Dead Island 2 - Put stars in zombie eyes

We only review finished games, so in Viewpoint we go hands-on with near-final code of a game that just missed our review deadline. Oscar Taylor-Kent got off the plane at LAX for a quick five hours of fame with the starry-eyed Dead Island 2.

- Oscar Taylor-Kent

FORMAT PS5, PS4 / ETA 21 APR / PUB DEEP SILVER / DEV DAMBUSTER STUDIOS / PLAYERS 1-3

There’s little subtle about Dead Island 2, whether it’s mashing zombie shamblers into meaty pulp or its overly-excitable, hectic opening cutscene that introduces each playable hero with a MafiaCity-like hectic splurge of mildly associated scenes.

One way or another, each possible Slayer has managed to board an evacuation plane out of the city; all seems to be going well until someone turns zombie and it’s turned into a fiery wreck. Only a handful of humans survive, whoever you chose being among them (the others are absent – RIP). As is the Dead Island way, each choice is a distinct character, down to their vocal performances (most are quite anarchic) and even the way they play. Our geezer of choice, Jacob, not only drops British slang, Shakespeare references, and the odd c-bomb with reckless abandon, but also gets attack boosts from letting attacks fly fast, a whirling dervish of destruction.

PARTY IN THE USA