Left 4 Dead Sneak Peek

GeekSugar — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 10:01:14 PDT

As one of my top five picks for this year's scariest games, I jumped at the chance to get an early look at the zombie shooter Left 4 Dead at a recent preview party here in San Francisco. Coming next month to your Xbox 360 and PC, I already knew the plot would have you trying to find your way out of a zombie-filled city with you and your three pals. But what I didn't know was that players will also get the chance to play as the zombies, trying to stop the humans from escaping (and eventually becoming dinner). There are four different "mutant" zombies, all with a unique attack style, which made it fun to switch between the characters and see who could cause the most damage.

Although Left 4 Dead is fun to play, I do have a few gripes about it. To see my thoughts on this early preview, and to check out a gameplay video (containing violence toward zombies aka blood and guns), just

read more. My early impressions of the game were good - fun co-op play and an easy objective (stay alive as long as possible) - but there were a few glaring concerns. While playing with three of your friends on a game night would be totally fun, playing alone might leave something to be desired. If you do play Left 4 Dead solo, you'll be stuck with three AI buddies, and although I didn't get a chance to play the solo mode, I would imagine it to be kinda boring. Additionally, there were so many things to remember controlwise. At times even I got confused about which button did what - and I own a Xbox 360! I'm sure after more playing, it would become second nature, but still, not too easy for beginners or those of you who are picking up a 360 controller for the first time. For those of you who like a shooter and are really into killing zombies, check out my gameplay video below. It's short and sweet, yet you'll instantly get the point of the game! What do you think - will you play Left 4 Dead?

6 Moves to Say Goodbye to Lower-Back Pain

Self — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 05:37:54 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from Self here on FitSugar!

We know planks and dead-lifts are great, but the real question is, how can they help relieve your aching back?

Back pain affects about 8 out of 10 people, according to the National Institutes of Health, and is one of the most common medical problems. It's costly too - in 2004, a team from Duke University found that treatment for back pain was estimated to cost nearly $26 billion annually.

A recent study from the University of Nevada found that those would walked backwards on the treadmill for 15 minutes three times a week reported less low back pain. But walking on the treadmill isn't the only option for relief; I asked Ian Hart, CSCS, co-creator of Back Pain Relief4Life and owner of EarthFIT fitness studio for simple at-home exercises that will strengthen the lower back, ease pain and help prevent injury in the long run.

Find out Ian's recommendation's after the break.