The review embargo for Dead Island 2 lifted overnight, so it’s time to see what critics made of Deep Silver’s long, LONG in-development zombie smack-em-up.
Kotaku US published its review overnight, with reviewer Ashley Bardhan calling it “an entertaining gorefest,” that “only ever slips when it tries to be more than that.”
The Aussies
Of the Australian contingent, Player 2 liked Dead Island 2 the most, giving it a B+ and calling it “a deeply gory surprise,” and that though “it doesn’t break the mould, … it does deliver pure blood-soaked campy joy from start to finish.” GamesHub felt similarly, saying that it “leaves you teetering on that precipice between wanting a little more and feeling satisfied enough.”
AusGamers really liked the combat and the game’s much-marketed F.L.E.S.H. system, with its realistic gibification model for stripping rotten flesh from bone. Checkpoint Gaming found it to be “a silly, slaughter-filled take on the zombie apocalypse that is very entertaining without pushing the envelope of game design beyond the expected.”
This view of Dead Island 2, that it doesn’t reinvent the wheel but works to make its more well-worn components feel as enjoyable as possible, is one that critics return to again and again.
Well Played gave it a 7 and Press Start gave it a 6.5, both effectively delivering the same middle-of-the-road review — it executes well on what it wants to do, but the repetition of its combat and quest design quickly wear out their welcome.
At a 5 out of 10, Stevivor had the only decidedly Average review, feeling that “(w)hat’s on offer in Dead Island 2 isn’t broken or flagrantly bad… but it is tired, antiquated and bland.”
The rest of the world
Turning to the overseas outlets, and the opinions are even more mixed.
VGC gave it four stars, and was happy to meet the game where it was: “The best games ask important questions. In the case of Dead Island 2, that question is: “Do you think it’s funny to chop zombies into bits?” If the answer is yes, then Dead Island 2 is a joy.” Game Informer felt the same way: “Dambuster Studios asks little of the player – only that you enjoy a good excuse to kill zombies in increasingly gory ways for a weekend or two – and in doing so, it delivers on the promise of what this series is all about.” Dexerto also liked it, saying that Dead Island 2 “groans can be loud as its technical and execution faults are hard to ignore, however, it feels crafted with so much love, that if you give yourself over to its shambling grasp, you might be surprised to hear a beating heart inside its exposed ribcage.”
Eurogamer didn’t mind what Dead Island 2 was trying to do, but felt that another zombie game in 2023 dated it right out of the gate. “If you’ve somehow yet to play an undead-themed action-RPG or you have an appropriately on-brand mindless hunger for the subgenre, Dead Island 2 might be worth your while. It’s certainly got the zombie disassembly part down pat. If you are neither of those things, all the sturdy design and flying organs in the world can’t hide the shortage of lingering excitement here.” TheGamer agreed: “Arduous quest design and the occasional repetitive tedium is a flaw, but you’re often too drowned in zombie guts and cringe-inducing creativity to care.”
IGN was one of the only outlets to enjoy Dead Island 2‘s jokes, calling it “a hilarious gore-fest and a competent zombie-slaying adventure, but lacks creativity outside of its great sense of humor.”
Polygon had one of the more nuanced takes among the Average-scored reviews, saying that “(t)here’s an overwhelming fakeness and irony to Dead Island 2 that, without any oppositional hope or sincerity, can eventually make the experience of playing it feel like kind of a downer, similar to the feeling you get after eating a load of junk food.”
PC Gamer‘s review fell in line with that of Stevivor’s, saying the game is “hampered by dull design choices, repetitive combat, and a painfully weak story, with its only saving grace being its great performance on PC.”
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