Crafting is a vital combat feature in Dead Island 2 that helps players maintain and upgrade their weapons. Weapons can be upgraded with status effect mods, defensive abilities, and perks with the right ingredients. Of course, some crafting items are more common than others. One of the rarest and hardest to come by is a Mutated Heart.
Mutated Hearts are not found anywhere, unlike other things such as Fabric or Chemicals. Players will have to seek out a specific Zombie variant if they want Mutated Hearts in Dead Island 2, and they can use this guide to find out which one and how to farm the valuable resource.
How to Get Mutated Hearts in Dead Island 2
Mutated Hearts are only available during the late-game missions as players explore LA's Zombie-filled streets. Players can only get a Mutated Heart by defeating a Mutator Apex Zombie. However, this variant starts spawning after the 21st mission, The Search for Truth.
During The Search for Truth, players are forced to battle a Mutator for the first time called Subject: Noah. There, they will experience Mutator attack patterns firsthand. Mutators are grotesque, giant Zombies with a sword-like bone jutting out of their left arm. They are tanks with high health and offensive stats, so taking them down isn't light work.
Mutators will swing their sword arm in a sweeping motion to hit players close up, and they can shoot projectiles from far away. Mutators also have a jump move that sends out a shockwave and knocks players back. However, there's a chance their sword arm will get stuck when they land, which is the perfect chance for players to get in some damage.
Additionally, Mutators don't take on their oversized, terrifying appearance immediately and look like regular Zombies until alerted by a loud noise or when they spot players. Attacking them before they transform is one of the easiest ways to take them down, but it does require some stealth or an explosive. After killing a Mutator, there is a 50/50 chance they will drop a Mutated Heart.
Those odds mean farming Mutated Hearts in Dead Island 2 can potentially take lots of time and effort. Luckily, Mutator hot spots are marked on the map, so players can find them in groups in these areas. Another solid strategy is to play in co-op and take them on with other Slayers. Zombies can only focus on one enemy at a time, so one player can attack them while distracted by another.
Dead Island 2 is now available for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.