Back 4 Blood is a multiplayer co-op horror game in which you and your friends take on hordes of various Ridden species and fight for survival. Yet, amongst the chaos that ensues, there are a bunch of horror-related Easter eggs to be discovered too if you have a keen eye or some time to spare.
In this article, we explain each Easter egg and secret that we have found in the game so far, as well as where you and your friends can go hunting for them too when you're not trying to keep the Ridden at bay.
Read More: Back 4 Blood Best Characters Tier List: All Cleaners, Ranked
Friday the 13th
At the very beginning of the Abandoned level during Act 1, you only need to walk a short distance before you encounter a road sign amidst the foggy atmosphere. The road sign reads 'Crystal Lake' which is a direct reference to the setting of the 1980 film, Friday the 13th.
Yet, this is not all it references as the sign below then reads 'Elm St', another direct reference to the 1984 film, A Nightmare on Elm Street, which we talk about a little more just below.
A Nightmare on Elm Street
During the same Abandoned level where you will see the Crystal Lake and Elm Street signs, one of the houses involved in the mission features yet another Easter egg related to Wes Craven's cult classic, A Nightmare on Elm Street.
On the second floor of the house, you will be surprised to find a single, untouched t-shirt hanging on a clothes rail by a blood-spattered wall. With its brown and red horizontal stripes, there is only one antagonist that this t-shirt can be referencing, and that is the infamous Freddy Krueger.
Shaun of the Dead
In Back 4 Blood's The Handy Man map, which is towards the beginning of Act 2, there is a post-it note on a noticeboard in the safe room at the start of the level. The note reads 'You've Got Red On You'. This line is quoted in the earlier scenes of iconic comedy-horror Shaun of The Dead from 2004.
The Exorcist
In Back 4 Blood's character customisation tent, one of the books on the desk reads 'How to Spin Your Head 360 Degrees While Sitting in Bed'. This is quite obviously a direct reference to William Friedkin's 1973 horror film, The Exorcist. In which the main antagonist, a demon named Pazuzu, quite literally rotates their head 360 degrees while sitting in bed. If you haven't seen the film, it was completely creepy, to say the least.
They Live (and Duke Nukem)
In Back 4 Blood's character customisation tent is the spine of another book next to the television, which reads 'How to Kick Ass When You're All Out of Bubblegum'. This is in reference to two things. The first being John Carpenter's 1988 film They Live, in which character Nada says "I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass... and I'm all out of bubblegum."
This quote is then echoed in 1996 video game Duke Nukem 3D, who quotes "It's time to kick ass and chew bubblegum... and I'm all out of gum." Here, Turtle Rock Studios seem to kill two birds with one stone using this reference!
Evil Dead
For fans of Sam Raimi's 1991 film Evil Dead, now a major franchise with a new game on the way in 2022, there is an Easter egg to be found in Back 4 Blood's Hell's Bells level during Act 1.
This particular Easter Egg can be found in one of the level's smaller buildings, in which there is a hatch with a triangular chain across the top, and some bloody hands peeking out from underneath it. This hatch is taken directly from a scene in the film in which one of the demons is being locked up in the basement by Evil Dead's protagonist, Ash.
Golden Skulls
Also on the Hell's Bells level during Act 1, there are multiple golden skulls found held by detached hands. We are yet to know what these are in reference to, or if they will later be able to trigger an event or reward of sorts, but they're rather fun to come across when you're not fighting off hordes.
We'll keep you updated if we find anything more out about the Golden Skulls!
A Shoutout to Turtle Rock Studios
Last, but not least, there are quite a few references to turtles around the map. During the first level of Act 1, you might've noticed a turtle calendar in the safe room at the beginning of the level. However, the more amusing turtle reference we have found is also within the Hell's Bells levels of Act 1. After you use the tow truck on the level to lift a trailer in order to unblock your path, the horde will be summoned. Yet, if you take the time to look around after you and your team gun them all down, a dozen turtles will have appeared when the trailer has been lifted the right way up. Walking over the turtles will also cause them to squeak!
There's only one thing that these reappearing images of turtles could mean, and that is obviously a shoutout to the games developers, Turtle Rock Studios.
As you embark on your Back 4 Blood campaign, albeit solo or multiplayer, be sure to take some time to try and find these Easter eggs amidst the hordes. They're great fun to find and take notice of, especially if you're a horror fan.
Alternatively, we have a handy guide on how to use your cards and how to make the most of them that you may find useful as you embark on your missions to drive out the Ridden and return to the safety of Fort Hope.
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