Deep Silver's zombie RPG Dead Island 2 is finally targeting a release in April following an uncertain development status that has persisted for many years. After changing hands multiple times, Dambuster Studios has taken the lead in developing the sequel to 2011's Dead Island, and recent gameplay previews have surprised fans with an impressive range of characters, weapons, and gadgets in its dystopian version of Los Angeles. If Dead Island 2 delivers, it will be a welcome comeback for a dormant franchise.
The latest Dead Island 2 gameplay trailer highlights several zombie-infested locales that are blown through using forceful melee kills. It is fair to say that the quality of the gaming experience will partially rely on how its development studio manages to implement responsive combat in this action-oriented RPG, but players should be in for a treat if the preview footage accurately reflects high attention to detail in Dambuster's upcoming title.
Dead Island 2's Combat Options
Dambuster Studios seems committed to offering combat options that are faithful to the first Dead Island game. Beyond bare-handed fisticuffs, there are swords, hammers, and more dangerous tools that fans can expect. Ranged weapons such as pistols, rifles, and shotguns occupy the remainder of the arsenal, and there is confirmation that Dead Island 2's weapons will degrade over time, meaning the world should yield a reasonable number of resources for repairs and modifications. Additionally, the game is reported to provide six playable characters; this project could be aiming for further specialization.
A wider selection of weapons is essential for Dead Island 2 to avoid becoming a bore. Throwable items and even zombie-based abilities also appear to be in play, which has the potential to introduce powerful strategies to experiment with. Environmental hazards such as fire or electricity can also function as a way to manage group encounters. If combat is designed with enemy variety in mind, players should benefit from finding the right equipment and planning ahead. Robust combat should be a defining factor in making Dead Island 2 a great co-op game to play with friends.
Zombie Hordes in Dead Island 2
While Dead Island 2's city appears to contain a healthy amount of undead, there could also be a fair distribution of unique enemy types to consider. Ideally, combat encounters should evolve as players progress. There are hints of enemy variety in pre-release footage for Dead Island 2, and some foes might be more intelligent than the average zombie. In one sequence, a masked clown can be seen ambushing the player from above, hinting that some in-game encounters might require players to be cautious. It's unlikely Dead Island 2 will resemble stealth games from recent years, but there might be more deadly forms of gameplay.
A combination of strong enemies could make exploring post-apocalyptic LA more lively and immersive. In several fights, Dead Island 2 showcases an intricate gore feature codenamed FLESH, which may give organic hints about the total health of adversaries. Fitting with the FPS horror of Dead Island, exposed bones and missing limbs appear to display locational damage as in games like Dead Space. If that visual feedback is consistent, Dead Island 2 could convey satisfying and impactful gameplay that rivals the original.
Dead Island 2 Should Embrace Urban Level Design
Boasting exploration in one of the most iconic cities in the United States, Dead Island 2 is in a unique position. Los Angeles hosts many recognizable neighborhoods and landmarks that could give the sequel's setting a greater sense of identity than Dead Island's fictional island of Banoi. Sandy coastlines, which return in Dambuster's follow-up, could serve as a more tropical game setting, while nearby ruined buildings illustrate the destructive nature of the apocalypse.
There are many games set during zombie outbreaks, but Dead Island 2 might produce a world on a larger scale than most. Urban areas could be arranged with structures that elicit a greater feeling of verticality that contrast the city's streets. It might not be as immense as the urban sprawl of Grand Theft Auto 5's Los Santos, but first-person navigation could become less tiresome if Dambuster executes its locations well. Dead Island did not have an open world, at least not in the traditional sense, yet large-scale districts might work as a distinct collection of places to discover, loot, and battle monstrous creatures.
Dead Island 2 shows promise, and fans may not have to wait much longer to see what Dambuster Studios and Deep Silver have in store. It has been over a decade since the first game, which means the series will have to catch up on the many innovations that have been made following its initial launch. Techland, developer of the original Dead Island, has moved over to the Dying Light franchise - another series of RPGs starring zombies. There is still new content coming to Dying Light 2, so it will be interesting to find out how Dead Island 2 differentiates itself.
Dead Island 2 releases on April 28, 2023, for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.