After a lengthy development process with a few “back to the drawing board” moments, Dead Island 2 has arrived. Developed by Dambuster Studios and published by Deep Silver, this survival horror game set in an open world is a sequel to the original Dead Island, following the events of its predecessor. The player takes on the role of a survivor in California, who is caught up in the zombie outbreak that has taken over the state.
The plot of Dead Island 2 is relatively straightforward, but it does a good job of setting the tone for the game. The player has to survive in a world overrun by zombies, and must explore the environment to scavenge for supplies and weapons – which you’ll regularly run out of at the most inopportune moments. The game features a variety of different missions and side quests, each with its own unique objective.
The gameplay of Dead Island 2 is similar to its predecessor, with a few improvements and tweaks. The combat system has been refined, with a greater focus on melee combat. The game also features a crafting system, allowing the player to create and upgrade weapons and armor. The world of Dead Island 2 is larger and more detailed than the original, with a greater emphasis on exploration and survival. And while its open world is divided up into hub-like areas, it gives you a good degree of freedom as you traverse its environments.
One of the biggest positives of Dead Island 2 is its visuals. The game looks stunning on the PlayStation 5, with detailed character models, environments, and lighting effects. The zombie designs are equally impressive, with a variety of different types of zombies to fight and some outstanding boss designs. The game’s soundtrack and sound effects are also well done, adding to the overall atmosphere of the game.
Dead Island 2’s campaign features a story that is engaging and well-written, with plenty of twists and turns to keep the player engaged. The voice acting is also top-notch, with each character having a unique voice that suits their personality. We also enjoyed the level design of Dead Island 2, with an open-world environment filled with secrets and hidden areas to discover, and plenty of different locations to explore – all home to a variety of different enemy types, each with its own unique strengths and weaknesses.
However, there are also some negatives to Dead Island 2. The combat system takes some getting used to, but what’s worse is that the playable characters don’t feel very distinct from one another. Additionally, some of the missions and side quests can be frustrating, particularly if the player misses a key item or clue – which is when zombies that appear out of thin air start to feel frustrating. Those zombies can also occasionally get stuck or behave in strange ways, briefly breaking the immersion in combat situations.
Overall, Dead Island 2 is a solid sequel that improves on its predecessor in many ways. The game’s visuals, campaign, and level design are all impressive, and the open-world environment offers plenty of opportunities for exploration and survival. While the game has its issues, particularly in terms of some dodgy AI, it’s still a really fun and engaging experience that fans of the survival horror genre will definitely want to play. After almost a decade, it’s nice that the wait was worth it.
Score: 8.0/10
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