Killing zombies is one of those things that hits a primal part of the human brain. Perhaps it has something to do with an instinctual desire to do away with things we see as ‘diseased.’ I don’t know, I’m not a philosopher, but I do really like killing zombies. It’s something I’ve been doing in video games since I was a kid.
Some of my favourite formative memories are of blowing away zombies with precious shotgun shells in Resident Evil 2 or later and blowing them away with an array of ridiculous implements in Dead Rising. It’s a fond, nostalgic experience for me.
And after all those games filled with zombies to destroy, I can happily say that Dead Island 2 is the best zombie slaughter simulator I’ve ever played.
Hollywood Undead
The first Dead Island went very hard on the comedy angle, for some, too much so. The second reels this in just enough, injecting a good balance of emotion to humour to have you invested in your character and their journey. Your character matters a lot, too, with a surprisingly large number to choose from and each with an astonishing number of lines for every situation, who you play will strongly impact the tone and your impression of the game.
For my part, I played Carla, an empathetic and gleefully dramatic Hispanic woman who always seemed out to do her best impression of Dante from Devil May Cry. With firefighters, hackers, mumble rappers, and everything in between, there’s a rambunctious zombie slayer to fight your tastes.
Zombie slaying has never looked so good, either. In the sunlit streets of HELL-A, you’ll take the fight to the hordes with a vast array of ranged and melee weaponry and watch them fall apart in a gory festival of violence. Every blow, slash and strike leaves a mark on the undead, and the way they fall apart in real time is truly something to watch.
With everything from beach-front resorts to the Hollywood strip, to the depths of sewers and the bumping floors of nightclubs, Dead Island 2 is jampacked with sights to explore, and the game’s excellent lighting engine makes them all a treat for the eyes.
The apocalypse is better with friends.
Worthy of a shout-out is Dead Island 2’s multiplayer Co-Op. With the number of secrets hidden across the world and mysteries to uncover, having a friend with you can be invaluable. Scouring every building, holding off the hordes while you heal up, and working together to take down the biggest, baddest boneheads puts a fresh twist on the game’s core loop. Plus, seeing how other characters besides the one you chose react to different situations is a real treat. So, pick a buddy, and hop in, because those who slay together stay together.
But if you want to experience Dead Island 2 at its peak, you will want to aim a little higher than the Hollywood Hills...
Slaying in the Cloud
Dead Island 2 is a demanding game. With its FLESH dismemberment system, beautiful lighting, huge areas, and the staggering number of zombies that can assault you at any moment, it’s a game you want the right equipment for, so you can enjoy it at its best. Thankfully, GeForce NOW Powered by Pentanet has you covered. With a Priority membership, you can enjoy Dead Island 2 on any device with the best graphics possible, so get ahead in the cloud today and find your better way to slay.
This spotlight was written by Pentanet team member "Motley" and does not represent the opinions of NVIDIA or Pentanet.
