Dead Island Review

Game:  Dead Island
Year (s):  2011
Company:  dev.  Techland
pub.  Deep Silver
Engine:  Chrome Engine 5
Type:  Survival Horror, RPG, Hack 'n Slash
Viewpoint:  First-Person
Metacritic Score: 80
My Score:  Like Fallout 3 with less guns

Price (as of January 30, 2013)

Regular list price on Steam:  $19.99 (GOTY edition)
Lowest Buy-It-Now on eBay (new, with shipping):  $20+

Game Time: 30 hours, more if desired

Obligatory Trailer:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ialZcLaI17Y


Plot

Resort island + zombie outbreak + you're immune = you're the preferred go-getter.  You help pckets of survivors with an end goal of getting off the island.  This game can be done co-op with up to four players, so cutscenes show all four immune people interacting.

Engine

Yet another graphics engine that looks like everything else.  I hit glitches occassionally that hid waypoints or created invisible walls, but these were fairly minor and there were no crashes.

Save System

Manual Save?  No
Quick Save?  No
Area Load Save?  Yes
Checkpoint Save?  Yes
Other:  Respawn on death, with killed hostiles removed

Combat/Gameplay

There are firearms, but usually only when you're fighting other humans.  Ammo isn't found very often anywhere else.  For the most part, you'll fight with whatever you can find, buy, or build.  Boat paddles, butcher knives, machetes, molotovs, and so on.  My favorite weapon was a baseball bat with a powered circular saw attached to the end.  Any weapon that you swing or throw at an enemy will degrade, so repairs and upgrades are important.

There are four different characters to choose from.  Each can use any weapon, but excel at one in particular (blunt weapons, edged weapons, thrown weapons, and firearms).  Much of the game is done on foot, but there are vehicles and fast travel options to get around faster.  After completing the main story, you can start the game over at your current level, with all your gear and everything.


Expansions / DLC / Sequels

I have the Game of the Year edition, so it includes all the bonus content.  Two DLC are worth mentioning.  The Ryder White DLC's short adventure takes place concurrent with the base game, and does an amazing job of adding several plot twists to what had been a pretty straight plotline.  Nice job.  Bloodbath Arena is exactly what it sounds like: plotless waves of enemies in arenas.  Unlike the rest of Dead Island, these two DLC are single player only.


Final Thoughts

There are several things I like about Dead Island (aside from a memorable trailer).  The game time couples with choices of different characters, the choice to play cooperatively, and the option to start over at your end-game level to offer a lot of time.  The Ryder White DLC did a superb job of making an average plot rather interesting.  And of course, there's some satisfaction to be had by smashing zombie heads.  All in all: not stellar, but definitely good.  If you catch it on sale and want to play through as all the characters, you'd have something to keep you occupied for a month.