Dead Island was a massive zombie action RPG hit when it launched back in 2011. These were the days of the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Overall, players took on the role of a character trapped on an island filled with undead zombie hordes. With the infection flooding the island, the once relaxation resort our protagonist was settled in soon became a prison. It was a big uphill battle as you sought a means to escape the island and return to your home.
The game was praised, and fans were left with a bit of a cliffhanger at the end. However, it was confirmed that a sequel was in the works back in 2014. Fans were given a new trailer that featured a colorful and vibrant city for Dead Island 2. Although, the development cycle for this game was rather bleak. It took years of work as the game quickly passed around to different studios. Fans were forced to wait patiently as publishers Deep Silver wasn’t throwing in the towel for this project.
Eventually, Dead Island 2 ended up at Dambuster Studios. These were the folks responsible for Homefront: The Revolution in 2016. With Deep Silver entrusting the studio with the IP, Dambuster Studios got to work and spent a standard four-year cycle as they prepared for another look into the future of the Dead Island franchise. Finally, during Gamescom 2022, we got the latest official look into Dead Island 2.
What Will Dead Island 2’s Gameplay Be Like?
There are countless zombie games available in the market. Normally, zombie games focus on gunning down your targets. After all, you want to avoid the undead zombies from getting too close and infecting your protagonist. Although, with the original Dead Island, there was plenty of focus on up-close combat. Again, you were typically stuck within an island resort during the first game. This meant that you had to pick up different odds and ends to use as a weapon. That could be anything from a metal pipe, a wooden plank, to a machete for clearing pathways through the jungle.
Of course, as you progressed through the game, better weapons were presented to the players. Then there was the ability to add modifications to these different weapons. You could buff them using materials found on the island. For example, a shock mod could be added to a wide range of weapons which essentially required a battery, duct tape, and wires. Fortunately, that same concept is making a return to Dead Island 2.
Players can still expect an up close and personal combat system. As a result, you can likely expect various weapons and modifications for melee weapons. But to go one step further, the Dambuster Studio team worked on an in-house system called FLESH. FLESH stands for Fully Locational Evisceration System for Humanoids. This is some severe gore tech that the studio is hoping players will notice as they battle against enemies.
With FLESH, players should be able to see different wounds showcased. Skin, muscle, organs, and fat should react differently, whether you’re slicing to even burning an enemy. You’ll be able to rip, tear, and bash your way through the undead horde when Dead Island 2 launches on February 3, 2023, for the PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S platforms.
