Dead Island 2 Review: Cheeky Zombie Survival Fun

Dead Island 2 provides a charming and hilarious apocalyptic sequel to the 2011 original, filled with great one-liners and dismembered body parts in equal measure. Similar to an Orange County socialite, the game's seemingly ideal first impression is let down by a lack of imagination. There isn't much that sets this game apart from other zombie-filled titles, including Dying Light 1 and Dying Light 2, developed by the creators of Dead Island, Techland. Despite its shortcomings in originality, Dead Island 2 effectively pulls off a tongue-in-cheek, LA-based zombie parody that gives the series a much-needed update.

Table of Contents

• Story and Setting
• Gameplay and Combat
• Multiplayer and Cooperative Play
• Great Character Selection
• Conclusion

Story and Setting

The first-person action game is set in Southern California during a zombie apocalypse, where players can choose from one of six virus-resistant playable characters. The game can be played solo or with up to two co-op partners, offering a 30-hour adventure filled with eccentric and entertaining quest-givers, such as drug-addled rock stars and geriatric former movie stars. The story, though not particularly innovative, benefits from amusing writing and memorable characters, all fitting well within the game's absurdist tone.

The game's setting in Southern California provides numerous opportunities for the developers to poke fun at the vanity and vapidness of Los Angeles, drawing parallels to the satirical portrayal of Los Santos in Grand Theft Auto V. For instance, players are greeted with LA's iconic landmarks such as the Hollywood Walk of Fame, famous shopping streets, and beachside resorts, all infested by hordes of the undead. The beautifully designed environment only enhances the experience of navigating through the zombie-infested world.

Gameplay and Combat

Dead Island 2's combat follows a familiar formula, starting with basic melee weapons before progressing to more elaborate creations. However, most of the upgraded weapons don't feel much different from their unmodified counterparts, making the combat lack variety and become repetitive. The game's ranged weapons are somewhat disappointing in terms of accuracy and usability, with guns feeling like a last-minute addition. Fortunately, the introduction of consumable tools with cooldown replenishment, as opposed to a finite crafting system, encourages the use of gadgets throughout the game.

Some of the more memorable weapons and upgrades include:

• Batter Up: A modified baseball bat with a sharp blade attached to it, slicing through zombies instead of merely causing concussions.
• DIY Sledgehammer: A sledgehammer fitted with nails and other debris, specifically designed to crush the skulls of the undead.
• Electric Machete: A standard machete that has been modified with a car battery, allowing it to send electric shocks through zombie bodies.
• Boomstick: A shotgun combined with a homemade flamethrower, offering both firepower and incendiary capabilities.

Despite its shortcomings, Dead Island 2's combat can be enjoyable and satisfying, particularly when fighting off hordes of zombies with friends in co-op mode. The ragdoll physics and dismemberment mechanics add an extra layer of fun to the experience, as each zombie encounter leads to a graphic display of limbs and body parts flying through the air.

Although you might often find yourself relying more on melee combat, the game introduces a variety of consumable tools and gadgets to keep the gameplay fresh. Some of these include throwable explosives, deployable turrets, and traps that can be strategically placed to thin out the zombie masses. By including cooldown-based replenishment for consumables, Dead Island 2 encourages experimentation and utilization of these tools, preventing players from hoarding items and providing a more dynamic gameplay experience.

Multiplayer and Cooperative Play

The multiplayer aspect of Dead Island 2 is helpful in counteracting the repetitiveness of combat, serving as a more enjoyable experience when friends are available for cooperative play. Up to two additional players can join your game, allowing for a total of three people to team up and face the zombie apocalypse together. This option adds another layer of strategy to the game, as players can now coordinate their attacks, share resources, and revive each other when necessary.