Dead Island 2 – Opening Gameplay Showcases Gorgeous Visuals and Gory Combat

Dambuster Studios’ Dead Island 2 releases next week after years of development hell and looks pretty impressive. IGN has released the first 11 minutes of gameplay, showcasing the opening and how your character arrives in the ruins of Los Angeles. Check it out below, though be advised of intense gore.

After a plane crash, Ryan, one of six playable Slayers, starts by escaping from the wreckage. It’s a slow and arduous process, and upon emerging, he meets other survivors, tending to some of the fatally wounded. Of course, it’s not long before he discovers a zombie, and chaos ensues. At least the smoke and fire effects, and facial animations, look great.

This sequence highlights FLESH, a procedural gore system that reacts dynamically to the player. For instance, one of the wounded, who turns into a zombie, has their head caved in an uncomfortably realistic fashion. That’s only the beginning, as you chop limbs off, melt zombie flesh and much more throughout the game.

Dead Island 2 is out on April 21st for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and PC. Stay tuned for more details en route to release.