L4D2: Meet the Jockey

**Arreo** · 09-04-09, 06:51 PM

Originally Posted by http://kotaku.com/5352951/meet-left-4-dead-2s-jockey-infected

You've read about the horrific annoyance of Left 4 Dead 2's newest special infected, the Jockey, now see him standing very, very still, probably for the only time.

The Jockey joins the Charger and Spitter as the newest super infected in the Left 4 Dead universe, a Survivor driver who will steer players away from the group and toward, well, wherever he damn well pleases. Sounds like a huge pain in the ass, right up until the point when we get to play as the Jockey for ourselves. And then we'll laugh maniacally.

For our updated impressions of Left 4 Dead 2's newest campaign, Dark Carnival, make sure to check out Totilo's post from his recent visit to Valve HQ.

Oh, and did you know that images on Kotaku get bigger when yo

More Kotaku impressions of L4D2:
http://kotaku.com/5352506/left-4-dea...eys-and-swords

**Arreo** · 09-04-09, 06:53 PM

I likey...

Also, a little more info on the Charger and the Spitter:

Also new — newest of all, perhaps — was the Charger, revised since E3 2009 when this whole sequel debuted. This special zombie no longer barrels through the players' group before grabbing one of them. It now rushes in and grabs a human player immediately, smashing them all the way toward whatever wall or other vertical heap is the terminus of their headlong rush.

The sequel-debuting Spitter, for example, won't just spray part of the ground with toxic, damaging goo. It'll spit into safe rooms and other places where players might camp out. Worse — or better — a Jockey may intentionally steer a player's character into the spot where a Spitter just spat. They team up so that you're more likely to lose.

I think both of those mechanics are fucking awesome. No more holing up in the 'god spots' during horde events, because a Spitter will just nail your entire team.

L4D2 is going to be totally different tactically... I like...

**IRON MAN 2142** · 09-04-09, 07:15 PM

So is there still gonna be the hunter boomer smoker and tank?
or is it just all these new infected

**LuckyDucky** · 09-04-09, 07:25 PM

YEa all the old and the new in a great big zombie get together.

**shoi** · 09-04-09, 07:35 PM

those look really cool... adds alot of variety to the game
i wonder how the survivors will be able to counter these things thought... seems like it's alot to deal with haha

i want this game but i wish they could make it part of l4d... like you start of the same thing and can switch between the two depending on what campaign is selected

also it would be nice if it was a reduced price if you already have l4d

**FragRaptor** · 09-04-09, 10:25 PM

Not an -er

-ey

That will get really annoying...

**Wraith** · 09-07-09, 04:32 PM

I am a little confused. Does the Jockey grab a player and basically drag him somewhere away and that's it? Or does he turn the player around to face an annoying place? He sounds a lot like a guaranteed smoke hit that does no damage.

EDIT: Okay, now I get it. That will possibly break the game for the infected. Unless the Jockey is fragile as a hamster in a punching bag full of broken glass, he can move a survivor far ahead or back of the level for a horde/pounce/smoke and there's nothing the survivors can do about it.

**Arreo** · 09-07-09, 04:44 PM

Originally Posted by Wraith

EDIT: Okay, now I get it. That will possibly break the game for the infected. Unless the Jockey is fragile as a hamster in a punching bag full of broken glass, he can move a survivor far ahead or back of the level for a horde/pounce/smoke and there's nothing the survivors can do about it.

What I'm assuming is that when the Jockey is on a survivor they don't move that quickly.

Also, remember that the survivor player that got... errrr... jocked... can try to resist the direction that the Jockey is taking them.

Originally Posted by [url

http://kotaku.com/5352506/left-4-dead-2-impressions-jockeys-and-swords]I[/url] encountered some of the sequel's newness when the Jockey pounced on my character's back. This new special zombie announces its presence with a tell-tale snicker before it leaps on a victim's back. It rode Rochelle away from allies, thwacking her with a free hand as it went. The player can try to steer in a better direction, but can't outright resist where the Jockey drives them. Later, a Jockey would pounce on Coach, Faliszek's character for the session, driving him across distant rooftops until one of us shot the zombie down

I trust that Valve will make it balanced. Honestly I don't see it being much more annoying then a Hunter. You just look out for your team and if they get Jocked then you shoot the bastard off their back. An alert team wouldn't let a Jockey take their teammate more then a few steps.