Announced a lifetime ago and finally returned (with a lot of date) to Gamescom, Dead Island 2 comes with a new open world and many, many zombies.
Forget how long ago Dead Island 2 was announced, or how many developers have passed since then. The first chapter came out in 2011, and no matter how much you liked it at the time, it’s hard to deny the fact that it is today as little more than a rotting corpse. It was never designed to be a military shooter or tactile action game, it was a unique experience built on a relatively small budget compared to so many triple-A’s of the time.
If Dead Island 2 were just a brighter version of the game we played over a decade ago, with a new setting, it would be a disaster. So, it’s honestly a good thing that Dead Island 2 feels like a whole new experience. Set in an open world Los Angeles, Dead Island 2 is more accurate and satisfying than previous installments in the series, and as long as it manages to maintain this intensity, it could be the first essential title of 2023.
Dead Island 2 explained by the developers –
GLHF spoke to narrative designer Ayesha Khan and creative director James Worrall at Gamescom 2022, and the two explained why Dead Island 2 is no longer set on an island. “The first game was set on a fictional resort island, which is really a clear vision of paradise for a lot of people. But, in the modern world, Los Angeles is a bit of a paradise, not just in terms of sun, sea and palm trees, it’s a kind of aspirational paradise, ”explains Khan. “People in LA want to be influencers, rock stars, movie stars. So, that heaven, gone to hell, was really interesting ”.
The demo we played at Gamescom 2022 is set in a fairground on a pier, complete with rides and a Ferris wheel. Like all other places in the world of Dead Island, it has become an abandoned hub for zombies. You’ll find dozens of them hiding in stairwells, lurking around building corners, or ready to crawl through a crack in a garage door where legions of other undead will spawn in the blink of an eye. It’s not Dying Light and it lacks flashy parkour, but it manages to give an excellent sense of movement and impact.
Body to body –
You will dodge enemy blows with sideways steps and return blows with your heavy weaponry, or even parry if you are good enough. Dead Island 2 gives an incredible feeling of heaviness, and the damage dealt to enemies with charged hits from a large hammer reflects that weight. Enemies literally explode and blown up by the impacts created by your rotations, and this is incredibly satisfying. Sadly, first-person firearms don’t work the same way, but you won’t need them when melee fights are this strong.
The ability to add mods that give elemental affinity weapons adds an extra layer, and you’ll quickly learn which types of zombies are particularly affected by which elemental weapons and combinations. “There are the workbenches, there you can add mods and perks, you can add the kind of damage you like best,” comments Khan. “We really want you to experiment with guns and find the style that fits you best.”
Take advantage of the environment –
This also applies to environmental hazards and weapons. For example, a pool of water can now conduct electricity, which means you can disarm these hazards so you can safely pass through those areas, or leave them untouched for use against zombies. “With a puddle of water you can use an electric weapon and see the sparks fly, or a gas pump or canister can be used to create a funnel for the zombies and you can then make them catch fire,” says Khan.
The game’s response to your shots goes through layers of guts. Each enemy is built in layers, from the innards to layers of fat and skin, each of which can be ripped off in combat. Attentive players will see more than there is on the surface, as Worrall explains: “You will find organs in zombies that are not necessarily human organs …”. “Pre-installed,” adds Khan.
Dead Island 2, the verdict (for now) –
While we haven’t been told exactly how the story will work in Dead Island 2, we do know that the game is positioned chronologically after the first chapter and in the same universe, although there are unlikely to be many references to the original with this new team. On the contrary, Dambuster Studios is creating its own unique take on the themes thrown by Dead Island, and Dead Island 2 could be far better for that when it releases in 2023.
Written by Dave Aubrey for GLHF
04 September 2022 – 12:52
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