Left 4 Dead includes achievements for Steamworks and Xbox Live. There are 73 achievements in all for the PC version of Left 4 Dead, but only 65 for the Xbox 360 version; the Outbreak achievement is not in the Xbox 360 version of the game and Survival Pack on Xbox 360 adds no new achievements due to technically being only a patch, not a DLC. There are currently 100 achievements for the PC version of Left 4 Dead 2 (one of which, Valve Gift Grab 2011, can no longer be earned by normal means) and 65 achievements for the Xbox 360 version.
Survival Pack adds 7 new achievements to Left 4 Dead for the PC version only.
Crash Course adds 10 new achievements to Left 4 Dead.
The Passing adds 10 new achievements to Left 4 Dead 2.
The Sacrifice adds 5 new achievements to both Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2, and for the Xbox 360 and PC as well as Mac.
The Cold Stream update added 2 new achievements to Left 4 Dead 2 called Stream Crosser and Connecting Fights, although the latter achievement is actually keyed to the conversion of the Dead Air campaign in Left 4 Dead 2. As a reward for 60,000 players earning the Connecting Fights achievement, Valve released a beta version of the Blood Harvest campaign for Left 4 Dead 2.
A special holiday-themed achievement, called Valve Gift Grab 2011 — L4D2, was added to the PC version of Left 4 Dead 2 for a limited time in late December 2011.
The achievement Good Guy Nick is achieved by surviving a campaign with players who obtained their copy of game during free weekend.
The Last Stand adds 30 new achivements to Left 4 Dead 2.
Note: Since the Crash Course update, achievements cannot be earned with cheats turned on (sv_cheats = 1), however, one way is to play on Versus mode with everyone helping each other to get achievements. Another easy way to obtain achievements is to create a server in order to exploit the console commands.
This can be acquired by completing the campaign on any difficulty.
A toll collector is someone who collects a toll that must be paid for using a bridge, ferry, or other tolled transportation, in which this is referenced by the survivors boarding a boat to escape.
This is also a reference to Charon, who collected a toll from those trying to cross the river Styx in the underworld.
It may also be a reference to the bell that tolls in the Church.
This can be acquired by completing the campaign on any difficulty.
The Grim Reaper is the mythological physical embodiment of death, who is often portrayed with a scythe (a traditional farming tool), further referencing the campaign's name.
Rescue a Survivor from a Smoker's tongue before they take damage.
This requires you to shoot a Smoker who has grabbed a player. It takes until the Smoker drags the character directly to the Smoker before the Smoker can deal damage.
Just as a Survivor is grabbed by a Smoker, quickly shove the Survivor or shoot the constricting Smoker.
Smokers inflict dragging damage in Versus mode; it is therefore easier to achieve this in the other modes.
The achievement title is a reference to a term used in computing that is the action of selecting a virtual object by "grabbing" it and moving it to a different location or onto another virtual object.
BRAIN SALAD
(15G)
Make 100 headshot kills.
Aim high when firing into Infected crowds with a shotgun, pick off Infected from a distance if they haven't noticed you yet, and remember that crouching improves accuracy with most guns. Even if you're not trying to get this achievement, you'll probably get it after a while of playing the game normally.
A successful headshot with any weapon will kill a Common Infected on any difficulty, so feel free to use Pistols.
This is easiest to achieve during The Town. Simply use the Hunting Rifle and pick off wandering infected from atop the roof. If you go back into the building, chances are, a few will respawn (or hidden ones will show themselves). Since you're almost literally inside the safe room, you have unlimited ammo. Just be aware, doing this for too long will provoke a Horde attack.
Kill a Smoker who has grabbed you with his tongue.
You MUST shoot or shove the Smoker as soon as it grabs you. You have roughly a second to kill him.
If the Smoker grabs you by its tongue, quickly turn and shoot him. An Assault Rifle or Hunting Rifle is more effective than other weapons for this due to their long ranges. If you wait too long you will be constricted, unable to assist your teammates or save yourself.
Use of the 180-flip could help one to quickly face the Smoker constricting them from behind.
Throw a pipe bomb when you see a large horde approaching, such as a panic event. Also throw a Pipe bomb if you enter a large area filled with idle Infected.
You can fulfill this achievement either by throwing a pipe bomb or by blowing up explosives. This achievement should be attempted in finales or Crescendo Events, as at those times there are a lot of Infected in large groups. A perfect instance to do this is the start of Dead Air where there is a Pipe bomb on the table. All you need to do is pick it up and throw it over the wall at the Infected without opening the door.
A pyrotechnician is someone who specializes in the handling of explosives, usually for entertainment purposes.
It is possible to get this Achievement by blowing up a Propane Tank. It is easier done by shooting a gas can that will blow up the Propane Tank because it is difficult to spot during a Horde. This can be easily achieved in The Lighthouse on the Street that leads to the Gate.
BLIND LUCK
(20G)
You or another Survivor take no damage after being vomited on by a Boomer.
While you or another Survivor is covered in bile, throw a Pipe bomb to lure away most of the Infected. This should leave you with a good chance of receiving no damage.
Try to be vomited on while in a room with a single entry. That way, you and your teammates can cover the entrance easier. The best weapons to use for this are the Auto Shotgun and the Assault Rifle for their effectiveness at close range. Try not to hit your teammates during the attack. Note that the time you count as being "vomited on" is sightly longer than the time your screen is covered in bile, so the safest option is to wait until you get the achievement notification before continuing.
If only one or two people have been slimed, they should move to the back of the room/closet. The horde will only attack them, and being at the back will give the team more time to thin the Infected numbers. Aside from that, employ standard turtling tactics (Survivors in the front crouch, shoot, and melee, and Survivors in the back fire over them). If you're slimed and don't know what you're aiming at, melee spam.
Blind luck is a term for a favorable outcome when the affected party had little opportunity to affect the outcome. Here, blind refers to the Survivors' visions being blurred by the vomit.
Whenever you shoot an Infected attacking another person, a message will pop up saying you just protected that person. You must do this 50 times. This is gained by using melee or shooting to get Hunters and Smokers off Survivors, or shooting a Common Infected that is attacking an unaware Survivor in the back.
Watch your teammates' backs excessively when a horde is attacking. You can get this achievement just by playing long enough.
You can still protect your teammates while incapacitated. Simply fire your Pistol(s) from the ground.
Protecting a Survivor from a Special Infected while incapacitated will also earn you the achievement GROUND COVER.
The achievement title is likely a reference to the 1980 film of the same name.
TANKBUSTERS
(20G)
Kill a Tank without it dealing any damage to a Survivor.
ALWAYS keep your distance from the Tank. As long as your health is high enough, you can easily outrun him, just don't let him get too close.
Set the Tank on fire at your own peril. Fire will kill him within 30 seconds, but it will also dramatically speed him up (outside of Versus, where he will be slightly slowed).
If the Tank is about to throw rubble in your direction, take cover unless you're sure you can pull off the zigzag method (i.e. running in one direction, then the opposite direction right after he throws the concrete). You can destroy thrown rubble by shooting it, but this is also unreliable without practice. It is possible to get hit by the Tank's rubble and still obtain this achievement, provided no damage is received during certain animations such as being pulled by a Smoker.
Best done in a campaign on easy with human players (AI's make no effort to avoid the Tank's thrown rocks.) When a Tank attacks, run away from it while focusing all fire on it. Tanks on easy will die in a matter of moments from concentrated gunfire.
Your health needs to be 40% or above to outrun the Tank. Try to be in an open space when faced with a Tank. If the Tank charges at you, run backwards as fast as you can but don't get separated from your teammates. If the Tank picks up a rock, change your position. Try to engage the Tank with medium to long range weapon such as assault rifles. Nothing drops a Tank faster than Auto Shotguns at shorter ranges, but only use one if you're a competent backpedaler. Getting stuck on scenery or a wall while the Tank is coming for you means screwing up the achievement for everyone.
The achievement title is most likely a reference to the movie Ghostbusters.
This achievement is ludicrously easy on easy difficulty, where the Tank can be killed with only a focus fire from 3-4 Submachine Gun magazines.
"Tankbuster" is military slang for an anti-tank weapon.
You must kill the Smoker while it is actually dragging the Survivor, and before the Survivor is dragged into an obstacle or the Smoker itself, for it to count towards the achievement.
"No Smoking Section" refers to an area in a public location, such as a restaurant, where smoking tobacco is not permitted.
This is an easy achievement to get. Once a Survivor dies, they will respawn in a closet. This happens after one minute, after the rest of the Survivors move a certain distance from the dead body. Alternatively, during finales, survivors instantly respawn in rescue closets while the initial radio activation dialogue is over and the rescue vehicle hasn't been summoned. Once the Survivor respawns, they will call out. They will have an orange outline while in a closet. Once found, open the closet to save them.
This doesn't work if your teammate does it; you have to be the one to open the door.
Using either a molotov or gas can is the only way to gain this achievement. You must light 101 Infected on fire.
To set Infected on fire, you must throw a Molotov cocktail at them or light a gas can when they are near it. A gas can is recommended because of its large area of effect and longer burn. During a Panic Event, Crescendo Event, or a finale, throw the Molotov where the Infected are coming from, or in a central area, and you should get this achievement. Note that this is a cumulative achievement, which means that every time you burn an Infected, it adds up. You don't need to burn all 101 at once.
It is recommended to do this on Dead Air, in the first chapter. At the beginning there is always a big crowd behind the door and there are always four pipe bombs and four Molotovs. First throw a Molotov in the greenhouse, then a pipe bomb in the flame. All Infected will run into the flames and that will count for the achievement.
During most finales you will fight a Tank. Simply set it alight by either throwing a Molotov in its path, or shooting a gas can near it. This is easier to do in campaign; A.I. Tanks will not try to avoid a Molotov fire.
In the starting safe room of the No Mercy finale, there will be a Molotov. At least one Tank will spawn during a finale, although there are usually two. Simply throw the Molotov when the Tank is in a good position and the achievement will be earned. Try to throw a Molotov at him when he's climbing up something or throwing concrete.
While on the ground, you must kill a Hunter or Smoker who has pinned someone, or kill a Special Infected who is in close enough proximity to another Survivor to count as protecting them. It is not possible to get this achievement by scoring the killing shot on a Tank.
Usually after being incapacitated, another Survivor will attempt to lift you back to your feet. It is very common that, while the Survivor is pulling you up, he or she may be pounced by a Hunter or pulled by a Smoker. As soon as you see this happen, begin blasting the Hunter or Smoker with your Pistol. The Special Infected will go down faster than you think, and the achievement will be yours. The reason this is not too easily earned is due to a small luck factor that affects it. This is because the chances of another Survivor being pounced or dragged is quite slim if you are in a group of good players. It happens often in Versus, since the Infected will focus on your teammate while he's helping you.
Another way to get this achievement is to throw a Molotov at your feet a few seconds before a Hunter pounces you. (Make sure it's actually targeting you and not another Survivor, or you'll just waste health.) The fire damage coupled with the Hunter mauling you should be enough to incapacitate you, and as long as no other Survivors interfere, the flames should kill the Hunter before you're killed, ironically giving you the achievement for saving yourself.
It is not possible to get this achievement by freeing yourself or another Survivor from a Special Infected with a pipe bomb or Boomer explosion that stumbles the attacking infected.
When things are quiet, simply approach an Infected that has not yet noticed you and melee it in the back.
It is easier to attain this achievement in buildings and rooms where the Infected have a tendency to face the wall, leaving their backs open to an easy melee attack and subsequent kill.
An easy way to get this is to start on The Tunnel and head into the offices next to the safe room. 2 or 3 Infected are almost always facing the wall in these rooms.
If a Survivor has been swarmed by a horde, run up to the swarm and melee the Infected in the back.
A spinal tap is a real life medical procedure to collect cerebrospinal fluids, which can aid in various diagnoses.
Simply throw a Molotov at a Witch as she is on the ground. Be ready, however, as she will still attack you while on fire. This can also be achieved by lighting a Witch on fire with a gas can.
Note that setting a Witch on fire will make her come after you, even if you didn't startle her. Normally, Witches leave after killing whoever startled them, but setting them on fire after they've killed their victim will make them target a new victim; the one who set her alight. Therefore, attempt this achievement with care.
A burning Witch will only last for 15 seconds before dying. She is more difficult to trick when on fire, so avoiding her is far more difficult. She will, however, move slower when on fire, allowing you to run away without her catching up.
This achievement is a reference to European witch trials and witch hunts, where suspected witches would be tried and, if convicted, executed via burning (not American witch trials, where witches were only hanged and not burned).
The achievement title may be a reference to the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail in which is a scene where a group of villagers attempt to execute a woman for being a witch, despite the fact that the crowd has dressed her up and is falsely accusing her. The throng are introduced in the scene shouting "Burn the witch!"
This achievement shares it's name with an achievement in the Xbox 360 game, Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts 'n' Bolts where the player must fire a laser at the main antagonist of the game, who is a witch.
(PC) Despite the achievement description, the unlock criteria for this achievement does not check whether the match is won or lost, although draws do not count. Playing chapter one is not required.
(PC) The achievement unlocks if one ends the finale on the survivors team. Use the console command "jointeam 2" or "jointeam 3" to swap teams and obtain this achievement 100% of the time. It is not bugged, nor inconsistent.
This achievement is broken or glitched on the Xbox 360 and will only unlock if playing a versus game on a local server (see Crash Course notes section for information on forcing a Versus game into a local server).
Grab an Assault Rifle or Auto Shotgun, crouch down and fire full auto at the Hunter as it jumps toward you.
A jump shot is a basketball move, where you shoot the ball after you jump into the air. Here it's a play on that term: They jump, you shoot.
This achievement re-uses the picture on Dead Stop.
It's possible to earn this achievement without killing the Hunter as you only have to headshot it, not kill it.
CLEAN KILL
(10G)
Shove a Boomer and then kill him without him splashing on anyone.
This will usually require an open space. Shove the Boomer, retreat while he's stunned and shoot him. This achievement can also be earned by pushing a Boomer from a height, which will occasionally lead to him bursting upon hitting the ground. Note that shoving the same Boomer too many times will make him explode all over you.
A clean kill is a term used by hunters and shooters to refer to a kill that was done with one hit and resulted in little blood being spilled.
It seems difficult to get this achievement in Campaign mode. Playing in Single Player grants this achievement easily.
QUICK POWER
(25G)
Restart the generator within 30 seconds of it shutting off in the Crash Course campaign.
This is acquired in the Crash Course campaign, if the generator shuts off before the rescue vehicle deploys. Turning it on within 30 seconds will unlock this achievement.
DEAD GIVEAWAY
(10G)
Heal a fellow Survivor when your own health is below 10.
This can be frustrating to get in Single Player, as usually if your health falls below half, a Survivor Bot will heal you. If you play with the Survivor Bots and you don't want them to heal you, select your first aid kit in your inventory. Having temporary health but no permanent health will also count.
A "Dead Giveaway" is something that makes something that was previously unknown very clear.
You only have to help Survivors onto their feet 50 times. You do NOT have to heal them.
Helping up Survivors incapacitated due to friendly fire still counts towards this achievement, even if your friendly fire was the result. This can be abused to easily gain the achievement in Single Player mode.
BACK 2 HELP
(20G)
Leave a safe room to save an incapacitated teammate and bring them back safely.
If the player is incapacitated by friendly-fire, the achievement won't count, although it used to.
Also note that the achievement does not pop until the rescued survivor enters the safe room.
The name of this achievement may be a reference to the game title.
Self-explanatory. You can easily get this achievement in Single Player by starting a game, doing friendly fire damage to a teammate, and healing them.
If you really want to cheat, play through the first level of a campaign on Easy difficulty, take as little damage as possible, and make it to the safe room. Ideally, your whole team will have first-aid kits. Now, switch the difficulty to normal or higher, shoot your teammates, and heal them with the full stock of first-aid kits. After that, restart the level, rinse, repeat.
A "Field Medic" is the term for a medic that treats injured soldiers on or near the front lines.
Cr0wn simply means to kill a Witch without startling her. Because of this you can get cr0wned using the hunting rifle, contrary to popular belief. A shot to the head using the hunting rifle makes her stumble, but does not startle her until she stops stumbling. This gives you roughly 3 or 4 seconds to run over to her and melee her while shooting her. She will not be startled during all of this if you don't give her the chance to and you can get the achievement. See also: Modern Way To Kill Witch 2009
Sneak up right behind a Witch. She will not attack right away and slowly get up. Aim the shotgun right at her head. When she stands up and is about to be startled, shoot her right in the head. You will have some time to aim before she becomes startled, but don't take too long.
Don't go for this achievement if you are actually trying to beat the campaign. Play on single-player for the exclusive reason of earning this achievement. That way, you won't have to worry about screwing up.
With some luck, the Witch may spawn within sight and range of a Minigun. With a little more luck, you can Cr0wn her by firing upon her with that mounted gun.
This achievement's name is a pun, but the basis of the pun is disputed. Some feel it is a combination of "crone" and "0wnd", other say it is a "1337" form of crowned.
An easy way to get this achievement is to turn off your flashlight, sneak up behind the Witch and aim to the back of her head with a shotgun. As she is getting up, she will look up at you. Shoot her in the back of the head when she takes her eyes off of you and turns back around, before she gets up.
Crouching can also improve accuracy, if using a shotgun. Try to follow her head as she starts to stand up, or aim for her chin. If you're not very good or are inexperienced at cr0wning, shoot more than once, just to make sure.
Play the game for a long enough time and you'll eventually get this one.
A quicker way to do this Achievement is to play through a finale as normal and then when the rescue vehicle arrives stay and hold out until you die while killing as many Infected as you can. It's best doing it in a glitch spot where the Infected cannot get you such as the "Jesus room," which is still unpatched on the Xbox 360 version.
(Xbox 360) Any kills done in split screen by a guest also adds to your kill count.
This number is referenced in a set of safe housegraffiti in the No Mercy campaign, with different inscriptions claiming 40, 50, 120 and finally "53,595!!!" zombie kills. This one in particular is underscored by the declaration: "LIES!!!"
This is a reference to the game Dead Rising, in which if you kill 53,594 zombies, it grants the "Zombie Genocider" achievement; Frank West, the player, has killed, down to a man, the entire population of Willamette. In order to outdo 'Dead Rising 2, Valve included this achievement and added one more to the kill count. "Genocidest" functions as a play on words: going from the comparative suffix "er" (of Genocider) to the superlative suffix "est" emphasizes Valve's one-upmanship.
Dead Rising 2 followed up with the achievement "Z-Genocider 2: Genocide Harder" which requires the player to kill 53,596 zombies in one playthrough. The description of the achievement even says "Killed 53,596 zombies. You left them all for dead!".
Dead Rising 3 took it one step further with the achievement "Master of Massacre" which required the player to kill 53,597 infected to unlock it.
This achievement was also later referenced by the game Prototype, which requires the player to kill 53,596 Infected in order to obtain the "Trail of Corpses" achievement.
The easiest way to get this, is by going to The Terminal in the Dead Air campaign on Expert, opening the door, and walking out, then back in to wait for the hordes that spawn after a bit.
Best done on easy single-player. Listen for the sounds of a Tank growling before the he actually attacks. Enable the subtitles to help. When you hear the Tank, change the difficulty to Expert and kill your SurvivorBots to prevent interference. Change the difficulty back to Easy and take on the Tank. With a Tier 2 weapon, a Survivor on their own won't have too much trouble taking the Tank down.
Set him on fire, don't let anyone shoot him, and just run away until he burns out.
During the finale of The Sacrifice, the player sacrificing themselves may get this achievement. It is unknown whether it is a glitch or if intended by Valve, seeing as Bill took on three Tanks shortly before his death in The Sacrifice Comic.
This achievement can be easily obtained thanks to an unpatched glitch: if the player join at the exact moment that the Survivors have boarded the rescue vehicle, during the ending cutscene, the achievement will unlock. As of June, 2019 this glitch remains unpatched on PC.
A good way to get this achievement on the Xbox 360 is to go to the finale on the Dead Air campaign and stand in the back of the map on the left corner. The bots should take care of all Infected, leaving the human player(s) completely safe. This doesn't work on the PC version.
This achievement is somehow glitched, as if a player joins game after finale has been started, he will get UNTOUCHABLES for just surviving long enough to escape no matter if he took any damage.
Furthermore, the game doesn't track player's stats, including damage, when idle; as soon as the finale starts, hit Esc and select Take a Break. Wait until the finale is over and almost everyone is in/next to the escape vehicle, then re-enter the game.
If a Survivor takes pain pills, the temporary health reduction will count as damage and prevent the achievement from being earned.
This is ludicrously easy to obtain by playing Survival mode. Just set levels with machine guns.
In finales & Crescendo Events, there is usually a mounted minigun; use it as frequently as possible.
Notably exceptions are the Blood Harvest finale, along with the second and third crescendo events in No Mercy, the third crescendo event in Death Toll, and the crescendo event in the middle of The Sacrifice.
A somewhat useful trick is to throw a pipe bomb in front of the line of sight of the minigun and kill the infected that gather.
Always hit nothing but melee if you hear a Boomer. All it takes is one trigger-happy Survivor to ruin it for everyone.
It is highly likely that restarting a campaign in-game instead of the lobby will count as one large campaign, frustratingly nullifying the achievement.
Playing on Easy is recommended if going for this achievement. The Boomer will have a 5-7 second delay before barfing on nearby players. If you play on difficulties such as Advanced, the Boomer will immediately puke on the Survivors without any delay. He can even snipe with puke in Expert.
Fastest way to get this achievement: start a Single Player game on Crash Course, as it is the shortest campaign, with captions full on and the difficulty set to Easy. Rush through the two levels, and every time a Boomer spawns, look for him carefully and kill him yourself. When you reach the finale, make a stand at the top of the two buses in front of the ammo spot, so it becomes impossible for the Boomers to surprise you during the hordes, as it is in the middle of an open area. By doing so, you can even earn this achievement on the first try.
The name of this achievement is a play on the term "upset stomach", a term often used to describe nausea, which is a common cause of vomiting, and hence the Boomer's involvement.
Although friendly fire does not cause damage on Easy, it still registers as it and the achievement will not be unlocked.
When a Survivor is surrounded, allow him to help himself, or use melees to assist him.
This can be easily done on a campaign where the other three players are bots, because they won't cause friendly-fire damage from firearms. However a bot can cause friendly fire damage if one accidentally sets off a gas can or propane tank next to the player. So just as long as you avoid hitting the bots, and stand clear of explosive items, you'll get the achievement.
This can also be done by 4 players shoving through the entire campaign, although it is impossible to deal with the Tank head-on in this way.
An alternative way is to play through a Single Player campaign in Easy, then shove through the entire campaign, letting the AI do the shooting.
The image of the achievement might be a hint to use the Hunting Rifle, as it is more precise than the other weapons and has less chance of hitting another Survivor with unexpected bullet spread.
DO NOT DISTURB
(20G)
Sneak past all Witches in a campaign without disturbing one.
This only requires you to get through ONE campaign without startling a Witch. Simply listen for the signs on a Witch. Cr0wning her will not count as startling her. Only when it says "(Player's name) has startled the Witch" will it count against the achievement. If she is directly in your way, have one or two people run by her at a time.
Play on Easy. There will be some instances where a Witch is literally sitting IN a doorway you must pass through, and cr0wning will be necessary. Cr0wning is obviously easiest to do on Easy.
"Simply" survive one campaign on expert to get this achievement.
Only the Survivors who make it to the rescue vehicle will get this achievement.
The name of this achievement is a reference to the common phrase "homicidal maniac".
A 'cheat' for this is to play campaign online with more than 2 Players at least. Do Chapters 1-4 on a campaign on Easy, then when at the finale, don't open the safe room door and vote to return to lobby. Change the chapter of the campaign you were doing to the Finale and the difficulty to Expert. At this point, you only need to finish the finale on Expert, not the whole Campaign.
This can be done on any difficulty, so play on Easy if you're specifically going for this one. It's very doable in single player, but having a good human-controlled team practically makes this achievement guaranteed.
Avoid attacking Witches, as they can cause instant incapacitation and will ruin your chances of getting this achievement.
Heal when you fall below 60 health just in case things take a turn for the worse. More health is better then low health and being caught.
"Simply" complete all the campaigns on expert to get this achievement.
A 'cheat' for this is to play campaign online with more than 2 Players at least. Do Chapters 1-4 on a campaign on Easy, then when at the finale, don't open the safe room door and vote to return to lobby. Change the chapter of the campaign you were doing to the Finale and the difficulty to Expert. At this point, you only need to finish the finale on Expert, not the whole Campaign.
This may also be a reference to Valve's popular game, Half-Life 2, where the antagonist Wallace Breen asks the silent protagonist Gordon Freeman, "What are you trying to prove?", since the player must go through many hardships to survive. Also a direct reference to the fact that the game doesn't offer other rewards for completing expert.
If you attempt this with Survivor Bots who then try to heal you, in order to cancel this, pull out a first aid kit, Defibrillator, Pain Pills, or Adrenaline Shot, , otherwise there is no way to stop the Bots from healing you. However, you will have to constantly stop and do this, every few moments. It is generally a much better idea to do the achievement with human players and on lower difficulties.
If you are playing an online campaign, going idle before the heal process completes will allow you to be healed, but won't count against the achievement. This way, you can be healed and still get UNBREAKABLE.
If you have low health and you are near the end of the level you can have a human partner kill you. When the next level begins, you will come back with 50 health (if you die in a safe room all of your supplies will carry over to the next level as long as they are IN the safe room).
If you are at the finale and are incapacitated, as long as you don't die before everyone else reaches the Rescue vehicle, the achievement is still unlocked.
The achievement's name may be a reference to the film Unbreakable staring Bruce Willis playing the role of a man who never requires medical treatment due to self-healing powers.
Special Infected are usually very tenacious, so use your weapons with equal tenacity.
It is possible to do this with ease on Versus mode. Gather up a group of friends, and when playing as Infected, do not harm the Survivors in any way. Unless there has been an update this has been confirmed to work on Crash Course in Versus. It is possible that it would work on other campaigns, but Crash Course is much easier to complete as it is only 2 chapters.
Another way (although a bit selfish) is to join Crash Course campaign online and wait until rest of the team reaches the safe room of the 1st map before taking control of your Survivor. If your Survivor is still alive, then go into play right before going into the safe room. This way, you only have to pass the 2nd map with no damage, which is pretty easy, as the only choke point where you have no room to avoid eventual attacks is the container after the ammo pile near the metal supply. If your character was dead on the 1st map, it's even better; you'll respawn in safe room with 100 HP, not usual 50, although you'll be lacking Tier 2 weapon for a while.
Killing oneself in order to restart a chapter will not reset the status of this achievement. The campaign must be done from lobby to finale with no Special Infected damage taken.
Witches don't count as Special Infected for this achievement.
An easy way to get this achievement is to play campaign online with 1-3 other players and and do Chapters 1-4 on a campaign on any difficulty (Easy difficulty recommended). When at the Finale, don't open the safe room door (or it'll mess it up) and vote to return to lobby. When at the lobby, the host of the room changes the Chapter of the campaign you were doing to the Finale. Then, when the game is started, this is when you can't take damage from Special Infected. Essentially, this allows you to to get the achievement by only completing the Finale without any Survivors taking damage from Special Infected, rather than the whole campaign.
Another way to achieve this on the Xbox 360 is to get to the Runway Finale on Dead Air on Easy difficulty. Have the Survivors use two Assault Rifles and two Auto Shotguns (thus, the player should play as Zoey so her Bot AI doesn't use the Hunting Rifle). Clear all of the Infected, and stock up before activating the rescue. Run past the large aircraft parked in front of the C-130 Hercules plane, all the way until you are touching what appears to be police line tape. From there, the horde will primarily come from in front of the Survivors but have spawned from behind the tape as well as down the broken aircraft shaft to the right. Special Infected will spawn while on the tape but will not engage or advance to the Survivors, with the exception of The Tank, until you make your run back to the C130 during the escape. The first Tank will usually get stuck on the opposite side of the large aircraft, making it an easy and relatively effortless target to kill. The second Tank will come from just to the right of the large aircraft over a nearby truck. Keep in mind this Tank will throw chunks of earth before reaching the Survivors. This method helps earn both the NOTHING SPECIAL and UNTOUCHABLES achievements simultaneously. It may take several tries to accomplish this. As of January 5th, 2011, the glitches in this method have not been patched.
Another easy way requires the use of the Developer Console. It can be activated in the Options menu (go to "Keyboard/Mouse", then Enable the "Allow Developer Console" option) and then displayed by pressing the tilde (~) key. Start a single-player game, and as the host of the server, you are able to kick Special Infected in the game. Type into the console: bind "h" "kick Smoker; kick Hunter; kick Boomer; kick Tank". Pressing the "H" key will now remove any Special Infected in the game. This does not require turning on cheats and thus the achievement can be obtained.
You may use single or dual pistols. You can use environmental advantages but you cannot use primary weapons or mounted miniguns.
Grabbing a Primary Weapon, as long as it isn't shot, is allowed on the PC (Steam) version. It is unknown whether this is allowed on the Xbox 360 version.
Molotovs and pipe bombs can be used.
Use pistols to your advantage; while you are crouching, they have very high accuracy. This can be used to take out Special Infected from a distance.
When you are forced to fight a Tank or a Witch, let the bots take care of them. Stay out of the way and avoid engaging them, as the pistols are not powerful against either of them if they close in.
Although its original meaning is starkly different, dual wielding is sometimes called akimbo style.
An easy way to get this Achievement is to play through No Mercy on easy, staying low when a Tank spawns.
When playing online, make sure your team doesn't mind before you attempt this achievement. It's just common courtesy (and it will probably keep you from being kicked).
Another way to get this is to go on Single Player mode and do it. Bots' primary fire will not mess up you getting this achievement. Only YOU have to survive the campaign only using pistols.
This is down mostly to the eventual lucky opportunity of being a Survivor using their melee attack to get you off a Survivor. You then need to get away without being killed. It works the best to wait for the Survivors to get separated. When this happens, pounce on the lone one. As soon as they're dead, flee to avoid the other Survivors. The next time you pounce, you will get the achievement.
You can also pounce on a Survivor in a group and hope to be punted off without being shot to death afterward. You can then simply recover and pounce again.
A double jump is a common skill in many video games. It allows a person to jump mid-air.
Getting a 25 damage pounce can sometimes prove difficult; however, sticking to high places will improve your chances. Remember that the Hunter arcs in flight, so aim a little high.
This is a broken or glitched achievement on the Xbox 360 and will only unlock if playing a versus game on a local server (See Crash Course for information on forcing the game into a local server).
An easy way to do this is to set up a Versus, friends only game with two controllers and bots (the guest should be a survivor). Force the game onto a local server. Grab the second controller and, using the shotgun, incap and kill the three survivor bots. In front of the nose of the downed helicopter, there is a guardrail that looks almost like a border for the "safe area". Position the Survivor on the opposite side of the guardrail from the downed helicopter and towards the beginning of the guardrail. As an infected, you should start out as a Smoker. Run into the line of sight of the survivor and then switch controllers and kill the Smoker. You will then spawn as a Boomer. and need to repeat what you have just done. You should now spawn as a Hunter. Climb up to the roof of the warehouse behind the tail of the helicopter. There should be a chimney/smokestack that overlooks the "safe area." Climb on top and crouch. This next part might take some practice. Since you are on the high ground, you want to set up the jump in order to land directly on the survivor at that height. If you aim directly at the survivor and jump, you'll come up short. You have to aim at a spot above the survivor. You should be aiming a little higher than the skyline of the city off in the distance. If you arc it correctly, you should cause 25 points of damage and unlock the achievement.
The strategy is largely the same as DOUBLE JUMP. You need to hold on to the Survivors long enough to cause damage.
Stay on the rooftops. When someone is freed, back away from the roof edges to avoid gunfire. When the Survivors forget about you, constrict someone again.
A chain smoker is a person that has a habit of smoking multiple cigarettes in succession, usually one right after the other.
Spawn behind the group and nab the Survivor in the back. Eventually you will get lucky enough to have the Survivors not notice, and you will survive long enough to get the achievement.
Try to do this when the enemy team is busy fighting either a startled Witch or a Tank, especially if they are already on low health. In despair, they probably will ignore you and try to deal with the Witch/Tank first.
This can also easily be done by hiding among the trees in the first section of Blood Harvest, as you will rarely be spotted before you grab a Survivor.
Pull a survivor right into a pipe bomb. The explosion will do good damage to your victim and also add distance to the pull.
Big Drag is a play on words, referring to both the act of dragging a survivor, and taking a drag from a cigarette.
Despite specifying 100 feet, only pulling a survivor a distance of over 61 feet is required. The maximum attack range for the Smoker's grapple is only 750 in-game units, which can be slightly increased from various circumstances but is nowhere near 100 feet.
As a Smoker, once a Boomer pukes on any Survivor, pull him/her until he/she reaches the Smoker and he begins his clawing animation. The achievement will not unlock by simply pulling Survivors covered in bile until an obstacle prevents them from reaching the Smoker.
A fast way to get this achievement: when you are a Smoker and you notice that there is a Boomer at a strategic spot just waiting to puke on the Survivors, hide at a high place nearby. Shortly after the Boomer puked succesfully (before the zombies appear), jump near the Boomer's victim and grab him/her. If you jumped close enough and grabbed the victim fast enough, the achievement will unlock before the other Survivors can kill you or the common infected appear to hinder you.
This Achievement is broken or glitched on the Xbox 360 and cannot be unlocked if playing on a dedicated server. It can be unlocked offline via system link or online using a local server (see Crash Course notes section for directions on forcing a versus game into a local server).
Simply play versus long enough and you'll eventually get it.
This achievement is a reference to the vehicle used in Land of the Dead by the mercenaries in the film. The vehicle's name was Dead Reckoning.
A way to get the achievement faster is, when you get the chance to play as a Tank, to try bashing incapacitated Survivors. You should get 25 damage per punch.
The achievement title is a play on the term "dead reckoning", which is a process for estimating the value of a variable quantity by using a previous value and adding any changes. It is commonly used in navigation for estimating one's position.
Exploding on Survivors doesn't count. You must vomit on all 4 in one attack.
Vomit on all four of the Survivors at once. If even one is missed, you will not get the achievement. One of the most important things to remember when trying to get this achievement is "location, location, location". If the Survivors are huddled into one corner, go for it.
Remember that if the Survivors are huddled too close, it will be tricky to hit the ones at the back of the group.
Another tactic to avoid this situation is to look for an opportunity to ambush the Survivors when they are very slightly spread out, and spraying them all with bile in one horizontal motion.
A "barf bag" is a slang term for the air sickness bags provided on most airlines, intended for passengers that get sick during the flight to vomit into.
ALL 4 DEAD
(30G)
Incapacitate or kill all four Survivors in one life as a Tank.
This is down to your individual tactics.
Getting hit by a car instantly incapacitates a Survivor. If you can knock a car down a narrow hallway as all four Survivors are together, you can knock them all out in a single hit.
This achievement tends to be easier to get in the beginning of a campaign, when the Survivors have only tier 1 weapons, as they do much less damage to a Tank than tier 2 weapons that tend to be found later in a campaign. Just keep playing Versus, hope you get to become a Tank early in the game, just keep attacking and you can earn this achievement.
Although it's something that can be frowned upon normally, you can "steal" kills from teammates who have constricted or pounced players that are not yet incapacitated.
Note that, as the Tank, it has to be you that incapacitates each survivor to earn this achievement. If you incapacitate three Survivors and a team mate incapacitates the last one, you do NOT receive this achievement.
Likely a play on the phrase "One for all, and all for one." Could also be a reference to the game's title.
It is possible that pouncing a Survivor as a Hunter just as they close the door can earn you this achievement.
One of the easiest ways to do this is to wait outside the door after someone decided to run to the safe room without their teammates.
Another way to do this is use a Smoker to drag a Survivor out of the safe room and incapacitate him/her. You may have to choose a Survivor low on health to incapacitate him/her before other Survivors can react.
The name is a reference to a short story by Roald Dahl titled Lamb to the Slaughter.
This achievement is cumulative, so it is not all in one game. The best place to get this will be the parking lot with the alarmed cars.
Dumpsters also affect the progress of this achievement, despite not being cars.
Hint: a car spawns on the finale, inside of the truck depot, near the fence that the Survivors crossed to enter there. Since that's the place with the highest chances of you becoming a Tank, you must always try to use this car in order to earn the achievement faster.
On the Xbox 360: Hitting Survivors with a car does not count towards the achievement when playing on a local server. You must play on a dedicated server in order to receive credit. Interestingly, this is exactly opposite of the numerous broken Versus achievements for Crash Course.
With an update which restored lost achievement progress to players, many players received this achievement despite not having completed the requirements. The Crash Course campaign need not have even been downloaded for this to happen.
Simply incapacitate all the (remaining) Survivors after the escape vehicle appears in the Crash Course campaign. Probably easiest by being the Tank that spawns when the vehicle has arrived. Just be tactical, and you shouldn't lose, since Chainsaws don't spawn.
WIPEFEST
(35G)
Your team incapacitates three Survivors within five seconds in the Crash Course campaign.
To earn this achievement, you or your team 'simply' need to incapacitate three Survivors within five seconds of each other. The easiest way of achieving this is having a Tank incapacitate multiple Survivors in one strike by hitting a car/forklift/object at them. However, the damage source doesn't matter, as even friendly fire from other survivors counts as long as you are on the infected team.
Steam's description for this achievement fails to include "in the Crash Course campaign" which might mislead players into thinking the achievement can be obtained on another campaign; it is exclusive to Crash Course.
You can get this achievement as a survivor using the following scenario (This is confirmed to work). Set up a versus friends-only game hosted on a local server, using two controllers and bots (See Crash Course for an explanation on forcing game into a local server). Make sure the 2nd player guest is a survivor, and primary account is an infected. After the game has loaded, do not spawn as an infected. Using the second controller, do not leave the safe area. Grab the shotgun and shoot a survivor bot until they start to heal themselves. When the bot starts to heal himself or herself, repeat the process with a different bot until all three bots have used their health packs. Now, shoot each survivor until their health is just above the point of incapacitation. Now, all you have to do is shoot the three bots and incap them all within 5 seconds and the achievement unlocks for the host account.
None of the Survival Achievements are present in the Xbox 360 version of the game since it is a free DLC.
BRONZE METTLE
Earn a Bronze medal in Survival mode on any official level.
It is a pun on the word "medal" and "mettle".
SILVER BULLETS
Earn a Silver medal in Survival mode on any official level.
A common myth is that silver bullets are effective at slaying werewolves. Less common myths are that silver bullets will also kill or highly damage vampires and zombies.
VIOLENCE IS GOLDEN
Earn a Gold medal in Survival mode on any official level.
A play on words of the term "silence is golden."
DISTINGUISHED SURVIVOR
Earn at least a Bronze medal on every official Survival level.
HEROIC SURVIVOR
Earn at least a Silver medal on every official Survival level.
LEGENDARY SURVIVOR
Earn a Gold medal on every official Survival level.
In Left 4 Dead only the person who sacrificed themselves gets the achievement. In Left 4 Dead 2 all players get the achievement except the Survivor who is sacrificed for the team.
In Left 4 Dead 2 single player mode, the player gets the achievement despite being forced to sacrifice himself. This is most likely to make up for the fact that the computer players can't make the sacrifice.
Self-explanatory. This is the only achievement which requires a specific Survivor.
In the Left 4 Dead 2 version of the campaign, if the three other Survivors are either dead or incapacitated it is still possible to reactivate the generator as Bill and unlock the achievement, but the finale will fail and the game will restart from the safe room. It's unconfirmed if it works in the Left 4 Dead version.
In Left 4 Dead the achievement is only obtained by the player who plays as Bill and successfully sacrifices himself. In Left 4 Dead 2 the achievement will be obtained by everyone on the team if the sacrifice is made by Bill.
This achievement shares its name with a movie. Also, this achievement probably was made to encourage players to follow The Sacrifice Comic's canon, in which Bill dies.
To accomplish this, get two other players, and then situate everyone near a generator and start them at the same time. If done quickly enough, the achievement will unlock.
Every time a generator is started, a Tank will spawn, so be prepared to fight with three Tanks if you want this achievement.
This achievement will not unlock simply if all three have been started and are running at the same time — all three need to be started simultaneously.
This achievement is broken or glitched on the Xbox 360 and will only unlock if playing a game on a local server or via system link (see Crash Course notes section for directions on forcing a game into a local server).
The achievement is recorded in favour of flame damage and not by the explosion itself.
This achievement is easier to obtain in Left 4 Dead 2 instead of Left 4 Dead, since Chargers can be easily lured into charging into the barrels, and a single explosion should be able to kill it without the bots interfering. It can be similarly done with Hunters, however it is more risky and if you get pounced the Hunter will likely be killed by your teammates or bots. Also, in L4D2, the Flu Season Mutation possibly gives you most opportunities to earn this achievement, since Boomers and Spitters spawn all the time, both of which are much easier to kill with a barrel than other Special Infected.
Fastest way to get this achievement on L4D1: start a Single Player game on The Docks on Expert, then incapacitate the Bots with a shotgun and change the difficulty to Easy. Near the beginning of this map, there is a thin alley where numerous barrels can spawn; just stay at this alley until a Special Infected appear, then lure he to near the barrels. Note that this can take numerous attempts: since you are alone, a Hunter or a Smoker can instantly screw up your tentative. This technique also demands you to know how the Special Infected's AI works, and how to lure them to a certain spot.
You can also try to get this achievement on Versus by luring a player-controlled Special Infected to the barrels, but it's not recommended: unless you are playing with friends, loitering on a Versus match will quickly get you kicked from the session.
The name most likely comes from a phrase spoken by Peppy Hare from the Nintendo 64 game, Star Fox 64, where he tells the player to "do a barrel roll", a phrase that has become a popular meme on the Internet.
SACRIFIZZLE
(50G)
As a Special Infected, incap someone who is trying to sacrifice themselves.
In Left 4 Dead 2, you will not take control of a Tank; instead, you will still have to choose your own spawn point. This can make things both easier and harder: you don't have to move all the way to the generator, but you still have to spawn, and you need to incapacitate a Survivor with a standard Special Infected, which is challenging unless the Survivor is injured.
The Survivor doesn't have to be starting the generator — he or she only needs to jump off the bridge.
Be aware of AI controlled Tanks, as sometimes they can accidentally kill you when you're trying to grab a Survivor (or even after you grabbed him/her).
In Left 4 Dead, you'll always take control of a newly spawned Tank. Use this for your advantage. Be quick, however: if the Survivors reacts fast, you might not even be able to get to them.
Note that you only have to deal the incapacitating hit.
This achievement was previously glitched for the Xbox 360 version of Left 4 Dead, making it unobtainable. However, this achievement was later patched in an update to the Xbox version and became obtainable, although it remains partially glitched as it will not unlock on dedicated servers; it will only unlock on local servers or system link games (see Crash Course notes section for directions on forcing a versus game into a local server).
This can be acquired by completing the campaign on any difficulty.
"Price Chopper" refers to the setting of the campaign (in a mall) and the use of newly introduced melee weapons.
"Price Chopper" is also the name of two grocery store chains in the United States. One is headquartered in upstate New York, and the other is headquartered in Kansas City.
This can be acquired by completing the campaign on any difficulty.
"Torch Bearer" refers to a legacy being passed on (a.k.a. "passing the torch"); the original four Survivors' journey may very well have come to an end, which coincided with the new Survivors meeting them and continuing on their own journey.
This can be acquired by completing the campaign on any difficulty.
The achievement name is a reference both to the term "midnight rider" (a person who visits an amusement park late at night) and to the fictional in-game band, The Midnight Riders.
The achievement, as well as the band's name, is more likely a reference to the Greg Allman song, "Midnight Rider, " as the song can be fairly easily interpreted as about someone running from some fate the singer is afraid of. The obvious parallel to the Survivor position in the game setting is perfect.
This can be acquired by completing the campaign on any difficulty.
Cajun refers to both an ethnic group and cuisine that are common in the area in which the game is set.
Ragin' Cajun is a common pun in the Deep South. There is a restaurant chain called the Ragin' Cajun, and several sports teams. James Carville, chief campaign strategist for the Clinton campaign of '92, was nicknamed the Ragin' Cajun.
When using the melee weapon, aim around the height of Common Infected head to decapitate them and count toward this achievement.
Using the Crowbar may also work as it may decapitate Common Infected, but mostly takes only part of the head off, not all of it.
Blunt melee weapons cannot be used to earn this achievement as they can't decapitate Common Infected.
Using the Chainsaw can also earn this achievement but is quite difficult; its attacking speed is very high and the only area that counts towards the achievement when hit is the neck.
Despite the achievement's description, it is still possible to achieve it with gore disabled.
The term "Head Honcho" means "one who is in charge".
You can get a lot of credit towards this during gauntlet events, particularly the one at the end of The Barns.
Make sure your team knows that you're planning to go nuts with a Chainsaw if you're not playing on Easy. It can be a very sloppy weapon, resulting in lots of friendly fire.
The name is a reference to a military term describing ranks tied in with the pun of "Chain"saw.
Using a Bile bomb can spawn a good amount of Infected who are most likely to be distracted with the effects of the bomb. Make sure there are no Boomers nearby or its effect will be nullified, and do not use it on Hard Rain as the Worker Infected are immune to its effects but will still spawn anyways.
The Tank can only take melee damage for this to count, for anybody; no one can shoot or burn it.
This is easier to do if your entire team uses melee and at least one person has a Chainsaw.
As long as the Tank is killed using only melee weapons, every Survivor gets this achievement, regardless of if they dealt any damage to the Tank or not. It is possible (although rare) for three Survivor Bots to melee a Tank to death by themselves, giving the player the achievement for no effort.
Impossible to achieve with bots, as they will always use primary weapons on the Tank and their coding will eventually force them to switch from melee weapons to pistols.
To win this achievement alone, start a game on Easy difficulty, kill off any bots, and find the Tank (may take several tries due to pinning Specials). Tanks on Easy will have a massive delay after they manage to hit the player, and deal less damage per hit than higher difficulties. It is recommended that players attempting this use a chainsaw, as it will kill a Tank much more quickly than normal melee weapons.
This is likely a glitch, but if the Tank is completely is avoided (which is unlikely, except in the Bridge Finale), with no damage or only melee damage is done, when the Survivors escape/reach the safe room, all players who haven't yet will get this achievement. It has been confirmed on the Xbox 360, and it unlocks right when the rescue vehicle is leaving.
The title is a reference to the in-game restaurant chain, the Burger Tank.
It is easiest to obtain on the Mutations Chainsaw Massacre and Four Swordsmen.
If you want to get this achievement quickly, play the first chapter of Dead Center and find at least one defibrillator (obviously, it's easier to get more if you have human team members). Play the level normally until you reach the safe room, then switch the difficulty to Expert and let at least one of your team members die. Switch back to Easy, clear out the Infected, and defibrillate the dead survivor. From there, you can get someone else killed if you had more than one defibrillator, or restart the chapter to do it again.
This may also be easier playing the Bleed Out Mutation, since defibrillators spawn and deaths are rather common.
Alternatively if Mutations are not available, The Sugar Mill on Expert will help as deaths can be rather common due to the large amount of Witches on the level. Note that there will not be enough defibrillators to revive 10 dead players, but this chapter will help as it is often rare to die in other chapters.
Note that reviving the same person more than once in a single session won't count toward the achievement. Restart the chapter before getting the same Survivor killed again.
There tends to be a larger number of defibrillators in Hard Rain than other campaigns, making it a good choice for earning this achievement quickly.
Killing a Survivor and then using the defibrillator on them does not count towards the score. Incapacitating a Survivor has no effect.
Pushing an AI survivor into a fire (such as near the end of Dead Center's "Hotel") and then defibrillating them does count as achievement progress. This also works for THE QUICK AND THE DEAD.
"Shock jock" is a slang term used to describe a type of radio broadcaster or disc jockey who entertains listeners or attracts attention using humor and/or melodramatic exaggeration that a notable portion of the listening audience may find offensive.
THE QUICK AND THE DEAD
(30G)
Revive 10 incapacitated Survivors while under the speed-boosting effects of adrenaline.
Simply grab any Adrenaline Shot you see and save it for an incapacitated Survivor.
Incapacitating a Survivor with friendly fire and then reviving them while under the adrenaline's effect does not count toward the achievement.
Pulling a Survivor from a ledge does count.
To get this achievement quickly, start Hard Rain's Sugar Mill or Mill Escape and get to the top of the empty building (just before/after the cane field). Make sure you have at least one Adrenaline Shot. The Survivors can just walk towards the precipice, and you can use your adrenaline to quickly save them.
Another easy method of achieving this is to start a game on the map Atrium on Survival mode and continually let someone hang from a high ledge. If done right you can get about three revives with one Adrenaline shot.
Pushing a Survivor Bot into a fire (such as near the end of The Hotel) and then reviving them does count towards the achievement. This also works for SHOCK JOCK.
"The Quick and the Dead" is a phrase from the King James version of the Bible, and has been the title of several movies.
ARMORY OF ONE
(15G)
Deploy an ammo upgrade and have your team use it.
Find an ammo upgrade and deploy it somewhere near the Survivors. It is best to do it on Single Player as Survivor Bots are programmed to pick up the upgrade when one is deployed. Make sure they can reach it as they may occasionally be unable to reach it due to errors.
"Armory of One" is a pun on the US Army slogan "An Army of One".
This can easily be earned by combining incendiary ammo with a shotgun (preferably an Auto Shotgun) during a horde. Because of the wide spread of the buckshot, each shot ignites multiple infected simultaneously.
This is painfully easy when you combine a M60 with the upgrade, especially in the Mutation Gib Fest, as it gives you 150 bullets (assuming you haven't wasted any of it yet or are in Gib Fest). This means that you can miss on average two of every three shots and still get this achievement without requiring another ammo upgrade.
If there is no M60 available, a regular or Silenced Submachine gun can work, but players must be precise with every bullet shot as those inexperienced will shoot 2 at a time and can miss.
Best to be done on Swamp Fever due to the large amount of ammo packs found in the early chapters of the campaign.
A "Burning Sensation" is a feeling of burning pain unrelated to actual burns, usually caused by an irritant of some sort.
Self-explanatory. You usually have to be pretty close to the Tank to reliably hit it with a Bile bomb, so be ready to act fast.
An incoming Horde will appear after the bile jar explodes, so be prepared to deal with them too if they are not killed when the effects of the bile wear out.
The Bile Bomb has to hit the Tank directly, hitting the ground, walls, or other Infected does not count.
A septic tank is a sewage-disposal container, usually positioned below ground, in which a continuous flow of waste material is decomposed by anaerobic bacteria.
It is not required to kill a Riot Infected in The Parish, despite being portrayed in the achievement image. This is due to Riot Infected being absent from the game in certain countries where depictions of violence against authority figures are prohibited.
The achievement title is a reference to the play The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, which is set in New Orleans.
DEAD IN THE WATER
(20G)
Kill 10 swampy Mudmen while they are in the water.
If you toss a Pipe bomb into the water during a horde, you will get a lot of progress towards this achievement.
The achievement title is a nautical term used to describe a vessel that can no longer function or move. It is often applied metaphorically to describe anything with a similar circumstance of immobility or helplessness.
It may be hard to kill mudmen in the water as the swampy water may hide them well. Let them come to you and shove them to reveal them, then shoot them before they recover.
This achievement can be harder than it may sound, considering CEDA Worker Infected have only a 5% chance of spawning and only one in ten of those will have a Bile bomb. They also only spawn in The Hotel, The Streets, the L4D2 version of The Sacrifice and the L4D2 version of No Mercy.
The name is a reference to the musician and horror filmmaker, Rob Zombie.
You can get this easily if you find a bile bomb. If you throw it, there's a good chance that one or more of the members of the ensuing horde will be a CEDA Worker Infected with another bile bomb. Kill the infected, pick up any bile bombs dropped, and repeat.
An easy way to obtain this achievement is during The Streets' crescendo event. By staying near the counter with the ammo pile and allowing hordes to spawn, CEDA Workers will spawn and can carry bile bombs. You may want to do this in Single Player as teams will be unwilling to wait for you to obtain the achievement.
The name is a reference to the Left 4 Dead achievement CR0WND.
You can hit the same Clown Infected more than once for progress towards this achievement. However, they will eventually die from repeated melee shoves, so you will need to find more Clown Infected to proceed with this achievement.
In the German and French descriptions for this achievement, for unknown reasons, it says to kill 10 Clowns, which is unnecessary and will not award the achievement if completed.
During Dark Carnival, when there's a horde, throw a molotov into the groups of swarming infected; odds are that there's at least one Clown in there. Be wary that during such events the Infected may not follow the clown but instead head for the players instead.
Fried Piper is a play on the legend of the Pied Piper.
The Charger has 600 HP, and a melee hit does 300, so someone will need to shoot the Charger a few times for this to be done properly.
This is a hard achievement to earn naturally. Ask your team to let you walk in the front, and to shoot a few bullets at all Chargers but not enough to kill them, in order for you to be able to melee them when they charge. It is almost impossible to get this achievement with bots, as they will either shoot the Charger too little or too much for you to kill him while he charges.
The Last Man on Earthmutation is the perfect opportunity to earn this achievement. Just kill any other Special Infected and you'll be facing the Charger alone with no bots, teammates or common infected to get in your way.
In particular, the second map from Swamp Fever has a fixed melee weapon spawn near the initial safe room and the safe room itself is a straight corridor. You can pick up the melee weapon, return to the safe room, and wait until a Charger appears. You can use the four first aid kits for multiple attempts on the Last Man on Earth mutation.
To "level a charge" means to accuse someone of some crime or misdeed.
It is easy to spot Spitters from far away because of their neon green drool. Spitters almost always run for cover as soon as you spot them, so crouch for improved accuracy and fire quickly. Remember that you can shoot through most thin walls, so if a Spitter ducks into a doorway, spray the wall in front of it with lead.
Shares name with a Half-Life 2: Episode 2 achievement. The achievement title is a play on the term "acid reflux", which itself is a colloquial name for Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). GERD is a condition in which the stomach contents (food or liquid) leak backwards from the stomach into the esophagus, causing heartburn and other symptoms.
Killing a Spitter that hasn't used their primary attack in Versus Mode will count towards this achievement.
Over 80.6% of the players on Steam have this achievement, like DRAG AND DROP. It is thus the most common achievement according to Steam statistics.
A RIDE DENIED
(15G)
Kill a Jockey within 2 seconds of it jumping on a Survivor.
Shoot the Jockey with a Tactical or Combat Shotgun at close range to deal the most damage possible within 2 seconds.
Alternatively, let the Jockey jump on a Survivor then attack it with a melee weapon. It will immediately die from the swing.
STACHE WHACKER
(15G)
Prove you are faster than Moustachio.
You must get a total score of 42 on the Whack-A-Mole game in Dark Carnival, which is in the level titled The Barns.
Every player who whacks at least one Moustachio will get the achievement.
Completing the requirements for this achievement will trigger a horde.
This can be done in the Survival version of the appropriate map, which will eliminate all distractions while attempting to complete the achievement.
The score is possibly referring to the title of the game, Left 4 Dead 2.
Or, it might be a reference to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, in which the number 42 is the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything.
GONG SHOW
(15G)
Prove you are stronger than Moustachio.
You must use an Adrenaline Shot and a melee weapon on the Strong Man game in Dark Carnival's fourth section. Be ready to fight a horde right afterwards.
It does not matter what melee weapon you choose to complete this achievement.
A Tank can hit the pad and successfully break the gong. You won't get the achievement for breaking the gong that way.
The Gong Show was an American television program from the 1970s in which marginally-talented contestants performed various stage acts that were then judged by a panel of D-List celebrities from the era. If a contestant was particularly bad, the act would be interrupted by someone on the panel banging a huge gong behind them on the set.
This may also be a play on words "Gun Show" where a person flexes their muscles. This can be inferred because of the requirement of being "stronger" than Moustachio, and strong people usually have large muscles that they show off in a "Gun Show".
The title is a play on the lawn ornament "Garden Gnome".
"Gnome Chompski" is a play on the name of the political writer "Noam Chomsky".
The gnome can be found on the shooting gallery in The Fairgrounds. Push the button and score 750 points by shooting the targets. The box to the left of the gallery will open and the gnome can be picked up. From then on, you have to carry him through the entire campaign, bring him to the rescue helicopter with you, and leave the carnival on the helicopter while still holding him.
The Achievement is a reference to Half-Life 2: Episode 2's achievement "Little Rocket Man". The player had to carry the gnome from the first level to the last level of the game and fire it into space by putting it into a rocket.
The Gnome uses the same model and textures as in Half-Life 2: Episode 2, with only slight changes on bump-maps and the size of the model itself.
Even Survivors who don't make it onto the helicopter will get this achievement as long as the gnome and at least one Survivor escape.
Sometimes the gnome just disappears or falls through doors. Make sure you keep an eye on it.
If you drop the Gnome in the very middle of the tracks on the Roller Coaster Crescendo, it will sometimes fall through, forcing you to take a detour to retrieve it or abandon it.
A good strategy for The Coaster is to toss Gnome Chompski over the fence near where you start the Roller Coaster Crescendo Event. This way, you can run the majority of the roller coaster unencumbered, and come back to retrieve him after you've stopped the alarm.
A good strategy for The Barns is to toss the gnome over the fence towards the entrance of the stadium. You will be able to complete the vast majority of the level unencumbered. Simply retrieve him when you reach him during the Gauntlet Crescendo.
This achievement is actually quite easy to obtain via the "Last Gnome on Earth" Mutation. One can even start the game at "The Concert" on Easy and the achievement will be unlocked when the survivors escape with the gnome.
WING AND A PRAYER
(30G)
Defend yourself at the crashed airliner without taking damage.
To do this achievement, start the game in Swamp Fever and reach The Swamp. Grab an automatic weapon from the safe room. Next, go through the level; try to pick up a few throwables on the way. When you get to the crashed aircraft, trigger the event and dash back to the area with the shed and the campfire. All of the Infected will spawn in front of the plane, allowing the Survivors to focus their fire in one direction. One can also simply throw a Molotov or light a Gas Can and watch all the zombies run directly into the fire.
An alternative method would be to camp in an area just to the right, slightly behind, the plane. It takes Infected a while to get to the Survivors, giving ample time to eliminate them. Just throw a grenade ahead, and if you need extra protection, have someone stand in front to take care of Special Infected that could cause problems and draw the full attention of Common Infected towards them.
Using adrenaline or pills will make this achievement almost impossible, as the the game checks that your permanent health upon completing the event is greater than or equal to your permanent and temporary health combined upon activating the event. However, if you manage to get to the plane with 100 or 99 of health, you can use an adrenaline and rush back to the safe room. The achievement unlocks regardless of the survivor's location.
This is NOT a party achievement. To be more specific, the only person whose health must not decrease during the event is the person attempting to get the achievement.
Taking friendly fire — even if no change shows in the health bar — will also stop you from getting this achievement.
By far the easiest method to complete this in single player is, in fact, to stay inside the plane. Arm yourself with a melee weapon, and preferably a bile bomb or pipe bomb, then simply trigger the door and walk "down" the plane (towards where the tail would be, with the emergency door on your left) and slip in to the left behind the last row of seats you are able to get behind. The infected will not come in behind you, and the AI Survivors will take all the heat off of you. Alternately, go towards the forward part of the middle section and use the C-shaped hole where the window seat is missing from the forward row, and focus your attention forward. However, a Spitter can cause damage if they spit in the correct area, and a Smoker might ensnare you behind the plane.
An easy way to get this achievement on the Xbox is to simply use two controllers. Leave the player who is trying to get the achievement in the safe room while the other player goes and activates the event. As long as you stay inside the safe room, you will get the achievement.
To have a "Wing and a Prayer" is to hope for something that is unlikely or difficult because of a lack of appropriate preparation, though the survivors are already aware and prepared.
Keeping your flashlight off during the entire time spent in the sugar mill and being more alert than usual goes a long way. Back off immediately into the direction you came from if a Witch starts to growl; this is often enough to avoid fighting them. Note that you CAN use bile bombs to kill Witches and still get this achievement — you just need to be far enough in order for a Witch not to register that you have attacked her. You can't, however, get enough bile to kill all the Witches discreetly on this level, so be prepared to sneak in order to get this achievement.
If you disturb a Witch, it is still possible to receive this achievement. This can be accomplished as long as the Witch isn't killed. Generally, this means allowing her to kill the disturber.
Witches in the sugar tank area can be forced to retreat by going onto the double wire stack and shooting at them. Upon being startled, they will immediately retreat.
Everyone who enters the safe room will receive this achievement upon entry.
A pretty easy way to get this achievement (requires Cold Stream DLC) is to play the mutation "Last Man on Earth" and start directly at the Sugar Mill on Easy. Bots won't be startling Witches and Common Infected won't spawn, making the level (almost) a walk in the park aside from the occasional Special infected and again, the Witches.
Can be achieved with bots, however this is extremely hard and will require playing either on Expert or being lucky enough to have Witches not spawn in their way. Do not use shortcuts, as Survivor Bots do not use them and will invariably startle several Witches along the way.
A sob story is a sad tale, especially one intended to elicit sympathy for the teller. Reference to the Witch always crying when not startled.
VIOLENCE IN SILENCE
(30G)
Navigate the impound lot and reach The Cemeterysafe room without tripping any alarms.
This achievement is best done by using exclusively melee weapons in the impound lot with no AI controlled teammates. Bots will not fire within the proximity of the car, so you will receive limited support from AI controlled teammates.
Watch out for Boomers as their explosions upon death will set off car alarms.
Players can manipulate car mechanics by being far enough from the car and shooting Infected from there. Even if bullets hit the car or a Boomer near an alarmed car is killed by a player, if they are far enough the alarm will not go off. Use this to snipe distant Infected and use a melee weapon to kill any stray Infected up close.
Incendiary ammo does not set off car alarms, so deploying an incendiary ammo upgrade before or immediately after entering the impound lot will make this achievement much easier. Note that this will only help you on Single Player as bots will still not fight often near an alarmed car.
This can also be easily obtained through the "Last Man on Earth" mutation, as since no bots are present (nor Common Infected), accidentally setting off any alarms is highly unlikely.
Having a Tank spawn in the impound lot can actually be a blessing in disguise; the Tank may punch the cars with alarms out of the way while you and your teammates retreat to the sewer.
The name of this achievement may be a reference to the Depeche Mode (which is advertised on Rochelle's shirt) song "Enjoy the Silence" with its lyrics "Words like violence break the silence…".
This is reference to the Simon and Garfunkel song "Bridge Over Troubled Water".
Trebled means "three times", referring to the number of minutes you have to cross the bridge.
Try to keep left: Infected tend to bunch up near this area, giving you less need to shoot aimlessly.
The best weapons for you and your teammates, if you wish to get this achievement, are melee weapons and automatic weapons such as Tier 2 rifles or shotguns.
Note that this achievement requires the ending to trigger in under 3 minutes from the start of the bridge finale.
Killing off any bots is advised, as they trail behind human survivors rather than running alongside them.
In order to make it in time, you'll probably have to skip the Tank. Distract him with the cars, take adrenaline, and rush over the tanker, across the last strip of bridge, and onto the chopper.
This can also be obtained with ease through the "Last Man on Earth" Mutation. Since only Special Infected spawn and no cumbersome AI players follow, keeping left and constantly running will mean the Tank is the only problematic encounter. Defeating the Tank won't help, simply inject the adrenaline and dash away from him.
Another good way to earn this achievement is by playing the Room for One Mutation, even in single player. Although Common Infected will spawn, the AI bots will help you, killing from behind (no friendly fire!) any Common and Special Infected (with a lower spawn rate than Last Man On Earth) that harass you. As you don't need to wait for them (they will probably stop to kill infected), you can calmly leave them behind and get the achievement.
The name of this achievement is a reference to the word commonly called out when swinging a club to alert people to watch out for the golf ball.
The 18 headshots required references the number of holes in a standard golf course.
This can be achieved easily; simply wield the required weapon and aim high.
TIL IT GOES CLICK
(20G)
Using the M60, kill 25 infected without letting go of the trigger.
An easy way to get this is by using the M60 in The SewerCrescendo Event. At the last tunnel (before you reach the ladder to the safe room), a Horde will always spawn, and is perfectly lined up by the narrow entrance for you to mow down.
Another way to get this is to play a survival map on any level of The Passing, as an M60 will always spawn. You can easily mow down the never ending Hordes.
It can also be used in conjunction with a Bile Bomb to attract a horde of Infected.
Contrary to the name of the achievement, you do not have to hold the trigger 'til it goes click' to get it, unless you happen to run out of ammo around the same time that you obtain the achievement.
It is easy to obtain this achievement while playing the Gib Fest Mutation. As the M60 has unlimited ammo, simply hold down the trigger for an easy profit.It's best to just allow infinite hordes of common infected approach, and just kill, kill, kill.
This achievement refers to a line spoken by John Turturro's character in the movie The Big Lebowski: "I'll take it [the gun] away from you, stick it up your ass and pull the fucking trigger 'til it goes 'click'."
The new song is "Save Me Some Sugar (This Won't Take Long)"
Alludes to the 70s hit song "Killing Me Softly With His Song" originally sung by Roberta Flack and covered in 1996 by The Fugees.
One of the jukebox can be found on the Final Stage of The Passing on the ground floor of the House where the original Survivors snipe from.
KITE LIKE A MAN
(30G)
Kill a Tank only with damage from the original Survivors.
"Kiting" is a common MMORPG tactic in which a player holds the attention of a boss and proceeds to run away without the intention of escaping, similar to running from a Tank, but staying close enough to keep it from switching targets.
The title 'Kite Like A Man' is a play on words with the term 'fight like a man'.
This achievement is possible in single player, although it somewhat relies on luck. If you and the bots are far from the generator and a Tank spawns there, the original Survivors may be able to kill it, as Louis can quickly kill it with his Heavy Machine Gun.
A simple way to do this (even on single player) is to wait at the bridge (after the generator has already been activated) until a Tank spawns. As soon as you have an indication that it has spawned, run to the car before any of the Left 4 Dead 2 Survivors can shoot it. Once the ending is triggered, it should give you the achievement, even if the originals haven't killed it yet. This is because the Tank dies automatically upon ending the campaign. It's better if you have human players and you've told them beforehand, so they'd co-operate
If you are unsure of whether or not a Tank will spawn, simply kick all other bots on the team and tell all human survivors to cease fire, then take out a melee weapon and hide near Louis. Wait out the horde until the Tank arrives. He usually will spawn either very far away, or behind the fence. Either way it will take him a long time to reach you. Staying near Louis means that you have the strongest of the Left 4 Dead survivor-mounted weapon on your side, and on easy will shred the Tank in no time. If the Tank does close the gap, circle around the building to buy you some time and to let the bots whittle his health down.
The Lone Gunman mutation might be the best opportunity to earn this achievement, as there are no other teammates to damage the Tank and Boomers are the only Special Infected present.
Another simple way is to wait until a Tank comes, then hide on the second floor of the house with the bar and jukebox. Make sure it is far from you; if it is near, the original survivors won't have the time necessary to kill it before it follows you through the door.
To get this achievement, you must play The Passing, which is the only campaign where the Fallen Survivor spawns.
Though Fallen Survivors have very significant volumes of health, headshots will still instantly kill them. Use this to your advantage to prevent them from escaping after you initially deal damage to them.
There are Foot Lockers scattered throughout The Passing that contain a cache of unlimited items. Simply be the first one to open them.
The achievement title is a play on the phrase "cash grab" which is a derogatory term for a cheap, substandard quality product produced simply to make money.
ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM
Revive an incapacitated teammate while a Tank is nearby.
The achievement can be relatively more difficult to obtain than what the description says since the Tank often starts pounding the incapacitated one when attempting to revive them, resetting the reviving process.
An easy way to get this achievement is by having someone distract the Tank to move him away from the incapacitated Survivor. In this way, the player has an opportunity to revive them before the Tank switches to another target.
GET SKEETED ON
Kill a pouncing Hunter with a shotgun.
HOUSEHOLD NAMES
Discover the hidden room in the Last Stand campaign
LICKETY-SPLIT
With a sharp melee weapon, cut a Smoker's tongue before he ensnares you.
The only weapons able to cut a Smoker's tongue are Axe, Katana, and Machete. Move your view to the Smoker; wait for it to scream (indicating it spots a Survivor); swing the melee weapon the moment Smoker attacks with its tongue.
NEW HAIRCUT
Kill a Witch using only a sharp melee weapon, without anyone getting incapacitated or killed.
To obtain the achievement, start a game session that takes place during the day with at least two players, grab a melee weapon, coordinate the attack to kill the Wandering Witch simultaneously.
Killing a sitting Witch is not recommended since she will immediately start getting up and attack the Survivor when startled which ruins chance of unlocking the achievement.
POLE POSITION
Escape Liberty Mall's Atrium before the first Tank appears
In order to earn the achievement, all Survivors need to keep moving fast, grab the gascans and throw them at Jimmy Gibbs Junior's car. Then, the player with an Adrenaline Shot should use it and start filling the car with gas without hesitation.
PURE SATISFACTION
Kill 20 Jockeys with the shovel or pitchfork.
Self-explanatory. Simply kill the Jockey with the aforementioned weapons.
To increase the chance of hitting the Jockey, run backwards as it leaps to prevent them from riding you (it starts clawing when it is close to the Survivor).
ROCKY HORROR PICTURE THROW
Destroy a Tank's rock in mid-air.
This achievement name is play word The Rocky Horror Picture Show, a 1975 musical comedy horror film.
With a strong weapon, the player will be able to destroy the rock before it hits them.
AI-controlled Tank will start throwing rocks if all Survivors are approximately five meters apart from the Tank.
SHOTGUN WEDDING
Kill the Witch bride with a single shotgun blast on expert difficulty.
A shotgun wedding is an American colloquialism to refer a wedding that is arranged to avoid embarrassment due to premarital sex possibly leading to an unintended pregnancy, rather than out of the desire of the participants to make a family. Termed as such based on a stereotypical scenario where the father of the pregnant bride-to-be threatens the reluctant groom with a shotgun to ensure that he follows through with the wedding
This requires a lot of skill as the player has a tiny amount of time to kill the Witch on Expert before she is startled. Failure to kill the Witch will result in player getting instantly killed by her.
THE MAIN ATTRACTION
On the concert finale, survive until the helicopter arrives without leaving the stage
THREE'S A CROWD
Rescue three Survivors from a single rescue closet.
This achievement name based on a 1984 sitcom with the same name.
Z-GENOCIDEST 2: EPISODE 2
Kill 53,599 infected. You made sure the dead won't rise anymore!
This is a cumulative achievement; the player simply needs kill 53,599 Infected across the whole game.
The name is a reference to the Left 4 Dead achievement WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO PROVE?, which also involved surviving all the campaigns on Expert.
Beating Expert in a DLC campaign does not count.
Surviving a campaign on Realism Mode with Expert difficulty counts towards this achievement.
When trying to get this achievement with a Mutation, remember that you first need to start a normal game on Expert difficulty, then quit and launch the Mutation through the console(see Mutations for details). The Expert difficulty will then "carry over" from the previous game. Running the Mutation on non-Expert and then changing the difficulty in-game will NOT count.
Beating the mutation mode Last Man on Earth on Expert will give you this achievement. With surround sound and good coordination, you should be able to beat campaigns in an average of about 30 minutes each.
Gib Fest is a great Mutation for getting this Achievement and it is made much easier by playing alone with three Bots as they cannot deal friendly fire damage to you. Plus, they have faster reaction times when spotting Infected along with notable sight. Always try to avoid Witches and keep an Adrenaline shot at all times for fighting the Tank, which is much easier to kill than you would expect with the M60s.
Can be completed in less time through the "Room for One" mutation; note, you do not have to be the one who gets on the rescue vehicle in order to gain credit for this achievement, all that matters is that you are not dead nor incapacitated.
It's possible to earn this achievement in servers modded to allow console commands. For example, with console commands you can stop the Special Infected from spawning, become invincible, fly through the map, and even warp straight away to the safe rooms. Of course, just like with the use of mutations, doing so it's unfair and dishonest with those who beat the Expert mode legit. It's up to you evaluate if you are willing to cheat.
THE REAL DEAL
(35G)
Survive a campaign on Expert difficulty with Realism mode enabled.
Dead Center is probably the easiest way to get this achievement, since it is (more or less) the shortest. Expect a hell of a time with the mall and the gas can finale, though.
Contrary to popular belief, the white auras around the gas cans still show up in the Realism finale of Dead Center and The Passing. The yellow auras will also still appear when the gas can is dropped.
A very easy way to get this is to skip to the finale (assuming it's Dead Center), leave the game and let your teammates do the finale. When they only have one gas can left, tell them to change difficulty to Expert. Join the game, run to the vehicle and you should get the achievement. This works because it says to "survive" Expert Realism, you finished it, aka: survived to the end even if it was a short time (tip: save Bile bombs to use while the player is joining the game, and to protect Survivor Bots). This only works on the Xbox 360 version of the game.
If the Scavenge style finale puts you off, Hard Rain may be another option as there are no gauntlet crescendo events. Yet another possibility is Swamp Fever, which also doesn't contain gauntlet crescendo events; however, the second wave at the Finale consists of two Tanks. Swamp Fever is also better choice if you play with bots, because it's hard to keep them alive in the Sugar Mill.
Just like STILL SOMETHING TO PROVE, it's possible to earn this achievement in servers that allow console commands. This, however, is unfair and could take the fun out of the game.
The Passing is probably the best campaign for this achievement, since it's the shortest and three extra Survivor Bots will help you during the finale.
You can also start in Single Player on Easy and only pick up a melee weapon. The bots are allowed to shoot with any guns.
It is also possible to earn this by joining in after the AI has shot any amount of rounds.
THE LAST DASH
Complete The Last Stand campaign in 13 minutes or less, without any Survivors dying.
This achievement name is a pun of The Last Dab.
Since this achievement can be earned on any difficulty, playing the campaign on Easy difficulty is the great way to unlock the achievement as the Infected is much less of a threat. Simply pick your favorite weapons, run throughout the campaign, and ignore the Infected.
Adrenaline shot can help complete the campaign faster as it allows the Survivors to run at full speed while being attacked by Infected and in the water.
THE LAST FRONTIER
Survive The Last Stand campaign on Expert Realism.
For more info about how to survive the Expert Realism campaigns, see Tactics.
This achievement can be earned by playing a whole game of Realism Versus without quitting the game, win or lose. You must play the game starting from the lobby, not merely joining in during the first round.
The prerequisite needed to earn this achievement addresses the issue of rage-quitting, an action in online games where a player quits the game prematurely, mainly due to losing. This achievement encourages people to not quit before the game has ended.
Arrange a long amount of time for a lot of friends for this achievement. Make sure they'd be willing to help.
This achievement may require a few matches to unlock.
The title refers to the very similar sounding term "connecting flight" which is when a person flies to one location and takes another plane to another location, connecting the flight.
This achievement was added to the PC version of the game during the gradual releases of the Left 4 Dead campaigns alongside the development of Cold Stream. Valve stated that they'd release the Left 4 Dead 2 version of Blood Harvest early if at least 60,000 players earned this achievement within a particular timeframe - this goal was met successfully.
This cannot be earned if a human Survivor kills the player they revive. An infected player or NPC needs to kill the Survivor.
Throughout levels, always try and take a defibrillator, and if possible near the safe room (if there is no horde and your team is doing well), send out your teammate with the lowest health to die at the hands of the infected. Run in and out of the safe room, then defibrillate him/her.
According to Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2012, only 2% of players that have purchased Left 4 Dead 2 have obtained this achievement.
If something is "Heartwarming", it is emotionally touching and uplifting. Putting oneself in harm's way by leaving a safe area to save the life of a teammate might be considered heartwarming.
STRENGTH IN NUMBERS
(15G)
Form a team and beat an enemy team in 4v4 Versus or Scavenge.
Since team games are unpopular and lobbies are much quicker to use, you will probably have to organize a game with friends to get this achievement.
These gifts were dropped by random Special Infected during the holiday sales on Steam that ran through the last several weeks of December 2011 and December 2012. This achievement can not be obtained outside of holiday times, and was only available on the PC and Mac versions of the game for the duration of the holiday sale. This achievement was one of many that were introduced to various games on Steam as part of the promo for the sale and, in December 2011, like most of these achievements, gave a piece of coal or a coupon to each player who achieved it.
This achievement became irrevocably impossible to obtain by normal means. However, you can still use some external ways to get it:
Some community servers still allow the players to get this achievement on Versus, every year, in december. Just play Versus in one of these servers and kill the Special Infected until they drop a gift. Get three gifts and you will earn the achievement.
Using the console commands to force a Versus match on single player and changing the date on your computer to December 15th, 2011. A walkthrough for this is here, here, and here.
Using mods to allow a single player versus match and changing the date on your computer to December 15th, 2011. A walkthrough for this is here.
This is the only achievement whose title does not appear in all capital letters.
GOOD GUY NICK
Plays games with free weekend players and helps them survive a campaign.
Only available during any period where the game is Free to Play, such as the Halloween season on Steam that ran through the last couple of weeks in October 2012, the Independence Day season that lasted through the weekend of the Fourth of July in 2013, the Spring Cleaning event that ran through the four days in May 2018 and 2019, and the Last Stand update that lasted through the last weekend of September 2020. This achievement could only be obtained on the PC, Mac, and Linux versions for the duration of those weekends.
This achievement is a reference to the popular internet meme "Good Guy Greg".
GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PRESENT
Spread cheer by helping a free holiday player survive a campaign.
This can only be achieved by playing in a game with a player that received Left 4 Dead 2 for free during a holiday promotion, making sure they reach the rescue vehicle.
You have to wait the ending cutscene finish. This achievement only unlocks when the credits start to roll.
It seems that the free player must have played the most part of the campaign in order to unlock the achievement for the others. For example, if the free player joins during the last chapters of the campaign or during the finale, the achievement will not unlock. The players who earn the achievement, however, may have joined at any point.
There is a faster way to earn this achievement. If you set the campaign to start in the finale right away and a free player joins from the lobby, you will earn the achievement should they survive the finale.
This achievement will not unlock in custom campaigns or modded servers.
If the free player sacrifices themselves at the end of The Sacrifice, the achievement will still unlock.
The title of this achievement is a reference to the 1843 Charles Dickens novel A Christmas Carol.
Infected
QUALIFIED RIDE
(15G)
As the Jockey, ride a Survivor for more than 12 seconds.
You need to attack a Survivor that has a significant amount of health (has a green aura) in order to be able to ride for more than 12 seconds. It is also necessary to ride someone separated from the rest of the Survivors, to insure that your ride is not cut short. Scavenge games often have separated Survivors and are ideal to earn this achievement. If possible, get a Tank or Charger to help you.
On The Highway, wait until about 3 Survivors jump down the hill, then pounce on the fourth and ride him back into the motel. There will be little that the other Survivors can do about it, especially if a Charger blocks them off.
Alternatively, in the area mentioned above, jump on the first survivor down the hill and steer him far away. It will take some time for the others to reach him, which will usually give you enough time to obtain this achievement.
The name of this achievement refers to bull riding.
An easy way to do this is to target a Survivor who is low on health. Incapacitate them and run and hide for cover from the rescuing teammates. Once you can pounce again, attack any Survivor to complete the achievement.
The Mutation Riding My Survivor is an excellent game to get this achievement, as all 4 infected players are Jockeys.
"Back in the Saddle" is also the name of a song by the band Aerosmith.
This achievement is easily obtained with coordination from a Spitter player. You do not actually have to steer a Survivor into the acid; it is enough if a Spitter spits at you. Either way is fine; making this achievement easy.
Shares name with a Team Fortress 2 achievement.
There is a glitch that allows this achievement to be done if you drive your victim into a Molotov fire. (Not tested on PC.)
This achievement cannot be earned if your target was already in Spitter acid, unless you take them out of the acid and then back in.
The name of the achievement is a regional expression to describe someone who looks haggard or worn-out; it originally was said of horses.
If the Survivors are cornered or are in a tight area, attempt to spit at them. This achievement will NOT unlock if they aren't hit with a single hit; they must all be standing in the acid pool when it forms.
They can also accidentally be hit in a single acid patch if a Charger forces them to move, or a Tank approaches.
Despite showing up in the in-game achievement list as "Great Expectorations", the pop-up box that appears when you earn the achievement and the "X achieved Left 4 Dead 2:" messages in the Steam Community window both list this achievement as "Spit Happens".
An expectoration is the act of spitting up sputum.
"Great Expectations" is a novel by Charles Dickens.
This achievement is very simple: During Versus or Scavenge, spit at someone who has been grabbed by a Smoker and the achievement is yours.
If a Smoker constricts a Survivor while standing on a ledge higher than its target, the Survivor will be suspended in midair just above the ground. In this position, a Survivor will still take damage from an acid puddle, and the achievement will still unlock.
If you are standing next to a choked Survivor and die without spitting, the acid from your dead body will count towards the achievement.
This achievement may take a few seconds to register after spitting on the victim.
SCATTERING RAM
(20G)
As The Charger, bowl through the entire enemy team in a single charge.
The name is an obvious pun of the term "battering ram", and how the Charger is like one-He rams the survivors in order to weaken or even destroy them.
This achievement can be claimed easily by using choke points and tight corridors to your advantage, since the Survivors will be forced to walk in a tight group that can be hit with a single charge.
A good place to do this is in the gauntlet event at the end of The Park. Once all the Survivors have climbed to the top of the scaffolding, climb up after them. They have no room to dodge and you should be able to charge through all of them to the end of the platform (also earning LONG DISTANCE CARRIER in the process).
Another good spot is in the sewers area on the next chapter; If you charge successfully any survivor down there has virtually no where to run.
A third spot is at the immediate beginning of Dead Center, the Hotel; if the Survivors decide to shoot at Common Infected through the first door, you can spawn in the starting area, jump down and ram into them.
Another good way to earn this achievement is to play the final level of the Dead Center campaign. When the Survivors enter the elevator, you can spawn on the ground floor and ram them all when the elevator doors open.
It is also possible to earn this achievement on servers modded for 8v8; only 4 Survivors need to be hit in order to unlock.
MEAT TENDERIZER
(20G)
As The Charger, grab a Survivor and smash them into the ground for a solid 15 seconds.
This is easiest to do during a Scavenge match on the last standing Survivor. The time spent pounding while the scoreboard is showing counts toward the achievement.
In the achievement picture, the Charger's left arm is his bulky one as opposed to his right arm.
A meat tenderizer refers to either a kitchen utensil or a chemical used for tenderizing meat.
The name of the achievement references a telephone company.
Falls count toward the distance, so charging someone off the balconies in Dead Center will earn you this.
Another good spot to get this achievement is on the Rooftop Finale of No Mercy. If you charge off the roof, taking a survivor with you, you will usually unlock the achievement before you hit the ground and die.
The Sugar Mill on Hard Rain works too, when they must turn the elevator on (as long as you don't hit pipes or the building).
The name may also refer to the fact that the survivors may be carriers on the infection, and that combined with the fact that they have been "carried" over a long distance by the Charger makes them a long distance carrier.
The chairs must be standing and untouched to count towards the achievement.
You must charge from a sufficient distance lest the chairs stop your charge.
The name 'Wedding Crasher' refers to a person who shows up at a wedding uninvited for various reasons ranging from free food to flirting with the bridesmaids.
This achievement might be a reference to the movie Wedding Crashers.
ACID BATH
As the Spitter, spit on a Survivor who is pinned by a Hunter.
Self-explanatory. Simply spit on a Survivor being attacked by Hunter
FAT NINJA
As the Boomer, vomit on a Survivor without having direct line of sight with them.
This achievement name is play word of Fruit Ninja, a renowned mobile game.
The achievement image likely based on famous Naruto ninja pose.
This achievement requires some skill and luck in order to hit all four Survivors with the vomit without seeing them.
FLIGHT DECK
Instantly kill a Survivor as the Charger.
Some maps feature out of bounds or death zones which kill the Survivors instantly. The easiest way to get this achievement is by starting Dead Center's first chapter in Versus mode and have someone playing as Survivor stand near the window. In this way, the Charger player will be able to grab them without hitting a solid object and land on the Hotel's lobby's roof.
I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE
As the Spitter, spit on a Survivor who is pinned by a Charger.
The achievement name is based on a controversial 1978 film with the same name, which later remade on 2010 and subsequent sequels on 2013, 2015, and 2019.
Self-explanatory, simply spit on a Charger currently pounding the victim.
ONE HIT WONDER
As the Hunter, land a 25 damage pounce.
Similar to JUMPIN' JACK SMASH achievement in Left 4 Dead, the Hunter player needs to jump very high and very far to increase the initial pouncing damage.
Unlike JUMPIN' JACK SMASH, this achievement can be done on any map.
An easy way to earn this is to communicate with your team and ask them if you can pour the gas in the generator/car.
This is a cumulative achievement, so don't worry about getting all cans in a single game. It is possible to achieve this in a single game, but it is exceedingly difficult and can only be done on specific maps and on five round games.
Coach is holding a gas can in the picture, although it looks like Louis.
"Gas-guzzler" commonly refers to a vehicle that consumes fuel inefficiently.
You do not have to collect them all; if your team scores 15 cans, everyone on the team earns the achievement.
The name is a reference to the "Cash and Carry" policy employed by the United States during the WWII era.
SCAVENGE HUNT
(15G)
Stop the enemy team from collecting any gas cans during a Scavenge round.
Best done against a team with 2 or 3 bots; they won't pick up or pour the gas cans, providing little support for their human teammates.
Having a good Spitter helps a lot, since spitting on gas cans that have been picked up (with a yellow outline) destroys them, and Survivors can't pour fuel if the ground is covered in acid (or fire from a destroyed can). As a Spitter, hide near the generator (preferably above) and spit down whenever a Survivor with a gas can gets close to the generator. Ideally, a teammate in control of a pinning infected should also strike at that moment to make the Survivor drop their gas can into the acid.
This is a reference to the game of searching for items on a list called a 'Scavenger Hunt.'
This is pretty simple to achieve; start single-round lobbies to expedite the process.
SPITFIRE
Destroy 20 gascans as the Spitter.
The gascans can be ignited only during Scavenge-style finales and Scavenge mode where the orange gascans spawn.
For balancing reason, the Spitter can only ignite the gascans picked up and dropped by Survivors. The gascans that have not been picked up cannot be destroyed.
Versus Survival
THE BIG TEN
Survive for 10 minutes on any official map in Versus Survival.
This achievement can be obtained effortlessly if the Infected team let the Survivor team live for ten minutes.
This is easy to achieve — both with human and bot players. Just pick your favorite melee weapon and use no other weapon (not even a pistol if you are downed). You can still use pipe bombs, bile bombs and molotovs. Holding out for 4 minutes is enough to earn this achievement, and your teammates can still use guns.
Keep in mind that you have to earn a NEW medal. That means if you lasted for 4 minutes on one map and attempt to get this achievement on the same map, you must earn a silver medal using only melee weapons to obtain this achievement.
Unfortunately, this achievement can be locked for some users, as if you earn all of the medals without getting it, as there are no other medals to earn. However, through the use of custom maps that enable Survival mode, it would still be possible to still get this achievement.
To "Beat the Rush" is to leave somewhere early to avoid rush hour traffic.
GETTING STARTED
Earn a bronze medal on any official survival map.
Added as a part of The Last Stand update. The achivements were available before the official update were released, however.
Simply surviving for 4 minutes to earn this achivement.
ON OUR WAY
Earn a silver medal on any official survival map.
Added as a part of The Last Stand update. The achivements were available before the official update were released, however.
Simply surviving for 7 minutes to earn this achivement.
THIS IS WHERE THE FUN BEGINS
Earn a gold medal on any official survival map.
Added as a part of The Last Stand update. The achivements were available before the official update were released, however.
Simply surviving for 10 minutes to earn this achivement.
THIS IS WHERE THE FUN BEGINS
Earn a gold medal on any official survival map.
Added as a part of The Last Stand update. The achivements were available before the official update were released, however.
Simply surviving for 10 minutes to earn this achivement.
A LITTLE HACK AND SLASH
Earn a bronze medal on every official survival map.
Refer to KILLING SPREE.
LIKE LAMBS TO THE SLAUGHTER
Earn a silver medal on every official survival map.
"Like lambs to the slaughter" is an idiom to refer someone do something without knowing that something bad is going to happen and therefore act calmly and without fighting against the situation.
Refer to KILLING SPREE.
KILLING SPREE
Earn a gold medal on every official survival map.
The objective of the achievement is to survive for as long as possible to earn Bronze, Silver, and Gold medal for holding out for a certain amount of time.
For more info about how to survive for the longest time possible, see Tactics.
GOLDEN FREEMAN
Find the golden crowbars hidden in the Left 4 Dead 1 survival maps.
The achievement name is pun of the legendary Gordon Freeman, the protagonist of the Half-Life series.
SUPREME SURVIVALIST
Survive for 30 minutes on any official survival map.
Before July 24, 2012, this achievement would have taken a minimum of four weeks to unlock if you start on a Thursday because you have to play five different Mutations, an old mutation would return for an encore week every four weeks, and then the permanently added Realism Versus could also be played.
You do NOT have to actually play through the rounds. All you have to do is join and start the round to make progress towards this achievement. The game will register you playing the mutation if your character dies.
The achievement can also be earned by using the developer console. By typing map <map file name> mutation# you can start a map with any mutation you want and it will count as achievement progress. You have to replace # with a number for a specific mutation. A list of all mutations you can play can be found here.
Getting this achievement awards you with a shirt featuring the Left 4 Dead 2 hand for your Xbox Live avatar.
The fastest way to get this shirt is by playing the Dark Carnival Campaign, especially in the Barnyards, as when you reach the last safe room you can just stay there killing the Infected as they spawn on average every 30 seconds regardless of difficulty.
LEFT 4 DEAD 2 HAT
Unlock the Left 4 Dead 2 hat by playing any map in The Passing.
Getting this achievement awards you with a hat featuring the Left 4 Dead logo for your Xbox Live avatar.
You do not even have to play a full level to get this award. As soon as you start up a level, it should give it to you.
This avatar award used to take a minimum of 4 weeks to unlock, but as of 7/24/12, the Mutations can be cycled through manually and played in quick succession. Since you do not actually have to play the chapter for the Mutation to count, this can now be earned in about 10 minutes. However, game doesn't register Community Mutations on the counter (it counts only one of them), so you may need to load up more than 6 for it to finally unlock.
