Dead Island 2 Xbox 360 Review

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In a post-apocalyptic world overrun by hordes of undead shambling zombies, survival is the ultimate goal in action-packed open-world games like Dead Island 2 for the Xbox 360.

Developed by Yager Studios and published by Deep Silver, this sequel to the original game promises more intense combat, exploration, and co-op gameplay than ever before. But does it deliver?

In our in-depth review of Dead Island: Riptide on Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA), we'll dive headfirst into what makes or breaks your experience with this survival horror shooter.

Gameplay

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Dead Island 2 retains the same core mechanics that made its predecessor a hit - hack 'slash' action combat against swarms of zombie hordes, exploration across vast open-world environments, and co-op multiplayer for up to four players. However, new features have been added to spice things up further:

- Upgraded melee system with more brutal finishing moves

- New vehicle-based transportation options (boats and jeeps)

- Improved crafting mechanics allowing you to craft better gear

Graphical Improvements

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While graphically not as polished compared to its HD console counterparts, Dead Island 2 still looks decent enough on the aging Xbox 360 hardware. Character models are detailed enough but show some noticeable texture pop-in at times; environments also suffer from minor draw distance issues.

Soundtrack and Sound Effects

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The game's soundtrack is an energetic mix of electronic dance music (EDM) tracks that complement its fast-paced gameplay perfectly well. The sound effects, on the other hand, are mostly recycled from previous titles in this series but still manage to provide a satisfying experience when mowing down hordes of undead.

Multiplayer Experience

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Dead Island 2 supports up to four players online or via local co-op playthroughs using Xbox Live Gold subscriptions. Unfortunately, we encountered several connectivity issues during our testing sessions which sometimes forced us out of active matches altogether - not ideal for a game that heavily relies on cooperative gameplay.

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In conclusion, Dead Island: Riptide is an average action-RPG experience marred by technical problems and repetitive missions. While fans of the series will find some enjoyment here thanks to its familiar mechanics, new players might want to look elsewhere before committing their hard-earned cash or Xbox Live points into this title.

Rating: 6/10

Recommendation:

Rent if you're a huge Dead Island fan looking for more zombie-killing action. Otherwise, there are better options available on the Xbox Marketplace that don't suffer from such fundamental issues as this game does right now.

Note to developers:

- Fix those pesky online connectivity problems stat!

- Add more varied mission objectives beyond just 'kill X zombies' or risk alienating core gamers who've already played through everything at least once before.

Dead island 2 xbox 360