Left 4 Dead's ratty cousin Vermintide 2 is finally getting a Versus mode, with alpha tests in the "near future"

rockpapershotgun.com:

Wake up, mayflies! FatShark have detailed the closed alpha for Warhammer: Vermintide 2's long-awaited Versus mode, in which the doughty Ubersreik Five go up against four player-controlled Skaven Pactsworn (translation: ratty supervillains) in addition to the rank-and-file AI-controlled rodent hordes. The alpha will launch in the "near future", and sounds like just the dollop of rancid PvP shenanigans this lapsed Elven ranger needs to re-install one of the all-time great Warhammer adaptations, which unaccountably isn't on our list of the best co-op games or the best multiplayer games on PC. You got something against horrible giant rats, Ed Thorn?

Vermintide 2's Versus component was originally revealed back in 2019, as wistfully recalled by PCGamer, but Fatshark parked it while they focussed on single player and co-op. "We had run some small external tests with a select group of players during that time and weren't completely happy with how things were running, so we put it on the shelf to marinate for a bit while we focused on other content like new careers and co-op game modes," reads the latest development blog on Steam. "We had worked on it a bit here and there with some tweaks to tighten up the foundational PvP+E gameplay, but it wasn't until last spring did we decide, 'Let's actually do this thing' with fresh eyes."

Vermintide 2's Versus mode is based on the game's existing adventure mode maps, but splits them into sections, with the human heroes completing objectives for points. The rats, naturally, get points by killing or knocking down heroes. The two teams switch sides when either the heroes complete their objectives or the gutterspawn succeed in murdering everybody.

It's all very redolent of Left 4 Dead, which is nothing new for Vermintide and Fatshark action games in general. "The Versus game mode is definitely something that players familiar with the genre will recognize," the post adds. "We want to honor our predecessor in this space while adding