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Dead Island: Riptide

Dead Island: Riptide

It's back to zombified paradise as we go hands-on with Dead Island: Riptide and wonder whether lack of fear is a problem.

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Polish developer Techland's zombie paradise apocalypse title was a very positive surprise on its release two years ago. A concept that put its focus on survival and offered a new perspective on the genre. Dead Island: Riptide is less true successor, more heavily tinkered sequel. Tech and many of the mechanics remain the same, but the title does do a few things differently: Riptide will offer more action and everything follows the same motto: the violence increases.

A motto to be taken literally. As introduction before our hands-on, we're shown a gameplay clip aboard an Australian military cruiser that's being battered by a massive storm and is infested with flesh-hungry undead - both of which make the listing ship one massive trap. The player assumes the role of John Morgan, soldier and new playable character to the roster.

John knows how to fight back against zombies. Knows how to very well. The run through the ship's holds and its deck is less a fearful run for survival and more an experienced killer on the hunt for new victims. But between putting boots to faces, we see Morgan combat the newest threatening element of the series: water.

Dead Island: Riptide
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At first, John works his way from the engine room to the upper deck, where a helicopter is waiting. Progress isn't smooth as the rooms below start filling with water, forcing him to wade through the increasing waterline and dodge lunging attackers. Come arrival on the deck, we spot titanic waves roar in the background, and one's strike topples the cruiser to its side; cargo crates and bodies slam across the deck before the ship rights itself. One last shootout and the screen fades to black. It's time to play ourselves.

Between that hands-off then and the playable now, we've arrived at Palanai, and the island - that's also part of Banoi Archipelago - has been hit by the zombie plague.

Palanai was hit by a major flood, and parts of the island have been submerged. We've not only got to wade through sunken areas to explore the isle, but a new dynamic weather system sees sudden storms lash the island, monsoon rain obscuring our view. These will happen randomly, but the developers will also use the system for more atmospheric, cinematic moments.

Another change is in ammo count; we'll not run out so swiftly; while the emphasis is still on melee combat, the developers obviously want to increase the level of action. Firearms are now more to the fore as the island's inhabitants, and the player characters, are now aware of the threat and are formulating better countermeasures.

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Dead Island: Riptide

Therefore, we proceed with a relatively elaborate plan. Arriving on the tropical island we first look for safe places and hear, for example, of an old cinema, that would be perfectly suitable. Along the way, we see how the small town of Henderson is vertically structured. Lower areas are partially flooded and full of corpses - all potential zombies. Climbing on rooftops is safer, but better loot will be found washed down in the darker, water-logged areas.

The developers show us a new and effective weapon. Knowing that zombies are sensitive to a certain frequency, they lob a specially-constructed radio mine, the pitch of which explodes undead heads when near. Being able to improve weapons by cobbling together salvage gives us some cool weapons - in both names and status-effects - though there's a slight worry we're now too-well prepared and fear may be dulled.

During the presentation there's many new combat techniques shown off - such as leaps onto zombies below, a vicious charged kick that sends bodies sliding across rooms, a combat class Fury mode. Funnily, inspiration has been drawn from community videos in the wake of the original's release. Reacting to fan wishes is likely another reason for this increase in action.

Dead Island: Riptide

But it ties in well with the story too. The survivors of the first game have become stronger and that should somehow be reflected here. Compensation is by way of needing to protect or aid NPCs that join in the bigger fights, and you can duck in to batter off an attacker from another player as well. Again that motto: violence increases... but we're fighting back.

There's also a co-op mode for up to four players, as we work together to complete missions and tackle zombie hordes. Cooperation and support is important, as we see in a trio of flash points during the demo. Fortifying a circular safe area with fences before the onset of a attacking horde - a couple covering a wide-open bridge at the area's entrance, the other two patrolling the fences and knocking back zombies before they pull them down. One person driving a car to another destination as others sit and keep an eye out. Three players protecting another as they carry an engine to a nearby boat to make an escape.

Centre your reticule on a point of interest or general direction and tap a button for an on-screen icon to pop up signifying it to the other players. You can trade items, take turns on a work bench to build custom-made weapons.

Even with our developer guide though, the multiple routes through shanty towns meant there was little co-ordination and lack of sharing discoveries. Every person for themselves indeed - though it's likely this was due to the shortness of our time with the game, and everyone wanted to see and experience as much as possible off the beaten path; and with strong weapon sets, zombie encounters weren't too much trouble.

The most important question unfortunately remains unclear: whether it'll be fun (and fearful) to fight off the zombies. The co-op, weather system and new characters are definitely welcome, but we won't know until much longer with the game whether the franchise's biggest strength - that struggle for survival - still exists.

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Dead Island: Riptide

REVIEW. Written by Mike Holmes

"This month we took a holiday to the tropical island of Palanai, but when we got there it was full of zombies. Did that stop us having a good time? Well..."



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