The third major installment in the Dead Island series was originally meant to release way back in 2015, but things haven't exactly been smooth sailing for Dead Island 2. The follow-up to the original 2011 game and Dead Island: Riptide has had a rough ride, from numerous delays and internal issues to several changes in its developer. Dead Island 2 went quiet for many years, and plenty of fans of the horror series feared that it had gone the way of Dead Island: Epidemic and had been canceled.
Dead Island 2 was thrust back into the spotlight recently after a trailer for the upcoming Goat Simulator 3 appeared to parody an early trailer for the zombie game. Players wondered if this was an indication that Dead Island 2 was being resurrected, and their questions were answered during Gamescom's Opening Night Live show this week. Many fans were pleased to get confirmation that Dead Island 2 was finally on the way, but as more details emerge about the game, it seems the next installment is moving away from the 'island' focus of previous titles.
The Settings Of The Previous Games
Horror fans had plenty to entertain them during Gamescom's first night, such as trailers for The Callisto Protocol and Killer Klowns from Outer Space, but Dead Island 2 was also among the pack with two new trailers and the reveal of its long-awaited release date. Barring any further delays, gamers will finally be able to get their hands on the next entry in the zombie-focused franchise early next year – around a decade after it was first announced.
Dead Island 2 looks to be making some changes from previous entries, particularly around its setting. The first Dead Island followed a group of survivors as they battled for their lives on the fictional island of Banoi. Players could explore the different regions of the open map, from the urbanized sections aimed at the island's thriving tourism industry to the wilder, untamed jungle areas. The contrast between the island paradise with the luxurious Royal Palms Resort and the hyper-violent gameplay and grotesque rambling corpses was one of Dead Island's biggest strengths.
Dead Island: Riptide centered on the same group of survivors, and while they technically spent time on a ship overrun with zombies and moved off of Banoi, the game still takes place on an island called Palanai. Even the spin-off title Escape Dead Island sees aspiring journalist Cliff Calo investigating the zombie outbreaks on the island of Narapela, which Banoi archipelago. This not only links the games together geographically, but also thematically, although Dead Island 2 seems to be heading off in a very different direction.
A Change In Location For The Upcoming Entry
Players didn't really know what to expect when it came to Dead Island 2, thanks to its tumultuous development and an almost complete lack of updates. While initial reveals about the game claimed that Dead Island 2 would take place in California and would include the Santa Monica Pier, Hollywood, and locations in San Francisco, fans weren't sure if this would still be the case years later. Dead Island 2's re-reveal this week showed off a new cinematic trailer and a gameplay reveal, confirming the game's California setting and marking its departure from previous entries. While this can work as a much-needed refresh for the series, it seems strange to move so far away from one of the series' core elements – an isolated island setting.
California is definitely not an island, and although this shows the escalation of the zombie outbreak as it moves to bigger areas, it still seems incongruous given the game's title. The upcoming installment may be switching things up when it comes to where it takes place, but Dead Island 2 looks to be maintaining the franchise's focus on violence and increasingly creative methods for zombie killing. Players will be able to select one of six playable characters as they explore an open-world L.A. that's been ravaged by the undead in a far cry from the original game's holiday resort island.
Dead Island 2 launches February 3 for PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.