Survival Mode

Survival Mode is a game mode which was released in the Downloadable Content from Valve Corporation; the Survival Pack. This game mode throws waves and waves of the Infected at the Survivors until they die. There is no way to really win this through surviving, but instead the goal is to survive as long as you can and set new records.

There are currently thirty-one different maps to play on in Survival Mode, thirty come almost directly from the campaign mode while a new map called The Lighthouse, which was released with the pack, but appears to be attributed with something called The Last Stand. All of the maps have been modified to essentially trap the Survivors into the designated area. Doors have been blocked off, and most choke points such as closets have been removed, leaving the players out in the open. It is possible that, in the future, more maps will be released for the gametype, perhaps filling out the campaigns in entirety.

Left 4 Dead
Each survival match starts with a setup time, allowing time for you and your team to scour the map for useful items. The teams will find health kits, tier 2 weapons, pipe bombs and molotovs, pills, propane tanks, oxygen tanks, and gas cans scattered around the area. Each Survivor holds on to pills, a health kit and dual pistols at a spawn point of each map(before starting the match), right after loading the Survival game. You can take as much time as you want, as the timer at the top of the screen doesn't begin until someone hits the button that alerts the horde. Once the button (typically in the form of whatever the chapter's Crescendo Event is in the campaign) is activated, the action gets off to a furious start and escalates from there.

Left 4 Dead 2
Survival mode gameplay in Left 4 Dead 2 is very much the same related to Left 4 Dead's survival mode. Differences include being given adrenaline, bile jar, new weapons, and having to deal with a wider variety of different special infected. On Dark Carnival's Stadium Entrence, you can also have another way to summon the Horde.

Strategy
As always, teamwork and staying together are necessary for survival. Beyond that, survival strategies vary from map to map and from team to team. It is possible to obtain a Gold Medal achievement by staying in one area of a map, but some may find it more advantageous to move from room to room in order to get more items and ammo. Difficulty increases with time as supplies dwindle, and surviving often involves fending off multiple Special Infected and at times, multiple Tanks. As with Versus mode, the melee fatigue cooldown applies. If players are very strong, they can stay together for a long amount of time.

Various Special Infected spawn at first with Common Infected. After 42 seconds ingame, a Tank will spawn and attack. There are "grace" times where you will only be facing Special and Common Infected, without a Tank harrassing you as much during the first 42 seconds to 5 minutes.

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No Mercy

 * The Generator Room
 * The Gas Station
 * The Hospital
 * The Roof Top

Crash Course

 * The Alleys
 * The Truck Depot

Death Toll

 * The Floodgate
 * The Church
 * The Street
 * The Boat House

Dead Air

 * The Crane
 * The Construction Site
 * The Terminal
 * The Runway

Blood Harvest

 * The Warehouse
 * The Bridge
 * The Farmhouse

The Sacrifice

 * Traincar


 * Port Finale

The Last Stand

 * The Lighthouse

Dead Center

 * Mall Atrium

The Passing

 * The Riverbank
 * The Underground
 * The Port

Dark Carnival

 * Motel
 * The Coaster
 * Stadium Gate
 * Concert

Swamp Fever

 * Gator Town
 * The Shantytown
 * The Plantation

Hard Rain

 * Burger Tank
 * Sugar Mill
 * Mill Escape
 * Town Escape

The Parish

 * The Waterfront
 * Bus Depot
 * Bridge

The Sacrifice

 * Traincar
 * Port Finale

No Mercy

 * The Generator Room
 * The Roof Top

Achievements
thumb|300px|right|Achievementors "Beat the Rush" Guide for Left 4 Dead 2
 * See Main Article: Achievements

Left 4 Dead

None of the Survival Achievements are present in the Xbox 360 version of the game since it is free DLC.

Left 4 Dead 2

Tips and Tricks
These tips are general, not for specific maps.
 * Stick together - many times, people become headstrong and run away from the team. This dooms the person who runs away and weakens the group of Survivors.
 * Dig in - staying in one location, usually around an ammo location, makes replacing spent weapons easier. Throwable items and health kits are also a priority later on.
 * Use the buddy system - when going for ammo always take a partner, this way your back is always covered.
 * Flank the Tank - when you hear the Tank music rise above the horde, switch your focus to the Tank. Many people instinctively backpedal and shoot, and this only leads to getting backed into a corner. Try to get your team around the Tank.
 * Also, in Left 4 Dead 2, when the Tank is punching a Survivor, getting behind it and hitting it with the melee weapon deals out a lot of damage and saves ammo.
 * Grenade Launcher - utilize the Grenade Launcher early for maximum effectiveness.
 * Remember to take Pain pills or Adrenaline Shots - both have their uses in restoring health quickly without using a health pack or to do actions faster (with the Adrenaline), such as reloading, picking incapacitated people up, or using health packs.
 * Try to locate the explosive/incendiary ammo packs and deploy them where your team will hold up at. Most survival maps have at least one ammo pack if not both, and they will give each player extra ammo if the main cache cannot be reached. Usually, the ammo packs are not far from your location (on the Atrium it is where the health kits would be on Single Player. A good way to use this is to place it in a spot you really want to dig into, and place both of them.
 * Use the weapon transportation trick: Get to a spot that has a permanent spawning weapon (like the shotgun in the helicopter in The Bridge survival) and grab the weapon there. Then, go back and grab which weapons you want, leaving the permanent spawning weapon where you got the good, non-permanent spawning weapon. Most places have multiple permanent spawning weapons, so this trick can be used in more than one place on a map.
 * You have infinite time to prepare. Use this to your advantage.
 * You can put Gas cans, Propane tanks and Oxygen tanks at choke points to kill a large horde of Infected easily.
 * Stay near as much ammo and grenades as you can - you never know when you will need them.
 * Take Cover! - hide out in a choke point where no special infected can nab you from behind, and more importantly, above!
 * Stay together or you could be a victim to a Special Infected like a Smoker!
 * Avoid going in open places. Stay near walls or corners.
 * Find places where zombies can get to you in 5 or less ways. (Rarely, one way)
 * When in doubt, grab a chainsaw and go massacre zombies. (Bring adrenaline to kill more)
 * Remember that another Tank will spawn after the current one dies in a short grace period, so be ready!
 * Bots are not recommended, as human-controlled Survivors will not grab the other ammo, as bots will pick one ammo upgrade then the other one if you place both down.
 * Try to find a place where you can heal yourself and where you can find extra health kits. Mostly, the Tank will be the Infected that will take out most of your hitpoints.
 * Playing with bots will get you somewhere close to the Silver Medal if you have some experience.
 * Melee weapons are rare. Find a fast attacking one so you do not have to reload, and deal extra damage on the Tank. They can also vary, from axes, frying pans, katanas, machetes, etc.
 * Remember that Hordes and Tanks mean diaster, so try to find a spot where you can have an escape route.
 * Switch your Pain Pills to Adrenaline. If the place you are going to stay in is far, and the Infected attack you before you can get there, the Adrenaline's boost can increase your speed to catch up with your allies.