Agree with OP, on most things. I actually thought the map quality was good, but the layout was dull. For a game claiming to have replay value, having the path exactly the same, every FUCKING time is hilarious. I've built maps for HL1 - yes, HALF-LIFE 1 - with randomized paths. For example: The first time you play Map A, the road is blocked by an overturned semi truck and you have to go through the sewer. The second time you play Map A, the sewer lid is closed but the road is cleared and you have to go down the road instead. Really damn simple to do, and by having lots of forks, they could've added a little bit of randomness and dealt with a little of the repetitiveness.

Having the molotovs and pills etc able to be in different places is a nice TOUCH, but doesn't quite qualify as good replay value in my book. The hordes spawn in at practically the same time and the same areas, and the special infected in campaign always spawn in the same places. Go run Death Toll: Map 4. You're up in the church tower. Exit. I guarantee you the trio (boomer/hunter/smoker) will spawn to your left, behind the buses. Go run Dead Air: Finale. Go to the end of the catwalk and let your teammates go ahead. Sidestep a little, as if you're going to drop down, but don't. Oops! The trio spawned behind you on the catwalk, which is IMPOSSIBLE, since that means they came from the fucking safe room. Run Dead Air: Map 2. Find the place where you're indoors, and you walk out a window over some planks, leading inside another building. Before the planks, there is a 5x5 tiny bathroom. After the planks there are two bathrooms. There are no vents or alternate entrances (holes in ceiling) to the bathrooms. Advance a bit, I guarantee you a horde will magically spawn from one of those three bathrooms, even though - THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE.

Zombies aren't MAGIC. They don't teleport in out of nowhere. That's not exciting, that's insulting that Valve thinks it's players will be fooled by shit like that - enemies spawning directly around the corner.

Another thing is the "conversations" in Left 4 Dead. They are completely unrealistic and obviously aimed at kids. Corny jokes, fart jokes, hell, even Oscar the grouch conversations! Gee, Francis, do you hate EVERYTHING? Golly! I might've thought that was funny when I was six. What's it doing in a rated M game?

If you haven't noticed any of this by now, then Left 4 Dead is probably for you.

BTW - Completely disregard how stupidly easy it is for one player to intentionally or unintentionally ruin a campaign or versus round.

Sure, the game can be fun when playing with your friends, as long as you don't play it for over an hour. But you can have fun doing anything with your friends, so that's kind of immaterial.