‘Dead Island 2’ showcase teases weapon roster and sun-kissed gory gameplay

A new digital showcase for Dead Island 2 has revealed the forthcoming game’s weapon roster and sun-kissed gory gameplay.

Publisher Deep Silver has shared more of the Dead Island (2011) sequel’s open-world, zombie-bashing ahead of the game’s release on April 28, 2023.

As Eurogamer reports, the 15-minute showcase largely shows uninformative live-action sequences featuring a meta storyline of zombie apocalypse survivors discovering a copy of Dead Island 2 in an LA mansion.

There were, however, a few minutes of gameplay that showed fans the sequel’s sun-kissed gore as well as a peek at its weapon roster, which includes bear claws, hammers, machetes, bear claws, a “shit-tonne of guns”, and makeshift tools of destruction.

Players can also make use of their own zombie powers in the new game. If they’re bitten on the arm they enter a frenzy state that boosts their zombie-pulverising abilities.

Elsewhere in the showcase fans got a look at Dead Island 2‘s previously announced Alexa Voice Control as well as details on the obligatory pre-order bonus and collector’s edition bundle.

Those who that pre-order Dead Island 2 get the Banoi war club and Banoi baseball bat, while those opting for the £85 HELL.A. Edition get the base game, expansion pass, steelbook case, Venice Beach map, pins and patch, slayer tarot cards, and two additional bits of DLC.

Additionally, there’s the Golden Weapons Pack that containes Sam B’s pistol and Abuela’s Ashes mace. The Pulp Weapons Pack, meanwhile, features the Eye Opener cattle prod and Home Wrecker mallet.

Set in a “gore-drenched” version of Los Angeles called HELL-A, Dead Island 2 reintroduces co-op for up to three players (instead of the original’s four). The sequel will also continue to be a first-person title with both melee-based and shooting combat.

Although the game was announced in 2014, a release date was not confirmed until a trailer at this year’s Gamescom showcase. The game was subsequently delayed by three months.

Dead Island 2 releases for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

In other gory game news, David Harbour and Jodie Comer are set to star in a horror video game.

Harbour is currently working on a film adaptation of Gran Turismo, and was recently asked by Fan Nation whether he would be keen to star in a game one day.

“I actually have one coming out,” the Stranger Things star replied. “Me and Jodie Comer did a video game. That’ll be coming out… I think it’s next year. A horror game.”

The actor kept any other details, including plot or release date, under wraps.