How to Beat all Enemy Types In Back 4 Blood

With Back 4 Blood's release on the horizon, players are gearing up for the coming zombie apocalypse. Getting their squads assembled, making sure ammo is stocked, and shotguns are loaded. And while you may have everything at the ready, you may not yet know about the adversary you face. Like Sun Tzu said, "if you know yourself but not your enemy, for every victory you will also suffer a defeat." So we're here to tell you everything there is to know about the hordes of infected, and the tricks some of these special infected have up their sleeves (do zombies have sleeves?) so you can bask in those 100 victories.

Common

These Ridden are the majority of what you'll fight in Back 4 Blood and are, well, common. Usually, the Common move in massive hoards and are fairly easy to take down. A hoard is a hoard though, so although they do go down easy, prepare to be swarmed. While they may have strength in numbers, these zombie underachievers are nothing compared to their far deadlier, more "special" counterparts.

The Breaker

The Breaker is one of the bosses you will face in your zombie survival adventure. The Breaker is a slow-moving Ridden, that will jump and create a shockwave that blasts cleaners backward. This Ridden is heavily armored so be on the lookout for various blisters on its body that serve as its weak points.

Exploder/Reeker/Retch

These Ridden are the extreme of that relative that just doesn't quite get hygiene. Exploders well... explode. These Ridden will detonate after taking damage, but they can also set up for a self-destruct attack.

Reekers are functionally the same as Exploders with a small caveat. When they are slain, the explosion they make covers ally cleaners with slime, obscuring vision and alerting the horde.

The Retch uses a projectile bile attack that does damage over time to cleaners hit by the blast, in addition to leaving pools of caustic acid. Make short work of these Ridden by aiming for the weak point in their chests.

Related: How to Complete Levels in Back 4 Blood

Hag

This Ridden has too many hands. Do not like. The Hag will run towards cleaners and grab them with the plethora of hands extending from the Ridden's mouth. It will then try to... eat you whole. Disabling you and leaving your fate entirely up to your allies. If you or an ally gets trapped in the Hag's grasp, make sure to act quickly, as allies trapped by the hag will go down fast. Our suggestion for these Ridden is if you see one, best not to engage. That is, if you can help it.

Hocker/Stalker/Stinger

Parkour zombies? Yeah, these are parkour zombies. This family of Ridden is characterized by being slippery and fast. Hockers are melee attackers that can pin down cleaners with a sticky projectile, trapped until an ally cleaner can free them.

Stalkers are the sneaky ones of the bunch, hiding in shadows and around corners to get a jump on the cleaners.

Stingers are functionally similar to the Hockers, except they can climb on and cling to walls. These Ridden don't have a weak point, so your best strategy is to aim swift and true, and try to take them out before they can do the same to you or your allies.

The Ogre

The Ogre is a boss from Act 1 - Tunnel of Blood. When he shows up, you are faced with a choice: fight or run. Regardless of which you choose, though, you will have a rematch. The Ogre has giant blisters that serve as its weak points. Be warned, like a freshly cut onion, getting through the encounter using brute force can be challenging. More often than not, your team of cleaners will be more than happy to leave this Ridden's proverbial "swamp."

Related: How to Ping Items in Back 4 Blood

Sleepers

Sleepers are the mid-life crisis Ridden. They hang out on walls throughout levels and will grab you if you move close enough, disabling the cleaner and dealing damage over time. These Ridden can be easily dispatched by shooting their wall-pod from the side.

Snitcher

These Ridden are the party poopers that call the cops on the house party you're throwing. When the Snitcher is aggroed they will release a deafening screech that draws the Ridden swarm to your location. We recommend attacking Snitchers from a distance and making sure they go down before they're able to call their friends. Shooting the weak point in the Snitcher's neck will make quick work of these zombie survival party poopers.

Tallboy/Bruiser/Crusher

You do not want to be on the opposing dodgeball team from these Ridden. This family of Ridden is trademarked by their mutated arm and tanky, lumbering stature.

Tallboys are the slam dunkers of the bunch, utilizing an attack that charges up, smashes and launches ally cleaners, dealing AoE damage. Best not to attack this one up close.

Bruisers are the angrier, less powerful younger sibling of the Tallboy. They continuously smash the ground when they attack. Again, best to keep your distance when engaging the Bruiser.

Crushers play Ridden defense, and will grab an ally cleaner, disabling them and dealing damage over time. Dispatch these strong-armed Ridden by going for the weak point on their shoulders.

And this is just the beginning. At the time of publishing there are at least two more special Ridden that we have yet to learn about, but have seen from gameplay footage: the Ridden tentacle, and a massive Ridden that looks to give the ogre a run for it's money. These both appear to be boss-style encounters with the tentacle bursting from the ground and attacking cleaners, and the massive Ridden just showing up and being... big. Make sure to check back upon release for more guides on Back 4 Blood

Are you still feeling underprepared for the zombie hoards? Get the edge you need on the Ridden with the best weapons in Back 4 Blood and all character abilities in Back 4 Blood on Pro Game Guides.