Back 4 Blood: All enemy types and how to beat them

Sam Comrie
Back 4 Blood cleaners shoot Bruiser zombie.

Turtle Rock Studios’ undead shoot-em-up Back 4 Blood has arrived to terrify players, with a selection of gnarly enemies to destroy. Here are all of the enemies explained. 

Grab your best squad and loadout, because Back 4 Blood will put you through your paces. With chilling locations and bombastic weapons to upgrade, the Left 4 Dead successor is out to claim the undead-shooter throne. If you want to survive, you’re going to need to learn about your enemy, which there are plenty of within Back 4 Blood’s terrifying world.

There is more than just your standard zombie roaming around, so we’ve put together everything you need to know about the various forms of Ridden undead.


Contents


Snitcher

These slender looking creature “creates a deafening screech when aggro’d” that will draw the attention of other ridden to your location. We recommend popping these nasty foes off from a distance if possible. Otherwise, the chaos will be scorching hot within seconds.

Snitcher Back 4 Blood

Tallboy

The Tallboy variant of the Ridden comes in various forms, such as the Bruiser and Crusher. Bearing almost identical visual trademarks in the form of their brutally weaponized arm, these zombies are devastating up close as they barrage you with high damage attacks. Get your shotguns out for this one and aim at the shoulder!

Tallboy Back 4 Blood

Reeker

While their speed may be lacking, never underestimate the sheer sticky power of the Reeker zombies. Knocking players back with force and covering them in acidic pus, these lethargic foes can seriously drain your health over time if you’re not careful.

Reeker Back 4 Blood

Stinger

Traversing the environment with multiple eerie limbs, Stinger’s can appear out of the shadows to ensure an awfully quick demise. Not only are they agile, but they can pin you in position with their phlegm. You’ll need a teammate to break you out of the mold or equip the breakout card in your deck.

Stinger Back 4 Blood

Ogre

Coming into the battlefield as more of a boss-type enemy, Ogre’s are absurdly powerful enemies that can cause a successful run to go sour within a matter of seconds, if not properly prepared. Standing at over 20-foot-tall, these large Ridden zombies can be defeated by shooting their glowing “bulb” like features in quick succession. Alternatively, explosives will do the trick just fine.

Ogre Back4 Blood

Breaker

Similar to the legendary Tanks in Left 4 Dead, the Breaker enemy type is a mass of unparalleled zombified power. Even with their huge stature, they are able to leap towards players with unrelenting force. Dispatch of these ones ASAP, as they will continue to charge your squad into the ground.

Breaker Back 4 Blood

Hag

One of the more genuinely terrifying enemies in the game, Hag’s can scoop players into a stressful grapple mechanic, that will require a calm and collected head to escape. Hags can devour players and if successful, this will declare them as dead. However, don’t fret just yet, as you’ll be able to free your fallen comrade from a cocoon later on the stage.

Hag Back 4 Blood

Sleeper

Don’t be fooled by the Sleeper variation of the Ridden, as they are far more cunning than they seem on the surface. Bearing a passing resemblance to the more “standard” version of zombies within the game, these speedy aggressors won’t hesitate to come off the woodwork for an intense skirmish. SMG’s are a good way to clear these ones off before they reach you.

Sleeper Back 4 Blood

Abomination

The Abomination is the largest enemy within Back 4 Blood, and also serves as the final boss within the game. Cursed with intimidating tentacles and a garish, delipidated appearance, this foe will stop at nothing to end your run with a bloody bang.

Abomination Back 4 Blood

Back 4 Blood launches on October 12th across Xbox Series X and Series S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and PC. If you’re going to survive, you better stock up on our guides.

About The Author

Sam Comrie is a former Dexerto journalist based in South Yorkshire, UK. He has an MA in Multimedia Journalism and joined Dexerto in 2021 after producing content for NME and Red Bull Gaming.