Dead Island 2 developers released a new gameplay trailer showcasing new features and mechanics. “Dead Island 2 takes players across the most iconic locations of the City of Angels, now stained with horror, in an exciting pulp journey from the verdant suburbia of Beverly Hills to the quirky promenade of Venice Beach.” 

One of the features is zombie slaying. The developers want “the most intense, visceral, and gory first-person experience possible.” They focus on the dismemberment of the zombies, trying to get it to be realistic as possible; they call this “flesh.” “Crushing bones, slicing muscles, and melting zombies will always look bloody.” They have also included crafting to upgrade weapons. “Players can retrofit their tools with DIY mods and perks. Creating the most obnoxiously crazy weapons.” One of the features is “curveballs.” As the trailer states, “these curveballs offer bother lethal and tactical advantages. Take meat bait, for example, a nasty sack of blood and guts that can draw zombies away from you.” Players can shoot objects like gas canisters to car batteries.

Dead Island 2 takes place in Los Angeles, and it tours most of the city. “now stained with horror, in an exciting pulp journey from the verdant suburbia of Beverly Hills to the quirky promenade of Venice Beach.” The trailer states that there is more than one pathway to reach the destination, which creates more challenges and character unlocks. “From the iconic Hollywood Hills and Venice Beach to the a-lister mansions in Santa Monica and Bel Air neighborhoods. Our story takes players on an epic roller coaster ride through LA’s most iconic vibrant landmarks.” 

Another feature is the slayers and perks. The new slayers include Bruno, Dani, Amy, Jacob, Ryan, and Carla. These slayers have their own “innate skills” or different abilities. The developers have also introduced perk cards that can enhance slayer abilities. Players can swap through or combine these cards to suit their needs better. For example, one of the slayers, Dani, is featured throughout the trailer. She can deal with AOE blows and attacks slower, but she is more resistant when attacked. Toward the end of the game, players will reach “fury mode,” which allows players to do extra damage and move more quickly. 

Dead Island 2 is expected to be released on April 24 for PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.