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Left 4 Dead 2 eGuide
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Contents

  • Essentials
    • Display
      • The Screen
    • Game Modes
      • Introduction
      • Campaign
      • Realism
      • Versus
      • Survival
      • Scavenge
      • Single-Player
    • The A.I. Director
      • How It Works
    • Game Difficulty
      • About
    • Movement and Combat
      • On Maneuvers
      • Taking a Stance
      • Ranged Combat
      • Melee Combat
      • Health and Life
      • The Environment
    • Survival Tips and Tricks
      • Survivor General Tips
      • Infected General Tips
    • Survivors
      • The Cast
    • The Infected
      • Common Infected
      • Uncommon Infected
      • The Boomer
      • The Charger
      • The Hunter
      • The Jockey
      • The Smoker
      • The Spitter
      • The Tank
      • The Witch
    • Weapons and Equipment
      • Primary Weapons
      • Secondary Weapons
      • Mounted Weapons
      • Projectile Weapons (Belt Items)
      • Weapon Enhancements (Backpack Items)
      • Explosive Objects (Carry Only)
      • First Aid (Backpack Items)
      • Health Enhancements (Belt Items)
    • Achievements Appendix
      • Achievements
  • Walkthrough
    • Campaign Introduction
      • Looking 4 Guidance?
    • Dead Center
      • Dead Center Overview
      • Vannah Hotel Floor 8
      • Vannah Hotel Floor 7
      • Vannah Hotel Lobby
      • CEDA Quarantine & Overpass
      • Walkway To Whitaker’s
      • Maul Near Liberty Mall
      • Mall: Kappel’s and Middle Mezzanine
      • Mezzanine Mayhem
      • Security and Safe Rooms
      • Filling Up the Blue 22
    • Dark Carnival
      • Dark Carnival Overview
      • Highway & Off-Ramp
      • Whispering Oaks Ravine
      • Fairground Entrance
      • Chaos in Kiddieland
      • Murder at the Merry-Go-Round
      • Tunnel of Love
      • The Screaming Oak
      • The Barns
      • Barn Storming
      • The Concert
    • Swamp Fever
      • Swamp Fever Overview
      • Plank Country
      • Alligator Sanctuary
      • Rudimentary Pathways
      • Waterlogged Wade to Crash Site
      • Tracks Past the Shacks
      • Shanty Town Center
      • Shanty Town Bridge and Outskirts
      • Plantation Village
      • Plantation Mansion
    • Hard Rain
      • Hard Rain Overview
      • Burger Tank
      • Streets of Rage
      • Entrance and Refinery 1
      • Refinery 2, Plant Ruins, and Cane Field
      • Backtrack through Field, Plant, and Refinery
      • Retreat to the Safe Room
      • To the Safe Room on Second Street
      • Town Escape
    • The Parish
      • The Parish Overview
      • Bienville District
      • Bienville Park
      • Bedlam at the Bus Depot
      • Urban Flight
      • Sam’s Hot Impound Lot
      • The Cemetery of Saint Roche
      • One-Way Street and Jazz Club
      • Slaughter in the Quarter
      • Mayhem on the Mean Streets
      • A Bridge Too Far
      • Attack at the Military Evac
    • Scavenge Mode
      • Scavenge Mode: Basics
      • Dead Center: Atrium
      • Dark Carnival: Motel
      • Swamp Fever: Plank Country
      • Hard Rain: Milltown
      • Hard Rain: Sugar Mill
      • The Parish: Park
    • Survival Mode
      • Survival mode: Basics
      • Dead Center: Atrium
      • Dark Carnival: Motel
      • Dark Carnival: Stadium Gate
      • Dark Carnival: Concert
      • Swamp Fever: Plank Country
      • Swamp Fever: Plantation
      • Hard Rain: Burger Tank
      • Hard Rain: Sugar Mill
      • The Parish: Bus Depot
      • The Parish: Bridge
  • DLC
    • The Passing
      • New Features
      • Campaign: The Riverfront
      • Campaign: Streets & Alleyway
      • Campaign: The Park
      • Campaign: Pool Hall
      • Campaign: Pipe works
      • Campaign: River Tour
      • Campaign: The Sewers
      • Campaign: The Port
      • Scavenge Maps
      • Survival Maps
  • Video
    • The Basics: Top Ten Tips
    • Know Your Enemy (Part 1)
    • Know Your Enemy (Part 2)
    • Leave Them Dead: Weapons Detail
    • Tips Scavenge and Survival Modes
    • Campaign Tactics: Dead Center
    • Campaign Tactics: Dark Carnival
    • Campaign Tactics: Swamp Fever
    • Campaign Tactics: Hard Rain
    • Campaign Tactics: The Parish

Left 4 Dead 2 Guide › Essentials › Movement and Combat

Melee Combat

When bullets just won’t do, or you enjoy being soaked in zombie blood, get into Melee Combat.

The following lists advantages of the Melee Strike/Shove and how a blade in the hand is well worth wielding.

Shove Off!

Push foes back so you’re not gnawed on, can finish reloading, or want a second to aim at the head.

The Melee Strike (AKA the Melee Shove) is a key part of your offensive maneuvers and sometimes the only thing standing between you and becoming completely swarmed by foes.

Used at melee range, this strike knocks back a human-sized foe, which allows you to finish reloading, or to aim easily at an enemy that just charged you.

Prevent a mauling by shoving back and then aiming your firearm at the foe’s head. This is useful when used in conjunction with a ranged weapon follow-up attack, as the Melee Shove only lightly damages the foe.

Use Melee Shoves if you’re being pestering during a long weapon reload, when you’re knocking a Special Infected off a pinned teammate, or if you’re trying to kill a Boomer without being sprayed by its innards.

Guns for Show. Knives for a Pro.

See the mess you can make using a MeleeWeapon on a group of Common Infected?

Melee Weapons are slotted on your back and provide incredibly potent tools for fighting foes in close quarters.

You can push back and then slice, bludgeon, hack, or pummel, depending on the type of Melee Weapon you’ve picked up.

These take the place of your Pistol weapon, although you still employ the Pistol when incapacitated. Play around with both items, and choose the one that makes sense for you.

Usually Melee Weapons are preferred for more “well-rounded” fighting (use a ranged weapon for enemies that are incoming and Melee Weapons to easily cut down foes swarming you).

However, it’s still a good idea for at least one of your team to carry Pistols.

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