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Dead Island 2 is picking up speed faster than the shuffling undead that serve as its ravenous antagonists. After Sony revealed a debut trailer during their E3 presentation this year, gamers were impressed with the new title's lighter tone, personality and sense of humor. Deep Silver’s follow-up to Dead Island and Dead Island: Riptide looked worth investigating, and even made our list of the Top 10 Trailers of E3 2014.

So far, it’s been interesting to see just how Dead Island 2 has represented itself. A lot of fans were burned by the offbeat comedy of the original game after being wowed by the emotion of its initial cinematic trailer. However, Dead Island 2 seems like a much more accurate depiction of the franchise’s vibrant style.

Thankfully, a new trailer has been released, not only showing Dead Island 2’s over-the-top sensibilities but also giving players a glimpse at the gameplay on offer. The ‘Sunshine and Slaughter’ gameplay trailer also shows how the title, designed by Yager Development, has taken the Dead Island franchise to a whole new location. Dead Island 2 takes place away from the previous zombie-infested surf of the Banoi islands. Instead, players are treated to an undead experience on the mainland, in a California quarantined by the American military.

The Golden State itself looks vibrant and sharp, full of lush colors and scenery. However, the change in location is not the only thing fans of the series will take away from this trailer. The gameplay itself looks impressive, with the combat appearing smooth and fluid. The footage, taken from pre-alpha footage of the game, does have some similarities to the style of previous Dead Island titles. There is violence aplenty, with buckets of gore on show and brutal takedowns of the undead with melee weapons and long-ranged attacks.

The trailer also gives a glimpse at what may well be some of the customisable weapons that feature in the title. As revealed in a demo in June, Dead Island 2 will give players the chance to craft their own weapons and utilize forces such as electricity to help take down hordes of the undead. There is also brief footage of the player using the in-game fire dynamic. Deep Silver and Yager Development have promised that fire can be used as an unpredictable force in the title, meaning that gamers can set fire to the environment as a means of distraction, aggression, or protection.

It's obviously too early to make a decision on the quality of the finished product, but so far Dead Island 2 is making all the right noises, with its tongue firmly in cheek. Fans of the series wanting more Dead Island 2 action can find out more at Gamescom. The title will have a hands-on showcase at Deep Silver's booth in Hall 9.1, B11/C10.

Dead Island 2 will release in Spring of 2015, and will be available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.