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Dead Island 2 (The Most Miraculously Technically Competent Game of 2023) - Information Thread, update: Steam release set for April 22, released on Xbox (not PC) Game Pass today

Commissar SFLUFAN

By Commissar SFLUFAN
in The Spawn Point

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Phaseknox

Phaseknox

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I just found out that the PS4 version of this is $69.99, I can’t believe that companies are starting to sell last gen versions of games for the same price as current gen ones. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to buy this on day one for $59.99, but I definitely don’t want to for $69.99.

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Phaseknox

Phaseknox

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43 minutes ago, stepee said:

That’s crazy they are going $70 for the last gen version it’s like they are trying to makes the initial sales bad.

They lost a sale from me for this reason because I was prepared to buy it Friday, but not now. I’m going to buy Hogwarts Legacy instead now on May 5th if the PS4 release date actually sticks this time. It’s $59.99 as it should be for last gen games.

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stepee

stepee

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3 minutes ago, Phaseknox said:

They lost a sale from me for this reason because I was prepared to buy it Friday, but not now. I’m going to buy Hogwarts Legacy instead now on May 5th if the PS4 release date actually sticks this time. It’s $59.99 as it should be for last gen games.

 

I really hope they managed a good port for Hogwarts as I think you’ll really enjoy it if so!

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Phaseknox

Phaseknox

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17 minutes ago, stepee said:

I really hope they managed a good port for Hogwarts as I think you’ll really enjoy it if so!

Yeah, it looks right up my alley. I’ve been wanting to play it since it came out, and the two delays for the PS4 version were disappointing. But considering all that I’ve been going through for the past few months, May 5th is actually a better time for me to get it. I’m really looking forward to it.

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stepee

stepee

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4 minutes ago, Commissar SFLUFAN said:

I'm sorry...they're charging WHAT for the last generation version?!?!?

 

OLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO

 

Between that and the EGS exclusivity, I don't hold out  much hope for this one being even remotely close to a commercial success.

 

I don’t believe that anyone there actually thought that being the first game to my knowledge that charges $70 for a last gen version for what is a shorter more linear for its type these days game was a good idea. It’s gotta be some tax thing.

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Keyser_Soze

Keyser_Soze

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2 hours ago, Commissar SFLUFAN said:

I'm sorry...they're charging WHAT for the last generation version?!?!?

 

OLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO

 

Between that and the EGS exclusivity, I don't hold out  much hope for this one being even remotely close to a commercial success.

 

It's just a launcher.

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Phaseknox

Phaseknox

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5 hours ago, stepee said:

I don’t believe that anyone there actually thought that being the first game to my knowledge that charges $70 for a last gen version for what is a shorter more linear for its type these days game was a good idea.

Yeah, it’s not like it’s a 100+ hour AAA open world game that might justify the increase in price more, it’s a mid-tier PS3/Xbox 360 era type linear co-op zombie action game from a small publisher. I can’t believe that they have the gall to charge $69.99 for any version of it, especially the last gen versions.

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Commissar SFLUFAN

Commissar SFLUFAN

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Here come the reviews...and it's the "7/10" game that practically everyone assumed that it would be!

 

Game Information

Game Title: Dead Island 2

 

Platforms:

  • PlayStation 4 (Apr 21, 2023)
  • Xbox One (Apr 21, 2023)
  • PC (Apr 21, 2023)
  • Xbox Series X/S (Apr 21, 2023)
  • PlayStation 5 (Apr 21, 2023)

 

Developer: Dambuster Studios

Publisher: Deep Silver

 

Review Aggregator:

OpenCritic - 75 average - 57% recommended

 

Critic Reviews

Try Hard Guides - 10 / 10

Dead Island 2 is a huge return for the series. Fans of the first game will find much more to enjoy than just their nostalgia in this new title, and I can see a whole new generation of gamers falling in love with zombie-chopping in Hell-A.


33bits - Spanish - 90 / 100

Dead Island 2 is one of those rare cases in which a long-running project with developer changes ends up giving, nevertheless, a great product. We have had to wait a decade but we can say without a doubt that the wait has been worth it and that Dead Island 2 shines with its own light. If you enjoyed the first one, or even if you didn't have the chance to sink your teeth into it, Dead Island 2 becomes a must for any self-respecting lover of the genre.


AltChar - 90 / 100

Dead Island 2 is everything its predecessor shined at and much, much more. This zombie shooter from Deep Silver brings us Los Angeles like we've never seen it before, full of beautiful landscapes, celebrities to rescue, and zombies to slay.


Attack of the Fanboy - 4.5 / 5

Practice your best one-liners because Dead Island 2 will have you run toward danger and swagger down the streets of Hell-A while egging the zombies on like your favorite pulp hero. The beautiful graphics, tight combat, eccentric cast of characters, and F.L.E.S.H. system prove why the long-anticipated sequel to the beloved franchise was worth the wait.


FingerGuns - 9 / 10

Throwing out the dour and the drab, Dead Island 2 is all about killing in style. From the beautifully rendered wastelands of HELL-A, to the equally visceral limb destruction system, there’s endless fun to be had here. With enough to do solo or with friends/strangers, not to mention the upcoming expansions, Dambuster Studios have rewritten how to enjoy oneself in the face of Armageddon.


The Beta Network - 9 / 10

With over ten years in development and three complete studio changes, Dambuster has somehow successfully morphed Dead Island 2 into a modern action-packed, gore-fest that’ll keep players’ bloodlust more than satiated.


The Games Machine - Italian - 9 / 10

Dead Island 2 is a first person slasher that goes all-in for gore, and it wins. The FLESH engine takes fighting fun to a level never seen before, with an extremely realistic aesthetic that also impacts the zombies' ability to move. Maps are not particularly large and the story flows along rigid tracks, but everything is functional and works well for a classic action adventure offering. A B-Movie that will delight those who love to kill (again) zombies in smashing ways, with old school gameplay enhanced by new technologies.


Windows Central - 4.5 / 5

Dead Island 2 is everything a Dead Island fan could ask for. Between its addicting combat mechanics, excellent character and gear progression systems, hilariously satirical writing, and goretastic presentation, this long-awaited sequel has proven it was worth the wait.


Hobby Consolas - Spanish - 89 / 100

It is a pleasure to confirm that the ship has come to fruition by taking care of the true essence of the series: exploration, tinkering with weapons and slaughtering zombies is as pleasant as it is spectacular.


Generación Xbox - Spanish - 88 / 100

Dead Island 2 surprisingly becomes a great sequel. Brutal action, extreme violence and above all, a lot of fun awaits us in the new Dambuster's title.


GAMES.CH - German - 86%

As expected, Dead Island 2 is not a game that extensively scores with complex gameplay in a regular sense. You mostly kill zombies, but in a never seen before marked brutal and detailed diversive manner. And the last is the core of a great first person zombie action game and the reason why you need to play it, regardless if you prefer playing it solo or in online co-op mode.


CGMagazine - 8.5 / 10

Featuring a literally jaw dropping, procedural zombie damage system, a diverse and entertaining cast and high production values from start to finish, Dead Island 2 not only manages to live up to the expectations set by its two mainline prequels over a decade ago--it blows them right out of the water.


Downtime Bros - 8.5 / 10

After such a bumpy road, it’s wonderful that Dead Island 2 has arrived in such a commendable state. This is a game you can pick up and play and get exactly what you came for. Good ol’ fashioned zombie chaos with personality and an ambition to get it all right. And what more can you want after all these years?


GamingTrend - 85 / 100

Though not without its flaws Dead Island 2 has succeeded in providing a fun and unique zombie slaying experience that will leave players highly satisfied.


God is a Geek - 8.5 / 10

While it suffers from some interesting glitches, Dead Island 2 puts some much-needed fun and mayhem back into the zombie apocalypse sandbox.


PlayStation Universe - 8.5 / 10

Dambuster Studios has come in and created a highly entertaining cavalcade of carnage with Dead Island 2. It's a game that takes great joy in the simple act of smashing, splatting, and slicing the undead into meaty chunks and I'm very much here for that.


PowerUp! - 8.5 / 10

Dead Island 2 is a sum much greater than its parts. By rights, a game with gameplay roots and mechanics harkening back over 10 years shouldn't be this much fun in 2023, but it is.


XGN.nl - Dutch - 8.5 / 10

When a game is delayed for a long time, it usually doesn't bode well. But Dambuster Studios has delivered a strong zombie-slayer in Dead Island 2, with a lot of content, loads of weapons and anatomically correct zombies. It does have some technical issues, but that doesn't stand in the way of fun.


Xbox Achievements - 85%

A California scream, Dead Island 2 finally crosses the finish line after nine years as an accomplished and deliriously fun first-person zombie mash 'em up. The stomach-churning gore might not be for everyone, but fans of body horror and viscera will be well-served here.


XboxEra - 8.5 / 10

Dead Island 2 is fantastic.  It knows what it is, and that’s a ton of sneakily smart dumb fun.  The FLESH system is horrific and awful and the best.  Smashing, chopping, burning, and exploding humans has never been so fun. At $70 some may want to wait as it isn’t the longest campaign. I’m already doing a second playthrough though, and this is a game I’ll be coming back to for a long time.


COGconnected - 84 / 100

Dead Island 2 is gory and gruesome, with action that is often ridiculously entertaining. It has just enough narrative and social satire to push the game along, and enough depth, systems and mechanics to make killing thousands of zombies engaging for its substantial run time. Dead Island 2 might not be the deepest swimming pool in Bel Air, but playing it was the most creative, scary fun I’ve had with a shooter in quite some time.


Cerealkillerz - German - 8.3 / 10

Dead Island 2 continues where its predecessors left off. The new gore system adds a lot to the game, but the bottom line is that it stays true to its formula and doesn't really reinvent anything. Boring mission design is more than saved by the massive variation of enemy variants and the very fun melee fights, and fans of blunt butchery should grab it anyway. Hell-A!


Gamefa - Persian - 8.2 / 10

Dead Island 2 is everything it needs to be. It's bloody, chaotic and fun. You're going to have a blast crushing skulls, slicing limbs and decapitating bloody rich zombies! Dismemberment is extremely satisfying, story is weird (in a good way) and Weapons Variety is awesome. That being said, Main story is a little bit too short and size of the world is a bit underwhelming. Nonetheless, If you feel like slaying zombies and wrecking havoc, Dead Island 2 is what you're looking for


GamePro - German - 81 / 100

Despite the chaos of development, Dead Island 2 offers exaggerated and satisfying zombie action with a lot of blood and guts.


Geek Culture - 8.1 / 10

Overall, Dead Island 2 knows exactly what it is under the skin’s surface. An action RPG that is all about explosive combat with some sprinkling of worthwhile exploration, and the realisation of zombie destruction on a scale unlike anything seen before. Just check your expectations of too involved a story and overlook the routine, and you might just agree that the series is back with some newfound vigour, unlike the many undead players will leave in their destructive wake.


Worth Playing - 8.1 / 10

Dead Island 2 surely went through a few levels of development hell, so anyone following its path would reasonably suspect that the game might have issues. I can't say that it does anything exceptionally well, but it has enough life in it to avoid major stumbles. For better or worse, it is a by-the-numbers zombie basher that doesn't do anything terribly distinct. Its humor makes it compelling and fun, and it's at its best whenever it relies on that strength.


3DNews - Russian - 8 / 10

A vibrant zombie action game which came out and didn't disappoint - against all odds. Artists did a great job recreating Los-Angeles, designers made locations fun to explore, and gamers received a great, engaging game.


Atomix - Spanish - 80 / 100

Just like a zombie, Dead Island 2 was a project that was considered dead but was able to rise to its feet over and over again. Today, we finally have the ultimate Dead Island experience in our hands and it's a pretty decent action RPG with tons of first person melee combat.


But Why Tho? - 8 / 10

With Dead Island 2’s development history, it is a pleasant surprise to see the game release in as complete and stable of a state as it is. It ran flawlessly on Xbox Series X and looked beautiful to boot, especially its incredible new gore system. While it may not deliver the interesting stories or new concepts of its genre contemporaries, its sharp humor and satisfying combat help make up for it.


Capsule Computers - 8 / 10

Dead Island 2 offers some of the most visceral and realistic looking first person combat around but its unfinished story and lack of challenge prevent it from reaching its potential.


Daily Star - 4 / 5

Those seeking more may well tire of the game after a handful of hours.


Easy Allies - 8 / 10

Dead Island 2 revels in bringing the zombie apocalypse to LA with great level design, disturbingly detailed gore, and weapons that feel good to use and customize.


GRYOnline.pl - Polish - 8 / 10

Dead Island 2 does not fool you into thinking it's another deep virtual drama or an epic RPG. It’s simply a great action comedy designed to make you relax, provided you like bloody hordes of zombies.


GameGrin - 8 / 10

A fun but not relaxing trip to the fancy parts of L.A, Dead Island 2 is a major improvement over the previous franchise entries, with accurate goriness for the player's situation.


GamesHub - 4 / 5

Dead Island 2 is a satisfying, perpetual cycle of gory combat, and its sunny surroundings are just inviting enough to keep that momentum going.


Gaming Nexus - 8 / 10

Dead Island 2 is a fun FPS action romp that succeeds at making you feel like a zombie-slaying god. It's not going to set the gaming world on fire, and yes, there are some issues, but slaughtering my way across LA never got old.


GamingBolt - 8 / 10

Dead Island 2 isn't ground-breaking, but it's a hell of a lot of fun. With its vibrant yet bloody take on the undead streets of LA, its brutal and enjoyable combat, and its gleeful excess of gore, it delivers a solid experience that's well worth your time.


IGN Spain - Spanish - 8 / 10

Dambuster manages to improve on the formula with a zombie smasher who does everything very well.


INVEN - Korean - 8 / 10

While many games that are released after a long period of anticipation can be met with doubt, Dead Island 2 defies this trend with maintaining its franchise identity and core game design. However, certain aspect that are not user-friendly and the exhaustion from combat may prevent players from continuous gameplay.


Multiplayer First - 8 / 10

With a consistent and crunchy limb damage system, some great sightseeing to catch, and more secret side-quests than you can shake your damaging electrocutor pike at, Dead Island 2 is absolutely worth the ride, despite its flaw – that zombie sticking out of the kitchen sink? That’s not part of the terror ride, you can be certain about that.


Nexus Hub - 8 / 10

The addictive blend of over-the-top action, intense combat, beautiful and diverse surroundings, and the need to satisfy my curiosity in experiencing everything Hell-A had to offer kept me well entertained.


Niche Gamer - 8 / 10

Dead Island 2 has solid gameplay and a beautiful environment despite cutting out the game’s soul. If the game was named something else, it would be perfectly fine but as a sequel, it fails to build off its predecessor’s successes. Players will have fun playing through the game either solo or cooperatively, but once the quests are done, it will be on the shelf until an expansion or DLC is released. If you want a zombie slaying game you have it. If you want an expanded lore to the Dead Island franchise, then you are out of luck. See you in Hell-A Zombie Slayers.


PSX Brasil - Portuguese - 80 / 100

Dead Island 2 overcame years of development problems to deliver a fun zombie story with some personality. It doesn't try to go much beyond the basics, but it does it honestly and competently, with good hints of humor and a great co-op experience.


Rectify Gaming - 8 / 10

Dead Island 2 pulls off a miracle with a mix of great combat and an eccentric cast of memorable characters.


SECTOR.sk - Slovak - 8 / 10

Dead Island 2 departs from the original setting of an island and takes place in a zombie-infested Los Angeles. The game now offers a semi-open world, featuring satisfying combat mechanics, a vast array of upgradable weapons, and intense battles against hordes of zombies.


Screen Rant - 4 / 5

Overall, Dead Island 2 proves itself to be a totally fleshed out, fully realized version of what Dead Island can be with modern mechanics and gameplay.


Spaziogames - Italian - 8 / 10

Dead Island 2 it's a hell of a surprise, considering the long and difficult development cycle: it's fun, it's deep and has a lot of content, and the FLESH system is a great idea. A successful reboot for the people at Dambuster Studios.


Tom's Hardware Italia - Italian - 8 / 10

Dead Island 2 is a production that focuses everything on immediate and genuine fun. It achieves this by employing superbly crafted world building, immediate and fun gameplay, and a disengaged narrative studded with undoubtedly exaggeratedly characterized characters. While this is a more than convincing restart of a franchise that was now considered dead and buried, some 12-year-old smears remain that will hopefully be cleaned up in a future new chapter in the saga. For the time being, however, all that remains is for me to thank Dambuster for a job well done.


TrueAchievements - 8 / 10

Was Dead Island 2 worth the wait? Hell yes! The sheer carnage you can cause on the streets of LA is marvellous to witness, and with Dambuster's attention to detail, uncovering hidden caches of weapons, meeting the colourful variety of survivors around the city, and hanging with friends is a ton of fun.


Twinfinite - 4 / 5

Dead Island 2 is absolutely the game I have pictured. If only more sequels could be this expertly made.


VG247 - 4 / 5

Dead Island 2 is every bit the head-stomping blast that it promised to be. There are a few creases that Dambuster ought to iron out over the coming weeks, but if you’re hoping for mindless chaos and exceptional entertainment across the grindhouse slaughterhouse that is HELL-A, you’ve got it in spades right here.


VGC - 4 / 5

The best games ask important questions. In the case of Dead Island 2, that question is: "Do you think it's funny to chop zombies into bits?" If the answer is yes, then Dead Island 2 is a joy.


ZTGD - 8 / 10

Dead Island 2 delivers on the promise and provides and fun, sunny jaunt in a zombie filled ‘HELL-A’ that is an absolute blast with friends but also fun in solo.


Gamersky - Chinese - 7.8 / 10

Dead Island 2 is a traditional blood and guts slaughterfest, and if you haven't grown tired of zombie bashing by 2023, it's still worth a play. The experience is both heavenly and hellish, like the average genius who tries to entertain but can't always be sure if the next act is a hit or a miss.


IGN Italy - Italian - 7.8 / 10

Dead Island 2 is a classic zombie-themed action game that offers hours of fun in its amusing brutality, with thousands of undead to slay in the most creative ways and a collection of weapons suitable for every need. However, the lack of originality limits the potential of a gaming experience that doesn't shine in terms of story and mission variety. Fighting zombies from Beverly Hills to Santa Monica is still satisfying, but after almost ten years of waiting for Dead Island 2 we would have expected something more than an action game that does its duty and nothing more.


Game Informer - 7.8 / 10

With Dead Island 2, Dambuster Studios asks little of the player – only that you enjoy a good excuse to kill zombies in increasingly gory ways for a weekend or two – and in doing so, it delivers on the promise of what this series is all about.


AusGamers - 7.5 / 10

Although simple to the point where it feels more like classic arcade games Final Fight or Gauntlet Legends than Dark Souls, the interplay between strategic (or blind) melee swings and the physical damage, physics, and gore is as impressive as it is over-the-top.


BaziCenter - Persian - 8 / 10

Dead Island 2 may not be the next great thing you were waiting for, but it has enough on offer to convince you and a group of friends to spend over 20 hours blowing zombies apart.


Checkpoint Gaming - 7.5 / 10

Dead Island 2 is a silly, slaughter-filled take on the zombie apocalypse that is very entertaining without pushing the envelope of game design beyond the expected. HELL-A is the perfect bright setting to soak the streets in blood, and the little visual details ensure that there's always something eye-catching that grabs your attention. Some of the objectives can get repetitive and combat itself could use a little bit more variety, but considering its painfully long development time, Dead Island 2 still makes for a satisfying adventure with a good sense of humour stitching together its various generic zombie parts into something worth celebrating.


Cultured Vultures - 7.5 / 10

Refreshingly brainless and made with a lot of heart, Dead Island 2's repetitive quest design and disappointing conclusion don't stop it from being a whale of a time.


Destructoid - 7.5 / 10

Solid and definitely has an audience. There could be some hard-to-ignore faults, but the experience is fun.


Digital Chumps - 7.5 / 10

Dead Island 2's uncompromising nature to merely exist is a story unto itself. Throughout its symphony of spectacular undead slaughter there's little to do outside of comic melee combat and semi-rewarding exploration. And really, that's okay.


EIP Gaming - 7.5 / 10

A perfectly serviceable zombie slayer, Dead Island 2 probably won't change the minds of anyone uninterested in looter shooters or zombie games. But for fans of dismembering the dead, or of randomly generated and customizable loot, there's a lot to like in Dambuster Studios' undead-filled Hell-A.


Explosion Network - 7.5 / 10

Dead Island 2 knows exactly what it wants to be, and it goes for the jugular with extreme melee combat and dismembering slow-motion finishing moves.


GameBlast - Portuguese - 7.5 / 10

Dead Island 2 is a wild, frantic and fun experience. The game focuses on what makes us love video games: the feeling of adventure and uncompromised fun. In the midst of so many great works, with perfect scripts, cutscenes that look like cinema, Dead Island 2 just wants you to take control, crush some skulls, rip off some limbs and have a fun and exciting game, without compromising to explore new areas for the franchise, playing the role that a reboot would have in modern cinema, reintroducing old elements and presenting it to new audiences. Indeed, a pleasant surprise this year.


Glitched Africa - 7.5 / 10

Dead Island 2 is the best way to smash zombies but the game’s shallow mechanics and short story feel like a let down after 10 years of waiting.


LevelUp - Spanish - 7.5 / 10

Dead Island 2 is not a bad game, nor is it the Holy Grail of zombie-themed action games. It is a fun game but it makes evident its lack of creativity and the limitations that were surely a necessity to get the project out of the hell it was in.


MondoXbox - Italian - 7.5 / 10

Dead Island 2 manages to surprise by proving to be solid and, above all, fun, thanks to an excellent co-op segment and a great dismemberment system. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said at the narrative level, and the gameplay suffers from excessive repetitiveness, but it still remains a worthy zombie game for fans of the genre.


Seasoned Gaming - 7.5 / 10

Dead Island 2's glorious zombie-slaying and humorous antics are sadly contrasted by repetitive missions and dull level design.


TrueGaming - Arabic - 7.5 / 10

Dead Island 2 is a fun zombie game, there is nothing here that has not been done before, and it gets repetitive over time, but when considering its long and troubled development cycle, we are more than satisfied with the end product.


Wccftech - 7.5 / 10

For being a game that has been in development hell for over ten years, Dead Island 2 turned out alright, thanks to the wacky atmosphere and characters, fun combat, and acceptable quest quality. All of these features, however, become progressively worse as the campaign proceeds, making the game nothing more than an acceptable experience that may not be worthy of its full price tag for those looking for something a bit more involving.


Everyeye.it - Italian - 7.3 / 10

Dead Island 2 arrives with its launch with a few too many issues, although the experience is still able to offer players twenty hours of brutal pleasure, especially in co-op.


ComicBook.com - 3.5 / 5

Dead Island 2 may not always make full use of its promising setting, but it may be the most fun I've had killing zombies in quite some time. The combat is deliriously fulfilling and will likely be further heightened in co-op when players can ping-pong zombies off of each other with their drop kicks or whatever other hijinks the community can come up with. It's an artful display of zombie violence and mayhem, which is an achievement in of itself given how saturated this genre is this many years after the first Dead Island.


Enternity.gr - Greek - 7 / 10

For the most of it's part, Dead Island 2 is like a facelift of the original title, with minor differences


Gadgets 360 - 7 / 10

Dead Island 2 straddles the line between these wins and its demonstrable failures.


Game Rant - 3.5 / 5

Dead Island 2 offers plenty of over-the-top zombie-killing fun, especially in co-op, but it's dragged down by serious technical problems.


GameSkinny - 7 / 10

If you'd buy a summer home in the zombpocalypse, Dead Island 2 is for you. For anyone else, it's more complicated than that.


GameSpot - 7 / 10

Dambuster Studios raises the dead in a vicious sequel long thought doomed.


GameWatcher - 7 / 10

Dead Island 2's visceral combat can effortlessly pull you into the zone as you slash, shoot, and kick zombies, while making sure they head into the afterlife with fewer limbs attached. A simple but effective upgrade system gives you the means to counter any foe, while its varied arsenal of melee and ranged weapons keeps things interesting for a good while.


GamesRadar+ - 3.5 / 5

Enjoying Dead Island 2 requires you to accept it's 95% hitting zombies with sticks – and the remaining 5% is choosing the stick


Hardcore Gamer - 3.5 / 5

Dead Island 2 is a gory adventure that offers up plenty of mindless mayhem for zombie slayers.


IGN - 7 / 10

Dead Island 2 is a hilarious gore-fest and a competent zombie-slaying adventure, but lacks creativity outside of its great sense of humor.


Kakuchopurei - 70 / 100

[Despite its repetition] Dead Island 2 was for the most part fun to play. And that's all you really need for a game like this. We need the opposite of survival horror zombie games and Dead Island 2 provides that experience. You can just let loose, and beat up zombies to your hearts' content. Because sometimes, it's fun just to enjoy some mindless chaos without having to worry about conserving ammo or saving up resources for a rainy day situation.


Metro GameCentral - 7 / 10

A surprisingly lean and mean sequel which amplifies the bloody thrills of the original through its impressive presentation and flexible mechanics.


PCGamesN - 7 / 10

There's a lot of fun to be had slaying zombies on the streets and beaches of HELL-A, but if that first bite doesn't infect you, you might find – like the protagonist – that your experience gets stronger as you play.


Push Square - 7 / 10

In the end, though, Dead Island 2 is a refreshing surprise amid the 2023 release roster. It's a fun and simple zombie-slasher experience that may be let down by its uninspiring RPG elements and boring loot-cycle, but more than makes up for it with its killer setting, brutal melee combat, and stunning graphics. While we suspect some will be disappointed by the game's size after all these years, we found it utterly revitalising to find a AAA experience that respects your time, and more importantly doesn't overstay its welcome. In the day and age of 300-hour RPGs, it's nice to know that some games are here for a fun time, not a long time.


Sirus Gaming - 7 / 10

Despite the significant improvements in mechanics and aesthetics, it is clear that Deep Silver stuck to the same formula. The same dark comedy with a not-so-serious plot can now be boring for veterans, but it can provide hours of fun to those new to the series. However, ten years is too lengthy for game development, and the same approach may be stale for others now, given that nothing much has improved with some elements in the game.


TechRaptor - 7 / 10

Dead Island 2 manages to pull off an incredibly fun experience, and delivers on some of the missed promise of the first title. That said, there's not much here beyond hyper-active zombie slaying, so if that's not your bag you probably wont enjoy it.


TheGamer - 3.5 / 5

Dead Island 2 isn’t going to change the world of zombie games, nor does it intend to, but the fact it has emerged from the ashes in a state this immaculate is a miracle in itself. Hammer some nails into a metal baseball bat, set it on fire, and start swinging. I guarantee you’ll carve out a good time beyond all the viscera.


TheSixthAxis - 7 / 10

Dead Island 2 does a great job of reanimating this dormant zombie-battling series, with the gore-filled combat and excessive weaponry that goes well with the oversaturated LA setting. It's an enjoyable romp, but at the same time, ironically feels like it's playing it safe.


Too Much Gaming - 7 / 10

Dead Island 2 failed to stand out as the original game did since there are now a good amount of zombie-themed titles that are more than capable of scratching this particular itch. It feels so late in the game that other games like it have evolved and experimented with different concepts while this series is still trying to get back on its feet.


WellPlayed - 7 / 10

Dead Island 2 is every bit the gory zombie slasher it wants to be. But as enjoyable and solid as it is, issues with repetition and the gameplay loop stop it from being the game it perhaps could have been.


Press Start - 6.5 / 10

Dead Island 2 stands firmly besides its predecessor as only a marginal improvement. While there something to be recognised in the flexible skill system and satisfying dismemberment effects, Dead Island 2's lack of objective variety and uninteresting playable characters fall short of its potential. There's still some fun to be had for zombie fans, just don't expect a reinvention by any means.


Prima Games - 6.5 / 10

Dead Island 2 will certainly keep you engaged, but fails to live up to the standard set by the first entry in the series. If you go into Hell-A expecting anything more than some mindless, zombie-slaying action, you will likely leave disappointed. However, for gore hounds seeking out some horror co-op fun with friends, the sequel nearly twelve years in the making will certainly get the job done and give gamers their money’s worth.


Digital Trends - 3 / 5

If you’re just looking for brainless fun, Dead Island 2 is a perfectly enjoyable zombie game that’s filled to the brim with delicious gore and top-notch environmental storytelling. It just never quite lives up to the strength of its allegorical premise, with a generic narrative and repetitive missions that I was shambling through by the end.


Flickering Myth - 6 / 10

At times refreshingly simple and at others mind-numbingly generic, Dead Island 2 offers up no-frills zombie-clobbering both for better and worse.


Gameblog - French - 6 / 10

Dead Island 2 is a pleasant game, but far from being memorable. It is as often fun as it is boring. The average quests don't fully engage us and the game fails to make us want to explore. Fortunately, the second part of the game is better, both in terms of level design and scenario. Too bad the ending is disappointing.


GamesFinest - German - 6 / 10

I would like to get more out of Dead Island 2. But unfortunately, neither the narrative emptiness, the uninspired mission design nor the repetitive gameplay loop can really pull me along. Yes, I had fun, especially in the first few hours, enjoying the gore effects and just bluntly beating my way through hordes of zombies. But the poorly balanced progression also let me go just as quickly. The humor, too, unfortunately didn't pick me up in almost any minute. The overall solid combat system is the lynchpin of the title, though. If you had a lot of fun with the first game, you might also like part 2, because despite the long development time, it is very close to the original. However, if you need variety, a growing battle system, and generally anything beyond that in terms of story and interesting characters, Dead Island 2 is at best something for the Christmas Sale at the end of the year. After 9 years of development rollercoaster, the action game is not a disaster, but it still dares frighteningly little to stand out by anything.


Guardian - 3 / 5

Hacking at the undead in post-apocalyptic LA is a lot of fun, but the game's delayed release has made it sluggish and limited


Hey Poor Player - 3 / 5

Tedium is at a premium in Dead Island 2, but miraculously it has enough exuberance within its limb-carving gameplay to avoid falling into the damning pit of mediocrity. There’s plenty here to savour, both in solo and co-operative play too, so you aren’t without things to do. And the modifications, card system, and special skills of each playable character all go far in Dead Island 2’s favour. Yes, it can be a slog, and yes, it does outstay its welcome, but it can also be pretty badass, too. So if you can forgive a litany of eye-rolling modern triple-A videogame trappings, Dead Island 2 can be a zombie-squelching good time.


Inverse - 6 / 10

'Dead Island 2' is very much so a blast from the past. It looks pretty, but it’s a phoned-in first-person action zombie adventure with oddly unpolished combat, horrendous writing, and overly linear stages that lack depth.


Saudi Gamer - Arabic - 6 / 10

Moments of brilliance marred too often by frustrating and/or boring gameplay. Only recommended in co-op and then barely.


Shacknews - 6 / 10

As the credits rolled I didn’t feel satisfied or accomplished at all, which is pretty messed up considering how much of a feat completing a 20-plus hour video game is for an adult these days.


Telegraph - 3 / 5

It's unlikely to make any Game of the Year lists but Dead Island 2 provides plenty of low-brow thrills


Tom's Guide - 3 / 5

Just playing Dead Island 2 in 2023 feels like a minor miracle after such a protracted production cycle. Nevertheless, the novelty of finally experiencing this long-in-development sequel wears off pretty quickly. Then all that remains is a hugely repetitive experience punctuated by hackneyed story beats.


TrustedReviews - 3 / 5

Dead Island 2 is a great zombie-slasher with impressive physics and satisfying melee combat, but that’s about it, with a boring, uninspired storyline, a semi-open-world design and a tongue-in-cheek approach that occasionally borders on the dumb.


We Got This Covered - 3 / 5

It’s not necessarily a failure on Deep Silver’s and Dambuster Studios' part, but Dead Island 2 simply doesn’t feel like a game worthy of a decade-long wait. It maintains all of the elements that made the first few games popular and expands on several in fun and interesting ways but does far too little to separate itself from the titles that came before it.


PC Gamer - 55 / 100

Dead Island 2 is hampered by dull design choices, repetitive combat, and a painfully weak story, with its only saving grace being its great performance on PC.


Fun Factor - Portuguese - 5 / 10

The best thing I have to say about Dead Island 2 is "It's a zombie game that released in 2023.". It's a generic, repetitive title that thinks it's funnier that it really is. After 15 hours, I was begging for it to be over.


GGRecon - 2.5 / 5

Dead Island 2 could have been the Return of the Living Dead of zombie video games, making for an irreverent, B-movie romp through an undead-filled LA, but it just ends up marginally better than the original game without ever approaching its full potential.



The improved combat is the game's main saving grace, but it isn't enough to redeem the shallow progression mechanics, inconsistent tone, and unfocused story.


Stevivor - 5 / 10

There’s little motivation to slog through extremely same-y missions and side quests. It’s this general feeling that permeates throughout Dead Island 2; what’s on offer isn’t broken or flagrantly bad (with the exception of the checkpointing system), but it is tired, antiquated and bland.


ACG - Buy

"Dead Island 2 is amazing for how many troubles it has faced. Enjoyable exploration, wicked combat, and amazing graphical Tech


Chicas Gamers - Spanish - Unscored

Dead Island 2 is a first-person action game whose mission is to make us release adrenaline and have a good time breaking zombie skulls. It is an entertaining game that does not seek to give more than what it offers, because what it does, it does perfectly. Graphically it is impressive with well created settings, good character modeling and five tons of gore. In addition, a great soundtrack, being motivating for us to enjoy even more.


Console Creatures - Recommended

Dead Island 2's troubled development has led to a satisfying and gruesome visit to Los Angeles. What you get is an impressive follow-up that plays great and offers up a ton of fun as you explore the mansions of Beverly Hills to the boardwalk at Venice Beach.


Duuro Magazine - Essential

Punching, bashing, slicing, dropkicking, and exploding virtual monsters have never looked and felt this beautiful, gory, brutal, and satisfying. Dead Island 2 is truly impressive and I highly recommend you play it.


Eurogamer - No Recommendation

A straightforwardly accomplished zombie action-RPG that doesn't quite make the most of its Californian setting.


Eurogamer.pt - Portuguese - No Recommendation

That's the feeling that lingers in the end. The dismemberment system is fun; The combat works, even if it becomes repetitive. If played in cooperative mode, it's funnier. For the rest, Dead Island 2 doesn't have much to offer. History is disposable. The map and exploration design is old-fashioned. Technically, it's not a current-generation game. I give credit to Dambuster Studios and Deep Silver for making the effort to finish the game, but for a title that was almost 9 years in development, more was expected. If you like zombies, it can be interesting in an eventual price drop.


Expansive - Liked-a-lot

Dead Island 2 brings blood, brutality and bloody good fun. It is a thrill-ride from the opening credits with its use of hard-hitting weapons, good characterisation and stunning backdrops. A limited plot and constraining development options aside, this is the Dead Island you remember and one we’ll likely never forget again.


Kotaku - Unscored

Through its skillful environmental design and indulgent combat, Dead Island 2 is one of the best, most disgusting playgrounds I’ve ever played in.


Nerfeados - Spanish - Unscored

Due to its time on Development Hell, is kind of a miracle that Dead Island 2 came out. That being said, the game feels okay-ish, is better that you thought it could be (specially due to Dambuster's track record) but still fell short of expectations. If you enjoyed the original games you'll have a good time, otherwise it can be a quite forgettable experience.


One More Game - Wait

Dead Island 2 is a serviceable zombie action game that improves many components of the first title and delivers an enjoyable time when given a chance. However, it doesn't innovate, is highly formulaic, and ticks off every feature to a fault. Your enjoyment will really depend on what you're looking for, and there's no truer example than Dead Island 2.



Dambuster Studios did a good job revitalizing Dead Island 2, which has fallen into development hell over the past years. This has to be pointed out, and with such a troubled history, it's a massive feat to finally be able to bring this out and release it to the gaming public.


Polygon - Unscored

There’s an overwhelming fakeness and irony to Dead Island 2 that, without any oppositional hope or sincerity, can eventually make the experience of playing it feel like kind of a downer, similar to the feeling you get after eating a load of junk food. My partner turned to me during one of my sessions late into the game and said it looked like I was on autopilot. Instead of meaningfully engaging with its systems, I was mindlessly pushing through the hordes in search of more complexity, or a satisfying narrative crescendo that never came. Dead Island 2’s nostalgic charms can transport you back to a simpler time, but there’s often a reason why you don’t see old friends anymore.


Rock, Paper, Shotgun - Unscored

Dead Island 2 doesn't pretend to be anything other than a daft, messy romp through undead LA, and this carefree, capricious attitude is precisely what makes it fun.


Skill Up - Unscored

Video Review - Quote not available


gameranx - Unscored

Video Review - Quote not available

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  • Commissar SFLUFAN changed the title to Dead Island 2 (PC (EGS)/PlayStation consoles/Xbox consoles, 21 April 2023) - update: reviews from OpenCritic posted
Phaseknox

Phaseknox

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Posted

The reviews and scores are admittedly a little better than I was expecting, but what they say about the game is unfortunately exactly what I was expecting - a somewhat linear 20 hour co-op zombie action game lacking in story, characterization, adventure, exploration and overall depth in general. For $40 that might be fine, but not for $70. I’ll get it when I can get it for $40 or less which probably won’t take long since Deep Silver games always drop in price fast.

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Dodger

Dodger

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I'm fine with the length, if you ask me there aren't nearly enough tightly packed 15-20 hour linear games anymore. Not every game needs to be a padded out open world with a zillion side missions and collectibles. My only problem is this is just releasing at a bad time wth a bunch of other stuff coming out, and I have a feeling this will end up on sale soon as it gets lost in the shuffle. Still interested, but probably in the summer on sale.  I do have a 4 day weekend this weekend so that might make me get it. 

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stepee

stepee

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16 minutes ago, Dodger said:

I'm fine with the length, if you ask me there aren't nearly enough tightly packed 15-20 hour linear games anymore. Not every game needs to be a padded out open world with a zillion side missions and collectibles. My only problem is this is just releasing at a bad time wth a bunch of other stuff coming out, and I have a feeling this will end up on sale soon as it gets lost in the shuffle. Still interested, but probably in the summer on sale.  I do have a 4 day weekend this weekend so that might make me get it. 

 

Yeah I have a three day weekend and it’s my bday so I think I’ll use that as my excuse to justify $60 when I know it’ll be quick to go on sale. Same with me about wanting more this type of game. A 75 meta for a linear action game like this seems like a great sign to me, it’s better rated than Evil West and that game was so damn fun.

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Phaseknox

Phaseknox

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Posted
2 hours ago, Dodger said:

I'm fine with the length, if you ask me there aren't nearly enough tightly packed 15-20 hour linear games anymore. Not every game needs to be a padded out open world with a zillion side missions and collectibles.

If this was a new zombie game IP and was selling for $40 instead of $70 then I would be fine with it being the more linear 15-20 hour game that it is too, but it’s the sequel to Dead Island which is a big 40 hour open world action adventure RPG so I’m not as fine with it being a more linear and shorter straight forward action game especially not for $70.

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stepee

stepee

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4 minutes ago, Phaseknox said:

If this was a new zombie game IP and was selling for $40 instead of $70 then I would be fine with it being the more linear 15-20 hour game that it is too, but it’s the sequel to Dead Island which is a big 40 hour open world action adventure RPG so I’m not as fine with it being a more linear and shorter straight forward action game especially not for $70.

 

Yeah I barely played the first one so I don’t have the association issue here but I can imagine that makes it hard to accept this game. For me it probably would be like if a new Deus Ex came out and it was a linear action game I’d be pisssssssed.

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Phaseknox

Phaseknox

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34 minutes ago, stepee said:

Yeah I barely played the first one so I don’t have the association issue here but I can imagine that makes it hard to accept this game. For me it probably would be like if a new Deus Ex came out and it was a linear action game I’d be pisssssssed.

The first Dead Island is my favorite zombie game and one of my favorite games of all-time, and I waited a long time for this sequel just for it to turn out to be another linear and somewhat short co-op zombie action game which isn’t what the first game is. While it features co-op, it’s a big sprawling open world action adventure RPG that takes you to many different locations each being really large and open to explore with a lot of varied quests and side quests. I have no doubt that Dead Island 2 is a fun time, but it’s not the sequel to Dead Island that I was hoping for.

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stepee

stepee

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It’s impressive they apparently got a good game out of the troubled development but maybe a name change would have been good. Even if it were still branded Dead Island but just not with the “2”, then they could try it again from the start and do a real sequel with the new dev team that is apparently competent.

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skillzdadirecta

skillzdadirecta

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12 hours ago, Dodger said:

I'm fine with the length, if you ask me there aren't nearly enough tightly packed 15-20 hour linear games anymore. Not every game needs to be a padded out open world with a zillion side missions and collectibles. My only problem is this is just releasing at a bad time wth a bunch of other stuff coming out, and I have a feeling this will end up on sale soon as it gets lost in the shuffle. Still interested, but probably in the summer on sale.  I do have a 4 day weekend this weekend so that might make me get it. 

I'm having the same feeling. I feel like it will go on sale rather quickly or end up on gamepass, but I do kinda want to play it sooner rather than later. Also I'm out of town away from my consoles and all I have is my laptop and my switch so I may just pick this up on PC and play it on my laptop... or buy an Xbox series S :p

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Phaseknox

Phaseknox

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On 4/19/2023 at 8:34 PM, Keyser_Soze said:

I played the first one with MMG but don't remember it being open world so I'm not upset with it not being open world.

Dead Island doesn’t have one big open world like The Elder Scrolls or Far Cry games, it has three different locations (technically four counting the endgame location) that you go to each being big and open like mini open worlds. They’re all quite large, and not linear in the least. There’s linear interior levels within them, but those act as the game’s “dungeons”. It’s an action RPG after all, unlike the sequel which is a linear straight forward action game. The only things that the two games seem to have in common is that they’re both first person zombie apocalypse games with melee combat. Beyond that they appear to be pretty different.

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stepee

stepee

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Wtf this game honestly looks bonkers. It runs completely smooth at 4k native/120fps locked here and the prebaked lighting is insane. I had to google to make sure it wasn’t just me as it took me by surprise. Like just look at the interior shots here: 

Dead-Island-2-new-screenshots-2.jpg

Dead Island 2 is one of the best looking games on PC

WWW.DSOGAMING.COM
Dead Island 2 is powered by Unreal Engine 4, and pushes some of the best in-game graphics we've seen to date on PC.

 

 

And then yeah the gore system is very impressive as well. 

 

Game is super fun. No idea why it’s $70 and sucks that it’s epic exclusive but there’s a lot to like here. It’s not as funneled as I thought either, there is something of a hub and side missions. It’s definitely not as linear as like The Last of Us Pt1. 

 

The characters are fun so far, it’s a very 360era game and I’m kind of digging that. It’s shocking how polished this release is considering everything with its development. Sounds like it runs great on every platform too, kudos to the devs.

 

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skillzdadirecta

skillzdadirecta

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2 hours ago, stepee said:

Wtf this game honestly looks bonkers. It runs completely smooth at 4k native/120fps locked here and the prebaked lighting is insane. I had to google to make sure it wasn’t just me as it took me by surprise. Like just look at the interior shots here: 

Dead-Island-2-new-screenshots-2.jpg

Dead Island 2 is one of the best looking games on PC

WWW.DSOGAMING.COM
Dead Island 2 is powered by Unreal Engine 4, and pushes some of the best in-game graphics we've seen to date on PC.

 

 

And then yeah the gore system is very impressive as well. 

 

Game is super fun. No idea why it’s $70 and sucks that it’s epic exclusive but there’s a lot to like here. It’s not as funneled as I thought either, there is something of a hub and side missions. It’s definitely not as linear as like The Last of Us Pt1. 

 

The characters are fun so far, it’s a very 360era game and I’m kind of digging that. It’s shocking how polished this release is considering everything with its development. Sounds like it runs great on every platform too, kudos to the devs.

 

What are the PC requirements? I wonder if my laptop can run it.

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