No, Back 4 Blood is Not Free on PS4

Let‘s get this cleared up first – Back 4 Blood is not a free game on PlayStation 4. You need an active PlayStation Plus subscription in order to play it on Sony consoles.

PlayStation Plus Requirement

Back 4 Blood requires a PS Plus membership on both PS4 and PS5. This applies no matter if you own a digital or physical copy.

There are currently three PS Plus tiers:

• Essential – Does NOT include Back 4 Blood. So you‘d need to purchase it separately.
• Extra – Catalog includes Back 4 Blood at no additional cost.
• Premium – Same catalog and benefits as Extra.

So while the base Essential tier subscription isn‘t enough, upgrading to Extra or Premium lets you download and play Back 4 Blood for free. This lasts as long as you maintain an active membership at those higher tiers.

Here‘s a comparison of Back 4 Blood‘s install size across platforms:

As primarily an online co-op shooter, Back 4 Blood is designed first and foremost for squad play:

• Matchmaking – Quickplay options for public games or create custom lobbies
• 4-Player Co-Op – Play online with friends across platforms
• No Local/Split-Screen – Each player needs their own system and account
• Solo/Offline – Playable solo with AI squadmates; offline progression added post-launch

For solo players, the addition of offline progression has improved the experience compared to the initial release. You can command your NPC squadmates independently and they‘ve received improvements to behavior. That said, Back 4 Blood shines brightest when played cooperatively with actual friends.

How Does Back 4 Blood Compare to Left 4 Dead?

As a spiritual successor to the beloved L4D series, Back 4 Blood retains much of the same co-op zombie shooting formula. Developed by Turtle Rock Studios who created L4D, fans will notice similar design principles and gameplay:

• 4-player co-op against hordes of zombies
• Teamwork-focused levels and objectives
• Variety of melee weapons and guns

However, B4B does bring plenty of new ideas and innovations:

• New special Ridden enemies and bosses
• Expanded metagame via Card system
• Continuous campaign narrated by "The Director"
• More open levels with branching paths

Here‘s a comparison table highlighting some of the major differences in features between the two titles:

In the ~12 years since L4D2 released, games and player expectations have evolved. Back 4 Blood aimed to translate the classic co-op formula to modern standards. Reviews generally see B4B as capturing the spirit of L4D, while also needing work on balancing and content updates post-launch.

Back 4 Blood Post-Launch Support and Changes

Back 4 Blood had a lukewarm critical reception at launch in October 2021. Review scores averaged around 70%, praising the solid co-op shooting core but criticizing the lack of content and balance issues in higher difficulties.

Here are some statistics on Back 4 Blood‘s initial launch and post-release improvement efforts:

• Sold over 6 million copies by July 2022
• Peaked at almost 160,000 concurrent players on Steam
• Received 5 major free content updates as of December 2022
• Adds new story missions, gameplay modes, cards, weapons and bug fixes
• Steam user reviews improved from "Mixed" at launch to now "Very Positive"
• Adds previously missing features like offline mode

Developer Turtle Rock has continually tweaked and expanded the game since release. Major updates like expansions with new campaigns, enemies, weapons and cards have added plenty of replay value. Efforts to balance difficulty scaling and improve mechanics around cards & healing show a commitment to polish.

There‘s still more Back 4 Blood could do to fully deliver on its promise. As a passionate co-op shooter fan, I‘d love to see continued story campaigns, maybe even full PvP modes or maps. But TRS has proven themselves responsive to player feedback. Overall it captures the frenetic co-op joy of zombie horde games like no other modern game does.

Verdict – Worth Playing With Friends Despite Flaws

While Back 4 Blood is certainly not free on PS4, its inclusion in the PS+ Premium/Extra catalog makes it easy to access. Squading up with friends delivers an intensely fun, if brutally challenging, co-op experience. The developers continue working to improve weak points. Solid updates and the strong core shooting gameplay has built a dedicated player base.

For those seeking a modern evolution of Left 4 Dead‘s signature zombie action, Back 4 Blood hits more than it misses once given some post-launch polish. I‘d score it 8/10 – the lack of local co-op hurts, but the thrill of tactically battling monstrous hordes with your best cooperators is nigh unrivaled. Give it a shot if you have friends to team up with.