- Get to Safe House #1

Hard Rain - Get to Safe House #1

It should first be said that this level is not for the faint-hearted. It is one of the few occasions when Left 4 Dead is right up there with the best horror games rather than just being a classy FPS. If you don't like Witches, you might want to give this one a miss!

From the dock pick up a melee weapon and second pistol if you wish (you do not start with a primary weapon on this level). You can then climb on top of the pickup truck and jump up onto the roof. Send some of your team in the bottom of the building – there is a hole in the roof stashed with weapons – drop down into it and rendezvous with your squad there. At this point it should be noted carefully that this game involves backtracking. After you get the gas you come back exactly the same way (with a twist), so be sure to leave weapons, ammo and medkits whenever you see them oversupplied (i.e. when the game gives you six medkits and obviously you only have four team mates).

This room in particular will be the restock point for the final showdown on this level, so it may be a good idea to leave as many pipe bombs and molotovs as possible. Get a medkit each, a decent gun, and then head outside.

Unfortunately the gas station here is out of fuel, so we need to head to the next one. Handily there is a large electronic board pointing the way. Go up the wooden plank and down the other side. Use the ladder to access the next area. Move through the playground and houses, collecting any equipment en route. Once onto the road again follow it past the ambulance and 'Garage Sale' signs (the garage sale itself should have weapons on a table outside). It will begin to rain shortly, if it hasn't already – a sign of things to come.

Explore the garage sale house and go out the back door – investigate the house across the road with a pickup truck outside and you will locate a ladder to allow access to the roof.

From the roof jump from house to house, using the dumpster to get across the larger gap. Feel free to explore each house if you wish, you can easily get back up to the roof. At the end of the row you will see a stairway leading to the safe-room.

TIP: The four safe-rooms in the game come with this one being re-used, one at the gas-station and another back near the dock.

TIP: Until you get to Safe House 2 you have the chance to earn the Sob Story Achievement, for not disturbing any witches en route to the gas station. (See Achievements section below)