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. Redfordsto
    Sep 7, 2011
    5
    A great concept ruined by tons of glitches. The game is fun. But there are too many glitches to make it worth the $60. A patch is coming, but you're probably wise to wait. The problems will be fixed and the price will drop.
  2. Pickle_of_Fire
    Sep 7, 2011
    4
    I really, really, REALLY wanted to like Dead Island. 15 hours later, I can tell you that I don't at all. 5 1/2 years of development gave them enough time to "borrow" elements of game play from other (far superior) games in an attempt to emulate the glory of these titles. Whether you're talking about the the Co-op of Left 4 Dead (Dead Island started development as a single player game), theI really, really, REALLY wanted to like Dead Island. 15 hours later, I can tell you that I don't at all. 5 1/2 years of development gave them enough time to "borrow" elements of game play from other (far superior) games in an attempt to emulate the glory of these titles. Whether you're talking about the the Co-op of Left 4 Dead (Dead Island started development as a single player game), the inventory of Borderlands (500 different pistols with barely discernible stat differences and names), or the crafting of Dead Rising 2 (get a blueprint, collect pieces, assemble at a workbench), Dead Island tries and resoundingly fails to utilize these in any way that does justice to the titles it lifted them from. (PROS)
    30+ hours of gameplay.
    Ambient audio and soundtrack are both surprisingly top notch.

    Beating a zombie to death rarely looks as satisfyingly devastating as it does in this game. (CONS)
    Matchmaking is broken on Xbox LIVE at the time of this writing. You are not able to join into games with people who are not on your friends list. Even if you are friends with someone it is more than likely that you will be unable to invite them to your game (or vice versa); regardless as to whether or not you are in the same Chapter/Area/Level Range.
    30+ hours of fetch quests. The vast majority of the missions (at least in the first 15 hours of play) involve an NPC telling you they need something (or 5 of something) and that they expect you to fetch it. This is fun for the first hour or so, but it's novelty wears off very quickly. Especially considering the amount of time that you will spend backtracking through familiar and well trod areas to turn in quests. A narrative that does not immerse you in the world. You stumble across an NPC that is dying of thirst. They ask you to fetch some water from across the island. You scratch your head and wonder what is wrong with the six cans of "Energy Drink" at their feet (or, for that matter, the bottles of water across the room). The game is rife with idiosyncratic narrative elements that absolutely destroy and suspension of disbelief. Game mechanics that depend on you feeling as though you're low on resources to make any sense at all. All the items that you can pick up in the game, be they weapons, money, healthpacks, crafting components etc respawn very rapidly. When your weapon takes damage over time (which is does very rapidly) You don't have to be concerned as You have more than enough money to repair it, a new weapon to replace it with and enough snack bars and energy drinks lying around to make it very hard to find yourself in a situation with any tension related to the "Survival horror".

    Enemies that respawn in exactly the same number/location/configuration every time you pass through an area. Since you'll spend a lot of your time on the island backtracking to places you've already been it won't take long for you to know which bodies are dead and which are zombies, where the super zombies spawn, and how many times you need to fight the exact same three zombies before you're ready to turn your makeshift club on yourself. Inconsistent graphical presentation. The Chrome engine that Techland employs in this title is terrible at rendering shadows and vegetation. This makes it especially terrible at rendering tropical locales. When you combine this with the overabundant bloom, inconsistent texture resolutions, and last gen environmental effects it makes for a game that is at times pretty; and at other times so ugly that I would gnaw my own arm off to escape were I to wake up next to it in the morning after a night of heavy drinking.
    Terrible, stilted animations. While not readily apparent on the zombies (as they are supposed to look unnatural when they move) this becomes quite atrocious when watching any NPC perform any animation whatsoever. I would be surprised if motion capture technology was used at all in this games animation process. Broken collision detection. For a game where the primary focus is beating zombies to death you figure that they would have spent more time refining this core element of gameplay. Sometimes your swinging weapon will decapitate a zombie that was clearly out of range of your attack and other times it will pass right through a zombie torso (allowing them to close the distance and attack). Lots of frustrating combat missteps as result of this.
    (Final Thought)
    In closing, I would like to say that a certain kind of gamer will love this. It is a mindless open world beat 'em up and a lot of people don't play games for style or substance. If you were expecting a AAA title in line with some of the other releases this coming this fall, you'd be better served not playing it, renting it, or waiting the month it will take for this to find it's way into the bargain bin.    … Expand
  3. zork2112
    Sep 7, 2011
    7
    First, the game is a lot of fun and the atmosphere is excellent. However, I've played for about an hour and I've already hit a bug. The first side quest I hit involved giving alcohol to an NPC (this is so early in the game and so minor it's hardly a spoiler). Anyway, I tried 4 times and watched the items disappear from my inventory, but no recognition from the game that any progressFirst, the game is a lot of fun and the atmosphere is excellent. However, I've played for about an hour and I've already hit a bug. The first side quest I hit involved giving alcohol to an NPC (this is so early in the game and so minor it's hardly a spoiler). Anyway, I tried 4 times and watched the items disappear from my inventory, but no recognition from the game that any progress was being made. If this is happening so soon, I'm not going to bother going on and I'm just going to wait for a patch that will hopefully come. There are some sub-par graphics glitches, but on the whole I'm really looking forward to continuing to play. There are a lot of real positives with the game. It's a shame that they didn't wait just a little longer and release it in better shape. I can understand issues on a PC, but with consoles you're dealing with a known hardware setup. These issues should not get through QA.… Expand
  4. doanedude
    Sep 7, 2011
    9
    Fallout 3 mechanics with Zombies. Most of the bad reviews are so nit picky I didn't even notice the issues until reading these reviews. My copy is PS3 and haven't seen any screen tearing. the odd visual bug maybe, but that is to be expected from a game of this size. It's rumored the campaign is 20-30 hours long, with drop in/out multiplayer to take on quests with people when you want andFallout 3 mechanics with Zombies. Most of the bad reviews are so nit picky I didn't even notice the issues until reading these reviews. My copy is PS3 and haven't seen any screen tearing. the odd visual bug maybe, but that is to be expected from a game of this size. It's rumored the campaign is 20-30 hours long, with drop in/out multiplayer to take on quests with people when you want and dominate zombies solo when you don't. I owned LFD 1 & 2 and this game blows it away. In Left For Dead you run along the same linear path over and over and over, while in Dead Island you're free to explore. this freedom makes the game much more intense and scary. The combat is mainly melee but you can throw any of your weapons, with guns being added later in the game. Also, VEHICLES! What's more fun than demolishing hordes of zombies in your truck with your 3 buds? Nothing.… Expand
  5. beeofdoom
    Sep 7, 2011
    5
    disregard my previous review, I've only played the PC version. I can't comment on the 360. There should be a way to retract a review!
  6. nerdgasmtv
    Sep 7, 2011
    10
    This is by far my favorite Zombie Gaming experience ever. It truly satisfied the many aspects that left 4 dead left me craving. The game did have its problems at launch with the developer releasing the wrong version. That being said, i'm not gonna dock any points for that. Ultimately the only thing that matters is if the game is fun or not. As Far as Fun factor its a 10/10 without a doubtThis is by far my favorite Zombie Gaming experience ever. It truly satisfied the many aspects that left 4 dead left me craving. The game did have its problems at launch with the developer releasing the wrong version. That being said, i'm not gonna dock any points for that. Ultimately the only thing that matters is if the game is fun or not. As Far as Fun factor its a 10/10 without a doubt as long as you can look past some of the issues that plagued the game at release. If you are a zombie fan DO NOT PASS THIS GAME UP!… Expand
  7. BillySOS
    Sep 7, 2011
    8
    I feel that this game is not quite as good as the Left For Dead series, but not quite as bad as Deadrising. The graphics are decent, the gameplay is fairly smooth, the option to do whatever missions you would like without too much of a time limit makes it feel more open ended. I have not played the multiplayer yet, but it does not seem to be promoted too much in the menus, you have tooI feel that this game is not quite as good as the Left For Dead series, but not quite as bad as Deadrising. The graphics are decent, the gameplay is fairly smooth, the option to do whatever missions you would like without too much of a time limit makes it feel more open ended. I have not played the multiplayer yet, but it does not seem to be promoted too much in the menus, you have too look hard to even figure out how to access the multiplayer instead of having it prominently displayed. If you are a zombies or undead fan, you will like this game, if not, probably not your top pick going into the gaming season.… Expand
  8. pez79_14
    Sep 7, 2011
    8
    Dead Island is a game any zombie fan should enjoy. The combat is up close and visceral. It never gets old to cave in a zombies head. There are many small touches that fit into the "zombie apocalypse" theme, such as some of the zombies have bandages on there arms from when they were bit as a human, and bodies that are completely eaten on the ground. The Crome engine looks really good and IDead Island is a game any zombie fan should enjoy. The combat is up close and visceral. It never gets old to cave in a zombies head. There are many small touches that fit into the "zombie apocalypse" theme, such as some of the zombies have bandages on there arms from when they were bit as a human, and bodies that are completely eaten on the ground. The Crome engine looks really good and I appreciate the time put into the many zombie characters and types. There is a constant sense of uneasiness and tension that never lets up. The first player gameplay is similar to Farcry in the animations of your movement, and driving. The combat is similar to Condemned and Chronicles of Riddick with great first person combat. The quests are similar to Fallout 3 or Borderlands. This game is a no-brainer for zombie fans, and a good game for anyone looking for a fun first person action/adventure game.… Expand
  9. TimmyRainman
    Sep 7, 2011
    6
    There's good and there's bad about this game, but the bad parts are completely annoying. First of all, lots of bugs to deal with and a complete lack of thought to story plot. The Island is over-run by zombies, so then what's the point of collecting money? I think in reality, money would be worthless in the sake of pure terror for survival sake. Therefore, why not just use XP points forThere's good and there's bad about this game, but the bad parts are completely annoying. First of all, lots of bugs to deal with and a complete lack of thought to story plot. The Island is over-run by zombies, so then what's the point of collecting money? I think in reality, money would be worthless in the sake of pure terror for survival sake. Therefore, why not just use XP points for trading and upgrades? Yeah, the collecting money thing I found quite stupid and lacked any coherent thought. The ratio between your health, energy and how many hits you can take before you die is way off balance. In other words, you die way too easy (only takes a few bites and your down). Of course, having the energy feature is no help when you have about 3 to 4 zombies on you at once. The energy bar goes to zero after whacking 1 1/2 zombies, then you're completely vulnerable to die quickly. The only good thing is when you come back to life, the zombies you did kill are still dead, but get used to seeing a lot of "you're dead" screens, which get extremely annoying. Plus, all dying does is make you lose some money, so why not just make me lose some money as I take hits? It makes more sense than constantly dying and having to see the death screen over and over. Well, again the thing with "money", WTF were they thinking there?

    I've never been a huge fan of first-player action, and this is certainly a game that screams for third person view, being you literally need eyes in the back of your head. Nothing like zombies always sneaking up behind you, and considering it only takes a few bites to die, it's not exactly what I consider fun. And don't count on the mini-map, as it only shows zombies to kill that are in the mission objective; all other zombies do not show up on the map. Need I mention there's no target locking, which is disappointing in my opinion. I understand other gamers don't want target lock, but some gamers do and it would have been nice to at least have the option, especially with limited view area because of your precious first-player view. The best thing in the game is getting in a vehicle and simply running over zombies. Like in any GTA platform, the more damage you do to your car, it eventually dies and you'll need to find another car. Nevertheless, think of it ass the best weapon you have in the start, because boat paddles and broom sticks just don't cut it.

    And bugs galore! There's a bug when getting in and out of cars, my PS3 says to press L2 to kick but sometimes hitting the square button makes the character kick. Nothing like swinging your weapon when you're right up on a zombie, and so are the cross-hairs, yet you literally miss the zombie after a couple swings. Yeah, control wise, not very impressive and more annoying than anything else. Nevertheless, the graphics look great and the zombies are quite disgusting, which is a good thing. Other than that, it's the same old "work your way up the latter" missions. But hey, nothing like wasting $60 on a game that should only be worth $10.    … Expand
  10. Hawxblood
    Sep 7, 2011
    7
    I'll keep it short and to the point. If your reading all these hate it, love it reviews and your thinking; "I might like this game" then go and buy it. Simple, you will like it.
  11. Thrillhouse
    Sep 7, 2011
    8
    A mix of borderlands, fallout, and dead rising. If you're one of those people that plays games and needs to brag about the graphics, this game wont disappoint, but also has the addictive gameplay to make you forget to eat a few meals. Playing coop with friends is the way to go, you end up running through the streets just stomping out zombies, basically feeling you're in a lynch mob, butA mix of borderlands, fallout, and dead rising. If you're one of those people that plays games and needs to brag about the graphics, this game wont disappoint, but also has the addictive gameplay to make you forget to eat a few meals. Playing coop with friends is the way to go, you end up running through the streets just stomping out zombies, basically feeling you're in a lynch mob, but for all the right reasons… Expand
  12. jstrickler872
    Sep 7, 2011
    7
    I have been playing this game non-stop since i bought it. It is really fun. i had seen the trailers, and was sold. Sadly this game isn't as awesome as i pictured in my head. There are many issues with this game. (Needed more development) the voice acting/cut scenes are just atrocious. What makes this game stand out is not the story line, or graphics, but the actual feel of being stuck in aI have been playing this game non-stop since i bought it. It is really fun. i had seen the trailers, and was sold. Sadly this game isn't as awesome as i pictured in my head. There are many issues with this game. (Needed more development) the voice acting/cut scenes are just atrocious. What makes this game stand out is not the story line, or graphics, but the actual feel of being stuck in a world with zombies. The zombies in this game are super scary. If they see you they sprint at you and make the most terrifying noises. If you want a shooter though...this isn't the game for you. Use mostly melee weapons. So i do recommend this game, but just want to warn everyone that....it is very sloppy, and defiantly needed more development.… Expand
  13. Karmakrazy412
    Sep 7, 2011
    10
    Dead Island is great. Go buy it. There. That was easy. Oh- You want to know why? Well I'll tell you. Dead Island is a very good open world zombie survival game featuring a robust weapon crafting system and first person melee combat. Itâ
  14. WWWoj
    Sep 7, 2011
    10
    Good fun = good game. It's as simple as that. Even if the game is not flawless I can recom-mend it without hesitation and all because of its incredible survival horror experience. I'm not fan of the genre but I was carried away with action and atmosphere. I also truly appreciate the fantastic environments and really nice zombie. And one thing more: the soundtrack is phenomenal. All in all,Good fun = good game. It's as simple as that. Even if the game is not flawless I can recom-mend it without hesitation and all because of its incredible survival horror experience. I'm not fan of the genre but I was carried away with action and atmosphere. I also truly appreciate the fantastic environments and really nice zombie. And one thing more: the soundtrack is phenomenal. All in all, it is a decent product that scored 95% on my scale.… Expand
  15. alphalimakappa
    Sep 7, 2011
    9
    This is the best zombie game ever made by humanity, ever. The only reason I'm not giving it a 10 is that some minor glitches need to be fixed with a patch. Otherwise it's simply mindblowing! The island is huge but it's not just the beach, there is a city, jungles and much more. I'm in the middle of my second playthrough. Cooperative is the way to with this one. Not like there's anythingThis is the best zombie game ever made by humanity, ever. The only reason I'm not giving it a 10 is that some minor glitches need to be fixed with a patch. Otherwise it's simply mindblowing! The island is huge but it's not just the beach, there is a city, jungles and much more. I'm in the middle of my second playthrough. Cooperative is the way to with this one. Not like there's anything wrong with single-player but sharing the horrors of the zombie invasion with other players is what XBL was invented for LOL!… Expand
  16. BambiZombie
    Sep 7, 2011
    10
    Woohoo! An open world zombie slasher with impeccable graphics and fresh gameplay. It has some glitches so I'm still waiting for that patch but otherwise it's exactly the game I've been waiting for. Weapon decays is balanced as long as you loot useful stuff (as you would being a survivor in a zombie apocalypse), the enemies have enough variety to stay entertaining but it's still obviousWoohoo! An open world zombie slasher with impeccable graphics and fresh gameplay. It has some glitches so I'm still waiting for that patch but otherwise it's exactly the game I've been waiting for. Weapon decays is balanced as long as you loot useful stuff (as you would being a survivor in a zombie apocalypse), the enemies have enough variety to stay entertaining but it's still obvious that they're zombie variations.
    Melee combat is unique, especially when you switch the oddly named 'fight type' to analog. Then you control the melee swings by swinging the right analog stick. And one more thing: PLAY IN CO-OP!!    … Expand
  17. Leomurphyyy
    Sep 6, 2011
    8
    This game is just downright fun. Multiplayer is a joy with friends. Sure, there are technical issues, but that doesn't stop this game from being fun. This isn't a story driven experience. For all of you douchebags who give this game a low rating because of the story, go read a book. This game is for gore lovers and anyone who enjoys a good cooperative experience.
  18. VooDeeZy
    Sep 6, 2011
    9
    This is the best current gen Zombie game to date.... It takes aspects of both fallout and borderlands and combines them into a very enjoyable co-op rpg. Its nothing like led or dead rising aside from zombies and crafting weapons... It has bugs but they dont ruin the game or experience imo
  19. Lethal0ne
    Sep 6, 2011
    9
    I really can't understand why there are so many people rating this game badly. It's so fun! I think that the ones that aren't liking it just can't like this type of game. My anticipation was really high and I was so worried about it not living up to my expectations/hopes. It really does in a big way. I've only played for a couple of hours so far so maybe it's not fair for me to praiseI really can't understand why there are so many people rating this game badly. It's so fun! I think that the ones that aren't liking it just can't like this type of game. My anticipation was really high and I was so worried about it not living up to my expectations/hopes. It really does in a big way. I've only played for a couple of hours so far so maybe it's not fair for me to praise it so much, but even if the story and everything else that I haven't seen isn't any good, it wouldn't bother me because I'm having so much fun with just running around killing zombies. I loved both Dead Risings, but this has a completely different feel to me. It's more realistic in some ways, but I find it doesn't frustrate like some games like that do, (trying to be too realistic). I wasn't sure about the stamina meter and the upgrades and things along those lines, but I really think the developer kept right in the middle of what they were going for, so it works great!

    I think if you like the game play trailers, you'll have fun with this. I have high hopes for the story too, (I like it so far), but as I said... if it isn't that great, I'll have fun watching zombies drowning as they take water into their ugly heads, as well as everything else that I've seen/done so far. I've also read complaints about the visuals and character models as well. I thought everything was done great. I can't speak for what you see/experience later in the game, but so far I think it looks and plays amazingly.

    I think that people are either trying to give it a bad score for some reason without even trying it, or they just don't like this kind of game. I'm not sure, but I'm pretty convinced that the ones that are loving it will keep loving it for quite sometime.

    Awesome game!    … Expand
  20. PieM0nk
    Sep 6, 2011
    9
    Finally a zombie game that brings strategy to the table. Put together elements of fallout mixed with a dash of left 4 dead and dead rising and you've got Dead Island. This game is nowhere near perfect but I cannot stop playing it. Left 4 Dead 2 before this game was my favorite zombie game. This is now my new favorite one because you can't merely hack and slash in a corner as compared toFinally a zombie game that brings strategy to the table. Put together elements of fallout mixed with a dash of left 4 dead and dead rising and you've got Dead Island. This game is nowhere near perfect but I cannot stop playing it. Left 4 Dead 2 before this game was my favorite zombie game. This is now my new favorite one because you can't merely hack and slash in a corner as compared to Valves hit series l4d. you actually have to use skill and prior encounter experience for this game. I would compare this game to fallout greatly in the way that it is not only an fpsrpg, but also a rough game with graphical problems. Fallout has much more bugs than Dead Island has yet people talk **** about this game yet not fallout because fallout has settled itself within the gaming community. Because it is developed by an almost unknown company it will never be praised the way it should be. I would also like to include that the coop is fantastic, the mechanics are fascinating, and the analog combat style is a neat feature. The only complaint I have is that you cannot look behind you or use mirrors in vehicles. This game I could play over and over with my friends. The beautiful, yet dark at the some time setting of Banoi is really visually stunning and emotionally captivating. This game really brings out the teamwork in you and your friends. I recommend this game to anybody who loves fps', RPGs, and don't mind playing a game that is not 100% perfect. This game will never get the credit it deserves. The complete opposite of the cod franchise. Cod is a horrible series that gets overthrows while this is a fantastic game that will be underrated.… Expand
  21. klinesmokerr
    Sep 6, 2011
    9
    It's sa to see the 35 negative reviews that came without justification. This is the stuff that kills jobs. This isn't a perfect game, but what it did do was create an experience that is completely it's own. The vistas are gorgeous despite ugly character models. The combat is frantic and exciting, but occasionally frustrating. That said the package is something fresh in a year of constantIt's sa to see the 35 negative reviews that came without justification. This is the stuff that kills jobs. This isn't a perfect game, but what it did do was create an experience that is completely it's own. The vistas are gorgeous despite ugly character models. The combat is frantic and exciting, but occasionally frustrating. That said the package is something fresh in a year of constant sequels. I bought this game knowing it was new IP and I stand by that knowledge a better man for having supported a company that took a chance. Not perfect, but deeply satisfying, Dead Island makes me happy to struggle to survive in a zombie breakout unlike anything I've ever seen.… Expand
  22. Fxd2fght
    Sep 6, 2011
    9
    Awesome game! A must have for any fan of zombie/horror games. The perfect mix of action and suspense. My advise, buy this game, turn off the lights and hook up surround sound!
  23. Parag0N
    Sep 6, 2011
    9
    Played this since midnight on monday until now. BEST ZOMBIE GAME I've ever played! Take the freedom of Dead Rising and mix it with left 4 dead's uneasy feeling of "what comes next" and drape it with a Borderlands feel and you have Dead Island. It takes getting used to as it's def something all it's own but those on the fence of whether this is up your alley only need to check a couplePlayed this since midnight on monday until now. BEST ZOMBIE GAME I've ever played! Take the freedom of Dead Rising and mix it with left 4 dead's uneasy feeling of "what comes next" and drape it with a Borderlands feel and you have Dead Island. It takes getting used to as it's def something all it's own but those on the fence of whether this is up your alley only need to check a couple boxes. 1) Did you play and enjoy Fallout 3 or Borderlands? 2.) Do you enjoy co-op games? 3.) Do you like zombie games/films? If you said yes to all three questions go buy this right now I guarantee you will have a blast. Critics are being really harsh on this game but it truly is worth every cent of your purchase. My friends and I are loving every minute of it.… Expand
  24. NetherWitch
    Sep 6, 2011
    10
    So far 50% of the people knew what they were buying and enjoyed their purchase...and 50% of the people didn't do their research and though they were buying the reveal CG trailer, found out it was just a regular game and started raging. If you like exploring, and fighting zombies this game is a must have. If on then other hand you'd like to run and gun through a meat shield of ragingSo far 50% of the people knew what they were buying and enjoyed their purchase...and 50% of the people didn't do their research and though they were buying the reveal CG trailer, found out it was just a regular game and started raging. If you like exploring, and fighting zombies this game is a must have. If on then other hand you'd like to run and gun through a meat shield of raging zombies on easy, this is probably not the game for you. For those that like to do both and enjoy a good distraction this is a solid buy or rent.… Expand
  25. Richie
    Sep 6, 2011
    10
    First off, I hate, HATE zombie games. I'll be 100% honest, I picked up Dead Island because of all the hype and because people mentioned it was "Fallout 3 with zombies". Well, with Fallout 3 being one of my favorite games in existence, and me being a sucker for anything like it, I had to give this a chance. So yeah I bought into the hype, but bottom line, it's a really awesome game. IFirst off, I hate, HATE zombie games. I'll be 100% honest, I picked up Dead Island because of all the hype and because people mentioned it was "Fallout 3 with zombies". Well, with Fallout 3 being one of my favorite games in existence, and me being a sucker for anything like it, I had to give this a chance. So yeah I bought into the hype, but bottom line, it's a really awesome game. I think Dead Island deserves a 9/10 across the board. The graphics and sound are both over the top good, the core game is a TON of FUN, and the feeling you get while playing is worth the price of admission. Throw a few online friends into the mix, turn your speakers up, and watch the blood fly. You'd have to be dead to not enjoy this game.… Expand
  26. ofchughes
    Sep 6, 2011
    7
    Dead Island is a fantastic game that isn't getting the credit it deserves. However i can understand with the bugs and crashes that are occurring in game. In time with patches it will be the game its supposed to be. The violence is awesome and game play just needs some fixing it will be a true gem just not right now.
  27. Weyland
    Sep 6, 2011
    10
    First off.. i was worried about this game but i just could not resist buying it.... My worries were immediately erased when i played it! The biggest complaint i have seen is how it has picked popular qualities from other games. But seriously is that such a bad thing? Man This game is pure survival & though i wouldn't call it scary as hell this game has managed to make me jump & get veryFirst off.. i was worried about this game but i just could not resist buying it.... My worries were immediately erased when i played it! The biggest complaint i have seen is how it has picked popular qualities from other games. But seriously is that such a bad thing? Man This game is pure survival & though i wouldn't call it scary as hell this game has managed to make me jump & get very nervous from close calls. I really enjoy the crafting mechanics in the game and the way your weapon will actually show its wear and tear from use & they did not leave it to just having a health bar! what can i say i love the little things. Also i was caught off guard by the bloody size of the skill trees you use to get tougher & more capable. I will never get bored of throwing a knife into a zombie & pulling it back out while it tries to grab me than just stab the heck out of it :P… Expand
  28. Thompson83
    Sep 6, 2011
    3
    The 360 version features broken matchmaking for the vast majority of players. One should not be surprised at the broken network code, considering that these are the same artisans that shat out the deplorable Call of Juarez: The Cartel (47/100 on Metacritic at the time of this writing). The Chrome engine is dated and can't handle spawning more than 5 zombies at a time. There is no suspense,The 360 version features broken matchmaking for the vast majority of players. One should not be surprised at the broken network code, considering that these are the same artisans that shat out the deplorable Call of Juarez: The Cartel (47/100 on Metacritic at the time of this writing). The Chrome engine is dated and can't handle spawning more than 5 zombies at a time. There is no suspense, as money is plentiful and all the loot respawns with a great frequency. Do not buy this game before reading the Edge Magazine review. If, after reading their litany of (spot on) complaints you still feel like playing it, rent it from Gamefly (or, better yet, check yourself into an institution). I don't generally write reviews for games (especially negative ones) but this is the most ripped off I have felt with a game purchase in the last 5 years. I had my reservations, but seeing the fairly positive reviews, swallowed them and went ahead and got it. Should have gone with my gut. As an added bonus, if your pre-ordered the game on Steam, you got a broken dev version that they now have to repair (making your DLC, save games, and game data corrupt in the process). That is the general level of competency you can expect from Techland and Deep Silver.… Expand
  29. Azyp88
    Sep 6, 2011
    10
    Zombie games redefined. Outstanding mood and game-world. After gameplay movies I was a bit worried about melee fighting. Its just hard task. And what happened? I am playin it for 7 hours. Melee fighting is a masterpiece. Good work Deep Silver.

    BTW - City of Moresby is giving me the best survival experience in my life.
  30. Oio
    Sep 6, 2011
    10
    Well, its zombie game, but its completely different than L4D or Dead Rising - in my opinion: much better, much more adult and interesting. It has great climate and that's more important, right?
  31. jgjake2
    Sep 6, 2011
    5
    I had been anticipating this game for some time and I am quite disappointed with what I got for my money. I absolutely LOVED Borderlands, and this game makes a clear attempt to copy many its gameplay mechanics. I also spotted many things adopted from games like Dead Rising 2, Fallout, and Left for Dead 2. However, the developers of this game spent little time truly unifying these variousI had been anticipating this game for some time and I am quite disappointed with what I got for my money. I absolutely LOVED Borderlands, and this game makes a clear attempt to copy many its gameplay mechanics. I also spotted many things adopted from games like Dead Rising 2, Fallout, and Left for Dead 2. However, the developers of this game spent little time truly unifying these various game mechanics and failed in many ways to deliver a solid game.

    Firstly, I have to comment on the atrocious weapon and inventory system. The inventory list is unorganized and is unable to be sorted in any way that truly matters. There is a sort function that displays blocks of items, such as melee weapons, guns, etcâ    … Expand
  32. metalhead980
    Sep 6, 2011
    9
    Dead Island is a Open world, first person view, zombie survival horror with item collection and character skill advancement trees. Its as If Borderlands and Dead Rising got together and had a baby, that baby would be dead Island. This game has rich four player co-op, simple yet effective story, a deep weapon crafting and character customization system. Do you love zombies? Exploration?Dead Island is a Open world, first person view, zombie survival horror with item collection and character skill advancement trees. Its as If Borderlands and Dead Rising got together and had a baby, that baby would be dead Island. This game has rich four player co-op, simple yet effective story, a deep weapon crafting and character customization system. Do you love zombies? Exploration? character advancement? item collections? co-op? then dead Rising is a no brain-er. The only reason this game doesn't get a ten is due to a slightly bugged user interface that should be fixed this week with a patch.… Expand
  33. diabolo
    Sep 6, 2011
    10
    I don't care what other people say. The game is simply amazing. I was scared like hell and I still hear the screaming zombies behind my back. I have to admit that I have never played game like this: huge world to explore, beautiful environments, lots of action that you can not predict and above all that crashing feeling that you may die soon... Just WOW!!!!
  34. ArchaicSword
    Sep 6, 2011
    10
    So...first off, I am definitely blown away. While I was excited about this game, I was a bit worried as to what the final product would be like and I can honestly say it turned out quite amazing. From the beautiful visuals to the blood curdling screams of the zombies, the island feels alive. It really comes alive though when you're allowed to explore at you're leisure. Taking on sideSo...first off, I am definitely blown away. While I was excited about this game, I was a bit worried as to what the final product would be like and I can honestly say it turned out quite amazing. From the beautiful visuals to the blood curdling screams of the zombies, the island feels alive. It really comes alive though when you're allowed to explore at you're leisure. Taking on side quests can be a bit overwhelming as there are many to take on at any given safe zone, but they all do a great job at wrapping you up in the world and the affairs of it.

    The game isn't without flaws, but fortunately, they are only minor. I experienced a respawn bug when playing a session with my buddy and a couple other texture loading bugs but these are things the developers have said would be fixed in a day one patch so those shouldn't be of concern. In the end, the game's a lot fun. The weapons really feel like you connect when you're beating down a zombie and the degradation of weapons makes each common oar or plank feel like a brand new weapon you're stockpiling to fight with. Playing with a buddy (or 3) is great and even though they're not a whole lot of tutorial pop ups to help you with everything, you learn pretty quickly how everything works and can easily get connected to the game. It's the largest scale zombie rpg I've seen yet and, to me, it definitely doesn't disappoint. I love the realistic touches and the added difficulty some of it presents and I for one will be having fun with this game for a long time    … 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.
    Read full review
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