Here on the other side of a 25-hour playthrough – where I skipped a lot of side quests after Act 1 – I'm anxious to get back into Dead Island, and despite the game's flaws, that's not something I say often. There is a huge world to explore, thousands of zombies to kill, and tons of side quests to take. It's got visual bugs, the controls take a bit to feel normal, and the presentation in general isn't up to snuff. Making Hollywood’s red carpets even redder by applying generous helpings of gore was laugh-out-loud funny and time generally well-spent.ĭead Island probably won't win any game of the year awards. But even though it lacks originality, Dead Island 2 still competently executes on its over-the-top, LA-based zombie parody and injects some much-needed botox into a series that’s been languishing for far too long. But aside from its balls-to-the-wall silliness and considerable comedy chops, there just isn’t much to it that hasn’t been done better in a dozen other zombie-filled games since the original Dead Island came out more than a decade ago, including and especially Dying Light 1 and Dying Light 2 (which, notably, were made by Techland, the studio that created Dead Island). On one hand, Dambuster Studios has delivered a charming and hilarious apocalyptic sequel to the 2011 original that’s littered with great one-liners and dismembered body parts in equal measure. Like an Orange County socialite, Dead Island 2’s great looks and seemingly ideal first impression belies a striking lack of imagination.

Ps5 dead island 2