Dead Island 2 has been in development for an unusually long time, as it was first revealed back in 2014. Since then it has gone through many changes, even jumping between different studios while working on it. Fortunately, it looks like it will actually launch this year. This is hope, anyway.
From what we’ve seen, Dead Island 2 is exactly what you’d expect it to be, as a follow-up to the really fun Dead Island game and DLC. This time, you’re not on an island at all, and instead you’ll be making your way through post-infestation Los Angeles. There are six playable characters, hundreds of weapons, and even some zombie powers that you can turn against the undead that litter the streets.
Now that we’ve finally seen what Dead Island 2 will be like at launch, here’s what you need to know about the upcoming zombie game. This includes trailers, a look at the gameplay, and all the latest news and rumors.
Dead Island 2: Pieces to the chase
- What is this? The long-awaited sequel to Dead Island
- When can I play? April 28, 2023
- What can I play on? PS5, Xbox Series X | S, PS4, Xbox One, PC
Dead Island 2 Trailers
For a very long time, the only trailer for Dead Island 2 was the original 2014 movie revealed cinematically. It was a tasty thing to do, featuring a quick-drying runner jogging along Venice Beach in Los Angeles.
While it didn’t really reveal anything about the game, it did set the stage for what we can expect from Dead Island 2’s tone.
Skip forward eight years and we now have three new trailers for the open-world Zombie survival game. Watching a new cinematic, similar to the original, gives you a delicious taste of this harrowing version of Los Angeles.
Even so, after eight years of waiting between cinematic trailers, you can understand that fans might want to see Dead Island 2 in action. Fortunately, developer Dambuster Studios was happy to collaborate and released a gameplay trailer, too, that shows just how violent this long-awaited sequel can be.
A demo that aired December 6, 2022, and a few minutes later of brand new gameplay footage. It was more of the same, but it showed some new weapons that could be used to beat the undead. In addition, zombie abilities are shown, which allow the player to use the infection to enter a kind of mad state. You can watch this below.
Dead Island 2 release date and platforms
Dambuster Studios has once again delayed Dead Island 2. It will now release on April 28, 2023. This is a 12-week delay from the previous release date. In a Twitter post, which you can view below, the team states that this is now the final release date. we will see.
The fans will be eagerly waiting. Development of Dead Island 2 has shuffled around twice since the sequel was originally announced eight years ago, leaving gamers disappointed in the past. First developed at Yager, the same studio that created Spec Ops: The Line, it was slated for release in 2015. But it never materialized.
In 2016, it was announced that development had moved to Sumo Digital. Three years later, the game changed studios again, with Dambuster announcing that it had taken over work on the game. Fingers crossed you crossed the finish line this time.
As for platforms, Dead Island 2 will be coming to consoles new and old, with PS5 and Xbox Series X | S, PS4, Xbox One and PC.
The delay is only 12 weeks short and development is at its straight end now. Dead Island 2’s new release date is April 28, 2023. #DeadIsland #SeeYouInHELLA pic.twitter.com/Vf1NARTECoNovember 17, 2022
Dead Island 2 game and story
Play
Now that Dead Island 2 has been given what appears to be a final release date, we’re starting to see more and more gameplay. In a recent demo, we were shown a few minutes of new gameplay footage. The highlight is combat combat, featuring hand-modified hammers, blades, and gear. There are guns in the game as well, and so far we’ve seen pistols, shotguns, and assault rifles/SMGs.
One interesting mechanic that has been shown off in the gameplay trailers is the frenzy ability. It comes from a zombie bite on your character’s arm, and it allows them to enter a state where they become momentarily bewildered. It looks like a useful tool, allowing you to tear apart hordes of zombies with ease.
In an interview with PCGamer, creative director James Worrall revealed that while the game does not have a branching storyline, the six player characters offer different perspectives.
“Each player character has their own voice and dialogue,” he said. “So you might get one character who’s driven or energetic or particularly optimistic. You might get another character who’s a bit more of a sarcastic individual. Some characters are very low-key, subtle. We wrote these characters to reflect our broad playstyles.”
As for zombies, there will be variety too, with Dambuster confirming that there will be “dozens of distinct zombie types, each with their own mutations, attacks, and hundreds of LA-themed variants.”
In a preview of the game, IGN touched on the game’s “FLESH” system, or “Fully Locational Evisceration System for Humanoids,” which “procedurally shreds zombies with every hit” and makes the game a truly bloody experience. We caught a glimpse of it ourselves in the trailer.
When it comes to combat, IGN said the game “encourages constant action, with dodges, kicks, and jumps all integral parts” and that while there is a stamina system, it’s not strictly restrictive, allowing you to “try out a variety of different techniques.” “.
story
The story of Dead Island 2 is still a bit of a mystery, although it looks as if you will be playing a survivor of a deadly virus that has devastated Los Angeles. Teaming up with other survivors, you’ll try to “unearth the truth behind the outbreak” as you “harness the zombie in you.”
As part of this coming together, Dead Island 2 will support single player gameplay but there will be a co-op mode as well, with up to three players able to take part. We still have a lot to learn about how this collaboration will work.
Playable characters
There will be six playable characters at launch. So far, we’ve seen four of them. There’s Amy, a Paralympic performer, Danny, a hipster rock star, Jacob, an English acrobat, and then finally Ryan, an exotic dancer from Fresno.
Dead Island 2 news and rumors
Dead Island 2 Showcase in December
Along with the news of the delay, a gameplay trailer for Dead Island 2 was also revealed. It happened on December 6, 2022. You can view it via the links in the tweet below.
I can’t wait to see you more on December 6th: – Our Twitch channel: https://t.co/4H3F7wbjIh – Our YouTube channel: https://t.co/xW0cNwjmS7 – Our website: https://t. Co/Erh4Juv3fJNovember 17, 2022
Dead Island 2 consulted the Diversity Council for a more “charade” Los Angeles
During a recent interview with Dead Island 2 developer Dambuster Studios, Art Director Adam Olson told The Loadout (Opens in a new tab) explaining how they treated his version of Los Angeles. While there are more comedic overkills like Hell-A’s Muscle Beach containing bodybuilder zombies, Olson confirmed that the decisions were made after speaking with Dambuster’s Diversity Council.
“It was a really interesting exercise in trying to break down what makes something LA and what stands out as a truly unique experience in LA. We were very careful to take anything that sounded like a hurtful stereotype and that’s why, in the studio, we have a diversity board,” Olson explains. It helps us understand if we’ve pushed something too far.”
“The board has worked closely with us to make sure we hit a good tone because we want to make sure we bring Dead Island 2 into the 21st century. We want to be contemporary and we want to be representative.”
Alexa game control integration
Dead Island 2 will come with an interesting feature: Alexa Game Control. Announced during Gamescom 2022, Alexa Game Control will give PC and console gamers the option to use voice commands to make things happen in-game. You don’t need an Amazon Echo or an Amazon Prime account to use it. In fact, you don’t need to say “Alexa” either. All you need is “any microphone or headset” connected to your computer or console and a standard Amazon account associated with the game.
According to the Amazon blog (Opens in a new tab)With Alexa Game Control, you’ll be able to say things like “Where’s the nearest workbench” and “Switch to my best weapon” while playing to do things like find the closest workbench, and swap out your best weapon. The post mentions the ability to “manipulate hordes of zombies” just by saying “Hey, zombie”.
Dead Island 2 will be the first game to support the feature and FAQ (Opens in a new tab) He reveals that it will be available in English in North America on PC and Xbox at launch, with more regions, languages, and maybe even platforms.
Dambuster Studios is handling development
Back in 2019, development of Dead Island 2 was moved from Sumo Digital to Dambuster Studios. No further details were provided at the time, but it indicated that a sequel was at least in the works.