Dead Island 2 will let you turn undead to wreak bloodthirsty havoc

Apart from the general chicanery, hijinks, and ultra-gory mayhem, Dead Island 2 has something new up its sleeve: You're actually a zombie. Well...sort of.

Like Dying Light 2, Dead Island 2 will also let players transform into a zombie to wreak total bloodthirsty havoc on Hell-A (a stylized version of L.A. where all hell breaks loose). The game's latest trailer, which has some surprisingly good-looking environments and effects, showcased some of the creative and ridiculous combat features and dynamics that players will explore as they absolutely annihilate the undead.

One of the more surprising parts is that you're not just killing undead...but you are the undead. Apparently players are actually infected with the HK pathogen and can call upon their powers at will. Gamers can go into a kind of berserk mode and just destroy everything around them.

"Did we forget to mention that you've been bitten and infected with the same virus that has turned everyone else into the living dead? But it hasn't taken over completely, just yet. Instead, you're riding the wave of the infection, sitting somewhere between human and zombie, which comes with its own set of abilities," Dambuster Studios community manager Toby Gallagher said in a PlayStation Blog post.

"When the slaying gets tough, activate Fury mode to unleash your inner zombie and begin tearing through enemies at a moment's notice. That's just the surface of your newfound powers, but more details on that later..."

Some other tidbits about the trailer:

• There's a "holy shit ton" of guns
• Claws are included
• DIY attachments are back, including elemental attacks like shock and fire
• Dynamic environment interactions with fire, explosives,
• Different types of zombies--"big ones, little ones, smart ones, even pretty ones"
• Varied number of zombie presentation

Dead Island 2 releases on April 28, 2023 on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC.