Dead Island

 Xbox 360
User Score
7.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 674 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 358 out of 674
  2. Mixed: 200 out of 674
  3. Negative: 116 out of 674
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  1. PopeDizzle
    Nov 10, 2011
    9
    This is a fun game. Pure and simple. This is nothing like Left4Dead or Dead Rising. Do not come into this expecting either of those games. The zombies seem real there are different types that react differently. An arsenal of different weapons you can upgrade and make your own. I really don't have anything negative to say about this game. A 9 for the minor minor minor graphical errors andThis is a fun game. Pure and simple. This is nothing like Left4Dead or Dead Rising. Do not come into this expecting either of those games. The zombies seem real there are different types that react differently. An arsenal of different weapons you can upgrade and make your own. I really don't have anything negative to say about this game. A 9 for the minor minor minor graphical errors and glitches. Grab some friends put analog controls on its just so much more satisfying… Expand
  2. DarkPlum
    Nov 10, 2011
    7
    Dead Island is a game that I followed from its first appearance online to its release only to feel the slightest bit disapointed in what I have experienced. Being a huge fan of the Zombie genre, I played the game for up to 30 hours in my first two days of owning a copy to detect the similarities in other games that I had noticed in developer interviews online.

    Many people have stated    Dead Island is a game that I followed from its first appearance online to its release only to feel the slightest bit disapointed in what I have experienced. Being a huge fan of the Zombie genre, I played the game for up to 30 hours in my first two days of owning a copy to detect the similarities in other games that I had noticed in developer interviews online.

    Many people have stated that Dead Island is considered to be a lovechild of Dead Rising and Borderlands, and they aren't wrong. I believe that ALL RPG elements from Borderlands are present within Dead Island, from the Skill trees, weapon rarities, zombie level and health bar present to the "damage dealt numbers" flying out of zombies with each weapon strike. Either Gearbox, as a friend, lent these features to Techland, or they have been darn cheeky about putting these features in. The Dead Rising element here however of attention to zombie killing detail and weapon creation has been taken a step further, with the MOD system being very planned and with a selection of fun MOD's.

    Visually and Audio wise, the game is masterpiece. I often found myself just looking at the trees sway, listening to the sound of sea waves and enjoying the crunch of zombie bones and flesh being torn off zombies. Every environment within Dead Island is flawless and really does set the standard that I believe all zombie games in the future need to rise above or abide by.

    Solo play at first will seem very fun, but as time progresses, you feel overwhelmed and bored with running from mission to mission. Playing with others insures that you will have a 9/10 gaming experience, especially if they are your friends as much fun can be had tormenting zombies with them. Still only 9/10 because of the games story. As for story, a terrible excuse for one. The further you progress in the game, the less of a point it seems to make. The fun to be had here is exploring the beautiful landscapes and finding lots of fun weapons and items to slaughter zombies with your mates.    … Expand
  3. DevoutestDoor
    Nov 9, 2011
    7
    Not the best game i've boughten but it aint the worst. Dead Island is perfect for people who like the Dead Rising franchise and L4D games. Its more like the combination of both. Graphics are great. The itself is kind of short but the quests don't get boring so easily. This game would be my second choice on my list of Games That You Would Recommend To A Friend.
  4. Conrad56
    Nov 8, 2011
    10
    I think this games amazing just too amazing. I enjoyed the free roam and wish for the game game to be reviewed after the games patched in the future because it takes 24 hours to get bored of it. But that's for some people for me, i enjoyed it spent weeks, weeks and weeks playing it. The next dead island called dead world i think would be kick-ass
  5. jdrandall38
    Nov 8, 2011
    4
    Ive never been less interested to play a game after the first 20 minutes than Dead Island. Sure the concept is good but the gameplay and features have been done to death with zombie games. As a new franchise, they needed something different in the zombie genre in order to take flight. Dead Island doesn't deliver anything we haven't seen in previous zombie titles. This is pretty muchIve never been less interested to play a game after the first 20 minutes than Dead Island. Sure the concept is good but the gameplay and features have been done to death with zombie games. As a new franchise, they needed something different in the zombie genre in order to take flight. Dead Island doesn't deliver anything we haven't seen in previous zombie titles. This is pretty much Dead Rising on an island.… Expand
  6. GentlemanRick
    Nov 7, 2011
    6
    Where to starttttt, well this game is just bad ass, hands down. The graphics are amazing, the zombies are very realistic, and the campaign is legit. There are soo many different guns and stuff you can customize and they can all do really sweet stuff. This game is just simply amazing!!
  7. TheQuietGamer
    Nov 5, 2011
    9
    If you like Zombies this is the game to get, yes it does have a lot of flaws but it's still one of the most fun Zombie games I've ever played, and isn't how fun the game is that matters? sure you could complain that it has some bugs and could use polish in several areas, but when you only focus on the negative you'll never realize how fun this game is, it play like a mix of Left 4 Dead andIf you like Zombies this is the game to get, yes it does have a lot of flaws but it's still one of the most fun Zombie games I've ever played, and isn't how fun the game is that matters? sure you could complain that it has some bugs and could use polish in several areas, but when you only focus on the negative you'll never realize how fun this game is, it play like a mix of Left 4 Dead and Borderlands with a touch of Fallout 3 and Dead rising 2, so in other words it's a lot of fun, tons of quests, fantastic co-op multiplayer, and the ability to play through it again with your leveled up character means this game could keep you busy for possibly hundreds of hours, my only real complaints are that the story and cutscenes are not very interesting, and the four main characters you have to choose from all come across as selfish, unlikable jerks, and it could use a better save system, one like Fallout 3's would be nice, but even with it's flaws this is still a fantastic game that I can recommend to any and all gamers and Zombie lovers.… Expand
  8. ablindkid
    Nov 5, 2011
    7
    Dead Island is interesting, unconventional and incredibly disappointing. The visuals are great, combat is (usually) responsive and fun, plus you can level up your character. Unfortunately, the story and gameplay become frustrating and repetitive a few hours in, and the glitches certainly don't motivate you to keep playing. Co-Op with friends is fun as long as you keep your charactersDead Island is interesting, unconventional and incredibly disappointing. The visuals are great, combat is (usually) responsive and fun, plus you can level up your character. Unfortunately, the story and gameplay become frustrating and repetitive a few hours in, and the glitches certainly don't motivate you to keep playing. Co-Op with friends is fun as long as you keep your characters the same level. However you and your friends will probably end up having the most fun laughing at the crushingly generic plot. Dead Island isn't bad, hell it may even be worth a rental or a bargain bin purchase, but there are far better alternatives out there.… Expand
  9. poorjonny
    Oct 31, 2011
    8
    I am shocked this game scored so low. I have to say that there were a few bugs in my playthrough, but I am assuming that there was a patch that fixed all of the major ones as I didn't get bothered in the least by any I ran across, just a few minor hiccups. The story was also lacking, considering this is a zombie game I think we can all get over that. Now that the two main flaws are out ofI am shocked this game scored so low. I have to say that there were a few bugs in my playthrough, but I am assuming that there was a patch that fixed all of the major ones as I didn't get bothered in the least by any I ran across, just a few minor hiccups. The story was also lacking, considering this is a zombie game I think we can all get over that. Now that the two main flaws are out of the way we can get down to what was great about the game, as this was the meat and bones of the negativity. The scenery really sucks you in. This draws you into thinking that you are in a zombie apocalypse, or at least a B-movie as the voice acting is absolutely hilarious at points. It is so much fun to wander through the vast maps while battling the random zombies that come at you. Each one provides a lootable item. Looting is one of the most important parts of the game. It is necessary to collect many different parts to modify weapons or complete quests. The looting is usually done after attacks so it never does become stale, only a breather from the combat, which can actually provide quite a challenge at times.
    There are four classes. Each class has it's own weapon type specialty which is related to the skill tree upgrades. The zombies do level with you but never overbear your skills, I found the difficulty progression to be right on the money.
    The game is based around co-op play. With an internet connection joining a friends game is a simple process. Joining another game is also only a button click away. Unfortunately there is no local co-op, which is truly a shame as my friend and I passed the controller back and forth for all 32 hours we spent on the main campaign. These 32 hours do not take into account the amount of game we did not complete. Two days after the completion of the game we both decided that playing through again under a different class and attempting to complete each side quest.

    My impressions of the game are very high. I came into the game with very low expectations. After seeing the trailer months before it came out I was intrigued. After watching the gameplay I was pleasantly surprised. I remembered how disappointed I was with other zombie games in the past. After a few weeks of the game being out I decided to give it a try despite the poor reviews. Basically I went from buying the game as a casual time killer to being completely sucked into the absolute awesomeness of this game. Forget the negative reviews and give this game and honest chance. If you don't like it after roaming around for some time and allowing yourself the opportunity to try the different aspects then you are probably playing the wrong genre of video games.    … Expand
  10. Somogibbs
    Oct 28, 2011
    8
    Dead Island has it's flaws. Engine problems abound in this game with clipping and sometimes ugly textures and strange enemy AI. Graphical hiccups aside, this game is a lot of fun. There is a main story/quest structure that you can follow and side quests issued by people you meet. Much of the combat is melee and it is easy to get overwhelmed as enemies level up with you. This keeps theDead Island has it's flaws. Engine problems abound in this game with clipping and sometimes ugly textures and strange enemy AI. Graphical hiccups aside, this game is a lot of fun. There is a main story/quest structure that you can follow and side quests issued by people you meet. Much of the combat is melee and it is easy to get overwhelmed as enemies level up with you. This keeps the combat challenging throughout to the end of the game. Each section of the island forces you to employ new combat mechanics to stay alive so the game didn't get boring. The game is full of gore and creepiness and it was a day one purchase for me. I'm eagerly awaiting DLC and highly recommend this game.… Expand
  11. silentshade
    Oct 25, 2011
    8
    I like my zombie games from time to time and IMO this is my favourite one yet. So to start with the visuals which aren't that great, they look best in the first act with the beaches but they look rather ugly elsewhere. I noticed that the draw distance is not very good either and seeing a beach ball spawn in front of a zombie was a tad weird. The story is also not very good with some awfulI like my zombie games from time to time and IMO this is my favourite one yet. So to start with the visuals which aren't that great, they look best in the first act with the beaches but they look rather ugly elsewhere. I noticed that the draw distance is not very good either and seeing a beach ball spawn in front of a zombie was a tad weird. The story is also not very good with some awful accents and a genuinely boring plot with no suspense, same goes with the mission and side quest which should all be renamed to fetch the item because that is all it is. When I played it took me about 31 hours to finish which is a bit longer then most but I do like to explore and kill zombies. Now onto the gameplay which is where Dead Island shines, there is nothing better then whacking a zombie in the head with a baseball bat and seeing his head implode in SLOW MOTION, the melee weapons all feel nice and kill zombies in great ways and that is before there modded. Firearms fall short and are not as great to use and don't give the same good feeling a machete will. The RPG elements are also done well with the skill trees all making sense and I always found my self wondering which skill to go for next. Now the modding is actually a lot better then I thought it would be with some pretty good weapons to make which pack a hell of a punch such as the sledgehammer with the Tesla mod which literally sends zombies flying. The Co-op side of things work rather well and you wouldn't really think you had left single-player, I only experienced a problem once and even that was minor.
    In conclusion this is definitely a game you should take a look at and with about 50 hours on the clock for me, it sure is worth the cash.    … Expand
  12. Venatis
    Oct 24, 2011
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The thing with Dead Island is, it starts of very enticing, you want to carry on playing and find out, 'How did this happen?' 'Why am I immune to this disease?' But the more you go through the game, the more you can actually live without knowing. It has a very repetitive style, NPC always asking for something. It's fetch this and fetch that, and halfway through the game you are just feel like saying, 'Go do it yourself!' And the ending left me very disappointed, the cure turning Ryder White into a zombie, oh please! Although admittedly the whole gameplay is very unique and nothing iv seen in a zombie game before, mainly melee combat based to make the game more tricky, but then I wasn't even afraid of dying because you lose some money and then are respawned in exactly the same place, or in some cases at your actual location your going too! Overall its good for about the 1st act before you realise the repetitiveness of it all, combat can be very fun, but sometimes very challenging if you are playing single player rather than multiplayer as you are overwhelmed with zombie (Especially at the church area) but still don't worry, you only lose money! The NPC as well as the PC's are very bland and you don't connect with them, I really couldn't have cared less if they would have all died in the end! (To be honest it would have been a better ending!) The scenery in this game is just amazing and it is fun just to sometimes take time out of doing repetitive quests and just explore the open world!… Expand
  13. anthonygen94
    Oct 24, 2011
    8
    The game is one of the best zombie games I've played. The scenery blew me away, but it seemed to me that they took so long on the scenery and wanted to sell it quick, so they didn't even give any character any facial expressions. During touching moments in the game I just couldn't get into it because they didn't have any expressions, which ruined the mood quick. And the play ability isn'tThe game is one of the best zombie games I've played. The scenery blew me away, but it seemed to me that they took so long on the scenery and wanted to sell it quick, so they didn't even give any character any facial expressions. During touching moments in the game I just couldn't get into it because they didn't have any expressions, which ruined the mood quick. And the play ability isn't very good, I rate it a 7. I beat the game twice already and got to level 50. I almost have every achievement just not even caring to get them, all you need to do to get them is just play the game. It was a great game, but they could have done better by a lot. But hopefully they will do better in the 2nd one. At the end of the game they hint at a 2nd one being created.… Expand
  14. rotku
    Oct 24, 2011
    7
    Good game which I felt was a cross between left for dead and grand theft auto. The plot is predictable but not boring and the concept of weapon and player development did add depth to the gameplay however where i felt this game stepped up a notch was in the online co-op play which actually gave a feel for the need to co-operate as a team and punished players who tried to kill allGood game which I felt was a cross between left for dead and grand theft auto. The plot is predictable but not boring and the concept of weapon and player development did add depth to the gameplay however where i felt this game stepped up a notch was in the online co-op play which actually gave a feel for the need to co-operate as a team and punished players who tried to kill all zombies/collect all goodies without their teammates.
    A second playthrough may give some further depth to this game and perhaps the upcoming DLC will show something different but either way this is recommended for anybody who enjoys basing zombies to pieces.    … Expand
  15. luizciccolani
    Oct 21, 2011
    10
    Awesome game, it combines rpg elements with great melee combat.
    I really think that Dead Island deserves a better score.
    A must buy for zombie lovers !
  16. hamsammich
    Oct 19, 2011
    8
    This game is pretty awesome. Gameplay and graphis are good. Super gory and creepy at times. The cgi cutscenes were downright awful though. Many of them appeared to be unfinished and they sometimes referenced things that had not yet happened. The developers should have left them out entirely. This game's plot was pretty weak anyway. That said, the gameplay and overall experience was solidThis game is pretty awesome. Gameplay and graphis are good. Super gory and creepy at times. The cgi cutscenes were downright awful though. Many of them appeared to be unfinished and they sometimes referenced things that had not yet happened. The developers should have left them out entirely. This game's plot was pretty weak anyway. That said, the gameplay and overall experience was solid and kept my interest. It's a fallout-esque, super violent zombie game.… Expand
  17. 3PalmerEldritch
    Oct 17, 2011
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I have really enjoyed playing Dead Island. I love Zombie movies so I guess I am the target demographic. This is a dumb stupid game , in the nicest possible way. Don't look here for knowing social satire a la Romero's peerless trilogy. Rather it is Daw of The Dead- the slick flash remake. More likely it is the even dumber Day of the Dead remake. Yes, that crudely drawn. However the game is great fun. I had no problems with bugs or controls. You have nods to Romero's classic shufflers "walkers", and the fast runners of the 28 Days later and previously mentioned remakes. These "infected" are fantastic as they shriek and rush you. This not a great game but it sure is mighty fun.… Expand
  18. bobbob
    Oct 17, 2011
    10
    Dead Island feels like a frankengame cobbled together from scavenged parts. Itâ
  19. Killkerson
    Oct 15, 2011
    7
    Seeing the game trailer for this so long ago I really expected a gripping fight for your life experience. What was received was a in your face mash em up. This game is fun. Pure and simple. Lacks extremely in story but the sheer game play is very rewarding. With that being said I experienced several bugs with the game. Constant freezing in Co-Op was very frustrating plus the corrupted gameSeeing the game trailer for this so long ago I really expected a gripping fight for your life experience. What was received was a in your face mash em up. This game is fun. Pure and simple. Lacks extremely in story but the sheer game play is very rewarding. With that being said I experienced several bugs with the game. Constant freezing in Co-Op was very frustrating plus the corrupted game saves I encountered made it game breaking. Regardless of the bugs I still had and have a blast with this game. You really can't get over the broken limbs and perfectly timed decapitations.… Expand
  20. Someoneudunno
    Oct 15, 2011
    6
    I was pretty disappointed with this game to be honest. I'd been following it pretty much since announcement and was pretty much ecstatic when the first trailer was released. But this game fell so short of what I expected. There are a lot of major bugs in the game and even more weird animations, the gameplay gets somewhat stale very fast, going from open world to incredibly restrictiveI was pretty disappointed with this game to be honest. I'd been following it pretty much since announcement and was pretty much ecstatic when the first trailer was released. But this game fell so short of what I expected. There are a lot of major bugs in the game and even more weird animations, the gameplay gets somewhat stale very fast, going from open world to incredibly restrictive areas and the story is next to non-existent. The main redeeming factors are the variety in weapons available and the graphics. What I will say is if you enjoyed the style of game-play Borderlands had you'll probably enjoy this a lot more than I did.… Expand
  21. Watchinkaa
    Oct 15, 2011
    1
    Biggest Disappointment of the year, this game suck more ass then a ass sucking vampire. I really wanted to like this game alot, but its a horrible broken game full of bugs and glitchs and crappy cutscene animations. the game also gets boring and you have to force yourself to play it to the end.
  22. shadowrun
    Oct 13, 2011
    8
    ok so it wasnt the sweeping tragic story that the early trailer may of let you believe. but its brutal. blood thirsty. crass romp through the over cluttered genre of survival horror. yes its flawed in some places. but nothing a few patches will cure. but for people like me. who love bashing zombies across the face with a blunt object. this will be your game of the year! dead island is leftok so it wasnt the sweeping tragic story that the early trailer may of let you believe. but its brutal. blood thirsty. crass romp through the over cluttered genre of survival horror. yes its flawed in some places. but nothing a few patches will cure. but for people like me. who love bashing zombies across the face with a blunt object. this will be your game of the year! dead island is left for dead (played at half speed) with a dose of borderlands. and a bucket of gore and guts, some dodgy voice acting and story. but who cares. its a zombie game! bring some friends!… Expand
  23. Bman2095
    Oct 12, 2011
    5
    Dead Island was one of those games everyone thought was going to be PERFECT like Duke Nukem. It was being made for years and trailers promoted it like crazy. I really thought it was going to be better than what it was though, The graphics were pretty bad and the story was horrible. However, the open world was great and the island was large enough to explore and not get bored. I did enjoyDead Island was one of those games everyone thought was going to be PERFECT like Duke Nukem. It was being made for years and trailers promoted it like crazy. I really thought it was going to be better than what it was though, The graphics were pretty bad and the story was horrible. However, the open world was great and the island was large enough to explore and not get bored. I did enjoy Dead island the first 2 times around but it loses it's replay value very easily. Over all I have to give it a 5/10.… Expand
  24. oilyclown08
    Oct 6, 2011
    10
    Have you ever dreamed of one day fighting your way across a post apocalyptic zombie wasteland? Joining forces with a small group of warriors, and doing whatever it takes to survive? Well, here's your chance. Dead Island has captured the best elements of the genre and thrown you smack dab in the middle of it. Video previews do not do justice to this experience. You will fight for yourHave you ever dreamed of one day fighting your way across a post apocalyptic zombie wasteland? Joining forces with a small group of warriors, and doing whatever it takes to survive? Well, here's your chance. Dead Island has captured the best elements of the genre and thrown you smack dab in the middle of it. Video previews do not do justice to this experience. You will fight for your survival on tropical beaches, destroyed cities, infested jungles, as well as a prison that must be seen to be believed. Join forces with friends or total strangers.... And pray you make it out alive. Happy hunting.… Expand
  25. Oswald
    Oct 4, 2011
    9
    Dead Island is a great game! Right after completing Dead island, I jumped into Gears Of War 3. Just finished Gears 3, another great game, but I find myself thinking about Dead Island again. It's that fun. I am writing this knowing I have Rage waiting at home for me. Point being, if a game impresses that much its got to be good. I hope to see Dead Island 2 someday.

    Wonderful    Dead Island is a great game! Right after completing Dead island, I jumped into Gears Of War 3. Just finished Gears 3, another great game, but I find myself thinking about Dead Island again. It's that fun. I am writing this knowing I have Rage waiting at home for me. Point being, if a game impresses that much its got to be good. I hope to see Dead Island 2 someday.

    Wonderful graphics, butter smooth framerate. Great artwork. Loved the side quests too. They seemed to fit well.    … Expand
  26. HeavyLead
    Oct 3, 2011
    7
    Dead Island is some of what it is and some not. This game is a fantastic zombie killing game. It does have fantastic RPG elements with all the upgrading, mods, upkeep, and scavenging needed for each weapon. This game however is not one where you will be immersed in the world, plot, characters, etc. There is really no likable characters, they all have cheesy accents and their stereotypicalDead Island is some of what it is and some not. This game is a fantastic zombie killing game. It does have fantastic RPG elements with all the upgrading, mods, upkeep, and scavenging needed for each weapon. This game however is not one where you will be immersed in the world, plot, characters, etc. There is really no likable characters, they all have cheesy accents and their stereotypical dialogue isn't even laughable its just sad. Nothing story wise about this game is memorable...now that I have that out of the way this game excels at both graphics and audio. This is one of the best looking zombie games I have played. The audio is also top notch, as you can hear bones break as you hit a zombies arm with a baseball bat. This game should be played with 4 people to get a full experience, nothing like killing zombies with a friend. There isn't alot of replay value after you beat the game, joining a lower level players game is laughable because of how slowly you'll rank up. Overall, good game, but could have been better. 7/10… Expand
  27. Jcrank42210
    Oct 3, 2011
    7
    Dead Island a solid game from interesting ways to kill zombies and the graphics. The game is just like Left for Dead but with a lot better graphics. The problem with Dead Island is the repetition and lack of variety in game modes. I do like that you can choose different characters but I also don't like that you do the same thing over and over. How long can you do nothing but kill Zombies.
  28. bagga_t
    Oct 3, 2011
    3
    Graphically it doesn't look too bad, but fetch quest after fetch quest is enough to put even the most hardened zombie genre fan off. I gave up after about 4 hours.
  29. williamdun
    Sep 30, 2011
    3
    This game would have been so much better if it was delay a few months more to fix the many bugs it has, and this game has more bugs than a bug farm!! Furthermore anyone who says this game is good or even rate it higher than a 6 is not a gamer. 1stly the game is sorta fun but it wears off very fast and the reason is because you do the same time over and over.... for one almost all of theThis game would have been so much better if it was delay a few months more to fix the many bugs it has, and this game has more bugs than a bug farm!! Furthermore anyone who says this game is good or even rate it higher than a 6 is not a gamer. 1stly the game is sorta fun but it wears off very fast and the reason is because you do the same time over and over.... for one almost all of the mission feel the same.... either go to a location , find a item , do this. do that its no variety at all. 2ndly the driving is horrible and lacks any sense of real driving even if its 1st person view . You can even see behind you to reverse. 3rd. no variety in weapons.... yes the game has lots of weapons?? not exactly you get different variations on the weapons... ex. feeble hammer - dangerous hammer n etc. what?? no chainsaws??? flamethrower?? 4th. The enemies you encounter feels lazy and dull ex. the big zombie knocks you back ok fine... why is it that the stray jacket infected knocks you back with the same impact if he is charging at you with full force?? Again you will have fun letting out rage on this game but personally i enjoyed left 4 dead n dead rising a whole lot better than this. I was highly disappointed!!!!!… Expand
  30. Jonathon
    Sep 29, 2011
    9
    I waited a long time for this game and it definitely met my huge expectations for it. I have been hooked on the game ever since i bought and playing the game with a friend greatly added to the experience. I've only had it for two days and I'm 78% done with the game, but even if the main story line is short there are always the great side quests which give you xp, mods, weapons, and alot ofI waited a long time for this game and it definitely met my huge expectations for it. I have been hooked on the game ever since i bought and playing the game with a friend greatly added to the experience. I've only had it for two days and I'm 78% done with the game, but even if the main story line is short there are always the great side quests which give you xp, mods, weapons, and alot of cool stuff. I read some of the negative reviews people have wrote and most of them were because of glitches and bugs but other then some pop ins and other minor stuff i haven't had any game breaking bugs. Me and my friend were able to join and leave our games at will. The reason I gave this game a 9 instead of a 10 was because of the story. It's not terrible but it could have been better. It just seemed like another zombie cliche where the characters are afraid and don't know what to do. Also it feels like the characters are just stereotypes of the different races. The African American who is a rapper says that his father got into a prison and his mom needed to raise him alone and he became a rapper, the white guy was a celebrity before he started drinking and became an alcoholic, and the asian has to honor her father who was in the Hong Kong police. The only character who is sort of original is Purna. But for a game like this gameplay is more important then story and there are alot of quests and stuff for you to do. Even when you beat the game you could start a new one with all the cool weapons and all islands opened up from the beginning and you could do the side quests. If you like zombie games, or any game where you could have fun with people then get this game. Even if you don't play it with anyone you will have fun but coop is pretty cool, especially when you and your friend(s) all get into a car and drive and run over zombies. For me it was one of the funnest games of the year.… Expand
  31. Bighairyturtle
    Sep 29, 2011
    8
    Pros:
    1. Weapon variety and creation.
    2. Entertaining and challenging fighting controls and interface. 3. Fair story and lots to do. 4. Scenery is Pretty and engaging. Cons: 1. Driving 2. Starts off slow in my opinion 3. Save system can be better and is buggy at points 4.Needs some polishing. Summary: I enjoyed this game the classes, weapons, fighting, and story were all great.    Pros:
    1. Weapon variety and creation.
    2. Entertaining and challenging fighting controls and interface.
    3. Fair story and lots to do.
    4. Scenery is Pretty and engaging.
    Cons:
    1. Driving
    2. Starts off slow in my opinion
    3. Save system can be better and is buggy at points
    4.Needs some polishing.

    Summary: I enjoyed this game the classes, weapons, fighting, and story were all great. Unfortunately the some of the flaws and lack of polishing can make this game frustrating and take away from the experience. After a patch and the price drop I think this will be a solid game to turn to when you want some story, zombie violence, and fps feel.

    8/10    … Expand
  32. Bradders996
    Sep 28, 2011
    4
    I really wanted this game to be a big hit! and when I got the game I did like it. However there were so many glitches it made the game unbearable, but not being one to admit defeat and that Id wasted my money I continued playing the game and for the most part having fun. that is until a glitch which took away all my weapons and my hands occurred and saved that way! And to top it off theI really wanted this game to be a big hit! and when I got the game I did like it. However there were so many glitches it made the game unbearable, but not being one to admit defeat and that Id wasted my money I continued playing the game and for the most part having fun. that is until a glitch which took away all my weapons and my hands occurred and saved that way! And to top it off the tech support was terrible! (even blaming me for not making a back-up!!). Now this game can boast being the only game I have ever taken back! full refund too! :-)… Expand
  33. DANIPSX
    Sep 28, 2011
    9
    Great game!.

    This game can remember you another games like fallout, oblivion or similar, but the story and the maps are not bigger than these games. The game has some fails, but its really addictive and the new abilities that you are learning across the game are great. You have a lot of secondary histories and a cooperative game with another 3 people, so the game life grows. The    Great game!.

    This game can remember you another games like fallout, oblivion or similar, but the story and the maps are not bigger than these games.

    The game has some fails, but its really addictive and the new abilities that you are learning across the game are great.

    You have a lot of secondary histories and a cooperative game with another 3 people, so the game life grows.

    The graphics are really great, and the music and ambient are great too!.    … Expand
  34. awesomex1980
    Sep 27, 2011
    9
    I think some of you nerdy types are a little hyper-critical of the bugs in the game. Yeah, there are some glitches, yeah, sometimes zombies freeze on you, your game may not save correctly. But, and I can't believe I'm comparing them, Oblivion had pretty much the same bugs, and this game actually plays smoother. All-in-all it is a very large, complex, challenging game. It was very wellI think some of you nerdy types are a little hyper-critical of the bugs in the game. Yeah, there are some glitches, yeah, sometimes zombies freeze on you, your game may not save correctly. But, and I can't believe I'm comparing them, Oblivion had pretty much the same bugs, and this game actually plays smoother. All-in-all it is a very large, complex, challenging game. It was very well crafted for the budget they had. In my opinion, if you liked Borderlands, this is the game for you.… Expand
  35. Dallange2point0
    Sep 26, 2011
    9
    I really enjoy this game. The main quest is a bit short, but there are so many side quests to do that are actually quite fun. The storyline is good. You won't get sucked into it or anything, but that could have been worse. For the people complaining that it's all melee, well, they should have played longer, as there are guns to use, and although they don't make short work of theI really enjoy this game. The main quest is a bit short, but there are so many side quests to do that are actually quite fun. The storyline is good. You won't get sucked into it or anything, but that could have been worse. For the people complaining that it's all melee, well, they should have played longer, as there are guns to use, and although they don't make short work of the zombies you'll encounter, they do put an end to the non-dead rather quickly. I also tend to use the guns for bloaters and (man, I HATE these guys) butchers from a distance (be sure to finish these guys off, as they have a nasty habit of healing themselves). I'd have to say the most tense moments are when you are traveling in the sewers. There have also been complaints of the zombies leveling up with your character. Although that is partially true (you'll have zombies that are both lower and a bit higher than your character), what fun would it be if you can just go around with your level 40 character bashing a bunch of level 1 zombies? I can answer that, as I joined a game of a friend who had a low level character. It was too easy, and although it was great to feel like Superman for a while, that feeling left rather quickly. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go repair my weapons so I can effectively crush in some more zombie heads.… Expand
  36. illage2
    Sep 26, 2011
    9
    Dead Island has to be one of the best games out this year. It's on a different setting as in media Zombies outbreak occur in either cities or countryside, and putting it on a tropical island is original. The graphics are amazing, you feel like your actually on the fictional island on Banoi.

    The combat, the gore and the general game play make this game very enjoyable. Well worth getting.
  37. Engage
    Sep 23, 2011
    9
    I'll start off by saying that I would give Dead Island a 9.5 if I were able. Dead Island is a fantastic game on all fronts. I'm blown away by the graphics, Im not going to lie, I had my doubts going in, but I can safely say that if you have an HDTV, this game does not disappoint. Killing zombies by decapitation and cutting off their limbs NEVER gets old due to the realism of theI'll start off by saying that I would give Dead Island a 9.5 if I were able. Dead Island is a fantastic game on all fronts. I'm blown away by the graphics, Im not going to lie, I had my doubts going in, but I can safely say that if you have an HDTV, this game does not disappoint. Killing zombies by decapitation and cutting off their limbs NEVER gets old due to the realism of the effects of the aftermath/cutting of the limbs. Getting to level 50 is right where you would want it, not too close but not too far away. What really makes the game last are the skill trees that you invest points in to become the ultimate zombie killer/survivor. The story is a little weak but really it is just there to give you an excuse to kill zombies all day long, which is fine by me. Think of Borderlands in that way, no good story but endless hours of looting and killing. The game can get a little tough sometimes, even when playing cooperatively because zombies are a tough fight and occasionally they really start to cluster you. All the reports of glitches are so far unknown to me (I recommend a download to your hard drive because I have had no issues at all, minus a few game freezes when things get real hectic). Bottom line is that Dead Island offers tons of hours of gameplay, which are accompanied with beautiful visuals and tons of looting. Its a big world to explore and should go down as one of the best games of 2011. Ignore the reports of "game breaking bugs" and also ignore Edge Magazine's review because I think a retard wrote it. They were looking for stuff to hate and threw out whatever they found and made it sound awful, which it is not. I hate wasting my money on video games and I did not with Dead Island. Highly recommend.… Expand
  38. PreCaut1on
    Sep 23, 2011
    7
    Dead Island, unfortunately, is one of those games that I simply can't love, but really wished I could have.

    You start off this zombie open-world adventure by choosing one of the four main classes, each with their own back story (which to be honest either needed more to it or to be left out entirely.) One of my main issues with the game is right here, with the character selection. The    Dead Island, unfortunately, is one of those games that I simply can't love, but really wished I could have.

    You start off this zombie open-world adventure by choosing one of the four main classes, each with their own back story (which to be honest either needed more to it or to be left out entirely.) One of my main issues with the game is right here, with the character selection. The characters do not differentiate themselves enough. The best option is the blunt expert because of his regeneration skills, and his fury attack uses only his fists. Choosing any of the other three classes, to me, would feel like a waste of time, since you'll just be better with the blunt expert without a doubt.

    While in the style of Borderlands, the multiplayer is also a bit of a let down. The weapons, and there are a lot of them, all seem to look the same. Combat consists mainly of simply aiming for the head, and I quickly became bored with smashing the same generic enemy types over and over.

    My final point really is the biggest let down, and it is all the poor design choices the developers made. The car driving is extremely boring, with the roads being very narrow and you aren't allowed any 3rd person view. The choice to go primarily melee might have sounded good on paper, but after playing a game like borderlands, with its variety of guns and interesting animations, finding a high level weapon that is merely a stick and then bashing it against a zombie head like you have since the beginning of the game is a massive let down.

    I really did want to enjoy this game with my friends, but I didn't have massive expectations. After watching gameplay months before it came out, i had a feeling this wouldn't be my answer to Borderlands withdrawal. To be honest, this really does take many good mechanics from other good games, such as the loot and coop from Borderlands, the zombies from Left 4 Dead, the open world of a Fallout Game (though it does feel much more constricted than Fallout). But they were executed rather poorly. Pros: *Fun level-based coop game
    *Tons of loot and weapons
    *Big island to explore

    Cons:
    *Combat gets old rather quickly
    *Classes don't differ enough
    *Driving is awful. Just awful.

    7: This game does deserve a 7, because at times it can be fun. But overall the experience felt like a chore, due to a boring story with almost nothing to work towards, and a mediocre combat system that will feel old and tiresome after the first act or 2.    … Expand
  39. thefirstknight1
    Sep 21, 2011
    10
    I never experienced all of the bugs these people are talking about. Not once, even before the patch was released. I played by myself off and on through out the game. Let me tell you, my friend and I started the game together via xbox live after we got past the hotel. We had a BLAST!!!! Then my two other good friends joined us a couple days later and it was just amazing. The graphicalI never experienced all of the bugs these people are talking about. Not once, even before the patch was released. I played by myself off and on through out the game. Let me tell you, my friend and I started the game together via xbox live after we got past the hotel. We had a BLAST!!!! Then my two other good friends joined us a couple days later and it was just amazing. The graphical glitches are VERY and I mean VERY RARE! The graphics of the game are beautiful. 8.5/10. The combat is absolutely Gorey, unique, satisfying, and entertaining. 9.5/10. Open world environments are split up into 4 areas, all of which you can fast travel between. Although, since I am used to oblivion, morrowind, and borderland open worlds, I believe the whole map should be traversed by foot, land or boat and not just fast travel. Also not everything in the open world is interactive or you cant pick up every item. IF it were a bethesda game, you can bet you can go into every building and pick up any item you see and not be fixed to the ground or be a useless prop. I give that a 7/10 for average. The items, upgrading, repairing, and modding weapons are more than what I expected from an open world zombie RPG. It is creative crafting system and I give that a perfect 10/10. Music and sound effects fit the situation and etc. I give it a 8/10. Multiplayer is just AWESOME and gives it replay value. For the first time, It actually makes me want to replay the game even when I have beat it. I give this a 10/10. A lot of people complain about how the zombies level up with you. Do you realize how easy it would be if they didnt?!?! I joined a friends game, I was level 30 and he was level 15. Literally, one hit to a zombie killed it. It wasnt satisfying. I told him to join my game instead. The point is to level up, and get as many skills as you can get. Skills make your combat situation easier thus making you feel more powerful when you do fight zombies that are the same level as you. Skill trees are pretty well thought out and since dead island is the first of its kind, it did an excellent job. I'm pretty sure there is room for improvement but they did the best they could. I give it a 10/10. Story isnt all that gripping. I give it a 6/10. In this game, it really doesnt matter as the story isnt what draws you in, its the combat, multiplayer, crafting aspects that keep you playing. what does a story matter when you are going to be replaying the game over and over again(cause it has awesome replay value)? So my total scoring average is 8.6 out of 10. Now, since we have no-life nerds who come on here and COMPLAIN about everything...kinda pisses me off. Get out of your mothers basement and get a job. Maybe if you do that you wont be OVERLY picky on a game that deserves credit. WHA they level up with you, WHAAW there are bugs here and there, WHAAW there is money in a game when you dont need money, WHAAA WHAAA WHAAA WHAAA. I wont talk about the good stuff....because I am a little spoiled brat. If it were halo, gears of war 3, and any other popular title.....I would give it a perfect 10 out of 10 regardless if it is the same quality as dead island. So, since my average is 8.6 out of 10. I am forced to give this a 10 out of 10 to combat the lamers on here.… Expand
  40. MadCap1987
    Sep 19, 2011
    9
    first of all id like to point out that i think alot of the low scoring reviewers probably didnt play much of the game to let it all settle in, after about 40 hours worth of gameplay and about 60% of my way through the game on single player and playing it with a buddy of mine, that its by far one of the best games to have came out this year, sure it has a few bus but theyre being correctedfirst of all id like to point out that i think alot of the low scoring reviewers probably didnt play much of the game to let it all settle in, after about 40 hours worth of gameplay and about 60% of my way through the game on single player and playing it with a buddy of mine, that its by far one of the best games to have came out this year, sure it has a few bus but theyre being corrected with updates pretty sharpish. Im also left wondering why the pc version has a much higher rating than the xbox version despite the xbox version being the platform it was primarily developed for and ported over to pc and ps3, not to mention the fact that the pc versions release was hampered my alot of set backs such as the accidental release of the dev version on steam instead of the retail version, keep in mind this game has been in development hell since the 360's early days, baring that in mind the game is phenominal. If this game were a drug id be lying overdosed in my room right now, complete and utter game crack, buy it now, id say that its even better than deus ex human revolution.… Expand
  41. MadclownJack
    Sep 18, 2011
    9
    I really loved this game. I get why people hate it at the moment, having bought the shoddy version the minute it got out and then screamed in unison because of it's innumerable and crippling bugs. In my honest opinion, they should have just waited a week or two, for the patches to get out instead of just whining to high heaven. Again, i must say I completely understand the frustration ofI really loved this game. I get why people hate it at the moment, having bought the shoddy version the minute it got out and then screamed in unison because of it's innumerable and crippling bugs. In my honest opinion, they should have just waited a week or two, for the patches to get out instead of just whining to high heaven. Again, i must say I completely understand the frustration of buying something only to be let down in the worst manner possible. No game to date, that i'm aware of, came out "Gold" right away, so you just needn't be so hasty to throw it away without even a second glance.People seem to forget that buying a game nowadays tends to be a risky and ungratifying endeavor, because of the impossible terms the publishing companies impose on the developers who in turn rush the unfinished games to stores. In all fairness, rarely does it happen for a game to stay shoddy and not get patched. Usually a patch follows shortly.

    The game itself is fun and engaging, showing a more realistic approach towards the whole zombie apocalypse shindig than i've seen so far. And you can preach to me about Left 4 Dead and the likes as much as your fingers can bear. Truth is, Left 4 Dead and Dead Island only share a theme. The gameplay mechanics are completely different. So it's dumb to compare them in the first place. After installing all of the patches i haven't had any trouble with the game, and i just finished my first playthrough. The story is a little bland and cliche, as is the case with many other games that have lately come out. But at least this game doesn't kid it'self and the player that it's something more than it shows. It's a simple, yet complicated, thrill ride, packed with action segments and rewarding gameplay. Many have described it as "Borderlands with zombies", but there are some key features that distinguish the game from Borderlands a little bit. The main feature being it's "Weapon Modification/Creation" feature. I expect there will be more weapons and mods in future DLC, which I think will only add to the whole experience of the game. To those who have played Borderlands the system will be quite familiar and will have no problem adapting to this game. Those who have played Resident Evil 5, will notice a similar atmosphere when they arrive in the city of Moresby. Not saying the game is original, but it's implemented features, be they action or rpg oriented, work surprisingly well as a whole.

    I will end by admitting that this is one of the better games I've played lately, better even than "Deus Ex HR". I anxiously await any and all DLC of this game, and recommend anyone that hasn't played it yet to do so, but only after patching it up properly.    … Expand
  42. emanuel83
    Sep 18, 2011
    8
    In our current gaming society where games are nitpicked to oblivion, and every glitch and shortcoming are spouted to the online community, Dead Island may look bad on paper. Why some may focus on bugs, graphical errors and the like, they will undoubtedly miss the boat. Dead Island has flaws with clipping, loading textures, hit detection, balance, saving (on some platforms), and even basicIn our current gaming society where games are nitpicked to oblivion, and every glitch and shortcoming are spouted to the online community, Dead Island may look bad on paper. Why some may focus on bugs, graphical errors and the like, they will undoubtedly miss the boat. Dead Island has flaws with clipping, loading textures, hit detection, balance, saving (on some platforms), and even basic gameplay that you think should have been addressed during testing. However, as you make your way through the body littered island of Banoi, you start to forget some of these issues while gazing at the simply gorgeous landscape. Suddenly you are brought back to reality by the distant roar of a Thug. You look around quickly and see an Infected running towards you full boar and think, "Crap...." Armed with only a baseball bat, you kick the crazed zombie then crack his head open with a perfectly executed swing. Blood and brain matter spray on the sand as the recently bloodthirsty brain muncher now lies motionless. It is that this time that you forget any criticism you had of Dead Island.

    Dispatching one of these undead foes is, to put it very lightly, refreshing. The motion of the camera, the first person perspective, the way enemies react to the force of a hit. It's all so satisfying that pretty soon you've spent 5 hours running around slaughtering the undead and haven't even done a quest. Every friend you have join your game only seems to amplify the experience. To me it's a lot like Borderlands, except with zombies... and melee weapons instead of guns (for the most part). It takes many cues from that title, but doesn't really do anything better, or even quite as good. Much like Borderlands, however, the co-op is endless fun and should be played in 5-7 hour increments.

    I remember a time when games were given good ratings because of how fun they were, and not necessarily how perfect they were technically. If you want a good time and love zombie genocide, then check it out!    … Expand
  43. xxFORDSTERxx
    Sep 17, 2011
    7
    I think the reason im giving this a 7 and not a 9 or 10, Is due to the trailer got me so pumped for this game, It looked like a perfect game, But the final product did not live up to my expectations. The game is still good though. I should also note that the bugs are lowering my score, They need to be fixed
  44. JamieTz
    Sep 16, 2011
    7
    The points responsible for the negative image around Dead Island such as the indifferent characters, bland story, bad voice acting etc. are out-shined by the overall experience, the pure fun offered by the game, the visually beautiful Banoi island and the co-op mode with friends which thanks to the large amount of content, it is able to offer 30 + hours of game-play. I, however, despiteThe points responsible for the negative image around Dead Island such as the indifferent characters, bland story, bad voice acting etc. are out-shined by the overall experience, the pure fun offered by the game, the visually beautiful Banoi island and the co-op mode with friends which thanks to the large amount of content, it is able to offer 30 + hours of game-play. I, however, despite its problems, continue to believe that Dead Island is the most realistic representation of a zombie apocalypse in a video game to date.… Expand
  45. Showzen
    Sep 16, 2011
    10
    This game rocks! This is the game you get friends together for and do some kickass co-op. This game is a riot you will be laughing your ass off. Ignore the story, I would probably even skip most cutscenes.
  46. Sh0dan
    Sep 16, 2011
    8
    Rough around the edges like an old-school PC game, but no major show stopping bugs. The graphics and sound are generally pretty amazing looking with some spectacular island scenery. Though at the same time it can also look bland and texture-less in a few places though that is easily overlooked due to the great sound design that helps to keep you immersed. Game-play wise, the game is veryRough around the edges like an old-school PC game, but no major show stopping bugs. The graphics and sound are generally pretty amazing looking with some spectacular island scenery. Though at the same time it can also look bland and texture-less in a few places though that is easily overlooked due to the great sound design that helps to keep you immersed. Game-play wise, the game is very addictive, with visceral melee combat and fairly in-depth RPG mechanics. There are drivable vehicles which feel quite nice and are very useful for getting around the island. The gun combat is a bit weak, and I don't like how firearms have been implemented in that Diablo organised by quality way, but I guess they do the job. There are tons of quests on offer which are genuinely fun and non repetitive, but the main plot (of which there is little) is sub par by today's standards. It has little in common with that awesome emotional trailer, but that doesn't mean the atmosphere isn't thick and eerie, it really is. The game works best not as a narrative game, but as a zombie survival simulator. And for that it really succeeds like no other zombie game has. Its a great game that I would recommend to any zombie fan.… Expand
  47. MechaYakuza
    Sep 16, 2011
    10
    The first night I fired it up I spent 7 straight amazing hours in co-op with friends. Since then I've put about 10 hours into the game solo, and it still plays amazing. I have yet to come across a single glitch in the beautifuly detailed world. If you liked Fallout 3, Far Cry 2, or Dead Rising, you can't go wrong with this 2011 GOTY contender.
  48. cafebabe
    Sep 16, 2011
    5
    "Neaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh", *rums, *wumbs, Dead. What starts as a promising zombie sandbox game turns out to be a very linear first person shooter with annoying game mechanics. The quite long story (main story and side quests) starts interesting but loses liability fast. You will find groups of survivors in a lighthouse, in a church, a ware house and in the jungle. But their stories are just"Neaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh", *rums, *wumbs, Dead. What starts as a promising zombie sandbox game turns out to be a very linear first person shooter with annoying game mechanics. The quite long story (main story and side quests) starts interesting but loses liability fast. You will find groups of survivors in a lighthouse, in a church, a ware house and in the jungle. But their stories are just there to show you places and have you more of these "Neaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh", *rums, *wumbs, Dead. To the end of the game, everything is just very linear. The maps get tighten up, leave you less routes to take and places to visit.

    More broken are the game mechanics. Zombies, killed seconds ago spawning right in front of you. Weapons which seem to be shorter than a toothpick. Zombies (or ghosts) running right through you and hit you from behind. Somewhat useless guns. And the fact that you loose money when you die, because the game designers probably felt that you need more punishment than just the very very annoying fast and raging zombies. "Neaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh", *rums, *wumbs, Dead. Those zombies are just hard to kill which makes parts of the game unfair and really frustrating.

    Although, the graphics are nice. Especially the city looks very detailed.

    I have not tried multiplayer because I felt no real incentive in joining another session.

    TL;DR: It's worth to play the game to the end for those who like the genre. But some will stop over too much frustration because of those "Neaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh", *rums, *wumbs, Dead. And Left 4 Dead keeps the throne!    … Expand
  49. Jord291
    Sep 16, 2011
    7
    If anyone has seen zombie flesh eaters (1979) then you would agree Dead island has similar qualities, most likely due to the fact they both include a tropical island ans zombies. I was very excited for the release of this game but at the same time slightly sceptical, it seemed hard to believe that a rpg with a pretty big free roam map with zombies was too good to be true, but fortunatelyIf anyone has seen zombie flesh eaters (1979) then you would agree Dead island has similar qualities, most likely due to the fact they both include a tropical island ans zombies. I was very excited for the release of this game but at the same time slightly sceptical, it seemed hard to believe that a rpg with a pretty big free roam map with zombies was too good to be true, but fortunately Dead island is just that. The graphics are lush, the storyline is pretty good, the combat system although edgy in some places gets the job done. I do have some criticisms though, like pretty much every game it does get repetitive, and i mean this literally, the same or similar zombies respawn in the same or similar place after they die, it makes this game predictible. What i desire in most games (especially RPG's) is some aspects of realism. The online sector of the game makes the game more enjoyable has having companions gives you a sense of realiability even though the majority of the time actually starting or joining an online party can be annoying has you dont always get connected. But overall Dead island is a pretty good game, has alot of replay value, especially if playing with friends. Also for the record, yeah your character is immune to the infection, but you can still get killed so why should you do all the errands alone, the other survivors should get off their ass and help!! I'll give this game 7/10 (At it's complete maximum)… Expand
  50. FatalExcursion
    Sep 15, 2011
    8
    Dead Island's strong points lie not in its story, but in its unique gameplay that provides some of the most intense combat in a zombie game, requiring you to watch your teammates backs, and they to protect you as well. With the crafting of diverse weapons, a mixture of more in-depth Dead Rising crafting, and Borderlands-esque weapon modification system, and a beautiful and dangerous worldDead Island's strong points lie not in its story, but in its unique gameplay that provides some of the most intense combat in a zombie game, requiring you to watch your teammates backs, and they to protect you as well. With the crafting of diverse weapons, a mixture of more in-depth Dead Rising crafting, and Borderlands-esque weapon modification system, and a beautiful and dangerous world to explore, and tons of skill combinations to experiment with in combat, this game provides a thrilling experience that's both horrifying and satisfying at the same time; a near-perfect zombie-survival experience.… Expand
  51. aisaac6
    Sep 15, 2011
    7
    First off this is a very fun game at times however the inexcusable bugs will take you out f the experience from time to time that can ruin the game for some. The graphics are mixed between the gorgeous island and the beauty of dismembering zombies to how bad a normal person you are talking to can look worse than the undead. The amount of side quest in vast but a good amount of the questFirst off this is a very fun game at times however the inexcusable bugs will take you out f the experience from time to time that can ruin the game for some. The graphics are mixed between the gorgeous island and the beauty of dismembering zombies to how bad a normal person you are talking to can look worse than the undead. The amount of side quest in vast but a good amount of the quest are just your character taking orders from other survivors to fetch them something they want and they get boring very fast. If you can look past these problems their is a good game to be found worth at least a play through.… Expand
  52. shortyluke2012
    Sep 15, 2011
    9
    Firstly, this is an amazing game. As you might of read already the environment outside is breath taking and is really stunning, the storyline is very entertaining at most parts but sometimes can feel kinda predictable. This game is defiantly for Co-op play however if you don't have on-line, don't worry as single player is also bad-ass. The skills and levelling up system is simple yet itFirstly, this is an amazing game. As you might of read already the environment outside is breath taking and is really stunning, the storyline is very entertaining at most parts but sometimes can feel kinda predictable. This game is defiantly for Co-op play however if you don't have on-line, don't worry as single player is also bad-ass. The skills and levelling up system is simple yet it works, The story is 20-22 hours long excluding MOST of the side quests. Lastly the re-playablity of this game is VERY HIGH so if you have anything planned over the weekend.. Reschedule as you might be busy. I would recommend this game to anyone who enjoys having fun with their friends and wants to waste a couple of hours a day kicking zombie butt.… Expand
  53. birrml
    Sep 14, 2011
    3
    Why am I not seeing anyone writing about what I believe to be the worst part about this game. The Zombies level-scaling! WTF?!?!?! Seriously? Zombies are dead, the dead decay, therefore, if anything, zombies should get weaker over time. Which I don't think they have to, but keeping even the weakest the zombies just as strong as the player throughout the game? LAME! What's the point ofWhy am I not seeing anyone writing about what I believe to be the worst part about this game. The Zombies level-scaling! WTF?!?!?! Seriously? Zombies are dead, the dead decay, therefore, if anything, zombies should get weaker over time. Which I don't think they have to, but keeping even the weakest the zombies just as strong as the player throughout the game? LAME! What's the point of leveling up or getting and upgrading new and stronger weapons, if it doesn't even freaking matter!?!?!?! Well? Can someone explain the plus to this? Regardless of where you are in the game, and what weapons you have (Aside from firearms later in the game). They are just as hard as the first zombie you beat with a crappy oar. This makes the game feel as if there's no character progression, because you don't get stronger. Well, you do get stronger, but so do the zombies. I can understand making the hordes larger, throwing the new stronger enemy types, but keep the weak zombies in their place, and throw the strong enemies at you. The endless fetch quests area bit annoying, as well. Once again though, if you're not going to feel any stronger after accumulating XP and levels and new weapons, then wtf is the point of even doing the dumb a$$ fetch-side-quests? I'm going to just play through only doing just the main story quests, and probably beat this travesty in 5 hours, considering the game is focused on millions of repetitive crappy side quests to give it any meat. As I mentioned before, no point in doing side quests and leveling up if there's no real reward for doing so, aside from wasting time that could be spent playing a better game.… Expand
  54. JHango
    Sep 14, 2011
    8
    I really dont know why someone come here to give anything less them a 8 to this game. This is a great game. I really love it. Very good graphics, great gameplay. It have some minor bugs but nothing that can male u give a low score to the game. I've been waiting a log time to play a good Zombie game and this is is better them I have expected. Great game.
  55. Slowbots
    Sep 14, 2011
    10
    By far the most funloving and entertaining title to come along for quite some time. It might not be everyone´s cup of tea but if you like open worlds, tons of stuff to do and braindead Zombies (who doesn´t) then pick this one up. This is a game that is quite literally what you make of it, so if you only like games that give you no freedom, this is not for you.By far the most funloving and entertaining title to come along for quite some time. It might not be everyone´s cup of tea but if you like open worlds, tons of stuff to do and braindead Zombies (who doesn´t) then pick this one up. This is a game that is quite literally what you make of it, so if you only like games that give you no freedom, this is not for you. For all others, you are in for a treat.… Expand
  56. Boda
    Sep 13, 2011
    9
    I'll start simply by saying this is my first ever review on metacritic. I had to speak up! I followed this game for awhile and I will admit the trailer with the little girl was quite misleading. I'm also not going to go comparing this to all the games it's not and how similar it is to others. I picked it up on launch, before reading any reviews. I'm shocked to see the scores. Dead IslandI'll start simply by saying this is my first ever review on metacritic. I had to speak up! I followed this game for awhile and I will admit the trailer with the little girl was quite misleading. I'm also not going to go comparing this to all the games it's not and how similar it is to others. I picked it up on launch, before reading any reviews. I'm shocked to see the scores. Dead Island is FUN!!! It seems a lot of the reviewers that gave bad scores have not played the game that far, a few only referencing the first or second quest. The controls are spot-on and the first person view is amazing. There has been more than a few times I jumped because a zombie is about to eat my face off. Aiming with a melee weapon shouldn't be locked on for guaranteed success. Guns seem to do a lot more damage than a baseball bat, as they should! After leaving the initial area I was shocked how much your style of play has to change, due to non-zombie enemies (don't want to spoil). The AI of these new challengers is spot on and refreshing compared to the lumbering zombies. This was an interesting twist i was not expecting and enjoyed! The sound is also great in surround sound. Being able to tell what direction a zombie is running full blast at you from is very useful. The lack of music is also a great decision by the developers. Sometimes just the sounds of your footsteps is enough to polish the immersion. Graphics are ok, by far not the best to date. They do a good enough job for an occasional "wow" moment. The damage effects on the zombies is nice. You actually see a radius and an ulna when you chop at their arms! There is a lot of "delivery" quests and some lack of flair with the characters. I do however feel the pull to want to keep leveling up, despite the lackluster back story. I hope more people try this game out and ignore some of the baffling bad reviews. I can't wait to play more!… Expand
  57. DoubleNegativ
    Sep 13, 2011
    8
    Pros: Great graphics, great controls, great default difficulty level (due to swarming, weapons breaking)
    Cons: single player = hard as balls, penalty for death isn't great enough, nor is the death respawn
    At first I hated the weapons dulling and breaking aspect, but as I played further I realized that it made the game fun. You have to understand that this game is NOT like other games in    Pros: Great graphics, great controls, great default difficulty level (due to swarming, weapons breaking)
    Cons: single player = hard as balls, penalty for death isn't great enough, nor is the death respawn

    At first I hated the weapons dulling and breaking aspect, but as I played further I realized that it made the game fun. You have to understand that this game is NOT like other games in aspect of killing everything that you see. There are times when fleeing > fighting and that is exactly what makes this game incredible. If you are the type of gamer that's run and gun > strategy then this game isn't for you.    … Expand
  58. Ramcur
    Sep 13, 2011
    9
    Mesmerizing games ! Steam 1.2.0 version is working A1 so far . Not as out of this world as FALLOUT or HALF LIVE but extremely near . Like most games lacks of complexity. The recipe is simple but the result is tasty . 50$ well spent , thanks , that's entretainment ! OPEN WORLD .
  59. Beanos
    Sep 13, 2011
    10
    I had to create an account to rate this game, just because i was so utterly baffled by the bad reviews of this game. I guess the bad reviews prove that some people you just can't please. I can't imagine that -anything- makes the people who disliked this game happy. Anyhew. This game is like the world's best milkshake. They picked the best parts of a dozen different games, and blended itI had to create an account to rate this game, just because i was so utterly baffled by the bad reviews of this game. I guess the bad reviews prove that some people you just can't please. I can't imagine that -anything- makes the people who disliked this game happy. Anyhew. This game is like the world's best milkshake. They picked the best parts of a dozen different games, and blended it together into deliciousness, and every bit is incredible. The skill tree, and items with stats from borderlands, weapons and combinations from dead rising, fallout-esque missions and targeting of limbs. It's just incredible. The -stupidest- complaint i've ever heard is that all the women are in bikinis. The first 25 percent of the game takes place on a beach resort...the men are in swimsuits too, it's a beach! I gurantee you there aren't bikini clad women in the slum-town that is the next section.… Expand
  60. MrPikeBishop
    Sep 13, 2011
    9
    Seriously do yourself a favour and buy this game! It is not perfect, but all of the technical or gameplay complaints, that seem to mar other reviewers experience so much, just pale into significance against the sheer FUN to be had in game. If you enjoy open world and/or zombie games then I would definitely recommend this!
  61. msherry9
    Sep 13, 2011
    9
    There's no way that this game deserves below an 8 from anybody who even played it for more than 1 hour. First, let me establish EXACTLY what kind of game Dead Island is, since so many other user critics fail to describe it accurately. Take the brutal and intense co-op zombie-slaying action of Left 4 Dead, the open-world exploration of Fallout/Oblivion, and the addicting looting of DiabloThere's no way that this game deserves below an 8 from anybody who even played it for more than 1 hour. First, let me establish EXACTLY what kind of game Dead Island is, since so many other user critics fail to describe it accurately. Take the brutal and intense co-op zombie-slaying action of Left 4 Dead, the open-world exploration of Fallout/Oblivion, and the addicting looting of Diablo to form Dead Island. I don't understand why people can complain about Dead Island "ripping off" other games...It simply takes proven formulas and combines them into a new, superb one. Please disregard any user score below an 8, as most of them are utterly wrong in their reviews...not to mention that they're all written at an elementary school grammar level, which should tell you a little something about the writer. I have to stress to you that while the game is still extremely addicting even when playing by yourself, the amount of fun is literally multiplied for each additional friend you're playing with. Sounds cheesy, but is nonetheless true. The storyline is about what you would expect from a zombie game, consisting of the survivors attempting to get off of the island. It consists of about 30 hours of gameplay, excluding much exploration. The game's RPG elements are a nice touch, making me feel like all of the zombie-killing has more purpose than just good fun. I wouldn't describe the game's RPG elements as light, but they're about as straightforward and novice as you can get. You level up by doing quests and killing things, unlocking one skill point every level to spend on your character. Each character has 3 skill trees with about 15 or so skills per tree. You can spend this point to either unlock a new skill, or improve upon a current one. The skills aren't immensely deep, consisting of skills such as "Improved Weapon Durability", or an increased chance to kill a zombie in one hit. There are other skills that are much more exciting than the ones I described, but the core ones are generally passive that overall improve your characters combat skills. The four playable characters all represent some standard RPG classes, which are tank, leader/firearms expert, assassin, and throwing weapons specialist (who's also the "Jack of all Trades"). Combat in Dead Island is some of the most addicting melee combat ever implemented into a game. I highly recommend going to the Options at the main menu and switch your combat style over from "Digital" to "Analog". Digital consists of you mashing Right Trigger over and over, while Analog allows you to utilize precision with your melee swings. You use the Right Analog Stick to literally swing your weapon, allowing you to target various limbs. It takes a little time to get used to, but after a few minutes, it's fantastically addicting. The visceral mutilation is amazing graphic-wise, and the blood effects are astounding. In fact, the entire game possesses phenomenal graphics and the world is never bleak or dull. The looting on this game, as I mentioned, is very Diablo-esque, and never ceases to stir up excitement when I discover another weapons chest that may or may not contain that next godly machete or sledgehammer. You can attach various mods to any of your weapons, allowing them to cause even more destruction. Since this game revolves around melee combat, I had anticipated the shooting to be clunky and boring. I couldn't have been more wrong. The gunplay is extremely fun, and is not cumbersome to utilize whatsoever. Scoring that sick headshot on an unsuspecting zombie with a shotgun or magnum is a breeze. However, ammo is scarce throughout the game, but you can craft it later on with the necessary materials. Aside from all of these positives, I do have some gripes. The normal enemy zombies are called Walkers, with the next step up being called Infected. However, I think the Infected are some of the cheapest enemies in the game. They rush you furiously without any regard for their own life, and will literally chase you halfway across the map. As if that didn't tire them out, they're a ball of energy when they finally reach you, flailing their arms in all directions and scoring multiple devastating hits on you. The most annoying part is when you are in Act 2, and you're required to proceed through the "Quarantined" area, where the Infected literally spawn every 5 seconds nearby, forcing you to either die or fight an army of them. My biggest gripe of this game is weapon degradation. Your weapons degrade at astonishing rates, forcing you to repair quite frequently. This wouldn't be a problem if it wasn't so expensive to repair them. Couple that with the 10% of your cash penalty you receive when you die (which is often), and you've got yourself an annoyance to induce rage to even the most stoic of gamers. Overall, easily one of the best co-op experiences available on consoles, and in my opinion, a frontrunner for Game of the Year.… Expand
  62. Daniel_93
    Sep 13, 2011
    0
    Its really sad how a game with this potential turned out so annoying, first of all you take too much damage, weapons break after you kill about 3 zombies,and the whole concept of money is dumb, why do i need money to fix my stuff ? why do i need money at all on this situation? You can't interact at all with the scenario everything seems to be nailed to the floor, except for beach ballsIts really sad how a game with this potential turned out so annoying, first of all you take too much damage, weapons break after you kill about 3 zombies,and the whole concept of money is dumb, why do i need money to fix my stuff ? why do i need money at all on this situation? You can't interact at all with the scenario everything seems to be nailed to the floor, except for beach balls which are the only thing you can interact with, but the physics are horrible.
    Combat is extremely repetitive it doesn't change from start to end, in Dead Rising you got sweet skills and upgrades every level, that actually made you feel how you character is getting stronger, on Dead Island skills are pretty much useless as Zombies actually get stronger while you get a skill that allows you to do more damage while drunk, the skills would help somewhat if zombies didn't get stronger, Why do Zombies even get stronger ? i find no reason, are they are capable of learning?, their bodies are able to build muscles ? in that case are they even different to the non infected or my character is paranoid and sees them as zombies while there is actually no infection? that would be a sick plot for a psychological thriller . Runners are faster than you, you cant escape and also you cant fight cause they come in groups and chances are when they charge at you they will miss, leaving you surrounded and hopeless,also you character seems to have no weight to him, he gets knocked down way to frequently. There's no plot whatsoever, quests are dumb i feel no motivation to help someone find her Teddy Bear, that's an actual quest found in the game, a grown woman asks you to risk your life for a god damn Teddy Bear, also rewards aren't worth it , this wouldn't matter in a game like Borderlands where combat is fun and rewarding, but in this game you don't really want to fight, you want to get things done, cause its impossible to enjoy getting killed over and over again, even worse if you know there's nothing different you could have done as combat is extremely simple you literally have 2 abilities, kick and swing, you can also throw, but its useless, as I said before you cant learn abilities, you are stuck with kick and swing for the whole game.
    A zombie punch seems to be way stronger than bullets, if a zombie hits you, you loose about 1/3 of your life, but you loose about a 1/25 when you are shot. Your character is a tool, he gets bossed around like no one else, people even say things at you like "What are you waiting for" after you accept their quest, they don't have the slightest of gratitude.
    You get in situations where you HAVE to do what the tell you, in main quest a guard asks you to look for his friend "Ken" who is most likely death, if you don't he wont let you pass, a guard makes you risk your life for a dead man. people in the island have no interest in helping you, but the still demand your help... , In Fallout you would have been able to kill the guard to advance to the next area, at the cost of loosing Karma, but not in this game, you are as good a Jesus and are forced to be a tool.
    This is kind of a personal point but, Zombies walk around with their flesh ripped off, still they complain when you hit them, Zombies don't feel pain, i know they are fictional characters but still there's a pattern to follow.    … Expand
  63. Pherball66
    Sep 12, 2011
    1
    I was on the fence about this game and Resistance 3 so I rented both first for 2 nights each. Let's just say, I purchased Resistance 3 .. EASILY!! Granted, I am not a big RPG fan and if you even remotely do not like RPG's, then don't get this game. It is basically, running from place to place to pick up crap, there are NO weapons ANYWHERE. I played for like a half hour and onlyI was on the fence about this game and Resistance 3 so I rented both first for 2 nights each. Let's just say, I purchased Resistance 3 .. EASILY!! Granted, I am not a big RPG fan and if you even remotely do not like RPG's, then don't get this game. It is basically, running from place to place to pick up crap, there are NO weapons ANYWHERE. I played for like a half hour and only found 2 items to pick up and use as a weapon. I did give it one for some of the visuals but it really is a disappointment to say the least.… Expand
  64. ImprezaActual
    Sep 12, 2011
    4
    Hmmmmm where to start? The idea of the game is fantastic, and had so much potential! The FINAL PRODUCT WAS NOTHING SHORT OF A SHAMBLES, the story is that of one that has no depth, the missions and soooooooo repetitive. "Run around help someone out, turn this on, get this from here bring it back there". I'm sick of unknown game studios having someone make a trailor for a game just toHmmmmm where to start? The idea of the game is fantastic, and had so much potential! The FINAL PRODUCT WAS NOTHING SHORT OF A SHAMBLES, the story is that of one that has no depth, the missions and soooooooo repetitive. "Run around help someone out, turn this on, get this from here bring it back there". I'm sick of unknown game studios having someone make a trailor for a game just to promote a product the apart from name has nothing much in common with the end result. The game is so rough around the edges and so slow to progress techincally from something like Far Cry 2. The game leaves you feeling cheated and out of pocket, wish I had never taken Deus Ex for part trade in. If like me you are an old skool gamer who can tell the difference between good and bad you will save your cash and avoid this like the plague. What a wasteof total time, effort and cash. PURE GARBAGE!… Expand
  65. HairyLipSquid
    Sep 12, 2011
    10
    One of the best zombie games ever made. Great job Deep Silver and Square Enix it was well worth the wait. This plays much more like fallout/borderlands than L4D so be warned, if you didnt like either of these games but in all honesty who wouldnt love this :-)
  66. ZomB
    Sep 12, 2011
    8
    8.5
    I just registered on here to try & boost this games score as i think it is a real shame that some gamers might be put off by some of the negative reviews (The Edge review is so wide of the mark its beyond a joke!). I'll try to keep it brief but Dead Island is a great game but i wont deny that it does have some minor flaws.
    As i said the flaws are pretty minor & should not    8.5
    I just registered on here to try & boost this games score as i think it is a real shame that some gamers might be put off by some of the negative reviews (The Edge review is so wide of the mark its beyond a joke!). I'll try to keep it brief but Dead Island is a great game but i wont deny that it does have some minor flaws.

    As i said the flaws are pretty minor & should not constitute the majority of a review. Yes there are some graphic glitches. For example if you drive somewhere fast a texture might not load up straight away. So slightly annoying but hardly game breaking & ive seen this issue in plenty of other games including the recent LA Noire. Personally that is the only glitch ive seen after playing for about 10 hours.

    If i had to compare then this game does borrow some idea's from other games. If you enjoyed Borderlands then you will definitely like this. In my opinion the mission system is better than Borderlands as you actually aquire missions from NPC's rather than outposts. This makes the game flow more naturally. There are also elements of Fallout in how you can acquire random items to create new weapons etc. So imo the game should not be knocked for 'borrowing' some of these ideas. I think the vast majority of games also do this to some degree. Modern Warfare took a lot from Counter Strike but that didnt effect the reviews for COD...and rightly so!

    So like Borderlands one player is fun but can be more challenging without any back up. The real fun begins when you play co-op...especially with friends. If you want something different from the usual shooters & mass produced games then dont sleep on this.

    So to conclude Dead Island is a really ambitious project & a few minor bugs dont stop this from being a very good game. If you plan on playing through one player this might not be the game for you however if you have some friends to play with then don't hesitate in getting this!    … Expand
  67. Danpascooch
    Sep 12, 2011
    8
    This game is like a litmus test for reviewers, showing who played through it and who only played for about 10 hours before going "I've got the gist of it" and writing an article. I think Game Informer hit it on the head with an 8.5/10, the strange thing about this game is that it actually gets progressively better as you play through it, it's almost as if Deep Silver created this game inThis game is like a litmus test for reviewers, showing who played through it and who only played for about 10 hours before going "I've got the gist of it" and writing an article. I think Game Informer hit it on the head with an 8.5/10, the strange thing about this game is that it actually gets progressively better as you play through it, it's almost as if Deep Silver created this game in the order that you play through it, and the later portions are the result of the developers learning from their mistakes in building the first portion of the game. I feel that this game probably suffered from poor pre-production planning, and could have used a couple more months of polish.… Expand
  68. iorch82
    Sep 12, 2011
    9
    Ok, the game is not perfect, not even close. Let me tell you, I am just a casual gamer who owns a X360 for zombie games (yes, my very late adquisitions are L4D, L4D2, -both of them masterpieces- dead rising,dead space and Dead island) and who plays quite often a game from 1999, Heroes 3 of might mand Magic, weird , uh?

    I bought Dead Space several months ago. I barely played it 2 hours. I    Ok, the game is not perfect, not even close. Let me tell you, I am just a casual gamer who owns a X360 for zombie games (yes, my very late adquisitions are L4D, L4D2, -both of them masterpieces- dead rising,dead space and Dead island) and who plays quite often a game from 1999, Heroes 3 of might mand Magic, weird , uh?

    I bought Dead Space several months ago. I barely played it 2 hours. I bought Crysis 2 several months ago. I barely played it 4 hours. I bought Dead Rising, I didnt finish it. Neither DR case zero. I bought Dead island last Saturday. I have played it over 10 hours. I'm anxious to reach home and continue playing. Seriously, it has its glitches (the water stuff, sometimes you have to reload the mission 'cos the target mission items dissapear, that kind of things) The graphs, many of you may say that are not Dx11, ok... I don't have a gaming rig, but the graphs are very close , if not better than the ones I've seen on crysis 2 (xbox, of course) . The scenarios are beautifuly designed, there's lot of detail everywhere. I like how the zombies are eating the death corpes in the middle of the streets. I love how the zombies are hitting the doors to reach the survivors, I love those kind of details. So far, this is the first game that provides that kind of details fully. I found stupid on L4D how the zombies just punched you. Here they take a more "realisitc" approach to their victims. I dont have any problem with the 1st person melee fights, in fact, it's a quite refreshing aproach to the genre. I don't have any problems about respawning items, I've seen that on DR and nobody complained of that. I haven't played it multiplayer, and I will probably never, but I dont care. I really enjoy to be inside the game atmosphere, the great dramatic tunes , and the great enviroments. So far I haven't passed from 1 act and as I have read the things turn very intense!

    I don't **** understand how this game is taking so many bad critics, while a PIECE OF CRAP like RE5 was, was taking almost AAA califications. I dont understand why proffesional reviewers focuse on bad stuff for small companies like techland who try to bring something new over the table. I'm **** tired of the gaming industry. Seriously. It's very probably that I wont be playing this game in a few weeks, but, hell, this game has already provided me GREAT FUN **** ZOMBIE SLASHING moments. Yep. That's it.    … Expand
  69. Muro
    Sep 11, 2011
    8
    I am having a hard time understanding why this game is so loved by some and so hated by others
    From a technical stand point it's buggy, though not broken. The game engine lacks polish, but its not the ugly mess that some claim. So from a purely technical side its about a 6. There have been games far more polished for their release.
    Now to the actual point of any game, having fun, and    I am having a hard time understanding why this game is so loved by some and so hated by others
    From a technical stand point it's buggy, though not broken. The game engine lacks polish, but its not the ugly mess that some claim. So from a purely technical side its about a 6. There have been games far more polished for their release.

    Now to the actual point of any game, having fun, and in this regard Dead Island is very good, though dam me its difficult. Maybe it is this difficulty that some people are not liking but I am loving it, at last a game that is just challenging me at every turn. The zombies are vicious and unforgiving, which is good.
    The hack and slash rpg aspect enough to keep you wanting to level up just one more level, to get that one slightly bigger knife, that one extra skill point, to kill a few more zombies.
    So in terms of being fun, this game is a 9.

    I would have given it an overall score of 7.5 but I can't do that so it cna have an 8.
    It's not the masterpiece that the 9's and 10's are giving it, but it deserves justice from all the haters.

    One final word to edge magazine... as actual professional critics you thought this game was a 3?
    I don't know if you had received a beta copy of the game that wasn't the final code, or were just hating to cause shock and drive traffic to your site but seriously guys just get a few of you online together and play it, and tell me you aren't having fun.    … Expand
  70. bugbear1
    Sep 11, 2011
    1
    To me, it's extremely ODD that many posted user-reviews spend so much available text-space berating and reviewing OTHER user reviews. . . Any review is merely an opinion and to overtly and mistakenly judge that certain user reviews are more credible than others is, yet, another opinion. -"My dad can beat up your dad" argumentation is silly and does NOT contribute to any meritoriousTo me, it's extremely ODD that many posted user-reviews spend so much available text-space berating and reviewing OTHER user reviews. . . Any review is merely an opinion and to overtly and mistakenly judge that certain user reviews are more credible than others is, yet, another opinion. -"My dad can beat up your dad" argumentation is silly and does NOT contribute to any meritorious discussion about this novel, new mess from Techland via their half-baked Chrome engine. . . DEAD ISLAND is a buggy, often broken, beta-quality muddle of concepts and it, routinely, makes NEW VEGAS, at its earlier launch, look like a storied and pristine example of flawless game design and implementation. /cough. Trollery aside, with droll fetch quests bordering on the inane, erratic AI, pop-in, FPS swings, insta-spawing zombies in familiar places, repeat-spawning of cash inside treasure chests; er, suitcases, paying-a-workbench to upgrade a pipe, or whatever, DEAD ISLAND is DOA with its many bugs, glitches and half-done Q&A. Aside from the released Steam version being an incorrect XBOX beta version and then being patched so that users would lose their DLC, savegames, etc; the following PS3 patched-version would then erase all Trophy support and create yet another set of diverse oddities, while the XBOX patch is under review, prior to any release; DEAD ISLAND was shipped incomplete, beta-quality, shoddy. Some users have claimed that they have not experienced ANY anomalies with the game, minimal bugs, no weirdness, just grand game design all-around; although, if that were strictly accurate, WHY would so many diverse users on various systems report similar strangeness when encountering the same quests and traversing much of the same terrain? To be sure, as an open world, each player would find their own way, use their own weapons concoctions and approach questing in a random manner; BUT, why then does Techland's FIRST patch have nearly 40 admitted corrections and adjustments if everything is so wunderbar in Banoi? DEAD ISLAND will be soon forgotten, like BRINK. . .… Expand
  71. DrWho
    Sep 11, 2011
    9
    Wow i really cant believe what mixed reviews this game received by the critics. For one i personally have not encountered either A. a game ruining glitch, B. The incredibly frustrating battles, or a boring storyline. Sure you spending your time just concentrating on the main story will yield you only a few hours of gameplay. But what true gamer actually only plays the game to beat theWow i really cant believe what mixed reviews this game received by the critics. For one i personally have not encountered either A. a game ruining glitch, B. The incredibly frustrating battles, or a boring storyline. Sure you spending your time just concentrating on the main story will yield you only a few hours of gameplay. But what true gamer actually only plays the game to beat the story? What gamer does not take the time to explore every nook and cranny of gameplay that the developers busted their butts for you to enjoy?. As soon as i got the game the first thing i noticed were the great graphics that push the current gen consoles to the limit. The second thing i noticed was the massive maps that you get to play in the game, split up into several acts may i add. This game feels like what Fallout 3's gameplay system should have been. A true mix of great elements, you got a little bit of FPS for the action junkies, A dash of RPG elements for the harder to please crowd, And did i mention ZOMBIES. The gameplay takes a little time to master but once you do, its a riot. Given you may not like the game as soon as you pick up the controller, but if you do give it a chance you will not regret it. Im so addicted to this game right now :D… Expand
  72. SpartanEdge
    Sep 11, 2011
    9
    I want to start by saying that this is an easy 8/10 game at least. In my opinion,this is THE most definitive Zombie game ever made,& by far best does the iconic Zombie justice,better than any other game to date,bar none,& does exactly what it says on the tin.The game does have alot of bugs & glitches at launch though,it has to be said,which is unecceptable.I'm sure they'll be fixed,butI want to start by saying that this is an easy 8/10 game at least. In my opinion,this is THE most definitive Zombie game ever made,& by far best does the iconic Zombie justice,better than any other game to date,bar none,& does exactly what it says on the tin.The game does have alot of bugs & glitches at launch though,it has to be said,which is unecceptable.I'm sure they'll be fixed,but thats not the point.Also,to get one more thing out out of the way.Enough of the complaining that the game is not like the 'CGI' trailer!.. Honestly,what game IS like their CGI trailer? But i dont hear complaints about them. I'm not sure what kind of game some where expecting due to this trailer,but as the trailer suggested,this game is about a Zombie outbreak on an Island Resort.Moving on though,the game itself is great fun to play.Not sure why people have criticised the graphics,they are as good,if not better than just about every other free roaming game out there.The frame rate is solid,with no noticable slowdown & sound is great,with those Zombie growls causing tension,especially when they're chasing you.
    Where this game excels though,& what sets it apart from any other Zombie game,is the combat,& the pace of it.I never really got on with Left4Dead,because the pacing was too fast,meaning there was no tension,& it was all about 'pray N spray' shooting,mowing down Zombies sprinting at you.Thats not a proper Zombie game as far as i'm concerned.I much prefer Dead Rising(Moreso No2)myself.It was closer to that Zombie game i always wanted,with its slower pace,& 'Proper' slower Zombies,with much more emphisis on melee weapons.Still wasnt my ideal Zombie game though,due to its slightly zaney & cartoony violence,& the humour with things you could wear,& the music.
    No,Dead Island is the real deal! It is LITERALLY that Zombie game i always wanted.The Zombie,as an enemy,is treated with respect,& is a genuine threat if taken lightly in this game.In fact with the excellent combat mechanics in this game,every Zombie is kind of a fight in its own right.When taking on a Zombie,you have to go in,get in a hit or two,then get out before it hits you back,or get it to swing at you first,THEN attack.Theres more to it than that though,as you can target anywhere on the Zombies limbs or body,by having your crosshair on that part when you attack(its easier than it sounds),Which gives you options in every single fight you have.Do you go for a tricky head blow,to take the enemy out quickly,or try to break or sever(depending on wether your carrying a blunt or edged weapon respectively)an arm to make their attacks less effective,or legs to slow them down? Or risk kicking them to the floor to pound them while they try to get up.Kick them into some water,or off the edge if there is one.The choice is yours,depending on your circumstances,like how many enemies you are taking on.Running is also a very real option if things get too hot,or your heath low.Now if all that sounds very cool,then believe me,it is.The Zombies visually show damage where your hitting them too,which is awesome,especially when you've cut a limb off,or you've broken it,& their limb flopping about,rendered impotent.Guns do come into the game later on too,so if you like shooting your Zombies too,you can,though its not the focus of this game.
    This is a BIIIIG game too,with a big play area,& many main & side quests thrown at you Borderlands style,& i havnt even gone into the leveling up of your character,gaining skills,Finding,trading,repairing,upgrading & constructing weapons.. Being able to trade objects & weapons with the other players,& heal them,& the great 4 player Co-Op in general.
    So yes,this is by far the best Zombie game to date,but as i said,at time of launch(& writing this)theres bugs to fix,some are worse than others,but once they are fixed,the game will be one of the best experience to be had out there,& so for that reason,it gets a 9 from me.Should've been released without the glaring bugs & glitches though,theres no getting around that..Tut Tut Techland.    … Expand
  73. Tornel
    Sep 11, 2011
    8
    Let me start off by saying that anyone who gives a game with so many workable and fun elements a 0/10 is just an idiot, I'm sorry. Unless the game is just unplayable (which at almost 20 hours in I can promise you is it quit the opposite) it doesn't deserve a grade that low on the fact that it is a working playable game. There are tons of quests with lots of variety to them (though manyLet me start off by saying that anyone who gives a game with so many workable and fun elements a 0/10 is just an idiot, I'm sorry. Unless the game is just unplayable (which at almost 20 hours in I can promise you is it quit the opposite) it doesn't deserve a grade that low on the fact that it is a working playable game. There are tons of quests with lots of variety to them (though many are fetch quests I admit). The graphics are very good (at least on the PC version, but you can't expect consoles to compete in that department based on old hardware and bandwidth limitations on them) and there are sooo many ways to decapitate the zombies, that no other game I've played even comes close. This leads to many tactics, such as the Thug enemies that are the first stronger enemy you will encounter. You can chop his arms off which eliminates the threat of him knocking you to the ground causing massive damage, and leaves him very easy prey at that point. Whoever said the engine limits you to 5 zombies at once, either didn't get to act 2 where the special area leads to you getting constantly swamped and struggling to live, or the consoles themselves are limiting the number of zombies, I can't say since I didn't play it on console. The biggest surprise to me playing this game was the fact that the whole game wasn't based around the resort area. From all the gameplay and trailers I watched that is what you are lead to believe, but it is far from actuality. The resort area is actually my least favorite of all of the areas, with acts 2/3 being very fun by giving a very different feeling to the game. The item prefixes tell you a lot about the quality of the item, you just have to learn what they mean (which can be hard since they give you very little to go on). The mods for the items add another level of enjoyment to the item system by giving you many options to go with for each item. Sometimes the mods make your weapons awesome, and then sometimes they fall short of your expectations and I wind up not using them. I honestly don't see how anyone can give this game ratings worse than games like Borderlands when it has way more content and doesn't get state nearly as quickly due to the range of environments (whereas borderlands had desert and more desert). It has rough spots every now and then though, as other users have mentioned sometimes you will swing and you will not hit the zombie in front of you when you should, causing you to get hit or knocked down, but this isn't often enough for me to quit playing. The online has worked well since the first patch (and even before then I was still able to play with my friends). It will pop up often asking if I would like to join others, and if I'm not playing with friends I sometimes will. All of my friends have been able to join my game and I have been able to join them as well without any problems. I think the biggest reason for bad reviews is the game can get tiring if you play for too much in one sitting. Having to fight zombie after zombie, and actually have to work at killing them, can be tiring for someone used to other games where you just shoot your way through with ease. On that point, guns are not effective at killing zombies, at least not as effective as melee. If you get solid headshots it takes many bullets, where I could have just knocked them down and stomped their head. Although against other living enemies in the game (i.e. not zombies), guns are very effective, with usually a single headshot doing the job. The environment,music, sound effects (especially severing a limb or shooting a rifle) all sound great and couldn't be better. All in all if you like games like borderlands you should try this game out as it has all of the good points about borderlands, but looks better, has more varied quests, has better items, allows you to slice/bash up your enemies giving you the edge in a fight, and allows you to do all of this with friends which, for me, made it all the more enjoyable.… Expand
  74. DamianJP
    Sep 11, 2011
    10
    Great Game, bit slow to start off, but the good physics engine and the addictive fun of obliterating zombies with various makeshift weapons makes it worthwhile. The change in scenery is great over the course of the game, and i didn't find the missions too repetitive. Graphics are great, no complaints. Smooth textures and clean edges make it a great looking title. Amazing really. Pick up aGreat Game, bit slow to start off, but the good physics engine and the addictive fun of obliterating zombies with various makeshift weapons makes it worthwhile. The change in scenery is great over the course of the game, and i didn't find the missions too repetitive. Graphics are great, no complaints. Smooth textures and clean edges make it a great looking title. Amazing really. Pick up a copy and judge for yourself.… Expand
  75. MaxxSwan13
    Sep 11, 2011
    10
    "Medkit here!" "Hey look its a Tank! I mean a Rammer!" Hmmm, this game sounds familiar. Can you guess which one? Here are the choices: 1. Left 4 Dead. 2. Resident Evil. 3. Killing Floor.
  76. Junkboat
    Sep 11, 2011
    10
    REVISION: It still garners a straight 10 in my book. The game delivers as much as it needs to. Clunky controls? Quit button-mashing. Loads of glitches? False, you're still button-mashing. I've only seen two or three, none of them anywhere near a true hindrance on enjoyment. Unplayable in single-player? BUTTON-MASHING, STOP IT. The game has a skill curve. It is not aREVISION: It still garners a straight 10 in my book. The game delivers as much as it needs to. Clunky controls? Quit button-mashing. Loads of glitches? False, you're still button-mashing. I've only seen two or three, none of them anywhere near a true hindrance on enjoyment. Unplayable in single-player? BUTTON-MASHING, STOP IT. The game has a skill curve. It is not a hack-and-slash instant win. It's unnerving how atrociously bad some of you are at taking blame for your own shortcomings. I've been at this game for over fifty hours doing side quests, the main story, and just exploring. This is the best zombie game to-date.

    The controls aren't perfect, but they aren't as bad as you red reviews make them out to be. Dead Island upholds natural selection; you make up the low end of the bell curve.    … Expand
  77. TheHarshOne
    Sep 11, 2011
    8
    I bought Dead Island exspecting a really boring RPG,must say,i was wrong. I could see myself putting countless hours into this game. Now lets start with the things i liked about the game. i overall think the graphics are great, on consoles they are great. I cant imagine what they are like on PC. The gameplay of the game is hack and slash, and some gun gameplay thrown in here and there.I bought Dead Island exspecting a really boring RPG,must say,i was wrong. I could see myself putting countless hours into this game. Now lets start with the things i liked about the game. i overall think the graphics are great, on consoles they are great. I cant imagine what they are like on PC. The gameplay of the game is hack and slash, and some gun gameplay thrown in here and there. This game is a hardcore RPG. Looting galore, and leveling up is as fun as ever, adding skill points, and upgrading weopons. The Co-Op of the game is amazing, playing with friends is the best Co-Op experience i have ever had. Now onto the bad things. The presentation has texture bugs, and pop-ups. Gameplay can be really hard if you are playing by yourself. Playing alone is alot harder than playing with friends. The story, well um.... what story!? There really isnt a story, its just 4 survivors trying to escape the city, other than the four characters backstory. The matchmaking is awful, you will drop from a game randomly. There are also bugs that stop you from continuing the story. I was escorting a survivor, and she just stopped i couldnt get her to move so i had to restart my xbox. Some people are just destroying this game, but its a big world, and there are bound to be bugs. It has already been annouced that there will be 37 bug fixes soon. If there were not bugs, this game would have gotten a 9.0, but with the game bugs this game gets a 8.0.… Expand
  78. judge515
    Sep 11, 2011
    0
    I am blown away at how bad this game this. Seriously. Before I begin, let me address the positive reviews that say "Do not believe the negative reviews": Nearly 1/3 of reviews of this game are extremely negative. We should not be ignored.

    The game is ridiculously bad on so many levels. It starts with an amazing concept that has infinite possibilities, except, it somehow makes it    I am blown away at how bad this game this. Seriously. Before I begin, let me address the positive reviews that say "Do not believe the negative reviews": Nearly 1/3 of reviews of this game are extremely negative. We should not be ignored.

    The game is ridiculously bad on so many levels. It starts with an amazing concept that has infinite possibilities, except, it somehow makes it childish, clunky, and boring. I was promised an interactive sandbox. What I got was a world in which I can look, but can not touch. While Dead Rising offered a third person world where everything was a weapon, Dead Island offers a first person world where nearly nothing is a weapon and anything that is a weapon breaks strangely easily.

    The game opens by violently ripping the individual who tends to obey and respect the law from the game. None of the characters (that can be played as) have backgrounds that are relate-able, all of them are pretty much deserving of getting eaten by a zombie. The game just comes across as lazy: every single time you need energy, you have to chug one of the many energy drinks that can be found. For those of us that don't care for energy drinks, it makes one wonder, why can't we have other food be used as energy? Is this laziness by the developers or is this supposed to be some sort of humor, playing on the "energy" in "energy drink"? The mechanics are simply clumsy. Aim for the zombies head; hit his leg; that is to say if you do not miss entirely. The missions given to you by the NPC are extremely tiring. Not because they are boring, but because I find no motivation in finding spark plugs for some guy who just opened his garage door and yelled "hey you! I have a job for you!" And, reflecting on the main story, the developers do not attempt to explain why I was spared while everyone else dies (besides that I got black out drunk and passed out in my hotel room while everyone is eaten alive). Furthermore, I can not see why I my immunity to the virus is, at all, essential to the NPCs surviving, as they claim it is.

    Then there are the portions of the game that are just childish. In the first hour, it became glaringly obvious that every single female NPC was in a bikini and was well proportioned. Every time that the main character is referenced, it is as "he," even if you play as a female. There is even a bungalo where a dead gore-ified naked woman, tied down to the bed posts, with cameras surrounding her. I understand that many games tend to show females with sexist stereotypes, but this game does so in a glaringly obvious fashion that reeks of immaturity. The fact that one of the females is rough and tough body guard does not balance out the before mentioned.

    It took me two hours to become extremely bored of this game. I returned it immediately to my local GameStop, taking a $28 loss. This game is so bad that I would rather take an immediate $28 loss than have it all around my house. This game had so much potential, yet, what I got was a clumsy looking glass that showed me an world that I could look at, but barely touch.    … Expand
  79. frozenpinky
    Sep 11, 2011
    4
    As you can read; there are over 100 user reviews that are "positive", yet, the average is still only a low 6.7 out of 10; That's telling you something.. that this game is lacking... Both USERS and CRITICS alike grade it about the same: "Just OK". Most users, such as myself, that are reviewing it are fans of all things "zombie", and the game still doesnt score in the 80's (an average neededAs you can read; there are over 100 user reviews that are "positive", yet, the average is still only a low 6.7 out of 10; That's telling you something.. that this game is lacking... Both USERS and CRITICS alike grade it about the same: "Just OK". Most users, such as myself, that are reviewing it are fans of all things "zombie", and the game still doesnt score in the 80's (an average needed to be considered a great game) - So you've all answered it for us: This game is only "ok". It's "decent at best". It makes for a great rental or used purchase if you can get it for under $40.00â… Expand
  80. Xx_Overkill_VR
    Sep 11, 2011
    10
    You can see an entire walkthrough of the game here:http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL19C772559E876B8E&feature=viewall

    Perfect hybrid of Dead Rising, Left 4 Dead and Borderlands(a little bit of Fallout as well). Leveling up with a skill tree, scavenging and looting, weapon mods, melee madness, guns and explosives, co-op, and a long single player experience makes this one of the best    You can see an entire walkthrough of the game here:http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL19C772559E876B8E&feature=viewall

    Perfect hybrid of Dead Rising, Left 4 Dead and Borderlands(a little bit of Fallout as well). Leveling up with a skill tree, scavenging and looting, weapon mods, melee madness, guns and explosives, co-op, and a long single player experience makes this one of the best zombie games ever. However one of the best things about this game is probably the difficulty. The game starts out pretty easy but as you level up so do the zombies. As you progress through the game you encounter stronger types of zombies that are pretty difficult to take down. The game even warns you that certain areas of the island are very dangerous to traverse alone bringing the emphasis on playing the game in co-op.

    This is the true zombie survival horror game that we have all been waiting for. The promise of death in a few seconds in the event of a zombie encounter adds to the atmosphere and the realization of the ever impending doom of the zombie apocalypse. Anxiety and fear take over as you traverse the city where you are severely outnumbered around every corner and your best chance of survival is to just run. However you cannot always escape because you must manage your stamina. Using too much of it to run away from encounters will get you winded and in the event that you get cornered, not being able to defend yourself will provide you with a quick death. Having said that the combat in the game is exceptional. Mostly relying on melee weapons, it adds a great mechanic into the mix: being able to sever or break limbs to cripple the enemy. This alone adds a skill gap to the combat system that rewards accuracy and tactical thinking.

    All in all it is a great game that has a relatively long single player experience that can be shared with 3 other players online. You will die a lot in this game and that just makes it that much better because it adds to the atmosphere of the zombie apocalypse. This is one game where you are rewarded for your skills in combat as well as tactical thinking otherwise you're "dead meat".    … Expand
  81. Jaykzula
    Sep 10, 2011
    9
    I've read too many whiny reviews about this game and how "it erases my game" or "my kicking leg changes length" or my favorite " waaaahhh!!! Items respawn!!!." These things alone are enough for you to drop this game to a 1/10. I will daresay that you gamers are quite petty. This game is absolutely what the gaming world needs. First I applaud this game for making me actually sit on the edgeI've read too many whiny reviews about this game and how "it erases my game" or "my kicking leg changes length" or my favorite " waaaahhh!!! Items respawn!!!." These things alone are enough for you to drop this game to a 1/10. I will daresay that you gamers are quite petty. This game is absolutely what the gaming world needs. First I applaud this game for making me actually sit on the edge of my seat while I struggle for my life at almost every turn which completely makes up for the fact that the floater I fought last night disappeared into the floor before I could collect my exp. NO BIG DEAL! Second I found the world of Dead Island so graphically beautiful that it easily rivals other open world rpgs such as Oblivion and the Fallout series. And last of all I found the weapons to be very cool indeed. I was skeptical at first when I grabbed a paddle and sent my first zombie to Hell, (good things come to those who wait) and now I'm wielding weapons that absolutely devastate my foes. So, I say to all you people who are at home counting each pixel on your screen so you can argue about how the screen resolution isn't perfect; get the hair out of your crack... sit down...put this game in...and just have fun with it. Ignore the zombie who glitches once every blue moon, assume your character's leg gets shorter and longer because he/she is actually Mr. Fantastic, and just chill.… Expand
  82. KingerSays
    Sep 10, 2011
    9
    I was initially turned off from this game after watching gameplay on YouTube and reading reviews, but decided to get the game in an Xbox 360 Console bundle; this is mainly because the rest of the games were garbage, such as Black Ops. I am ever so glad that I chose this... don't make the same mistake as me, BUY THIS GAME! It has the best graphics of any FPS game i have ever seen, theI was initially turned off from this game after watching gameplay on YouTube and reading reviews, but decided to get the game in an Xbox 360 Console bundle; this is mainly because the rest of the games were garbage, such as Black Ops. I am ever so glad that I chose this... don't make the same mistake as me, BUY THIS GAME! It has the best graphics of any FPS game i have ever seen, the visuals are quite honestly STUNNING (If there were no zombies I would still quite happily sit around and look at the breathtaking visuals). The contrast between the chaos of a zombie apocalypse and the tranquility of the island really hits hard and immerses you from the minute you begin the game.… Expand
  83. makdrumz
    Sep 10, 2011
    7
    What is wrong with everyone? I went off and bought the game despite the poor reviews and i am glad i did so. I think this is an organized attempt to bury this game. Great visuals combined with flawless gameplay and rpg elements. Left4dead is a child in comparison to this game. If you want a great zombie experience do yourself a favor and buy or at least rent this game and then buy it. IWhat is wrong with everyone? I went off and bought the game despite the poor reviews and i am glad i did so. I think this is an organized attempt to bury this game. Great visuals combined with flawless gameplay and rpg elements. Left4dead is a child in comparison to this game. If you want a great zombie experience do yourself a favor and buy or at least rent this game and then buy it. I was reading a comment saying that sometimes there are slow texture loading time which are eliminated if you install the game. Some people tend to forget gow 1, me 1 with the slow texture loading times. Ts ts ts... I mean come on, couldnt you find a better reason to bury the game? Hmmm wait...thats a no cause there is no true reason other than you prefer playing cod zombies... A must buy for me.… Expand
  84. Cavkov
    Sep 10, 2011
    10
    This game is a masterpiece! I love it. Good atmosphere, great combat and ALLOT to do. The game even looks fantastic. Really hope that they will make a sequel. Thank you
  85. ColdHardTruth
    Sep 9, 2011
    6
    This is my revision of my review of Dead Island. I previously gave this game a 8/10. Which is not far off but later in the game i have come across more and more major glitches and this frustrates me (example: I had loaded my last checkpoint in the game and when I did this it had me start in a whole new area that I've never seen up till now). Im afraid even a patch released may only coverThis is my revision of my review of Dead Island. I previously gave this game a 8/10. Which is not far off but later in the game i have come across more and more major glitches and this frustrates me (example: I had loaded my last checkpoint in the game and when I did this it had me start in a whole new area that I've never seen up till now). Im afraid even a patch released may only cover up some of the mess. The game is still fun if you have time to kill but yes it does get frustrating at times as many other people have pointed out. Killing zombies is always fun but more time spent on fine tuning this game and we could have been looking at a game of the year award.… Expand
  86. Sceptic
    Sep 9, 2011
    6
    Dead Island has a great concept,yet it is poorly implemented.A few months polish could have turned this game into a great one.Online play is ok though a lack of local co-op is unforgivable.Many are comparing D.I to Borderlands or Fallout 3.It may have a few similar game mechanics as the afore mentioned games,but that's the nature of the industry today.Dead Island is an ok game thatDead Island has a great concept,yet it is poorly implemented.A few months polish could have turned this game into a great one.Online play is ok though a lack of local co-op is unforgivable.Many are comparing D.I to Borderlands or Fallout 3.It may have a few similar game mechanics as the afore mentioned games,but that's the nature of the industry today.Dead Island is an ok game that shouldn't be mentioned in the same breath as those titles.… Expand
  87. oligibbons
    Sep 9, 2011
    8
    After month and months of anticipation for this game, it really took me by surprise to see the terrible reviews that this game got. After playing it myself, I thought it was best to review it myself.

    I love(d) the game, but that's not to say there aren't a few issues with it. Yes, the co-op match-making is a little uneven and the co-op mode as a whole is a little factured at the time of    After month and months of anticipation for this game, it really took me by surprise to see the terrible reviews that this game got. After playing it myself, I thought it was best to review it myself.

    I love(d) the game, but that's not to say there aren't a few issues with it. Yes, the co-op match-making is a little uneven and the co-op mode as a whole is a little factured at the time of writing this; and there may be a number of glitches throughout the game in general; also, the game engine does seem to struggle with the more complicated renders; but these are only minor, superficial problems that have no real impact on the overall game. Also, Techland are working tirelessly at the moment to bring updates that will fix these issues.

    There are plenty of positives in this game, that people seem to ignore - For example, the vistas are beautiful! There is nothing better than strolling along the beaches of paradise, before taking on a horde of the undead. Also, the atmosphere that is created can be chilling to say the least - This is best shown in close quarters though; especially in the dark. Furthermore, the sheer desperation shown by NPCs really gives you a sense of panic and despair. The soundtrack does a lot to carry this as well.

    I've seen people complain about the fact that there is too much money on the island -- You are in a holiday resort for the best part of the game. Whenever I go on holiday, I tend to have a lot of money on me as well... It's something that you would expect to find in this situation. Also, people have been complaining about the fact that so much has been "borrowed" from other games, such as levelling systems as well as skill trees... It makes the game better than it would be without it, so I don't see how you can complain at something that improves the game.

    That said, there could definitely be a lot done to improve the unrefined look of the game. But to a degree, it is this "rough-around-the-edges" charm adds character to the game, in the same way it did to Fallout 3. And on the topic of Bethesda's Game of the Year title, a lot was made of the comparison's between the two as it approached launch, and I saw more that slight flickers as to why this was - Needless to say, the expansive and desolate open-world map is of a similar vein, but the minimalist feel that lets the game breathe for itself is also striking between both games.

    This game is definitely not for everyone. But if you are looking for a game that you can lock yourself in your room for hours on end, with the windows closed and the volume turned up as you completely immerse yourself into a frightening world, then this could be the game for you. However, if you are looking for a refined masterpiece, a la Red Dead Redemption, then this isn't for you. You can't even think of tackling this game without a forgiving mindset, so if you treat this game kindly, it will reward you with a very very satisfying ride.    … Expand
  88. Deathfire26
    Sep 9, 2011
    10
    I have been waiting for this game since the 2008 trailer came out, and I have not been disappointed. The combat is very unique and challenging, especially the analog fighting style. The sheer amount of zombies that you run into is a perfect amount for four player co op. The scenery is breathtaking and simply well done. And when you are roaming around the island with only a baseball bat inI have been waiting for this game since the 2008 trailer came out, and I have not been disappointed. The combat is very unique and challenging, especially the analog fighting style. The sheer amount of zombies that you run into is a perfect amount for four player co op. The scenery is breathtaking and simply well done. And when you are roaming around the island with only a baseball bat in hand and you hear a ferocious roar from in front of you, it makes you want to run away. There are so many great things about this game, like the modification, the character progression throughout the whole game and the gratuitous amounts of opponents is a suffice challenge. I have no idea why people are rating a game that is this original and well done so poorly. This game does have a few problems like the lack offline co-op, but that doesn't mean that it should be so poorly rated. I have had extremely few problems with the game with the 26 hours that I have logged in. Just because its a challenging that game that some people have trouble with doesn't mean it should have a low score.… Expand
  89. tazgbd
    Sep 9, 2011
    9
    I love this game! Been playing it since day one and I can
  90. Killwithsound
    Sep 9, 2011
    10
    Don't believe the bad reviews. I've been playing this game for 4 days now. I've played Borderlands, Left4dead, Deadrising, and countless other games. I've been playing PC and console games since 1990 on a hardcore basis, and I can say without a doubt that this is a damn fine game. It's open world, very very few loading zones, and has tons of locations. The combat is a bit different,Don't believe the bad reviews. I've been playing this game for 4 days now. I've played Borderlands, Left4dead, Deadrising, and countless other games. I've been playing PC and console games since 1990 on a hardcore basis, and I can say without a doubt that this is a damn fine game. It's open world, very very few loading zones, and has tons of locations. The combat is a bit different, but if you take a little bit of time you will get used to it, and have a ton of fun dismembering the zombies. Some reviews compare this to the previous games I mentioned, and they are right. Just think Borderlands, on Farcry island, meets Dead Rising without a time limit. The only low points in the game I can think of are some graphic lighting issues, and some ugly character models. This game is not getting the credit it deserves, it's very under rated. Take it from somone who has spent a lot of time playing this, and has a lot of gaming experience, you'll like this game.… Expand
  91. Mistakain
    Sep 9, 2011
    9
    Borderlands + Dead Rising = Dead Island.

    That's the easy equation if you really want to know how this game plays. The four-player co-op, leveling opponents, mission based narrative and stat-based and elemental (fire/electric/toxic/explosive... all realistic in their ways) weaponry from Borderlands... the strategy-based teamwork, combinable/upgradeable weaponry, survivors to save, and,    Borderlands + Dead Rising = Dead Island.

    That's the easy equation if you really want to know how this game plays. The four-player co-op, leveling opponents, mission based narrative and stat-based and elemental (fire/electric/toxic/explosive... all realistic in their ways) weaponry from Borderlands... the strategy-based teamwork, combinable/upgradeable weaponry, survivors to save, and, of course, zombies from Dead Rising... combines into a game that works on many levels.

    As many have complained, yes, the game has it's cons: - Graphical errors (like discarded weapons "swimming" along the floor in a random direction, or shadows suddenly going oddly ballistic when a zombie has an action sequence) - Animation problems (NPC's and co-op players oddly bumble around the screen and look unnatural in some movements) - A huge learning curve when it comes to understanding your controls (which leads to drastically missing an attack and getting killed when all you wanted to know was how to throw your weapon as a projectile) - Voice acting (It seems as if they only did one take on certain things, and calling you a "him" when you're playing as one of the girls is a little frustrating)

    But there are many pros: - Branching tech trees allowing for deep characterized customization (meaning that though you and your friend may be using the same character, you could have a totally different skill set, leading to good strategy based on combat, survival and special skills) - Visceral feel to the attacks (all your landing attacks FEEL like you    … Expand
  92. metatcn
    Sep 9, 2011
    4
    This game has neat concept, open world zombie game, but wrapped up in mediocre gameplay and tons of glitches. There are save glitches that breaks the game. Random awkward respawn for cheap deaths, and tons of other glitches, missing animation. techland promised fixes but now they saying September 29th ie before they release their DLC. Also this game is a bore fest solo, if you are thinkingThis game has neat concept, open world zombie game, but wrapped up in mediocre gameplay and tons of glitches. There are save glitches that breaks the game. Random awkward respawn for cheap deaths, and tons of other glitches, missing animation. techland promised fixes but now they saying September 29th ie before they release their DLC. Also this game is a bore fest solo, if you are thinking of going solo you better rent first, this game is definitely made with co-op in mind. With that the co-op causes all kinds of other glitches and it's hard to connect to people even your friends through online. The system link works great though but who has time to lug around their consoles to friends houses. This game reminds me of homefront, great concept in MP action but ultimately ruined because of glitches and bad netcode. and that game had empty promises of fixes as well. If you are thinking of getting the game try to find it used or wait till at least October to see if they came through with their fixes. As of now I just can't recommend this game for the full $60 . If the game was more polished I would probably give it a 6 or 7.… Expand
  93. poker909
    Sep 9, 2011
    6
    A mediocre FPS with fetch-quests will be Dead Island's legacy. I love zombies in games, from Left 4 Dead to Dead Rising, even CoD's Nazi Zombie maps I love, however this title is in a league below those great games. It feels like a great concept that was never fully realized. Everything about this game is what you'd expect from a game in 2011 without offering anything new or innovative.A mediocre FPS with fetch-quests will be Dead Island's legacy. I love zombies in games, from Left 4 Dead to Dead Rising, even CoD's Nazi Zombie maps I love, however this title is in a league below those great games. It feels like a great concept that was never fully realized. Everything about this game is what you'd expect from a game in 2011 without offering anything new or innovative. Being able to collect xp and build your abilities is hardly a new concept, and fetch-quests only compel me to turn off my system. 4 player co-op is fun, but hardly as fresh or exciting as older zombie games with the same feature.… Expand
  94. phishhippy
    Sep 8, 2011
    9
    If Condemned married Oblivion and went to a beautiful tropical island for their honeymoon, Dead Island would be the result. And that's a very good thing. The graphics are top notch and the few times I experienced pop up in textures wasn't enough to distract me from the zombie babe about to eat my face off. Most of the main characters have a lame back-story and cut scenes are short andIf Condemned married Oblivion and went to a beautiful tropical island for their honeymoon, Dead Island would be the result. And that's a very good thing. The graphics are top notch and the few times I experienced pop up in textures wasn't enough to distract me from the zombie babe about to eat my face off. Most of the main characters have a lame back-story and cut scenes are short and have a huge (press b to skip) in them which take away some of the immersion, but I could care less when a game is this awesome to play. Control wise, everything feels like it should ( I recommend turning on the analog control scheme ) and is smooth and responsive. Weapons are varied and fun, and have just enough RPG like management to keep them interesting and exciting. I jumped quite a few times and also was blown away by the sheer scale and length of this game. It's not borderlands long, but it easily rivals and trumps most other horror/survival games. Clocking in at around 30-50 hours depending on how many side quests and goofing off you do. As a true gamer, this game can't be missed. Dead Island 2 please.… Expand
  95. Wushudragon
    Sep 8, 2011
    10
    Do not listen to the haters. Just like them I waited 2 days to play the game I paid my money for. However, unlike them I had the patience and willingness to wait it out. And so glad I did. The game is awesomesauce wrapped in bacon. Killing zombies has never been so much fun. And why on earth did it take so long to come up with the formula. Open world + RPG skills + zombie-killing +Do not listen to the haters. Just like them I waited 2 days to play the game I paid my money for. However, unlike them I had the patience and willingness to wait it out. And so glad I did. The game is awesomesauce wrapped in bacon. Killing zombies has never been so much fun. And why on earth did it take so long to come up with the formula. Open world + RPG skills + zombie-killing + co-op = Fun-freaking-tastic. Making this short to start up another session. Work just made the addiction worse... going to imagine some zombies with bosses faces =)… Expand
  96. iClint
    Sep 8, 2011
    10
    I think people are giving this game a bum steer, and not being fair on the game. The first point I will address is the multi player function and people complaining about the annoying in game popups to join other peoples games SOLUTION switch to "Single Player" in the online menu, problem solved.

    The next issue is the combat system - IF you find this game hard or think the combat system is    I think people are giving this game a bum steer, and not being fair on the game. The first point I will address is the multi player function and people complaining about the annoying in game popups to join other peoples games SOLUTION switch to "Single Player" in the online menu, problem solved.

    The next issue is the combat system - IF you find this game hard or think the combat system is ineffective... well you probably just suck at this game. The combat system is fantastic and very intuitive, point the cross hair at the part of the zombie you want to hit and hit it, if you have a knife it may just cut or disable the limb, it may cut it right off, blunt weapons will cripple and in the case of the head smash it clean off.

    I have read many complaints that the stamina system means that if you come up against more than a couple zombies your done for, this is not true. in real life you wouldn't just swing your arms and scream like someone from the internet releasing there nerd rage would you, and this game is no different the key to success is controlled use of weapons, a strike to the head will often kill a zombie in one blow if not knock it to the ground stunning it for a while giving you time to dispatch any other zombie attacking you.

    This title is better than "Dead rising" and "Left for dead" where it differs is that while it is from the first person perspective it is not a 'first person shooter". If you buy this game thinking your getting a FPS you will not be happy.

    So what do you get? Well if you are fan of Oblivion and Melee combat this game is for you.

    the game is a basic RPG in that completing missions and killing zombies earns you XP with can be used to upgrade your characters abilities, and also their effectiveness with particular weapons and in combat.

    Graphics - the graphics in this game a bloody awesome, when you consider it is a completely open world, go anywhere anytime, you can often see ahead of you for miles and there are virtually no load times, when you enter a building or a safety area there are no load times. Complaints of texture pop ins are unfounded and nothing that no other video game of this scale suffers from, and to be honest it is barely noticeable unless you look for it and does not take away from the game at all.

    Sound - again bloody awesome and draws you right into the game, you will be exploring an area, with the ambient sounds of waves crashing the wind perhaps a radio playing music in the back ground and then you hear a groan! (I have surround sound) you spin around to the direction it came from to see a zombie pick himself up and start coming after you.

    Gameplay - Awesome!!!! You are immune to the infection and cannot be turned into a zombie, so people use this to their advantage by asking you to do favours for them, unfortunately while you are immune you are not invincible and can be killed.

    Characters in the game when approached will ask you to do favours for them you either accept or decline in return they will give you money (for better weapons and upgrades) weapons, and XP points.

    the way you get new missions is very well done you talk with the character they give you the back ground of the mission and then hand you a blood stained piece of paper with all the details.

    the missions are usually go hear get this talk to person X come back when your done, find me this etc, just like your GTA's and many other games, some people say they find these mission types boring and repetitive but i think the key to games like this is not to just do one mission return do the next return, but treat the side missions as exactly that "well if I am in the area I will do it" and it makes the game much more fun and immersive.

    overal this game is easily a 10/10 and one of the best games I have played for a while after a steam of consecutive new release titles that sucked

    If you got a woody for the game trailer thinking this game would be some kind of gripping emotional roller coaster, then I really do question your manhood. Who on earth would have expected anything more than roaming an island smashing zombies?

    Bugs - Well none that i can see, (none that really effect game play) after 4 hours of playing, all open world games suffer from some glitches here and there, but having said that i experienced none

    All I can say is don't think this game is going to be COD with zombies because you will be disappointed, and don't believe the nay sayers and bad reviews this game is great    … Expand
  97. BOSTONJOHN32
    Sep 8, 2011
    4
    ok, well i will start off by saying that i review based on 3 main points of interest, gameplay, graphics/visuals and fun factor.story would fall in there but some games(sports for example) may lack so one must know how to dissect a game properly to give a fair and non-biased view by playing the game hands on. i own 360/ps3/p.c. and by no means am i a fan boy, im a gamer who is a fan ofok, well i will start off by saying that i review based on 3 main points of interest, gameplay, graphics/visuals and fun factor.story would fall in there but some games(sports for example) may lack so one must know how to dissect a game properly to give a fair and non-biased view by playing the game hands on. i own 360/ps3/p.c. and by no means am i a fan boy, im a gamer who is a fan of good gaming exp's. with that said dead island. like all of us we watched that wonderfully made trailer and like most of us had high hopes for this game, and like some of us knew that trailer was a tough act to follow. so to make a valid review i must not combine the thoughts of the trailer w/ this game because it would make reviewing the game w/ a mindset which is "f*ck this stinks, trailer didnt look like this !" but to be honest how many trailers do actually live up to the hype that is something which could be used for a hollywood production? not many. w/ that aside i am a old school gamer who has found it necessary to make reviews here and there because a review is just that, insert game into console and explain to other gamers exactly what the exp is like, how the controls are, should you buy or rent etc. and of course this is just an opinion but i have had the pleasure of playing many many games and can tell you what is worth playing and what is worth leave displaying at local game store. when i put this game in i had already heard mixed reviews and some that were so mixed in regards to either very good or very bad, and found it funny how there was a small middle ground, either hated or loved, no in between. well to start off i try to look at the positives in every game and try my best not to pick a game apart by flaws, especially if the flaws out do not out weigh the positives. graphically the game isnt top notch but it isnt bad either, thats a draw and to me graphics can be overlooked so as long as gameplay/fun factor/story is solid, unless the graphics hender the ability to decipher wtf you are looking at but this was not the case, graphics are not bad.. but one thing i did notice was that the game was very tedious as far as looting from the very beginning, now i dont mind looting, actually enjoy it but i was not enjoying a stack of suitcases within 5 feet of each other and the overly animated sequence when one grabs something (almost like every item that can be grabbed looks like "give me that f'n energy drink") but its not a game breaker. minor. then i started to hear the voice of the person i picked to play w/ starting to repeat the same "i kill you" and "maybe something inside" and this is done every time you search something or take a whack at a zombie/undead,again it is minor, very annoying at times, but again not a deal breaker.. but already im dealing w/ 2 few minor issues which are are starting to bug me and i have finished 1 quest, 10-15 mins into the game. now lets get to controls. well they can be unforgiving at times and takes a little getting used to but after playing now for a few hours, i still dont feel i have complete control w/ weapons, aiming and rage. but i have learned a few tricks to rough it out and kick button is the secret for me (until you face bigger, meaner zombies and then the kick isnt as effecting. but again controls not a major set back but doesnt help the cause. now some of the quests will have you running back and forth to the same spots and rinse and repeat, this can get redundant but im just trying to have fun, because this game is not a serious survival zombie game, and if you jump into this thinking so then i will say you may be disappointed. and do not think you will get an emotional or gripping story via the trailer, again you will feel cheated if you do.w/o going into a long dragged out review i will give it to you as i see it. we all have different tastes and ideas of what a fun game is, but to me im not having much fun, along the way i found minor flaws here and there but then ended up w/ a bucket full of them, and flaws are not a deal breaker so as long as the game can keep one wanting more and arouse enjoyment. and unfortunately i did get the special edition and didnt bother to use the dlc's. i just did not enjoy myself w/ this hack and slash. hack and slash isnt a bad thing, not at all, some of my fav games are hack/slash. but to me it just got old and fast. keep in mind i was happy i bought this game, before i played 4-5 hours of it and now i (want to say regret it) wished it would stay in my console for a few days or some co-op but i do not enjoy this game.yes there are some good points, the gore, the grunts and screams from the zombies but thats not enough for me.i am saddened to have written a review which is less than stellar for this game,but because i made an investment in it doesnt mean i will entertain others by giving gamers what they want to hear, instead i must give you my opinion and that is, i highly recommend you try b4 you buy,im unhappy w/ D.I… Expand
  98. Shadtered_Soul
    Sep 8, 2011
    9
    Dead Island is the kind of game that you either love or you hate. It is not a perfect game but for any reasonable minded gamer the flaws should not be enough to break the game. Graphically it is a mixed bag, the environment providing the best visuals and the character animations ranging from great (the undead) to stiff (the humans, ironically). Having played through nearly twelve hoursDead Island is the kind of game that you either love or you hate. It is not a perfect game but for any reasonable minded gamer the flaws should not be enough to break the game. Graphically it is a mixed bag, the environment providing the best visuals and the character animations ranging from great (the undead) to stiff (the humans, ironically). Having played through nearly twelve hours of the game (roughly 34% of the main quest and a ton of the side quests) I can safely say that those who tackle the game solo are missing the point, this game is made to be played with a group. In my time spent playing with friends the admittedly mindless destruction of scores of undead never ceased to be enjoyable, cutting down zombie after zombie and running for the high ground when their numbers begin to overwhelm you always was oddly terrifying and enjoyable. The decision to make it a first person game, while giving the melee combat a bit of a learning curve, definitely adds tension to the game as not being able to see three or four feet behind your character at all times makes you keep your digital head on a swivel. In summary, Dead Island is far from perfect but it is still an insanely enjoyable game to play with friends in spite of its short comings, smashing zombie heads in with a nail studded baseball bat never gets old.… Expand
  99. Bama
    Sep 8, 2011
    10
    This game is incredibly fun to play in Singleplayer mode or MP mode. I can only reason that the low scores must have come from FPS fans. If exploring, crafting, leveling and defiling zombies with hundreds of weapons in amazingly bloody fashion than this game is for you. Do not let the critics talk u out of this game it is a must play.
  100. Amatic808
    Sep 8, 2011
    10
    Don't let the mediocre and bad reviews sway you into missing one of the greatest zombie killing games ever made. I play it on the PC and at first, it was a buggy, jumbled mess. But since they've patched it up, it's become one of my most favorite games to play. Completely wide open island packed with hidden chests and goodies. Co-op zombie killing is a complete riot and probably the mostDon't let the mediocre and bad reviews sway you into missing one of the greatest zombie killing games ever made. I play it on the PC and at first, it was a buggy, jumbled mess. But since they've patched it up, it's become one of my most favorite games to play. Completely wide open island packed with hidden chests and goodies. Co-op zombie killing is a complete riot and probably the most fun I've had playing a game in a long time. It's also a pretty good RPG with talent trees, upgradable weapons and even green/blue/golden weapons to signify rarity. If you're on the fence, pick it up, without a doubt. You will not regret it.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

10
#10 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2011
9
#9 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
71

Mixed or average reviews - based on 75 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 38 out of 75
  2. Mixed: 36 out of 75
  3. Negative: 1 out of 75
  1. GamingTrend
    Mar 1, 2012
    93
    Dead Island is a hell of a ride from start to (near) finish and is a zombie game that stands out from the rest of the pack.
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  2. Xbox World 360 Magazine UK
    Dec 2, 2011
    55
    A wasted opportunity - frustrating to play and too ugly to love. [Dec 2011, p.98]
  3. Game Chronicles
    Nov 23, 2011
    85
    I admit that I was not expecting much from Dead Island, given the oversaturated subject matter and the delayed development time. And while the game definitely has its share of weaknesses, it is pleasantly surprising in its own right.
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