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I’ve never really been a big zombie fan; I haven’t seen most of the undead horror flicks or read up on the apocalypse survival guides. Exposure to Jacko’s “Thriller” video at a tender age (awkward) probably influenced my disdain for brain-eaters’ media, though it’s also probably one of the reasons why my latest gaming obsession has taken over like the zombie need to feed. Left4Dead (L4D), developed by industry visionary Gabe Newell and his crew at Valve, is a four-player cooperative action title casting you and 3 of your friends as the remaining ’survivors’ battling to outlast the relentless zombie hordes through four distinct scenarios. The most absurd part, aside from shotgunning zombies in the face and saving your comrades from becoming brain stew, is the fact that your play-through experience will never be the same twice thanks to Valve’s ingeniously evil creation, “Director AI” through procedural narrative.

Reload your shotgun and hit the jump to read on.

Microsoft recently released a rather large update for the Xbox 360 – which adds a completely revamped interface along with some new features, including the ability to stream your Netflix instant queue to your TV. Eric Bee called the feature a “gamechanger.” I’ve never quite jumped on the Netflix bandwagon so I scoffed indignantly. This weekend, I tried it out. I’m now a convert. Using the service was one of those “holy s**t” technology moments. It’s like I saw the future in front of me. And it looked like Tina Fey in HD. Netflix on Xbox 360 truly changes the role of the white, heat-prone box underneath my TV.

Hear that boiling noise? That curse word uttered through clenched teeth? That’s a frustrated gamer, kids.

In gaming, frustration builds to either a controller being thrown across the room or a game disc being snapped in two, left to fester under the entertainment center like Dust Bunny Prime. These moments occur when faced with insurmountable odds, usually a rush of Nazis, zombies, demons, or anthropomorphic mushrooms that turn the game into a mess of button mashing or hurried strategy. It sucks, sure, but getting through the chaos offers the satisfaction of beating the odds and turning the virtual tide (and, usually, 10 achievement points).

In rare cases, though, it offers a unique joy. A moment found in certain games that recharges the batteries better than any can of Bawlz guarana drink ever could. That special moment is the Tank Level, where frustration turns to elation and s**t blows up to the solitary cheers of the gaming enthusiast.