Nine years ago, Dead Island 2 Vibrant and funny reveal trailerIt teased a new colorful setting in LA while doubling down on the irreverent tone of the original game. Switched, delayed multiple times… When the review code finally made its way into our inboxes just eight years after the 2015 release window proposal, we were skeptical. Thankfully our pessimism was met with complete surprise. Because Dead Island 2 isn’t just a cohesive zombie his slayer, it’s a pretty good game.
Dead Island 2 is an open-level RPG set in the zombie-infested city of Los Angeles. We’ll get to one of our favorite aspects of this sequel in no time. The coined name “Hell-A” is not a huge open world filled with an overwhelming number of icons. In fact, it’s made up of 10 of his carefully selected open levels, from Bel-Air’s billionaire mansions to Monarch Studios’ labyrinthine soundstages. It’s totally refreshing to be given a manageable space to explore that feels purposeful and unique in its own way. No repetitive areas, no running miles to reach your destination. Even the levels themselves vary in both size and linearity. There are still side quests and other content, but these explore the environment a bit more, offer cooler weapons, and ultimately make you feel like a badass as you take down countless undead enemies. It is useful as a way to
That meant that each time we reached a new realm, we were rubbing our hands together in anticipation of revealing the details of the new world offered by that environment. And like the bloody undead his bridesmaids at the Halperin Hotel, or the hordes of muscled giants who died unexpectedly at the Venice Beach strongman contest, each new zone also has its own flavor. Your level affects not only where you kill zombies, but also what kind of zombies you kill. To be honest, I was completely blown away by the setting of Dead Island 2. It feels like his carefully and tightly curated 2010 game with all the graphical and mechanical goodness of a 2023 release.
But what is a great Zombocalypse (that’s the game’s term, not ours) without the fun zombie-killing gameplay? It offers something evolving, fast-paced, dynamic, and terrifyingly brutal. The game’s “FLESH” system makes this some of the most satisfying zombie killings ever thrown into the medium. Disconnected, disconnected. A swipe with a katana will cause bones to pop out of dislodged legs, a hammer to the skull will cause eyeballs to pop out of holes, and wielding a deadly acidic knuckle duster will cause skin to burn in real time.On the odd occasion, we felt the game could have been done more Zombies are on screen at once, but if that’s the cost of highly detailed gore, I think it was well worth the price.
This is because the FLESH mechanism is built into the weapon system. It’s nothing groundbreaking or new to the franchise as it fiddles with weapon classes, perks and damage types. However, the chaos wrought by these weapons becomes a case of morbid curiosity. What about a sledgehammer with an impact mod on a zombie skull? A sour sword that can easily cut off limbs? It’s a fun form of seductive bloody experimentation.
That said, it’s the sin of video games to fill your inventory with nonsense. Suitcases, drawers, cupboards, car boots, shelves, safes, chests, trucks and even zombies. Spend almost every moment of your Los Angeles exploration awakening collecting various collectibles while looting itself. All of these knick-knacks are used to create the deadliest weapons, but I’d be lying if I said that looting sophistication doesn’t get old after a while. That means you always have to decide if you want to ditch your favorite weapon for something with higher stats and a different tier.
Then there’s the card system that works through the game’s six playable characters. At the start of the campaign, you choose your protagonist, each with their own personality, skills, and traits. We chose Dani, the foul-mouthed Irishwoman. Dani prioritizes stamina, but he has Thunderstruck’s explosive abilities. I was relatively blown away by the personalities shown in the game’s cutscenes, but it all started to feel a little pointless. Yes, and with the inability to switch characters during the game’s campaign and the campaign not differing based on who you play with, there was absolutely no reason to replay it. It’s all just to try different character types. And really, not much can be said about the game’s run-of-the-mill storyline.
Of course, the bigger feature here is the cards themselves, which apply numerous passive and unique abilities to your character. For Dani, we used something like an impact amp on the drop kick. Combine the powers of Fury Mode in ultimate style to rampage through hordes of zombies. However, other than one or two key skills and some weird boss fights, I didn’t really need to delve too deeply into the card system.
Conclusion
Ultimately, though, Dead Island 2 is a refreshing surprise among the 2023 release roster. A fun and simple zombie slashing experience that might let you down with its lackluster RPG elements and boring loot cycle, but it more than makes up for it with its killer setting, brutal melee combat and stunning graphics. After so many years, I’m sure some will be disappointed with the size of the game, but finding a AAA experience that respects their time and, more importantly, isn’t overly welcoming is utterly exhilarating. Okay. In the age of 300-hour RPGs, it’s nice to know that some games are here for a good time, not for a long time.
