Dead Island 2 Review (PlayStation 5)

by Jim Smale · Published May 2, 2023 · Updated April 27, 2023

For our Dead Island 2 Review, Where this thrilling First-Person, Action RPG takes players across a brand-new playground – a hellish vision of LA (or HELL-A, as we like to call it). Dead Island 2 is stylish, vibrant, and flooded with zombie infection. Explore iconic, gore-drenched Los Angeles. Meet larger-than-life characters. Slay countless foes in exquisitely bloody detail. And evolve to become the ultimate Zombie Slayer!

Dead Island 2 Review Pros:

Decent graphics.
48.34GB download size.
Platinum trophy.
You get the PlayStation 4 and the PlayStation 5 versions of the game.
Zombie ARPG gameplay.
Graphics settings – HDR, a field of view slider, motion blur, SDR brightness, HDR brightness, and HUD screen extent.
HUD preset – Custom, full, minimal, and dynamic.
Controller settings – Four layouts, three stick layouts, swap shoulder buttons, Invert axis, and sensitivity sliders, aim assist strength, dead zone sliders, and sensitivity boosters.
Streamer mode. (copyright music Related)
Subtitles – on/off, size, and background opacity.
Transfer PlayStation 4 save data option.
Collectibles to find – blueprints, journal entries, and Zompedia entries.
Co-op campaign with private, public, and friend lobby options.
The single-player mode is offline solo.
Full stats screen.
Six characters to choose from and each has unique stats and skills.
Cool character selects screen.
Fmv and in game cutscenes.
Familiar controls.
Can skip cutscenes.
First-person view.
Tutorial pop-ups as you play.
Button icons show on Interactive parts.
Enemy health and stamina bars show above their head.
Great music with atmospheric implementation.
Weapons break and have durability.
Cool slow-mo kills.
You can throw weapons.
Action movie-style scenarios.
The map is represented as a map to the stars flyer and you can add your own waypoints.
Earn EXP and level up to get stronger, more healthy, and your health bar refilled.
Plays just the same as the last few games.
Every weapon has a power number and what type of damage (blunt/sharp)
Mission markers show on the screen.
Challenges are optional tasks you trigger for bonus rewards.
You can loot everything.
Collect resources for repairing and upgrading weapons.
Parry an attack by timing your block to momentarily stun a zombie, and grab them to do big damage.
Alarms play a big part. Find them and disable them otherwise, it will go off and you get a zombie horde after you.
Fuse boxes need fuses and are generally used to lock loot rooms.
When grabbed a QTE triggers.
Investigation areas turn your compass yellow to signify you are in one, here you look for clues, etc.
Weapon wheel for fast access to weapons. You can carry eight at a time.
Skills are handled by unlocking slots and finding/earning skill cards and equipping them.
Create your own unique character with the skill cards.
Fast travel unlocks via a map and on each location it shows how many of the optional and story tasks you have done including points of interest, and lost and found tasks.

Dead Island 2 Review Cons:

Cannot rebind controls.
No dedicated performance or quality setting.
The story route feels like the first game as in the type of locations you visit.
Takes a lot from the first game especially.
Does take away a lot of other mechanics from the games like base-building defenses and smashing doors open.
Slight performance stutters even in cutscenes.
Never sure when it is saved or last saved.
Had zombies just spawn right in front of me many times.
Bit gutting the way they add so many scripted pickups and encounters.