It wasn't hard to figure out that Dead Island 2 would be announced at E3 this year. Well, for me anyway. Over the years I've written reviews for both Dead Island and Riptide as well as a critique on how the series can learn to cultivate an identity of its own.
I've been among the few media members to express a fondness for the games despite their flaws. So when I got an email from their PR folks seeking my attention specifically, I was pretty sure there was an official sequel in the works.
And Deep Silver did not disappoint! Dead Island 2 is indeed on the way, bringing with it duel wielding, motorized weapons, hostile factions, signature vehicles, and an all new cast of survivors. With it also comes a new developer, Yager, and a new engine, dropping the Chrome Engine 5 in favor of Unreal Engine 4.
Set in California and showcasing iconic locations from Venice Beach to Golden Gate Bridge, Dead Island 2 will be open world and feature to eight players in multiplayer, with whom you can compete, cooperate, or co-exist. It is current-gen only, so we'll be seeing (as with Dead Rising 3 before it) "moar zombies".
On a side note for the more diehard fans, crafting will now take place in your inventory instead of at crafting tables. No word, however, if they will place more emphasis on using guns or improve the shooting aspects of the game. Personally I think they should drop them all together, but I admit it almost makes more sense in the context of Dead Island 2, given it takes place in the United States.
It's a little early to tell how this sequel will go. The original developers, Techland, have moved on to Dying Light, but the series is in good hands with Yager, who previously worked on Spec Ops: The Line. I'm sad to see the Chrome Engine 5 go, as I believe it better showcased the natural sunlight needed for the series' settings, but it still looks fantastic on Unreal Engine 4.
I really hope that in the next update we see more of the gameplay though. It'd be nice to see some element of the UI to see if they've worked out their inventory issues. I'd also like to see something, anything, that aesthetically reminds me of the originals.
Dead Island 2 is expected on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 sometime in the first half of 2015. Check out the official trailer in our post from E3.
