All kinds of genres exist for gamers of every persuasion. One that we hope will never die is the action/adventure dedicated to our gleeful destruction of the undead.
It’s about that time of year, we’ve all been deprived of this special brand of cartoonish gore you get from killing zombies. We’re in need of some shameless slaying of braindead meat puppets. So, lucky for us, a recent gameplay showcase for Dead Island 2 has arrived and it promises us all the gore we need, and more!
Good Old Fashioned Pulp Adventure
Fans are in for another fun outing on the viscera-soaked streets of a zombie apocalypse. No explanations needed. No scientific backstory. This is a simple bloodbath based in Los Angeles – where scenes of violence are set on manicured lawns, rundown surf beaches and the sunlit streets of former stardom. The trailer was appropriately titled: ‘Welcome To HELL-A’. So, you can guess what has become of the City of Stars. Brains are ripe for the picking and it’s every survivor for themselves!
It’s an enticing prospect for anyone familiar with this particular combat system, which has evolved into a ‘Fully Locational Evisceration System for Humanoids’ (FLESH). A clever employment of FPS slashes and strikes can be utilised to sever limbs and bludgeon fetid bodies. You can wield the usual array of weapons, from the rudimentary to the downright futuristic. Expect katanas, hammers, guns, machetes, swords and much more…. Then you’ll also having the option to customise your loadout to devastating effect. We’re talking spikes and electrical wrappings. Basically, if it can be taped to a baseball bat you can probably use it. What better way to welcome a newly developed cast of zombies, weighing in at all sizes?
Chuck In A Few Exciting Twists
In the trailer, we were also given a closer look at the enemies we’ll face across various levels, or as you free roam the city. We’re talking everything from emaciated skeletons to blubbery hulks. You’ll get smart zombies to please Danny Boyle. Plus, noisy zombies that wail like banshees. All of them beautifully designed with appropriate levels of 4K-ready decay – surely, this is what these new generation consoles were made for?
In a neat twist, players will also be able to continue fighting even after they’re bitten. So, hold back the violins – if the undead get their denchers on you, there’s still the option to linger on and unleash powerful attacks in a frenzied state. In overdrive mode, you can use the onset of the zombie infection to project your primal rage outwards and sprint on into a killing spree.
We also saw a glimpse of the game’s HELL-A Edition – a package that includes the Season Pass, a Venice Beach map, exclusive SteelBook, pins and patch, slayer cards and a few bonus weapons to prod, shoot and mace your foes. Anyone who snaps up a pre-order edition will receive the Memories of Banoi pack as well, which gifts you the Banoi War Club and Bat inspired by the original game.
Dead Island 2 is currently scheduled for release on April 28, 2023. The game will be available on Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PS5, PS4 and PC from the Epic Games Store…
