Launch trailer arrives for Golf Club: Wasteland

Demagog Studio’s and Untold Tales rather highly anticipated Golf Club: Wasteland arrives today on all consoles and PC and well, you lucky lot, we’ve only gone and got the launch trailer below!

Take a trip to the cozy apocalypse and play some rather serene rounds of golf as you try and understand what happened to humanity. Along for the ride is a radio DJ from Mars offering some chill tunage whilst callers reminisce about Earth. Oh and once you’ve beaten the game you’ll get a free digital soundtrack and a graphic novel. Prizes!

Golf Club: Wasteland has arrived at Finger Guns HQ so be sure to look out for much more on this unique venture very soon.

Play through the end of the world as you piece together the fall of humanity at the hands of consumerism, Silicon Valley culture, and ecological disaster. All while a smooth-talking radio DJ broadcasting from Mars serves you some chill tunes and interesting stories from his callers on Mars reminiscing about what they remember most about Earth.


Source [Press Release]

25 Indie Games To Get Excited About In September 2021

Prepare yourself for indie games overload as September 2021 is bringing a mountain of promising titles.

You know we’ve reach the video game silly season when I take a long list of indie games and only manage to whittle it down to 25 titles without it feeling like I’d made a massive omission. From skateboarding budgies to sugar glider survival epics, post-apocalyptic golfing expeditions to comedic fire fighting, the coming month has indie games for everyone, no matter your taste in games. Without further ado, lets dive into 25 of the most promising indie games to keep on your radar for September 2021.

SkateBIRD by Glassbottom Games – Sept 16th

The skateboarding genre is going through something of a renaissance right now. That being said, while everyone else is attempting to make realistic skateboarding games, Glassbottom games have been building something truly unique. SkateBIRD. It’s a bird on a skateboard riding around miniature obstacles made from everyday objects, which might be enough to entice you in anyway. The game features a narrative too, penned by one of my personal favourite developers Xalavier Nelson (Can Androids Pray, An Airport For Aliens Ran By Dogs) in which the tiny birb tries to change their human companions work/life balance so that they can play together more often. I managed to get some hands on time with SkateBIRD at EGX a few years ago (before the end times) and was suitably impressed with the way it handled. It’s not as forgiving as say THPS but not as publishing as the more realistic sims either. Look out for SkateBIRD when it launches on PC via Steam and consoles on September 16th.

Tails of Iron by Odd Bug Studio – Sept 17th

I remember sitting outside of EGX a few years ago and getting a sneak peak at Tails of Iron, long before it even had a publisher. Despite the fact that I had spent most of the day playing a show floor packed with indie games, it was one of my favourite things from the whole weekend. Since then, Odd Bug Studio have been hard at work to finish their action RPG adventure featuring a rat named Redgi who’s on the perilous quest to reclaim his throne from a merciless frog clan. If the recent previous are anything to go by, Tails of Iron is shaping up to be one of the biggest surprise hits of the year. ScreenRant said “Tails of Iron looks to be a mighty addition to the 2D Soulslike library come September” for example. Make sure to check out Tails of Iron when it launches on September 17th for PC via Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.

I Am Fish by Bossa Studios – Sept 16th

I think it’s fair to say that Bossa Studios are the undisputed champions of the irreverent simulator genre. Between the various iterations of Surgeon Simulator and I Am Bread, they really are at the top of this particular game. They’re continuing this reign with I Am Fish, an evolution of their baked-goods adventure series which is headed to far more watery territory. What I find most compelling about these titles is that while they make for hilarious content for YouTube stars/influencers, they’re equally as fun to play at home. That’s not something you can say often about physics based adventure sims. In I Am Fish, you play as a quartet of fish that are attempting to reunite in the ocean after being separated. Each aquatic adventurer has their own strengths and abilities that you’ll have to use to swim, fly, roll or chomp your way back to the big blue. It looks daft and fun and it’s hitting Xbox and PC on September 16th, 2021.

Struggling by Chasing Rats Games – Sept 8th

Struggling is a physics-based co-op platformer where up to two players control the arms of the fleshy lab experiment hero, Troy, as he sets out on an outrageous adventure. The art style to this game is nothing short of wild, combining elements of comedy and horror in an eye brow raising way that’s both funny and unsettling. The game is already available on Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam but it is making its way to Xbox and PS4 on September 8th with the help of Frontier Foundry, the games label of Frontier Developments. Got a pal who you can trust to be the left hand to your right? Recruit them on September 8th for Struggling.

Kraken Academy by Happy Broccoli Games – Sept 10th

Is there anything worse than a first day at a new school? You’ve got to find new friends, navigate unfamiliar hallways and use the time travelling powers given to you by a Kraken in order to root out a traitorous, malevolent mastermind in order to prevent the destruction of the school. Kraken Academy from Happy Broccolli Games (which I’m convinced is the best game development studio name in existence) is described as a “groundhog-day adventure inspired by 90s comedy anime” in which you’ve got to explore a time loop, powered by the titular Kraken, to learn more about the staff and students at a school in order to prevent a disaster. The concept is cool, the art style is ticking all the right boxes if you’re on the fence, there’s a demo for the game available right now up until the game’s launch date on Steam, September 10th.

Sheltered 2 by Unicube – Sept 21st

Building upon (or should that be below?) the foundations of the 2016 original, Sheltered 2 puts players in a post-apocalyptic landscape and tasks them to survive the horrors that await there by fashioning a life for yourself in a bunker. You’ll be scrounging for resources, rationing out water, battening down the hatches during dust storms and dealing with other factions and hopefully trading with them. Sheltered 2 features revamped combat systems and new factions mechanics for deeper strategic gameplay, a new 3D art style, and punishing survival challenges spread out across the devastated surface of the Earth. If you liked the original game, or you’re looking for a different type of survival game and missed the first title, make sure to give Sheltered 2 a look when it launches onto PC via Steam on September 21st, 2021.

Eastward by Pixpil – Sept 16th

Eastward is a single-player pixel art RPG influenced by 90’s Japanese animation and gaming classics Mother and The Legend of Zelda. It’s set in the near-future after a deadly toxic presence has spread across the land meaning that he human population is at an all-time low. You play as a duo, John and Sam, as they set out on an emotional journey across a world falling to ruin, full of quirky characters, puzzles to solve and dungeons to explore. The pixel art work here looks sublime and richly colourful which has the potential to be matched by a soundtrack composed by Joel Corelitz (that you might know from his work in The Unfinished Swan, Gorogoa and Death Stranding). Eastward will be available on PC, Mac and Nintendo Switch on the 16th of September.

Plunder Panic by Will Winn Games – Sept 17th

Each and every time I see Plunder Panic, I get TowerFall vibes in all the best ways. A 6 v 6 pirate-themed multiplayer arcade title, the aim of the game is complete the victory condition with the help of your crew. There’s quite a massive amount of customisation options in this title – appropriately referred to as Modify-Arrs – which aims to keep game play fresh and competitive. If you don’t have 11 friends to play with, there’s AI team mates too. This game looks like a lot of chaotic fun with some pretty inventive modes that has already been recognised at a number of industry events including winning The Audience Choice Award at Indiecade. Plunder Panic releases on Steam in Early Access for PC on September 17th, 2021 — just in time for National Talk Like a Pirate Day on September 19th – and will also release on PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch in Q1 2022.

Next Page: RICO London, Sable & More Indie Games >>>

Indie Games September 2021

16 indie games to get excited about in August 2021

It’s that time again. Here’s a bunch of cool looking indie games that deserve to be on your radar during August 2021.

If you’re looking for the creativity and diversity that indie games bring to this industry, look no further than the titles releasing in August 2021. From looping narratives starring Hollywood actors to golfing games set on a desolated Earth, first person psychological horror that explores memories to a creative cooking game, this next month is jam packed with indie games.

There’s certainly something here for everyone so without further ado, let’s explore the indie games that are launching in August 2021.

Grime by Clover Bite – August 2nd

The marriage between Soulslike combat and metroidvania exploration is a glorious one. Grime from Clover Bite and Akupara Games looks like an excellent combination of those elements. A fast and unforgiving action adventure RPG with an art style that fills me with foreboding, Grime is one of my favourite indie games on this list. There’s an interesting concept in the narrative too; You’ll be wielding living weapons in this game, torn from the monsters you defeat which are absorbed into the player character which will make you “become far more than you once were”. Sold. Check out Grime when it launches on PC via EGS and Steam as well as on Google Stadia on August 2nd.

In Sound Mind by We Create Stuff – August 3rd

Some of you will get a pang of dread filled nostalgia when you read these next 3 words: Nightmare House 2. For those who don’t know about NH2, it’s one of the most iconic, creative and scary mods for Half-Life 2. Why is that important? Well the makers of NH2, We Create Stuff, are the developers of In Sound Mind, an imaginative first-person psychological horror made in collaboration with Modus Games and The Living Tombstone. It promises “frenetic puzzles, unique boss fights, and a journey within the inner workings of the one place you can’t seem to escape—your own mind”. Pack a spare pair of pants for August 3rd when In Sound Mind launches on Switch, PC via Steam, PS5 and Xbox Series consoles.

Button City by (Subli)minal – August 10th

August 2021 is the month when the 90’s finally gets the nostalgia kicks it deserves from indie games. That kicks off with Button City, a colourful low poly narrative adventure game about friendship and community. The game revolves around a fox and its friends as they attempt to save their local arcade. In order to do so, you’ll need to “explore a diorama world, play exciting arcade games, complete quirky quests and meet cute animal friends”. In an irregular turn of events, we already have a review written for Button City in the back end of this website so I know why I needed to include it in this indie games list. You’ll be able to see for yourself on August 10th when Button City launches on PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam.

Black Book by Morteshka – August 10th

A blend of card based RPG and narrative adventure game, Black Book is a game that looks right up my alley. In this game you play as a young girl named Vasilisa who forsakes her destiny to become a witch in order to be with the one she loves. Of course, disaster strikes and her beloved dies in mysterious circumstances. Now Vasilisa is on the quest for a demonic artefact – the Black Book – which is said to be powerful enough to grant any wish to the one who uncovers all 7 of its seals. On her journey, the young witch will be facing off against all manner of dangers inspired by Slavic legends and mythological beings. From Morteshka and HypeTrain Digital, Black Book launches on PC via Steam, on PlayStation, Xbox and Switch on August 10th (or the 222nd day of 2021).

Recompile by Phigames – August 19th

I managed to get my hands on a demo of Recompile a few years ago at EGX (y’know, when in-person game events were still a thing) and it wasn’t just one of my favourite indie games of the show. It was one my favourite games of the show – full stop. The concept and art style were the first aspects that drew me in. Giving computer programs a anthropomorphic aspect has always appealed to me and that’s what we have here. In Recompile you play as  a sentient virus, trying to escape deletion as you infiltrate the digital, virtual world of The Mainframe. Constructed like an action orientated metroidvania with platforming and puzzles too, it’s a game that has a lot going for it. I’m certainly looking forward to getting my hands on the final version when it launches for Xbox, PlayStation and PC via Steam on August 19th.

12 Minutes by Luis Antonio – August 19th

A game that’s inspired by the works of Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrick and David Fincher, and features vocal performances from James McAvoy, Daisy Ridley, and Willem Dafoe, 12 Minutes is an intriguing concept. A time loop thriller that sees the player explore the same 12 Minutes in search of a way to avoid tragedy, the title is one of the most promising indie games of 2021. From developer Luis Antonio and being published by Annapurna Interactive, 12 Minutes is landing on Xbox One, Xbox Series X | S & PC via Steam on August 19th.

Soup Pot by Chikon Club – August 2021

I might be working with old information here so I apologise if Soup Pot doesn’t actually release in August 2021. The Steam page for this title currently says Q3 2021 so I’m running the gambit that it might actually release in September – but I’ll taken any opportunity to talk about cooking indie games so you might see this in next month’s list too. A Filipino co-worker turned me onto a cooking mini-game called “Putahe ng Ina Mo” last year. I had fun with that title but would have loved to see the concept go further. Thankfully, that’s exactly what Chikon Club are doing with Soup Pot. Promising to be a creative cooking experience that lets the player learn and experiment with 100 receipts, the player gets to cook up gorgeous 3D models of food with the hopes of making a tasty dish. There’s no fail state for this game and instead, you’ll get supportive or sarcastic comments on the in-game social media platform, Cookbook. You can dig into Soup Pot when it (hopefully) launches in August 2021 for PC via Steam and Xbox platforms.

Golf Club: Wastelands by Demagog Studio – August 2021

Almost all human life is wiped out. The richest 1% have fled the planet and now reside on Mars. Earth is an inhabitable wasteland so the elite do what they do best – turn it into a golf course! In Golf Club Wastelands you play as one of 1% that managed to escape Earth’s fate and are returning for one last tee off. As a concept, that’s one hell of a hook. This title is much more than just a 2D golf title howver; Via radio transmissions, the environmental storytelling and narration from a mysterious spectator watching off in the distance, you’ll unravel social commentary on what happened to the planet and the human race. You can take a swing with Golf Club: Wastelands when it launches on Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store this month.

Greak: Memories of Azur by Navigante – August 17th

To me, Greak: Memories of Azur looks like the lovechild of the Ori or Rayman games and the 1993 classic The Lost Vikings. In this 2D side scrolling adventure, you play as 3 siblings, each of which has their own unique skills and attributes. The aim is to guide the trio independently through an interconnected world, helping each other overcome obstacles, in order to escape an invading force called the Urlag. The game looks fantastic and if the game play can live up to the concept, Navigante and Team17 have a hit on their hands. If you have a Nintendo Switch, you can already get your hands on a demo for Greak: Memories of Azur. If not, the game will be launching onto Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X | S and PC via Steam on August 17th.

Road 96 by Digixart – August 16th

Digixart, originally started by Yoan and Anne-Laure Fanise (the former being a Ubisoft veteran having worked on the likes of Beyond Good & Evil and Valiant Hearts), are a studio building a reputation for creating games that are a little different. A great example of that is their previous title 11-11 Memories Untold, a game about World War I that explored a different perspective on the conflict. Their next title, Road 96, is once again demonstrating their penchant for innovation while retaining the political backdrop and emotional narratives the studio obviously likes to portray. In the most plane of terms, Road 96 is a procedural road trip game with a cast of characters that are attempting to cross the border out of the authoritative land of Petria. It certainly seems intriguing and we’ll be able to experience this game on Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam on August 16th.

Mayhem Brawler by Hero Concept – August 19th

If the recent resurgence of side scrolling beat-‘em-ups like Streets of Rage 4 or TMNT: Shredders Revenge has you itching to play a new one, Hero Concept might be able to help this August. Mayhem Brawler is an urban fantasy themed beat ’em up that aims to “brings back the 90s arcade vibe”. Featuring 3 playable characters, each with their own move set, 30 enemy types including 12 bosses, local co-op multiplayer and a branching story with 3 endings, Mayhem Brawler certainly looks and sounds like a quality entry into the genre. We’ll be able to give it a final verdict when it launches on PC via Steam, PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch on August 19th.

The Ramp by Hyperparadise – August 3rd

While the big players in the industry scrap over the claim to Skateboarding gaming, there’s a clear movement in the indie games scene to build less competitive, more experimental skating games. Skate City and to some degree OlliOlli World are taking a new tact on the genre – and then there’s “The Ramp”. Solo developer Paul Schnepf created this new skateboarding title “to scratch a very specific itch”, something that just didn’t exist right now. He wanted a minimal skateboarding experience without scores or collectables and challenges. Watch the above trailer and you’ll find it hard to disagree with the zen nature to the play, flowing from one move to the next in small, self-contained levels (of which there are 4). Schnepf even goes as far as saying that it’s “maybe not even a game, but rather a digital toy”. If this appeals, The Ramp will be out on Steam on August 3rd.

Lawn Mowing Simulator by Skyhook Games – August 10th

I’m always amazed by how the indie games Simulator genre manages to make monotonous and irksome real world tasks a joy to complete. House Flipper turned tidying up a house into a pleasure. PowerWash Simulator makes blasting grime off of surfaces an almost therapeutic activity. Now, Lawn Mowing Simulator is taking my most hated household chore – no, seriously, I just want to slab over my back garden – and turning it into a game I’m excited to play. Maybe it’s because it features an expansive roster of real-world licensed lawn mowers that put my 15 year old mower to shame. Maybe it’s because it’s a game set in idyllic locations around the Great British countryside rather than my Stoke-on-Trent Semi-detached that wouldn’t look out of place in Mordor. Or maybe because there’s a progression system in the game that allows you to build your business up and balance the books rather than it being an annoying job that triggers my hay fever every 2 weeks. Whatever it is, I’m certainly looking forward to getting all green thumbed when Lawn Mowing Simulator launches on PC via Steam and Xbox platforms on August 10th.

The Big Con by Mighty Yell – August 31st

The 90’s were great. I’ll defend that decade fervently. The pop culture and artistic styles of the 90’s aren’t appreciated anywhere near as much as those of the 80’s but for those that miss The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, AOL Instant Messenger, Eclipse jeans and NAFF NAFF jackets, The Big Con has you covered. In this 90’s based coming-of-age adventure game, you play as Ali. She’s “a curious and sarcastic high schooler” that has ditched band camp in order to take a trip across America in order to save her families video store. You’ll be swindling, conning and pickpocketing marks in order to raise the funds to fend off the predatory loan sharks hassling your Mum. Will you pull of The Big Con or will you talk yourself into trouble? We’ll find out when The Big Con launches on August 31st on PC via Steam and Xbox platforms.

Synth Riders by Kluge Interactive – August 10th

Synth Riders has been available for Oculus Quest and Rift platforms for a few years already. It was part of Forbes’ Top 50 VR Games list and was in The Guardians Top 10 Fitness Apps list. I think it’s safe to say we know that Synth Riders is a quality freestyle dance VR rhythm game. Now, finally, PSVR owners will be able to join in with the boogie fun when the game launches for the PS4 on August 10th.

Murder Mystery Machine by Blazing Griffin – August 25th

When Murder Mystery Machine was first announced by Blazing Griffin, it was something of a different beast. Along the way, the vision for the game became more focused. The developers switched out procedurally generated cases for a more focused narrative, aping TV dramas to form an 8 episode story that starts with the murder of a politician. In the game you play as fresh-faced rookie Cassandra Clarke and grizzled veteran as they investigate a complex, interconnected series of crimes. After a successful launch on iOS as part of the Apple Arcade sub, MMM is now headed to PC via Steam, Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch on August 25th.

Honourable Mention:

The Falconeer: Warrior Edition by Tomas Sala – August 5th

When the Falconeer originally launched, it was an Xbox and PC exclusive. That was the right call for this game and the 1 man development team Tomas Sala. Releasing on multiple console platforms at once can be a nightmare for 15 person studios, never mind single devs. Now though, the warbird is soaring onto PS4, PS5 and Nintendo Switch in the form of the Warrior Edition. This comes complete with the ‘The Hunter’ DLC, adding a new player class with a flyable Ormir dragon and a set of pyro pot guided rockets, and the new ‘Edge of the World’ DLC, containing 3 additional side quests and new boss encounters. This new DLC is likely to address many of the gripes we had when the game originally launched in our review so if you’re a Nintendo or PlayStation owner and you’ve yet to play this game, this might be the best time to dive in.


Indie games August 2021

So there you have it – 16 (well, 17 really) indie games to look forward to in August 2021. Have we missed a game you’re looking forward to this month? Is there a game you’d like to bring to our attention? Head to the comments section and drop us your thoughts.

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Dead Island 2 Review (PS5) – Escape From HELL-A

As I said back in my preview, it’s still surprising to see that Dead Island 2 has finally made it. After nine years, the game that was beginning to look a lot like a myth has finally made it. Various developer changes, delays and no more than a trailer had people wondering if it was going to go the way of Scalebound and Starcraft: Ghost.

Fortunately not, and it is finally here! A fully fleshed out sequel, set in the aftermath of L.A (which yes, isn’t an island but shut up), Dead Island 2 is kicking and maiming its way into the newest generation of consoles and PC’s. It’s the usual affair: the world’s gone to pot, survivors are surviving and the undead have got a penchant for the consumption of human flesh.

Is it the sequel we’d long-since given up on, showing us how it’s done, or should we have abandoned hope all ye who feined enthusiasm all that time ago? Tool up, and let’s find out.

Dead Island 2 review

When There’s No Room In Hell, The Dead Go To Beverley Hills

It would be remiss to call the story in Dead Island 2 “more of the same” and clock off, but that wouldn’t be entirely true. The world has gone to hell, zombies do ravage the earth and you, the player character, are one of the lucky ones with immunity. The player, one of six chosen Slayers (we’ll get into the details later) are aboard an evacuation flight, when it crashes.

L.A has been designated a quarantine zone, hence the Escape from L.A. island framing pitch, and it’s up to you to escape. Along the way players will come across other currently-alive people, like recent and aging Hollywood actors, their entourage, as well as mercenary types and the less-desirables. Sam B from the first game rocks up, but unfortunately doesn’t bust out an acapella version of “Who Do You Voodoo?”. Shame.

Anyway, you’re immune and as such, the CDC want a word and to [hopefully] make a vaccine from your magic blood. Can they be trusted, or is it a ruse to take you in and subject you to something a bit more nefarious? And who are the mysterious weirdos that seem to be embracing it…?

That would be telling… so I won’t. But at least they’re not Scientologists.

Dead Island 2 review

All The Sights And Screams

I have played the first Dead Island, and whilst it was occasionally vibrant, it wasn’t exactly breathtaking in its display. Then, I progressed to Dying Light, which is just varying shades of brown with a bit of red over them occasionally. So, my scepticism was valid before I saw Dead Island 2. Sometimes, however, it’s nice to be proven wrong.

This game is absolutely stunning, and I say that without hyperbole. Playing it on a PlayStation 5 and a relatively decent spec TV is a literal sight to be believed. What does help massively is the tone that Dambuster Studios has gone for. Out is the drab browns and dirge, in are the bright Hollywood Hills, loud colours from pool parties and a pulpy, self-deprecating tone to it all.

Travelling between zones in daylight is actively fun, seeing what bright delights and chaos we’re heading for next. At night, fires light the skies and zombies lurk in corners that add a smidge of horror to an otherwise riot of a time. But for me, there were two points where I had to stop and admire the view.

The first was the backyard of a rocker, whose house overlooks the hills and the carnage of L.A., in all its splendour. The other was getting to Venice Beach, seeing the undead surfers and fitness freaks reminiscent of that early, famous trailer that did the rounds.

Dead Island 2 review

F.L.E.S.H and Blood

When cutting down zombies by the thousands, it’s easy to see them as a homogenised blur of the same enemy over and over. Fortunately, Dead Island 2 has two things going in its favour: the zombies are location-specific in what they wear, and the newly introduced F.L.E.S.H system makes it so much fun to kill them. Got that stereotypical nerdly disdain for muscle bros at Venice Beach? Well, you’re in luck.

But beside living out 80’s nerd movie trope fantasies, let’s look deeper into the F.L.E.S.H system. The Fully Locational Evisceration System for Humanoids sounds fancy, but in layman’s terms it’s more a showcase for how violent this game is. Which is a good thing, by the way.

Times have moved on from Half-Life 2’s ragdoll physics, which were impressive, but bodies just flopped to the floor. Now, we’ve got accurate limb targeting and dismemberment, protruding bones and eyeballs dangling like ball-in-a-cup toys from sockets. I’m not exaggerating this for clout, there’s some genuine body horror here that would make Takashi Miike take a bow.

Crippling a zombie’s arms so that it flails like a tranquilized Ace Ventura is hilarious, but that’s not all you can do to them.

Dead Island 2 review

Shocking, Isn’t It?

It’s weird writing about “elemental status effects” outside of an RPG, but Dead Island 2 puts them to very good use here. Of the more obvious ones in gaming, red barrels and oil spills indicate fire damage. But what about water, acid and electricity as offensive, environmental attacks? Oh yes, L.A. is your playground here.

Sparking cables are fine in themselves, if something is close to it. But, let’s say, there’s a Jerry can of water nearby: players can pick up and either pour an area (or throw it) to create a bigger area to shock hordes in. See a couple of barrels that may do some harm but not close enough? Again, grab a can or use a fire-enhanced weapon (more on that soon) to ignite an oil spill and chain that fire for mass ignition damage.

As players progress, there’s caustic hazards that can be used to melt the undead, to gruesome effect. Or even something so simple yet fun as hucking a car battery into a swimming pool and watching the suckers do the flesh-eater fandango.

It’s a double-edged sword at times, as players aren’t immune to these attacks, but timing it right can cause great results. The game will at times reward players with a little slow motion explosion to highlight their efforts.

It’s just a right bugger when the undead get used to it…

Dead Island 2 review

Hollywood Attracts The Freaks

One of the more appealing aspects of games like Dead Island, Left 4 Dead and Dead Space are the variations of a theme. The theme being “things that want to eat your face”, if that wasn’t clear. Fortunately, Dead Island 2 carries that tradition on with all of its nasties.

To ease players in, there’s the Shamblers and Walkers: the garden variety zombies for warming up on. This soon progresses to the Runners, plucked from the 2004 Dawn of the Dead remake. All standard fare, so far. Then there’s the big boys, the Crushers. Guess what they do with those massive, ham-hock arms…

But as the story progresses, so do these evolutions. Big lads that gob caustic goop at Slayers make way for Screamers that both blast an audio shockwave attack and call in other zombies. Then, before you get too used to it, the game introduces a Wolverine-like clawed, agile bastard to keep you on your toes.

And that’s just the basic format. But these undead are like Pokémon; they can use elemental attacks too. Shocking zombies that give off electrical blasts, Runners covered in spikes and shards to cause more damage and such. Conversely, there’s even those that are immune to effects: hazmat wearing zombies won’t take acid damage, and the like.

Thankfully, there’s enough variety in a Slayer’s arsenal to deal with the pesky, putrified pain-in-the-asses to make combat engaging and entertaining.

Dead Island 2 review

You’ve Got Red On You

The longevity in a more melee-focused game such as that hinges largely on its combat. If it wasn’t engaging, without the F.L.E.S.H system for example, or weapon variety it would soon become repetitive. Again, to go with the visceral enjoyment of murder (or re-deading), Dead Island 2 has a veritable buffet of weaponry to play with.

Bats, swords, wrenches, maces, golf clubs and more, the list goes… actually not much further than that. But whilst the weapon template is a small pool it’s what you, the player, can do to them that makes it worth it. Crafting and resource-management allow modifications, turning an ordinary bat into an electrifying one. A few improvements to a hand axe can see it burn and cut at the same time, if that’s your thing.

Want a katana that stings like a venomous snake and melts flesh as it slices? Shine on you crazy diamond. The amount of modding is genuinely impressive, allowing players to craft an arsenal for every occasion. Can’t melt this area of hazmat-suited foes? Just whip out a mace that deals more impact damage and crumble zombies like a packet of cookies instead.

Oh, and there are guns too. They’re good for the occasional bit of crowd control, especially the shotguns, but that’s about it. There’s even some unique ones, too, if you’re into second amendment rights and owning them all. But why would you, when one can become a weapon unto themselves… and everything around them.

Kills, Skills and Curveballs

As is de riguer for the modern action game, Dead Island 2 also features levelling and respective weapons/missions too. As in, “No, you’re one level below holding this bat that is exactly like the current one you’ve got but hits harder”. Fortunately, it does away with skill-based grind that plagues the likes of Borderlands, for example. Instead it’s cards, but not random-chance ones or lootbox shenanigans.

Just straight forward, you’ve-unlocked-this-skill kind of cards. This means that you, the Slayer player, can build a character as you see fit. Personally, I went for a build that favoured me ducking and dodging to restore health. I unlocked a dash strike to replace an earlier ground pound, and with that a skill that replenished health on hits too. Coupled with a some skills that benefited combos and quick strikes, as well as small and quick weapons, I was hot-footing around the undead.

Other perks favour strong builds, or if one is playing with friends, buffs that up your team’s strengths. Then there’s the mutational perks that, whilst I won’t spoil the reason for, come with their own perks and caveats.

There’s also a secondary, infinite weapon system known as Curveballs. These vary from throwing stars, to electrified ones, to Molotov cocktails, nailbombs and even zombie bait. Early on, players will most likely have bait and pipe bomb equipped: you can see how this works. By the end, I had a Molotov and nailbomb as my two. They have their own recharge times, but are great in a pinch.

Let Us Slay Together…

As I made a rather witty and concise rundown of each Slayer in my preview, I won’t go massively in-depth again here. Suffice to say, nothing has changed in the presentation of anything: they’re all the same raging stereotype they were and will continue to be. This time around, I went for Jacob, the “Cor blimey apples and pears” geezer from London. Because there is only one place anyone’s from in England, apparently.

Not just because I got fed up of Dani’s terrible accent written by someone who watched Mrs. Brown’s Boys, Jacob had more health. When it got down to higher levels, this didn’t seem to matter, but it’s good for a starting build. One of his natural skills was critical attacks when he has low stamina, which was a great “hail Mary” feature when swarmed and knackered from swinging.

Toby and I did manage to play some co-op, with my higher level Jacob assisting his Amy. Sadly, it scales the joining player’s level, so me being twenty levels ahead was matched to Toby’s five. It meant I kept my weapons and skills, but I wasn’t wrecking up the proverbial joint whilst he sat back and watched. Which is fair, in a sense.

Eventually it all boils down to “go in and smash”, which sounds good on paper. But the higher and further a player goes, solo or team-based, the harder the curve bends back on them.

They Certainly Do Rip And Tear

Whilst it all seems lovely and wonderful on the surface, there are a few niggles underneath that marr the Dead Island 2 experience a tad. One of those is its crafting system, and the other is the health management. It sounds strange to pick those two, but hear me out.

Crafting, as one can imagine, involves items and scrap found across L.A. and its hubs. Which means lots of highlighted objects and even more pressing square (on PlayStation) repeatedly to pick up each item. For all of its faults, at least Atomic Heart had it right by letting players hoover it up in one go when they enter a room. It becomes routine and therefore boring, clearing a room and then methodically scavenging out of habit.

The life system, and by extension enemy damage, is massively uneven [at the time of writing]. For example, if your health is at 400, an enemy attack will do about a third of that in one swing. A few levels later, and players are at about four times that… so will an enemy’s damage output. It feels that no matter the player’s level, they’ll still be made of tissue in proportion to scaled enemy attacks. I’d say Dead Rising had it best with its health block system: enemy hits do 1-2 blocks, health items restore certain blocks.

In that aspect, the game will start kicking your ass in the story even if you’re the appropriate level for the mission. It’s to emphasise doing side missions first/alongside them to be on par if not better equipped, as well as pad out the runtime. Personally, I thought the story was the right length, and now I’ve finished it, I’ll go back to the side quests. It feels like I missed the point and should have done them side by side, but I had a deadline and I wanted to see the story through.

Come Out Swinging

In summary, largely because I don’t want to spoil the excitement of going in blind, I absolutely loved Dead Island 2. I had my doubts, as I’m sure many will, when this game kept changing hands and kept being delayed. Yet unlike Duke Nukem Forever, Dead Island adapted and used that time properly, not forging on ahead with an archaic gameplay mechanic.

Whilst it does have a few little niggles, as well as the occasional graphical glitch in cutscenes (which we’ve been told are being ironed out), I had more fun with this than I did issues. I had no game-ending bugs, no issues with saves and, considering how much can happen on screen, no lag or screen tearing/delays in my time with this. The only slowdown I had where the sweet explosions or headshot highlights that look impressive when a hit is scored just right.

Zombie games may be not original anymore, but considering the lacklustre enthusiasm and drabness behind Days Gone, that Dead Island 2 eschews “seriousness” in favour of bright and pulp can only be a good thing. Alright, the accents can grate but they’re not off-putting. Yes, the Slayers are stereotypes but as long as players can roll with the game mocking it then that’s fine by me.

As said earlier, it’s a beautiful looking game either at day or night time. Zombie variety, in both type and area-specific clothing, never gets dull, nor does the killing. There are times when I’d switch up head swipes for hitting knees and seeing what happens. Spoiler alert: you’ll cripple legs faster than polio did.

If you’re having doubts after the first game was a bit disappointing, then don’t. Alright, you can groan as I did when Sam B mentions a sewer system moment, but the fun outweighs it. Dead Island doesn’t favour dark and serious, it wants players out there in the sunshine racking up high body counts and working their way through experience-rewarding challenges. Another spoiler alert: there’s a fair few.

This a game with the fun ramped up to eleven. Even with the occasional gripe or “Well that’s bullshit” moment when a zombie you didn’t see halves your health.


Throwing out the dour and the drab, Dead Island 2 is all about killing in style. From the beautifully rendered wastelands of HELL-A, to the equally visceral limb destruction system, there’s endless fun to be had here. With enough to do solo or with friends/strangers, not to mention the upcoming expansions, Dambuster Studios have rewritten how to enjoy oneself in the face of Armageddon.

Dead Island 2 is available from April 21st, and is available on PlayStation 4 & 5 (reviewed on latter), Xbox One and Series S|X, and PC via the Epic Game Store.

Developer: Dambuster Studios
Publisher: Deep Silver

Disclaimer: In order to complete this review, we were provided with a promotional copy of the game. For our full review policy, please go here.

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