DEAD ISLAND 2

After almost a decade, Deep Silver's zombie sequel rises again

Developer Dambuster Studios

Publisher Deep Silver

Format PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, Xbox Series

Origin UK

Release February 3

More than eight years have passed since it was revealed at E3 2014, so you’d be forgiven for thinking Dead Island 2 was, well, dead. Since Techland parted ways with the Dead Island series to start work on its own zombie survival game, this sequel has gone through multiple sets of hands: first Yager Development, then Sumo Digital, and now, apparently finally, Deep Silver’s Dambuster Studios. The new developer is well aware of how the project is perceived: one of the very first things we hear in our preview presentation is the affirmation that this is not vapourware. That much, at least, we can confirm after getting our hands well and truly dirty with the game’s combat system.

Zombie games are no strangers to gore, naturally – the original game let you merrily lop off limbs and heads, while its cousins over on the Dying Light branch of the family tree are ripe bloodbags just waiting to be popped – but Dead Island 2 is pushing it further still. Hammers leave wet splats where distinguishing features used to be, while blades allow for more surgical removal. But it’s the interactions between flesh and fabric that really stand out. As our katana slashes away at a towering basketball-player zombie, its back turned, we can’t help but marvel at how the tank top comes away in strips to reveal the deep red gouges beneath. And then the head comes off.