Okay, guys, this is the time where I say something aggressive so you can hate me a little bit more.
Good things
- Longer and fewer maps - Less loading, more dynamic infected strategic gameplay, more variation to game development as the infected can actually beat the survivors now
- Multiple survivor paths and more off-road stashes - More strategic choises
- More compact mapping - Easier navigation for infected, less time wasted catching up with and running ahead of the survivors
- More varying finale - Partially eliminated the permacamp tendency
Bad things
- Poor mapping - Sparse detailing, monotone environments, extreme amount of restricted areas
- Extreme amount of explosives - Greatly devalues tactical use and adds a higher risk of detonation due to random fire
- More open areas - Good contrast to confined spaces yet overused; effective infected attacks are often almost impossible or highly improbable
- Generic themes - The original maps had one or two unique themes whereas the new ones are longer and thus require multiple which they don't have. They seem to blend together, acting as one long area with no immediately visible change of scenario
- Number of maps - I'd love a three map campaign, and two maps work out fine - but I would prefer to have a third one as it would allow a division of campaign into multiple themes, partially solving the problem above
So overall I'll say it's hardly acceptable as the only real additional campaign for L4D - Survival being extremely monotone and based on existing maps (with one small exception) and the VS editions of Dead Air and Death Toll almost being direct conversions. The campaign itself is mediocre at best and doesn't introduce any much needed truly innovative changes to eliminate L4D's killing aspect of repetition. As the download also appeared to overload Valve's servers, and connections to all game servers are suddenly extremely poor after the update I'll say I would rather do without it.
Conspiracy theory (almost): I believe Valve found themselves forced to release a fifths campaign for L4D to effectively terminate the L4D2 criticism and boycott.
Thus, they either
1) quickly put together this new, poorly mapped (in my opinion) series of two soulless maps, using the opportunity to experiment with new map layouts for L4D2.
or
2) updated a pre-release map candidate alternating from the released content to work in the current state of the game
and published it with minor changes. This explains the obviously overdone explosives, sparse detailing and lack of originality.
Regarding the connection problems I honestly think it pleases Valve to know that they have killed off L4D1 almost completely; with L4D2 critics now shutting up to play through and complain about the update instead Valve have created the perfect base for the L4D2 launch. If you ask me, every L4D update from Last Stand has been designed to enhance the market for L4D2. I know the industry is bound to be capitalistic, but the slightest amount of idealism from an innovative developer such as Valve would be preferable.
Let the rage commence.