‘For a game in development for more than a decade, it’s a minor miracle for Dead Island 2 to come out at all. Overall, Delaney enjoyed the experience, but believes the game has many overt shortcomings: Writing for GameSpot, Mark Delaney praised the game’s combat primarily – although his assessment of its gunplay was less enthusiastic. The smart skill system and a wide range of weapons mean that throughout the game’s brisk 15-hour main campaign offering, you’re never bored of liberating heads from the shoulders of the undead around Hollywood.’ It’s almost impossible to stop smiling while playing, such are the slapstick laughs of limbs flying off in every direction. ‘ Dead Island 2 is an extremely silly, comically violent, and consistently enjoyable experience.

He described the game as ‘unabashed zombie schlock’ with a strong sense of identity: The blandness of the game’s campaign wasn’t enough to dampen the experience for Jordan Middler, writing for Video Games Chronicle. It should grow old quickly on paper, but even playing by myself, I never tired of destroying countless hordes of zombies in exciting and varied ways.’ ‘From the sweeping hillside neighbourhoods of Bel-Air to the sunny sands of Venice Beach, Dead Island 2 successfully captures a sense of paradise, like Banoi in Dead Island before it, just a different type of paradise … Despite its shortcomings, I still had fun with the game. Writing for Press Start Australia, writer James Berich was slightly less positive about the game’s central ideas – but did praise its fleshy combat, and its idyllic Californian setting: Dead Island 2 is fulfilling in that respect.’ Both are an attractive but ultimately cursory facade for the flesh and blood of the game – the constant, thumping blur of feverish hacking and bashing, of gore and viscera, that all swirls together in a cocktail of extreme queasiness. ‘Like a music video, extraneous colour and flavour doesn’t really need to make complete sense. Read: Dead Island 2 Review – Bad Day L.A.

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