User Score
6.9

Mixed or average reviews- based on 1659 Ratings

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  1. Dec 7, 2011
    3
    ah dead island .. the best coop game and the best bugs in one game !!
    it was mutch fun to me when this was out ! yes i love it i was playing with a lot of friends and they was loving it too ! the first update was very good the most bugs was fixed and it was stable for co op !
    but there was a lot of bugs again so they did another update in one month... and they destroyed everything ! they
    ah dead island .. the best coop game and the best bugs in one game !!
    it was mutch fun to me when this was out ! yes i love it i was playing with a lot of friends and they was loving it too ! the first update was very good the most bugs was fixed and it was stable for co op !
    but there was a lot of bugs again so they did another update in one month... and they destroyed everything !
    they just fixed a glitch witch the players was using it to make money WOW thnx and nothing else and the internet connection once again was having problems.. they said a new dlc will be out soon and then they cancel it for fixing the bugs ! and then after 2 months a new update was out with nothing fixed (from the serious problems) andthey just put some new stuff (nothing cool) and u was able to be up to 60lvl the internet for co op with microphone and with 4 players was having a lof of problems and crashes ...
    and my favorite skills for my sam is now sucks coz i lose all the stamina when i do some of them and the game now is stupid and worthless the dlc we all waiting is out and it was like they did it in one day the arena wasnt have something special just a simple mini map and the zobies spawning from everywhere even form ur back so u need to play it with friends and not alone !u better buy it in a console and not the pc version cos the deep silver thinks we are morans or fools for saying all those lies about the worng version (if it was wrong version they just cold fix it with the good one ) and the fast updates? what ? in one month they did the second update and till now i thing they make 3-4 updates ....
    i will never trust deep silver again
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  2. Sep 11, 2011
    10
    Fun game, overall very solid. There are a lot of little irritations with the game and it could do greatly with a nice patch to add in some basic tweaks, features and bug fixes. In my opinion its everything left4disappointment should have been.
  3. Sep 12, 2011
    10
    Dead Island is a fresh new take on the zombie genre, out with the old dark mansion; and in with the glorious Island of Banoi. This game fully deserves a rating of 10 because although it has its glitches which will go, it is a very dense and fun experience. The story is ok - good. The island is beautiful, the game play is great. Fully recommend this game.
  4. Sep 13, 2011
    9
    Despite the mixed reviews, this game is fantastic. Technically flawed? Sure. There are environment and graphics bugs, its very easy to get stuck in the environment if you wander off too far or try to climb too many cliffs. Some staircases are nearly impossible to climb, lots of graphics and texture pop-in. But... they do not affect the gameplay, which is solid. The character progressionDespite the mixed reviews, this game is fantastic. Technically flawed? Sure. There are environment and graphics bugs, its very easy to get stuck in the environment if you wander off too far or try to climb too many cliffs. Some staircases are nearly impossible to climb, lots of graphics and texture pop-in. But... they do not affect the gameplay, which is solid. The character progression and item system are incredibly satisfying for those who love a good oldschool action rpg. Think diablo style stamina and tech trees, in a fallout style open world, with excellent zombie smashing combat. If you like zombies, or action rpg's you will be hooked instantly. Dead Island was smart in giving weapons fairly low durability. This does two things, it makes the workbench your best friend (which also encourages you to mod/upgrade weapons), and ensures that you never really feel safe despite having a full inventory. If you stir up a large pack of zombies, you will watch as your weaons crumble in your hands as you bash head after zombie head. Managing your weapons is as important as managing your health, and really makes you consider how well equipped you are before you venture too deep into infected territory. This also means that sometimes coming across a shovel or a stick or a canoe paddle at a key moment can literally save your life. All in all, this game is flawed, but extremely enjoyable. There are bugs, its not perfect, in fact from from it. But if things like weapon modification, skill trees, stamina bars, and all the hallmarks of good old fashioned action rpg's sound like what youve been missing over the last couple of years, this game is for you. Think borderlands without the boring. Think fallout meets diablo II with a stack of zombies and gore thrown in. This game will have mixed opinions, but for those who like these things, it will be an awesome experience. Expand
  5. Sep 13, 2011
    10
    A botched early release will likely keep it from winning any awards, but Dead Island is a pretty excellent game. The first-person melee is very fluid- it's what Deus Ex 3 should've had instead of that context-insensitive BS. Even though the enemies stayed consistent almost the entire game I still found the combat more satisfying than that of its shooter/looter cousin, Borderlands. The gunsA botched early release will likely keep it from winning any awards, but Dead Island is a pretty excellent game. The first-person melee is very fluid- it's what Deus Ex 3 should've had instead of that context-insensitive BS. Even though the enemies stayed consistent almost the entire game I still found the combat more satisfying than that of its shooter/looter cousin, Borderlands. The guns are scarce for a while, but there are plenty in the late-game. Also, as opposed to Borderlands, the world feels more like a an actual WORLD, and the environments are amazing. The drop-in drop-out multiplayer can reliably find you someone to play with most of the time. It's better if you have a group, but not necessary. The cutscenes in which your whole group appears are a little jarring if you're playing alone, but you're not playing it for the story.

    Which brings me to the story- standard zombie apocalypse video game fare, despite what the tear-jerker trailer would have you believe. Some of the voice acting is sub-par. The voice actor for Logan in the opening cutscene sounds like he's reading off a script and has never been drunk in his life. Not a good start.

    Overall, the thing that really makes it is the first-person-melee. They provide enough weapons and enough attack options such that it stays challenging. It's the first time I've seen it done well in a game, and I hope it spawns imitations. Really tired of seeing "Press A to engage cutscene mode" as an alternative.
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  6. Sep 14, 2011
    9
    I think you need to take reviews from people that comment on the release issues and other negatives with a grain of salt. Can they say they have never made a mistake? We are human. Try having some patience, and waiting a couple days after release and then you won't need to worry.
    So about the game. I personally think that the story line and atmosphere are fantastic. The interior
    I think you need to take reviews from people that comment on the release issues and other negatives with a grain of salt. Can they say they have never made a mistake? We are human. Try having some patience, and waiting a couple days after release and then you won't need to worry.
    So about the game. I personally think that the story line and atmosphere are fantastic. The interior graphics are not particularly impressive, but the exterior is fantastic....and certainly can draw you in. the gameplay itself is fun as hell. You can blow up gas tanks and set zombies ablaze, smash in head, and hack off limbs. And you get a slow motion view of some of these happening. I can't say I've had any more enjoyment in a game. Period. The minus . so sure, some of the quests are a little lame and don't seem to really relate to the key survival of the group getting off the island. But look, your character is not super human. He does need help form others, and they need to be fed. They can't assist you if they are hungry or dead. And they are hysterical. Most people would be freaking out if they were trapped on an island with zombies..They want to know if their loved ones are alive. Do they care if you face danger? No. As long as they don't. If you don't want to help them, don't. But you DO want to go smash up some zombies. Trust me!
    Other trifles - there are some issues with the logic behind the weapon durabilities. Metal weapons should last very long, wooden ones should break really easily. Lead pipes seem to turn into noodles within a few zombies, as do military grade knifes. This will likely be fixed by a mod. Also, the item re-spawn is too fast. It should be harder to find money etc, however a fair number of paddles and sticks should be available at all times to smash the zombies! You should feel like there are not that many things, and a sense of danger and urgency exists. Again, easily fixed by tweaking some of the game's setting I'm sure.

    In summary - this game is a lot of fun, and came through on it's promises. There are a number of other games that can be compared that were only great once moded (Oblivion - with OOO level tweaking). Provided a few modifications can be done to this game, it will rank close to some of these greats IMO. Thank god we have computers instead of a crappy console!
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  7. Sep 16, 2011
    9
    Dead island is a very fun game to play with your friends. Graphics are not groundbreaking but they do the job. The leveling system is enjoyable and makes you want to keep playing. Each character has a different skill tree.
  8. Sep 17, 2011
    9
    Well, when I first picked up Dead Island, I was a bit leery of what I was going to get here- coming from games such as oblivion and all, I was not expecting much. But to be honest- this game delivers a bit more than what you bargain for.

    Graphics/Optimization On PC- 7.5 This game, is really nothing to proud of in the graphics department- the textures are a bit shoddy, but get the job done
    Well, when I first picked up Dead Island, I was a bit leery of what I was going to get here- coming from games such as oblivion and all, I was not expecting much. But to be honest- this game delivers a bit more than what you bargain for.

    Graphics/Optimization On PC- 7.5
    This game, is really nothing to proud of in the graphics department- the textures are a bit shoddy, but get the job done nicely while still looking nice. On the PC, it runs just very nicely on very old systems To say the least, they did a fine job of making the game look good- while having good performance. Some people complained about texture popup- but to be completely honest, it was either too subtle to see, or I did not experience any at all.

    Gameplay- 9
    Now this is where things get interesting- imagine having a swarm of zombies coming at you- and you having a bat and knocking the living daylights out of them. In Dead Island, you can do that. You will have firearms in dead island- but they are very rare, and should be used sparingly, some people complained about this- and some people should really look into the game before buying something dont like, and giving it a low rating. But- to say the least, the combat system is perfect, the world is just GIGANTIC. There's so much to see and explore, it's ridiculous. You can even upgrade your weapons, and mod them- to make them your own. This game is really something special when it comes to the weapons, to say the least, you wont be disappointed in the gameplay department.

    Sound- 9

    This game wins in the sound department, everything from the zombie sounds is very well executed. At times- I was actually listening for the zombies, and the game managed to scare me with the sounds a few times. Well done Techland.

    Enjoyment. 8.5
    I'd have to say, you're going to have a blast, just trust me. Coop is really fun.

    Overall- 9
    This game is very well done, it's different than the RPGs we see these days, and should be enjoyable for most.
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  9. Sep 17, 2011
    8
    A very immersive game with great combat mechanics and a lots of customisation for you character and his weapons . Graphism are realistic and zombies looks like real ones so you will be scared by a horde of them screaming all around you ! A must buy if you like to slaughter zombies and rescue people . The story could have been a lot better but the game will haunt you for dozens of hours ...
  10. Sep 18, 2011
    9
    just to get one thing straight i DONT give high or low scores to balance out others(which is stupid) so when i say 9 i mean 9. This game started out with a lot of bugs but they have been working hard and fix the major ones. as far as the game goes it was very well done but where it really shines is the co-op. the co-op is not only fun but was done very well, when you have others with youjust to get one thing straight i DONT give high or low scores to balance out others(which is stupid) so when i say 9 i mean 9. This game started out with a lot of bugs but they have been working hard and fix the major ones. as far as the game goes it was very well done but where it really shines is the co-op. the co-op is not only fun but was done very well, when you have others with you there are sightly more special zombies and my favorite is the loot scales. so if you are a higher level and you are helping your lower level friend you can still get useful stuff for you! Overall its a fun game with good combat, rpg, and co-op. Expand
  11. Feb 2, 2012
    1
    Enjoyed the game for a week or so than bought the arena pack and was gutted with the quality of that after having to pay for it, and I see another overpriced DLC is for sale. STAY AWAY FROM THIS GAME.
  12. Sep 20, 2011
    5
    I really liked this game at first because of the somewhat orginal concept and graphics, but i soon realized how much this game is just like borderlands has that same very annoying system of leveling up that doesnt really entertain you because you constant encounter harder enemies and your weapons are less and effective so you buy new ones this game a a LOT of glitches too, i have lost aI really liked this game at first because of the somewhat orginal concept and graphics, but i soon realized how much this game is just like borderlands has that same very annoying system of leveling up that doesnt really entertain you because you constant encounter harder enemies and your weapons are less and effective so you buy new ones this game a a LOT of glitches too, i have lost a many of my powerful weapons because of a autosave glitch or i threw a knife and couldn't pick it up i even lost all my levels and weapons about of no where and was level one and unarmed all over again i got this game through a torrent it was fun but i would never pay for it Expand
  13. Oct 6, 2011
    9
    Probably the best zombie game to date, with added RPG elements and online play, whats not to love. The first instance you find yourself with another player is when the comedy kicks in, theres hours of fun to be had in groups and even the solo play is rewarding. DLC's to be expected and can only make this title even greater. Recommended
  14. Oct 8, 2011
    9
    A fantastically enjoyable romp through a zombie-infested island. This game is incredibly fun alone, and with others, everything just clicks. Melee combat is implemented well and surprisingly, gun combat is even more fun. Probably the goriest game today - every model has a full three layers: bone, muscles, and flesh. There is no present story, but agree with me when I say this - when youA fantastically enjoyable romp through a zombie-infested island. This game is incredibly fun alone, and with others, everything just clicks. Melee combat is implemented well and surprisingly, gun combat is even more fun. Probably the goriest game today - every model has a full three layers: bone, muscles, and flesh. There is no present story, but agree with me when I say this - when you want to get a zombie survival game, what will you expect to be DOING? Surviving! The lack of story does not bother me. The environments are beautiful, and so are the models. However, there are only two cons I can think of.

    1: All characters have botox faces and are not well-animated. (better than common characters used in Deus Ex: Revolution though)

    2: There is no excuse as to why your mouse has to be permanently at a very slow speed when using a menu or the inventory.
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  15. Jan 6, 2012
    10
    Well I first got this game in September 2011 shortly after it was released and played if for about 10 hours. I then left it and came back to it at the beginning of 2012 and then saw what an amazing game it was...addictive...emotional...amazing. I really can't explain how real it feels to be in Banoi, the city. You really do feel like you are there and it really is the end of the world.
    I
    Well I first got this game in September 2011 shortly after it was released and played if for about 10 hours. I then left it and came back to it at the beginning of 2012 and then saw what an amazing game it was...addictive...emotional...amazing. I really can't explain how real it feels to be in Banoi, the city. You really do feel like you are there and it really is the end of the world.
    I can't stop playing it now and I can guarantee you will feel the emotional side of this game by the end.
    All I can say is buy it now! You don't know what you're missing.
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  16. Nov 14, 2011
    5
    At first i hated it then it grew on me probably alot of fun on co op but sp is kinda boring go here get this bring it back over and over. You can just run past most zombies, But one you start upgrading your weapons it starts to get more interesting, that dies off quick as zombies don't pose no real threat they cant walk up a 45-50 degree slope and cant see you if you are far enuffAt first i hated it then it grew on me probably alot of fun on co op but sp is kinda boring go here get this bring it back over and over. You can just run past most zombies, But one you start upgrading your weapons it starts to get more interesting, that dies off quick as zombies don't pose no real threat they cant walk up a 45-50 degree slope and cant see you if you are far enuff away story on a island with zombies trying to get off soo meh don't matter to me pc performance 130fps looks ok but its old looking to with bloom Expand
  17. Nov 28, 2011
    4
    Dead Rising 2 made as a First person shooter, that's Dead Island, zero creativity, zero innovation, very linear, nothing different from any zombie-like game, the graphics are good, the MP is the only remarcable thing, i had fun playing CoopMP, like 2 weeks, then i quitted. i want to like this game (zombie life style fan xD), but i think they made a very linear game, i don't feel any kindDead Rising 2 made as a First person shooter, that's Dead Island, zero creativity, zero innovation, very linear, nothing different from any zombie-like game, the graphics are good, the MP is the only remarcable thing, i had fun playing CoopMP, like 2 weeks, then i quitted. i want to like this game (zombie life style fan xD), but i think they made a very linear game, i don't feel any kind of "freedom" on it (a big world with almost no range of actions), finally the price is like a joke on a funeral, i had to sell it, so... score:4 Expand
  18. Dec 26, 2011
    10
    Wow, where to begin, a simply amazing game that is a MUST get for zombie lovers, the sheer horror you experience when you see the undead feasting as you wander the streets of dead island, with flimsy weapons and a small cardio tank, you will always be on edge while playing this game whether you are running from a horde of infected or battling against a swarm of walkers, this gameWow, where to begin, a simply amazing game that is a MUST get for zombie lovers, the sheer horror you experience when you see the undead feasting as you wander the streets of dead island, with flimsy weapons and a small cardio tank, you will always be on edge while playing this game whether you are running from a horde of infected or battling against a swarm of walkers, this game capatilizes and delivers on everything i expected and more. There is no loading screens between you and the zombies i must add (such as dead rising) as soon as you open the door to the outside world the zombies are there and ready, this game is the definition of the survival horror genre, and even if you are not a zombie lover you will still enjoy this game, a must buy. Expand
  19. Feb 3, 2012
    2
    If you played Borderlands, expect to see the same with zombies but more boring quests. Poor guns and extremely limited options. I was hoping this game didn't suck this much but indeed it is no more but a copy of Borderlands.
  20. Dec 30, 2011
    10
    Zombie mashing at it's best. If you like zombies, this game delivers. The combat is exciting and multiplayer makes it even more entertaining. I've got nothing bad to say about this game.
  21. Jan 5, 2012
    10
    This is simply the maximum that people who loves zombies wants. Bugs, glitches and no clips were fixed, graphic is not like a film, but like REAL. Game-play is higher to others for fighting and moving liberty. The sound is so perfect...nothing to say. In the other games, the zombies are only animated forms, but in Dead Island the zombies have bones, muscles, tendons, skin...you can cutThis is simply the maximum that people who loves zombies wants. Bugs, glitches and no clips were fixed, graphic is not like a film, but like REAL. Game-play is higher to others for fighting and moving liberty. The sound is so perfect...nothing to say. In the other games, the zombies are only animated forms, but in Dead Island the zombies have bones, muscles, tendons, skin...you can cut some parts or break some bone, or smash the ribs and you can see inside. If you love zombies this is the game for you. If you love to buy games, you MUST buy this! Expand
  22. Jun 3, 2012
    8
    It's too bad metacritic won't let you view a rating within a time period, the current rating is highly weighed down by a faulty launch that they patched. Also lots of the negative ratings are about lack of guns... this is clearly a melee zombie smashing game. Even some recent review say bugs -- the game NEVER crashed on me once, rock solid.

    On to the game. The scenery is spot on, you
    It's too bad metacritic won't let you view a rating within a time period, the current rating is highly weighed down by a faulty launch that they patched. Also lots of the negative ratings are about lack of guns... this is clearly a melee zombie smashing game. Even some recent review say bugs -- the game NEVER crashed on me once, rock solid.

    On to the game. The scenery is spot on, you will never look at a resort the same, the hotels, bars, even the diving posters around the island look exactly like these places do, so much it's spooky. As you venture out into the jungle, the scenery maintains a high quality, you find yourself looking around the island... it's not the new Crysis graphics by any means, but it's very nice and well produced.
    I played this game single player and prefered it as such, only if you were going from beginning to end with certain / same people would I want to play multi. Random people joining online was a PITA, I felt most who joined my game were an unwelcome addition, luckily you can drop out easily.
    The end scene running through the dark corridors was so damn creepy, I hate it and love it. I felt such a sense of "GET ME OUT OF HERE!!!!". I promise you won't leave the game until you beat it from that point because you'll feel haunted by it. That was the climax of the game for me. The storyline/cutscenes were a little cliche & fake, but that run through the hospital... damn. 15 hours of game play for me. Ideally I think they could have cut 3 hours out and it would have been better. I don't plan on playing the campaign again, the DLC arena looks like fun.
    The skill upgrade tree is fun. Weapons are not invincible and require maintenance (many people list this as a con, but I love it, added realism, added challenge when your weapons start failing). Weapon modification is fun.

    Cons: Like many games you find yourself as the game's **** every quest is doing something for someone, you advance the game by doing 'quests' that you're asked to do, ironically you are given an option to take them, but have to say YES to advance in the game. Everyone needs your help, I hate that, give me MY mission MY way, let me tell them what to do or they can figure their own way off the island. There's no explanation of how inventory works, how rage works, some things are left for you to figure out (you may not know they're even there, review binded keys, btw if you have no MMB use "C" for your weapon changes). I still don't know how to read the weapon stats, what the numbers/symbols mean, I just know which ones I like (nail'd baseball bat FTW) and that work well.
    No save feature! You have to go until you reach a checkpoint, usually within 15 minutes.

    Glitch: Your precious weapons can disappear!! I (once) threw all my weapons at a puker and as I went to pick them up, they disappeared with them!! Could not believe it. Restarted the checkpoint, then restarted the game, they were still missing. So be aware of this and DO NOT throw your favorite weapons.
    Also.. the rage is over powered, I beat the end boss within seconds by raging and running around him. It was over in a flash.
    No punishment for dying, you lose a little cash and get full health from where you died (so.. why use a health boost when you can just die and have full health in 2 seconds???). I've even had the game ADVANCE me when I died.

    Summary: I think (hope!!) we'll see more dead island. I got this on the 66% off sale and it was worth it. For $15 or less, it's an instant buy. Full price... not sure, watch the youtube gameplay videos and if you like what you see you'll like the game. I will be buying the arena DLC because I just want to mindlessly smash zombies and not be the island's #1 go-to **** I think I'd enjoy that more and wish it was included.
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  23. Feb 4, 2012
    2
    FIVE Huge Issues with this Borderlands zombie copy done badly, and I've finished this game

    1) Characters have talent trees that copy Diablo II/Warcraft, but you can never respec. One tree is all about guns, but guns are scarce and ammo is even scarcer. The fury tree is a waste of time. 2) You use a weapon ten times and it breaks, and it costs more than what you can reasonably kill
    FIVE Huge Issues with this Borderlands zombie copy done badly, and I've finished this game

    1) Characters have talent trees that copy Diablo II/Warcraft, but you can never respec. One tree is all about guns, but guns are scarce and ammo is even scarcer. The fury tree is a waste of time.

    2) You use a weapon ten times and it breaks, and it costs more than what you can reasonably kill to recoup the money to repair it. This is paticularly bad in certain chapters when the zombies are just unreasonably dense.

    3) No storyline. It takes the third chapter to finally realise some sort of plot line, The character development is HORRENDOUS.

    4) Bugs galore that have never been fixed. The lack of inventory space, and the fact that if you pick up some things your good weapons may drop on the ground without you noticing is just disgraceful.

    5) The sidequests are just tedious, pointless, and for the most part the same. Like bring me medicine, bring me a necklace, I want booze. Overall I had high hopes for this game, but the repair mechanics and the fact you can redo your talent trees is just digusting and ruins the whole game.
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  24. Aug 24, 2013
    5
    This game reeks of mediocrity and CONSOLE PORT, not undead. From the first loading screens you know you are dealing with the kind of quality you would expect from a bad Playstation 2 title. That is what this game basically is. Terrible, low res environments and models. Terrible animations. Poor controls. Wierd control mapping (The F key opens things now? What's wrong with the E?) This gameThis game reeks of mediocrity and CONSOLE PORT, not undead. From the first loading screens you know you are dealing with the kind of quality you would expect from a bad Playstation 2 title. That is what this game basically is. Terrible, low res environments and models. Terrible animations. Poor controls. Wierd control mapping (The F key opens things now? What's wrong with the E?) This game also has a bad camera, with no zoom out or peripheral vision so it is extremely tedious constantly spinning about to see what is on your flanks, because the ambient sound is TERRIBLE, and there are no aural queues as to when zombies are nearby. The voice acting writing, level design and character leveling are all pretty poor. If a game is visually horrible and the controls are bad, how much fun can it be? NOT MUCH. Believe the 350+ negative or yellow scores and doubt the green ones! Vastly inferior to Left for Dead 1 and 2. AVOID. I got the GOTY version for $5. I paid too much for this

    THE GROT REVIEW CRITERIA: After a long time writing reviews like an anus, think its time to set a few bad habits straight: Stop insulting designers. Show some respect for the design process and getting games in circulation. Hence (1) No Red scores. (2) Game scores as follows: Bad Game 5/10. Poor Game 6/10. Mediocre Game: 7/10. Good Game 8/10. Great game 9/10. Stella Game 10/10. To get 10/10 it must be a game that can be (theoretically) play-able for 1000+ hours. Not only great but near endless fun. Games may be bad or poor but making them should earn respect. Thus even the worst POS will still be a 5/10. 0/10 no longer exists in my vocabulary. Yellow is the new red. For the sake of accountability: you can reply if needed: Orctowngrot: Tim Rawlins: timtimjp@yahoo.com
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  25. Dec 22, 2012
    9
    Story:9/10-Brilliant.
    Gameplay:9/10-Brilliant.
    Graphics:9.5/10-Brilliant.
    Music:8.7/10-Fantastic.
    Replay Value:8.7/10-Fantastic.
    Overall:9/10-Brilliant------An Amazing Open world game which will keep you entertained for a long time.
  26. Sep 7, 2011
    0
    Okay i think everybody here was excited after the Trailer for this game.
    A Zombie game on an huge island with skilltrees, great atmosphere and a good story.
    But what we got is a broken pice of software released on Pc and consoles. First thing you realize : Bad graphics 5! years development for this? Just a bad joke Then the really awefull controls taking every fun out of this game when you
    Okay i think everybody here was excited after the Trailer for this game.
    A Zombie game on an huge island with skilltrees, great atmosphere and a good story.
    But what we got is a broken pice of software released on Pc and consoles.
    First thing you realize : Bad graphics
    5! years development for this? Just a bad joke
    Then the really awefull controls taking every fun out of this game when you try to move.
    The next thing on the list is the fact you cant make your own character?Its 2011 guys, i dont wanna be a woman in a game about killing zombies on a island when i pick up a person who is skilled with firearms.
    And the 2 worst points at all: The savingsystem AND the bugs.
    You cant save your game whenever you want, if you die ( and its annoying i died several times because of bugs) you must start the level all over again.

    Dont buy this game, just dont.
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  27. Sep 7, 2011
    6
    Launch Bugs aside, Dead Island is exactly what the title says. More like Dead Boring. Has great elements for an ORPG however, executed rather poorly with a wonky statistical weapon combat system and very simple designed enemies. Game barely challenges the player and most obstacles are products of a mistake made by the player, not good game design. Another graphical beauty with l poor gameLaunch Bugs aside, Dead Island is exactly what the title says. More like Dead Boring. Has great elements for an ORPG however, executed rather poorly with a wonky statistical weapon combat system and very simple designed enemies. Game barely challenges the player and most obstacles are products of a mistake made by the player, not good game design. Another graphical beauty with l poor game play execution. Also, horrible execution of the storyline. Expand
  28. Sep 6, 2011
    4
    Great potential, Horrible bugs kill this games. Check back after a patch is released to take the released development build to the actual retail release.
  29. Sep 6, 2011
    1
    The game is very fun when it works, and you can play with friends. Unfortunately, this is never. A patch and two re-downloads later, and the Steam version still fails to launch. More value can be found in a nugget of crack.
  30. Sep 6, 2011
    2
    Not very good, the whole entire game seems to be a huge mess on the PC; Tons of glitches, crashes, and overall it just seems like a console port of a beta version. The story is pretty mediocre with sub-par writing, the voice acting is so bad (it's funny). Overall it just seems like there was so much lack of attention to detail. Hopefully the many problems that it has will be addressed withNot very good, the whole entire game seems to be a huge mess on the PC; Tons of glitches, crashes, and overall it just seems like a console port of a beta version. The story is pretty mediocre with sub-par writing, the voice acting is so bad (it's funny). Overall it just seems like there was so much lack of attention to detail. Hopefully the many problems that it has will be addressed with future patches, and then maybe I'd bump up the score to a 6 because the combat is pretty fun, but all the other problems just overshadow what this game did well.

    Too bad, I was looking forward to this game.
    Expand
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 24 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 24
  2. Negative: 0 out of 24
  1. Pelit (Finland)
    Oct 19, 2011
    91
    Dead Island is maybe rough around the edges, has things that could have been better and has some strange solutions to gaming mechanics, but really, who cares? The main thing, close combat with zombies on an open environment, is both exceptionally well done and most importantly, great fun. Even alone. In the land of blindingly pretty, but simplified tubeshooters the ugly zombie game is the king. [Sept 2011]
  2. 88
    Dead Island has plenty of reasons to be likeable: a satisfying duration, enough freedom and interactivity to create addiction and enough potential to become a classic. And although it isn't what the elitists would call a mandatory title, I think it's infectious enough for me to pull my friend's sleeve to buy the game too.
  3. Oct 9, 2011
    60
    It's the mission design that proves most disappointing. Its scale is highly ambitious but Dead Island's population of living dead aren't enough to compensate for its barren lack of variety and an increasingly tedious structure.