For Ultimate members? That’d be a first if it’s limited, wouldn’t it? Any console GP users out there that fan verify?
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Are there any? There must be so few of them left.
I’ve noticed that all these shadow Game Pass drops have been Embracer games. Dead Island 2, Remnant games, I think there was another that I’m forgetting. Probably explains why there’s no fanfare for these drops. Embracer is inking deals at random to try and recoup money.
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They are mentioning Ultimate because is the mostly subscription users tier, the game is also available on gamepass for console too
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Yeah this game is actually good. Plays so good, looks nice and clean, runs smooth, hella fun.
Did it launch in a bad state or something? because why was the conversation on it a bit negative from what I remember?
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No, most people just don’t like fun if it doesn’t feel “expensive” enough. Reviews for it were ridiculous
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I believe the reviews were another case of “critics are meh about it but gamers really dig it.”
But it’s actually well produced, doesn’t look cheap or anything. I think it could’ve been a case of it being critically reviewed for what it isn’t instead of for what it is, kinda like Suicide Squad, but the reviews on the Xbox store are actually high.
Maybe they wanted that famous trailer vibe still.
I have only played a sliver of the game, but you’re right. Production values are top knotch. Im in the minority but looks really good on series s as well.
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It’s still exclusive to the Epic Store for another month apparently. Maybe it will be on PCGP after that.
I’m really surprised at how good it looks, it’s probably in the top handful of lookers this gen. The mansion in the beginning area is gorgeous. The detail on the zombies when you’re slicing them apart is also really high.
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Gane is great, personally felt like they don’t do enough to actually make melee combat entertaining (other than the fantastic gore system making for some gruesome fun) and that kinda makes the opening hours a little rough but once you start to unlock more combat options that smooths over. Really nice just to play a straightforward simple fun game.
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Very fun game! Bought it on release and can certainly recommend it for everyone who likes bashing zombies.
Console only 
I’m currently a few hours into this on Series X and it’s pretty underwhelming so far.
It’s not up there with Dying Light, that’s for sure. I get it’s not open world but the areas are still way too restrictive, small, linear & the biggest sin of all is the obvious respawning enemies after a few minutes in the same locations (like in a watery crater in the road banging on the side of a truck). Then there’s the backtracking as well. At least in Dying Light the player had verticality & a large area to explore. Here in Dead Island 2 it’s just window dressing & shallow without much freedom.
The minute to minute zombie encounters are okay (block is very effective for stunning zombies & regaining health), but it’s quite repetitive. I don’t know, i.e. maybe I have higher expectations for this genre because horror is pretty much what I play all the time but here I expected something a bit better tbh.
I wouldn’t call it a horror game, at all.
Perhaps expectation is the biggest problem here - I’m not really sure why I downloaded this game, but I have been having a great time with it, I think it’s review scores don’t match my experience at all - I’ve enjoyed it a lot more than some higher rated games recently.
I personally don’t care that it’s not open world - some things are linear but that’s not a bad thing. I’m not sure how much of the game you’ve seen but some areas are plenty big enough, with multiple buildings you can enter and exit with different streets connecting them.
I don’t mind about the respawning enemies either, it feels fine to me that more of them will come shuffling into view and you can see them come up from the sewers etc too.
I think it’s fairly reminiscent of Dead Rising in tone - not really a horror game, with some silly characters and a bit of humour mixed in with some darker themes. I have to say that the damage you can do to zombies is some of the most gruesome stuff I’ve seen in a game - quite horrific in that sense.
I think maybe it’s just not the game for you, but I would suggest anyone else sitting on the fence to give it a go - maybe especially if it’s not the sort of thing you’d normally play.
Agree very much, I’ve seen people say this is an AA game, but the production values are really high, IMO. One of the best looking games I’ve played.
The opening scenes are amazing, IMO. And then from area to area it just keeps ratcheting up.
I don’t want to put any spoilers in here, so beware reading on (I can’t work out how to put a spoiler on this forum) : . . . . . . . . . . . .
Anyone who’s been to the beach area will recognise the place immediately. It’s really well done - I was reminiscing about hiring some bikes and riding along the waterfront while smashing brains and limbs around the place*.
*The latter part of that sentence refers to the game, not a murderous spree I got away with.
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It’s satirical… but still horror (in the same way an Evil Dead movie or Cabin in the Woods remains a horror movie). It also abides by all the formulaic rules of the genre in terms of gameplay & encounters: weapon upgrades, workbenches, skill upgrades & all types of zombies including runners, big guys who beat the ground etc. fighting off hordes & all that stuff.
The most interesting stuff so far has been the creative use of elements like electricity & water. But that existed in Dying Light 10 years ago as well.
I think an actual open world would have worked really well here. As it stands (especially with its little corridors & almost Dark Souls-esque way of unlocking gates for shortcuts), I’m not feeling it.