Dead Island 2has recently received more details in the form of a cinematic trailer and gameplay during Gamescom Opening Night Live 2022. ThoughDead Island 2has had a bit of troubled development, the highly anticipated sequel is close to completion as it has received an official release date of July 16, 2025. However, long development time is not the only thing going againstDead Island 2;the game also has to prove itself compared to many other similar games.
One of the main and most recent games that could be seen as competition againstDead Island 2isDying Light 2: Stay Human, which was released in February 2022. Both games feature large, open worlds full of zombie foes, so the comparisons are not unwarranted. With that said there are key differences between the titles, for example,Dying Light 2focuses on parkour and melee combat, soDead Island 2is able to set itself apart from its competition by featuring guns alongside melee weapons.
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Both theDying LightandDead Islandseries have made names for themselves by creating interesting open-world environments that players are able to explore and hunt zombies in through a first-person perspective. The main draw toDying Lightis its intricate parkour and melee combat, but it is worth noting that the first game in the series did feature firearms, so players could also use guns to assist them in ridding the streets and rooftops of zombies. Even though the game encouraged melee combat, guns were still an effective part ofthe player’s arsenal inDying Light.
Dead Islandalso put a heavy focus on melee combatthrough variety in the types of weapons available to the player. Aside from melee weapons,Dead Islandalso featured firearms and throwables as the other two main weapon classes in the game. The guns inDead Islandwere fairly rare in the early game; they were very powerful since they didn’t need to be repaired nor did they require stamina to use.
Since both games are played through a first-person perspective, it makes sense for both of them to focus on melee combat, as it looks and feels more intense and gruesome in first-person. Even though both games feature guns, the combat is melee focused, which is likely a large reason why these games were so successful.Dying Lighteven went as far as toremove guns entirely fromDying Light 2and focus solely on melee and hand-to-hand combat, with the few ranged options available being simpler weapons like bows and crossbows.
Even thoughDead Island 2is still a ways away from launch, the game’s early footage shows that guns will still remain one of the main types of weapons players will be able to utilize against the zombie hordes. In addition to a plethora of throwable and melee weapons,the gameplay trailer forDead Island 2showed off many different types of guns ranging from pistols to shotguns and assault rifles. Considering the guns in the originalDead Islandwere such powerful and useful pieces of equipment in the player’s arsenal, it is fitting for them to make a return inDead Island 2.
Aside from including guns, the main difference betweenDying Light 2andDead Island 2is the former’s parkour system.The Intricate traversal system ofDying Light 2has only improved since the original game and has become a stand-out feature in the series. The improved parkour perfectly accents the game’s melee-focused combat, so including guns would only interrupt the fluid combat mechanics.
With that said,Dying Light 2removing guns could greatly benefitDead Island 2. Without having to worry about establishing in-depth traversal mechanics,Dead Island 2can put all of its attention on combat and weapons. Based on the gameplay trailer, it seems thatDead Island 2is putting a lot of detail into the game’s combatwith each weapon having its own practical use. Firearms should especially shine inDead Island 2as each different gun intends to be unique and effective against the hordes of zombies in its own way.
Dead Island 2launches June 12, 2025 for PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
