If you are used to only playing games like Super Smash Brothers and Animal Crossing (which is perfectly fine) I'd honestly say avoid L4D as it's a completely different type of game. It's the Zombie apocalypse, you've got a gun and you're trying to survive that's about the crux of the game. However I do believe violence is not immoral, it's the context of the violence though. Examples...
In L4D killing mindless creatures in an effort to survive. That I can see God being alright with.
Killing and committing crimes in a game like GTA which rewards/reinforces those behaviors, I don't think so.
Having said that I do wonder if some games glorify violence/gore and thus promote those behaviors even if it is not in an immoral context. So I can see how people would object to L4D or even TF2 and I respect that.
I'd probably play L4D myself but I haven't made up my mind. As I am an inspiring game maker/mapper all the gore and violence looks very fake to me when I can tell how it's put together while it probably won't for those new to the genre. The game does have some cussing by the NPC's as well but then most games do T_T (I gave up hoping for a mature non-cussing game after Mega Man condemned something to Hell in Mega Man X :/ ). As far as positive content the game has excellent co-op which is not only a fun thing but I consider it to be a good behavior to reinforce. The game does seems to have rather limited replay value but many disagree with that.
As far as TF2 is much more cartoony though it does have some cuss words the characters say which it could have done without. I'm the TF2 chapter co-leader by the way so you know I like the game
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The big thing is basically any game you play online has content that is subject to the whims of it's players (and boy cursing is the least of the things people on public servers will do -_-) . Playing on our servers definitely improves content but grievers do like to come in and accost us (we only have a TF2 server, COD4 and COD5 server right now).
Chatting to Toj members on Steam is not monitored as it's just like any other instant messenger program. Steam is not just a chat program though it also informs you if your friends are playing a game so you may join them and of course it lets you buy/download games.
If you do have any interest in the games definitely google both or look on Steam's site for trailers before purchasing the games so you can get a sense of what they are about. Here is a link to the steam page on TF2
http://store.steampowered.com/app/440/ click the view all videos text for the funny videos made for the game (I think a couple do have light cuss words).
Should you be compelled to try one of them I would definitely say try TF2 before L4D. It's cheaper, definitely less intense, has Christian servers to play on (other than just ours), it has less cussing (if I remember L4D right) and (only in my opinion) is a better game. You can always pick up L4D later if you find TF2 acceptable content wise but if you find TF2 unacceptable I'd say there is no way you'd accept L4D.
In closing Steam regularly has discount sales on it's games on weekends. I'd imagine if you wait around a month or 2 either TF2 or L4D will be discounted one weekend. Tell me if you want me to PM if they happen, I'd be glad to.
. I joined here because I wanted to find a gamer community place to make friends & play video games with others as my younger bro has with his online gamer friends from the gscentral.com community. The one difrerence is that I wanted to find a safe Christian gamer community alternative. & here it is 
. The edge we have to be faster in making friendship is Jesus Christ 
!
). Anyways, have a great day & God bless 
