It's not too uncommon for a game development studio to take a long time to release a new installment in a series. There can be years between a video game and its follow-up, sometimes even decades, but more often than not, they will eventually see the light of day. This is the case for Dead Island 2. While there had been rumors that the sequel was in development hell, the game was finally revealed recently with an awesomely gory trailer. On top of this, Dead Island 2 will also come with a rather unique feature.
Dambuster Studios' Dead Island 2 will support voice activation through Alexa Game Control. A post on Amazon's website says players will be able to initiate certain actions in-game using a series of "natural and intuitive" voice commands. This includes being able to interact with NPCs, swap out weapons, engage in special combat abilities, and even "goad zombies." Perhaps the most interesting thing about this function is that it doesn't require gamers to actually have an Echo device, instead being able to use any microphone or headset. This feature will reportedly work on both PC and console ports of the game.
While it's pretty infrequent to see it implemented, this is not the first time voice commands and gaming have come together as one. Titles such as Skyrim have famously utilized Alexa, but in this instance, it was the device itself that contained a rather rudimentary version of Bethesda's epic 2011 release. Voice control has never fully caught on in games, so it remains to be seen whether it will work in Dead Island 2 or be more of a gimmick.
The long-awaited sequel was finally revealed at the Gamescom 2022 Opening Night Live show. For fans of the horror genre, there was more than enough content shown off, with a new trailer from The Callisto Protocol, the announcement of Dying Light 2's first story-based DLC "Bloody Ties," as well as surprise teaser footage from the upcoming multiplayer game Killer Klowns from Outer Space, which is based on the cult 80s film of the same name.
As for Dambuster's sequel itself, the marketing for it seems to be quite the departure from its predecessor. The first Dead Island game has what many consider to be one of the most beautifully emotional trailers in gaming, with its reverse storytelling and gorgeous piano music, while this next entry looks to be going for something more over-the-top and irreverent.
Dead Island 2 launches February 3 for PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.