In the mid-late 2000s, the zombie genre was one of the most popular in all games. From Resident Evil sequel to new and creative IPs like Dead Rising, the game industry saw an onslaught of zombie-based titles, but while some have managed to stay relevant all these years later, most have fallen into obscurity. That was certainly the case with Dead Island 2that was until a few weeks ago.
Announced all the way back in 2014, Dead Island 2 disappeared for nearly a decade, with only a handful of occasional leaks detailing the behind-the-scenes development hell. But a few weeks ago, Dead Island 2 surfaced, showing off the game’s first look at the actual gameplay. Based on the trailer it looks like Dead Island 2 is on the right track, but the competition is fierce at the moment, with Dying light 2 already fills most of the niches left by Dead Island‘s absence. That said, there are a few things that Dead Island 2 can do to rise above its competitors.
Dead Island 2 should focus on combo weapons
Back during the first stampede of zombie games, Dead Rising managed to stand out from the crowd by giving players an unprecedented amount of freedom over their weapon choice. While ordinary swords, rifles and melee weapons existed in Dead Rising, the main hook was that players could combine their weapons to form some really creative weaponry. From lightning guns to laser swords, Dead Rising‘s combo weapons only got crazier with each title. however, the Dead Rising franchise has been dormant for quite some time, with nothing really filling this void.
Although the original Dead Island didn’t really have combo weapons, the sequel could definitely borrow the feature from Dead Rising. The ability to combine different weapons with each other would instantly differentiate Dead Island 2 from Dying light 2because while the latter has a handful of unique melee weapons, they tend to be quite grounded.
A more complex melee combat system than Dead Island 1
The original Dead Island had a solid melee combat system, but that was compared to other 2011 releases. The first-person melee genre has evolved quite a bit over the past decade, and Dead Island‘s simple hack and slash system just won’t cut it for the sequel. To stand out from the crowd, and Dying light 2 mainly, Dead Island 2 should introduce a range of new, more complex melee mechanics. A few examples of this could be a parry mechanism and an evasion system, but it would have to double down and get very creative on top of that.
Ranged Weapons in Dead Island 2
The most important part already setting up Dead Island 2 separate from Dying light 2 is the inclusion of ranged weapons in the game. although Dying light 2 has a few bows and pistols, they don’t feel great to use, and it’s clear that the game encourages melee combat over distance. It seems like Dead Island 2 will have plenty of ranged weapons, with a shotgun playing a pivotal role in the recent Gamescom announcement trailer. Dead Island 2 should double down on his ranged weapons and focus on making each one unique and worth using.
A more diverse skill tree for Dead Island 2
Dying light 2‘s skill tree is split into two segments, parkour and combat. Every skill in the game falls under one of these categories, and while some push the boundaries of the category’s definition, they tend to follow the same general trend, which can get a bit similar. The first Dead Island had quite an impressive skill tree, with lots of branching paths and varied skills to choose from. The sequel should expand on this even further and use the class system to bring even more varied skills and abilities into play.
A tongue-in-cheek tone for Dead Island 2
The biggest difference between Dead Island 2 and Dying light 2 seems to be their tone. although Dying light 2 isn’t afraid to add some light-hearted Easter eggs, the overall tone of the game is usually fairly serious, with character dialogues, plot points and general environmental and technical design leaning more towards a grounded, realistic approach. Dead Island 2on the other hand, seems to aim for a more ironic tone, embracing its absurdity, which is a clever way to separate the two franchises.
Dead Island 2 launches on February 3, 2023 for PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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