Dead Island 2

 PC
Metascore
75

Generally favorable reviews - based on 25 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 25
  3. Negative: 0 out of 25
  1. Movies Games and Tech
    May 1, 2023
    70
    A sleek and good-looking zombie smashing experience. Great combat and sense of humour are shackled to a sadly formulaic feel.
  2. Hooked Gamers
    Apr 28, 2023
    70
    Dead Island 2 is a remarkably solid game, one that doesn't make any attempt to reinvent the wheel, but nevertheless is a more than satisfying mindless casual zombie-killing gorefest. It won't be a game held up in years to come as the go-to model for open-world zombie games but given its decade-long tenure in development hell, it's nothing short of a miracle it ever managed to crawl across the finish line as anything less than a complete mess.
  3. PC Invasion
    Apr 21, 2023
    70
    Dead Island 2 delivers bone crunching combat alongside a generic experience that feels ripped straight from 2011.
  5. PCGamesN
    Apr 18, 2023
    70
    There’s a lot of fun to be had slaying zombies on the streets and beaches of HELL-A, but if that first bite doesn’t infect you, you might find – like the protagonist – that your experience gets stronger as you play.
  6. GameSkinny
    Apr 18, 2023
    70
    If you aren't as big a mark for zombie horror as I am, there's a lot you can pick apart about Dead Island 2. It's dated, a little shallow, and is effectively over at its halfway point. It's still a good co-op game, and its story kept me interested up to the end; I can't hate a game where I can dropkick a zombie into downed power lines. If you pick up Dead Island 2, bring a couple of horror-nerd friends to Hell-A with you, and you can get a few good evenings out of it. For solo play, though, only true zombie maniacs need apply.
  7. We Got This Covered
    Apr 18, 2023
    60
    It’s not necessarily a failure on Deep Silver’s and Dambuster Studios' part, but Dead Island 2 simply doesn’t feel like a game worthy of a decade-long wait. It maintains all of the elements that made the first few games popular and expands on several in fun and interesting ways but does far too little to separate itself from the titles that came before it.
  8. PC Gamer
    Apr 18, 2023
    55
    Dead Island 2 is hampered by dull design choices, repetitive combat, and a painfully weak story, with its only saving grace being its great performance on PC.
  9. GGRecon
    Apr 18, 2023
    50
    Dead Island 2 could have been the Return of the Living Dead of zombie video games, making for an irreverent, B-movie romp through an undead-filled LA, but it just ends up marginally better than the original game without ever approaching its full potential. The improved combat is the game's main saving grace, but it isn't enough to redeem the shallow progression mechanics, inconsistent tone, and unfocused story.
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  1. Rock, Paper, Shotgun
    Apr 18, 2023
    This is a game that that understands its own entirely disposable nature, that knows it's landing at the tail end of overwhelming zombie survival fatigue. Instead of trying to resist that, it embraces it, resulting in a breezy, messy adventure that has zero nutritional value, but will fill your bloodstream with yummy, delicious sugar. Dead Island 2 is a stinky trash game, and this filthy racoon had a grand old time rolling around in it.

Awards & Rankings

14
#14 Most Discussed PC Game of 2023
2
#2 Most Shared PC Game of 2023

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
6.7

Mixed or average reviews- based on 312 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 166 out of 312
  2. Mixed: 66 out of 312
  3. Negative: 80 out of 312
  1. Henry_D
    Apr 22, 2023
    0
    Disappointing 6 hour game. As a fan of the first game, i didnt expect much, considering they couldnt finish it in 10 freaking years. GameDisappointing 6 hour game. As a fan of the first game, i didnt expect much, considering they couldnt finish it in 10 freaking years. Game feels like an old ps4 game. And on top of that its epic store which means just legal piracy. Just replay first game, dont waste your money… Full Review »
  2. RagondinMan
    Apr 23, 2023
    2
    This game is shameful to cost 60€ and to be part of the dead island series
    Playing the first ones alone was funnier than playing this one    This game is shameful to cost 60€ and to be part of the dead island series
    Playing the first ones alone was funnier than playing this one with a friend.
    The main story is contained in 24 missions which equals to roughly 12hours (according to my playtime, we looted every place we could fine when entering new zones).
    The constant harassing of chests openable with keys that you cannot get right away by searching the surroundings is a completely uninteresting idea, you have to come back to EVERY place and look everywhere to see a named zombie (exactly the same as the normal one) just to get a key/pass (there is 146 of them). There is only 9 MOBS, 9!!! 2 at the begining and everytime you kill a boss (even though there is no challenge when fighting them), it becomes a common mob you see occasionaly. The difficulty system is non existant, I died more times while getting team killed by my coop member than by zombies.
    Equipement is underwhelming, at first glance, you think there is a lot of weapon. But actualy there is like 50 different weapons ( swords, knifes, pistols, uzi etc... ) and then all of them are re skins.
    The item rarity is really bad. At the beginning you are thrilled to get a green weapon, but as soon as you get one, you almost get exclusively green or better items and so on. The fact that you can equalize you weapons level means that after you get a single item you like in purple rarity you don't need any other.
    The sound is horrible, the spacialization of the sound is the worst I have ever seen in a modern video game.
    Now, for the final boss. 30 sec top chrono, the cinematic before it was longer than the fight it was just deceiving.    … Full Review »
  3. Andrudis
    Apr 25, 2023
    4
    Too many technical issues: character voice partially absent or partially become very low volume temporary, crashes every 15 minutes ifToo many technical issues: character voice partially absent or partially become very low volume temporary, crashes every 15 minutes if Fidelity FX is enabled, zombies spawning right in from of you from thin air...
    Not to mention Deluxe Edition is a total scam because promised cosmetics will not be delivered till summer when most people will already complete and forget about this game.
    The game itself is nothing special, but will do for those who like B-grade horror movies.
    Balancing is off - all zombies auto-level up to your current level if they were originally lower, but in some cases the same zombies of the same level require 5-10 hits to kill while in other cases they die from 1-2 hits of the same weapon...
    Can recommend only after all major issues fixed and only Basic edition to play with friends.    … Full Review »
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