas cans set up to use as cover when escaping (i.e. have them at the dock’s nearest point, shooting them behind you and setting fire to any zombie pursuing you through that narrow space).
Boathouse Finale:
Another location is the Crash Course finale, Lots a.k.a The Truck Depot. One could jump to the top of the generator, kicking other Survivors if desired and waiting until the escape truck has lowered completely to use a pipe bomb as a diversion. Again, kicking Special Infected would help.
Lots a.k.a The Truck Depot:
#72: What Are You Trying To Prove? — Survive all campaigns on Expert.
Crash Course and The Sacrifice are both DLC campaigns which do not count toward this achievement as they are not official maps. The original campaigns are as follows:
1. No Mercy
2. Death Toll
3. Dead Air
4. Blood Harvest
On Expert difficulty, every hit from Common Infected deals 10 or 20 damage. For help, see both Kick Commands at the top of this guide and Glitched Areas toward the bottom of the guide. If kicking Tanks, you must do so carefully during any campaign finale; doing so too quickly will prevent the finale from completing, progressing into a infinite loop of waiting for a Tank death.
#73: Zombicidal Maniac — Survive any campaign on Expert.
This achievement can be obtained on Crash Course and official campaigns, but not The Sacrifice. Due to how The Sacrifice‘s finale is handled, surviving while also activating the final generator isn’t possible in solo. In fact, this achievement does not include that map at all.
Attempting this achievement on Crash Course, however, is not worthwhile. It will unlock in the process of surviving the official campaigns on Expert difficulty for the #72: What Are You Trying To Prove? achievement.
3. Glitched Areas
There are many glitches to be enjoyed in Left 4 Dead.
For the sake of this guide, only finale safe spots and other useful areas will be outlined.
1. Jesus Rock (Boathouse Finale in Death Toll)
This rock is found at the end of Death Toll‘s finale map, at the far back right corner. You can only jump onto it from a specific angle, and AI Survivors will not be able to follow you. Most Infected will not be able to climb that rock, though Smokers can grab you, Hunters can pounce you, and Tanks can still throw rocks at you, provided they can navigate to a spot to throw them.
2. Generator Lights (Lots a.k.a. Truck Depot Finale in Crash Course)
At the end of Crash Course‘s finale map, there is a generator that you will need to start and restart to lower your escape vehicle held on an hydraulic lift. One can jump their way to its lights and be safe from most Infected. Smokers can still pull you and Tanks can still throw mounds of earth at you. Hunters can presumably pounce you from the nearby rooftop, but I’ve never seen it happen.
Lights off:
Lights on:
3. Building Lip (Rooftop Finale in No Mercy)
In the back left corner of No Mercy‘s Rooftop Finale map, there is a small lip at the very farthest edge of that building. Stepping too far will have you hanging from a ledge or falling to your death. You’ll know you’ve reached it when your character suddenly sinks a step. Common Infected will rarely reach you, and Boomers won’t touch you. Be especially careful of Smokers and Hunters; Tanks can technically hit you, but will tend not to take notice unless you leave that lip.
4. Ventilation Drop (No Mercy Rooftop Finale)
To the right of the supply room at the end of No Mercy‘s Rooftop Finale, there is a yellow ladder leading down to a pair of ventilation ducts. Squeezing in next to the rightmost one will be relatively safe from Infected.
5. Plane Jump (Dead Air Runway Finale)
You will need at least one propane tank and patience. Throw one against a luggage car and push against it, moving it slowly to between the front of the plane and a truck opposite. If the car pushes over, keep moving it and push a second one if needed. You will eventually be ready to hop up on the truck, onto your luggage car(s) and finally on top of the plane. You will be safely supported on the plane so long as you stay away from the propellers and the far rear which have no collision.
6. Solid Brush (Blood Harvest Farmhouse Finale)
Near the end of Blood Harvest‘s Farmhouse Finale, you can find a metal sheet next to a few hay bales. Jump up on the sheet and jump again toward the green tree beside it, landing on an invisible surface in midair. You can then travel across that surface toward the nearest treeline and jump onto it. Doing this will keep you safe from almost all Infected.
4. Custom Maps & Configurations
5. Soundtrack & Conclusion
Left 4 Dead soundtrack in FLAC & MP3 available here[downloads.khinsider.com].
