The long-delayed zombie sequel is now available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S, with the game hitting shelves a week earlier than planned. This is a welcome turnaround as the title has been delayed about as often as a typical videogame these days, so it’s good to see it finally arrive.
Dead Island 2 is a zombie-slaying action-RPG set in the aftermath of a deadly virus that’s wrecked Los Angeles. The slayers must band together to help each other fight back against the undead plague.
Aside from the standard ‘Walker’ and ‘Runner’ zombies, there are a number of ‘Apex’ special types with different capabilities, strengths, weaknesses, environmental hazards, and more. Some are immune to certain damage types, while others have riot gear or spiky armor that’s easier to break off with your melee weapons.
While melee is the primary tool of choice, Dead Island 2 also introduces firearms later on. These guns have a variety of special attacks and abilities, from grenade blasts to explosives that trigger explosions when killed by a melee strike, so it’s definitely worth having a few at your disposal.
Combat in Dead Island 2 is a blend of hack-and-slash and RPG action. There are a number of special abilities for each of the six slayers, which can be used to enhance their overall experience. Dani, for example, has the Bloodlust and Thunderstruck abilities, which allow her to resurrect her health after killing zombies in quick succession and unleash a volley of explosive attacks on them.
