Highrise is a map featured exclusively in Survival Mode as part of the unfinished campaign, Dam It. The map does not appear in the main campaign itself, and the setting is very different from the main campaign. The map consists of the main lobby of a skyscraper, with a couple of higher floors accessible via stairs. The building appears to have been used as some form of Survivor community, as can be seen from the various banners and signs hanging from the higher balconies.

Gameplay

The map was designed purely for Survival mode, as such the only goal is to survive for as long as possible, rather than reaching a safe room or gathering gas cans as with Scavenge Mode. The Survivors have as much time as they want to set up before flipping a switch on the elevator to trigger the horde. As such, it is impossible to survive indefinitely, and the round must always end with the death of all Survivors.

Survival

See also: Survival Mode

The Survivors have made their way to a recently abandoned community inside a corporate tower. They try to activate the elevator in the hopes of reaching the roof for extraction, but all they get is a murderous horde. How long can they hold out?

Overall Tips

• Teamwork is essential to long-term survival.
• In this mode, most of the popular choke points, closets and easily defensible corners are removed. Even if you find one that has not been removed, it is not recommended that you fight from there as The Tank will quickly defeat you when he arrives.
• You have an infinite amount of time to prepare. Use this to your advantage. Take as much time as you need to set up gas cans, propane tanks, oxygen tanks, and to find a good place to fight from.
• When searching for a place to fight from, remember that you need a location that not only limits where the horde attacks from, but also gives you a fair chance against the Tank. You either need to be able to fall back and deal with the Tank easily, or have a good enough vantage point to kill him before he can get too close.
• Ammunition is a problem. Unless you are being overrun with Infected or fighting a Tank, try to use your pistols as much as possible. Conserving ammunition should be a priority, as trying to get more during a horde attack can often be fatal. When you do head out for ammunition, remember to take at least one teammate with you.

Gallery

A helicopter crashed through the roof.

Louis and Bill in Union Tower.

A view from a high inaccessible area.

Corpses piled up.

The Union Tower plaque above the broken elevator.

Survivor sign: "If you're not one of us, you're one of them!"

Survivor sign: "Will trade food for ammo"

Survivor sign: "Help us!"

Notes

• Despite being called a highrise, the tower only 6 stories height, which is relatively small to be called a highrise by U.S standard which defined 7 stories or higher building as a highrise. ^[1]
  • Only the first 3 stories of the tower are playable, making this map has very small playable zone compared to the other maps in Left 4 Dead.
• The tower is identified as "Union Tower" in various plaques on the wall, such as above the elevator.
• A helicopter has lodged itself through the skylight at the top of the tower, which may be why the elevator is out of commission.
  • On a related note, the elevator seems to be powered with jury-rigged cables attached to a generator. Very similar looking cables seem to be keeping the helicopter from falling through to the ground floor.
• Presumably, this map was originally intended to be related to a map or campaign other than Dam It, as there are no highrise buildings in the main campaign.
  • In the second chapter of The Sacrifice, there is a map of the chapter and the Union Tech is highlighted at the end of the level.
    • There is graffiti located in the l4D2 SDK labeled "graffiti_docks_01" (implying that this is in "The Sacrifice") which says "OVERRUN! NEW MILITARY EVAC POINT ON THE ROOF OF UNION STREET TECH TOWER" a possible tie-in to the Highrise map. This same graffiti can be seen on The Sacrifice loading screen, albeit partially obscured.
  • By using Noclip, you may explore out of map area outside the building. Here, you may find that the building actually situated in a street which is similar to Newburg's Holly Street. Indicating that this map actually a part of Dead Air at some point of the development but ultimately scrapped.
    • Across the Union Tower where you play to the left corner area, you may find a hotel sign on an inaccessible building, which is exactly same and placed as same as Harbor View Hotel.
    • You also can find Pay Day Shop sign which located on opposite side across Harbor View Hotel sign.
• There's a minigun and some sandbags on the first floor, which implies that the settlement may have had a military presence at some point.
• There is a fan made and fixed version of Highrise for Left 4 Dead 2, which can be found on the Steam Workshop.^[2]

References