Dead Island 2 is a first-person action-RPG set in a glorious sun and blood-drenched setting – a hellish, yet stylish and vibrant, gore-ridden version of Los Angeles, nicknamed HELL-A. The series’ unique formula, dark humor, and over the top zombie-slaying returns, with all the swagger and charisma you’d expect from the Dead Island series.

A deadly virus is spreading across Los Angeles, turning its inhabitants into ravenous zombies. The city is under quarantine and the military have retreated. Bitten, infected, but more than just immune, you learn to harness the tainted zombie powers running through your veins. Only you, and the handful of other swaggering assholes who happen to be resistant to the pathogen, hold the future of Los Angeles (and humanity), in the balance. You were born for this.

As you uncover the truth behind the outbreak you’ll also discover just who – or what – you are. Survive, evolve, save the world – just another day in HELL-A.

Today's extended gameplay video kicks off the action at the very beginning of Dead Island 2 in Bel Air, Los Angeles.

Armed with an array of weapons, each with their own unique, brutal fighting style and endless opportunities for upgrades, watch as slayer Dani meets Standard zombies (Walkers, Shamblers, Runners), Variant zombies (grenadier walkers), and Apex zombies (hyper mutated zombies), each one with its own horrifying powers and behaviors.

Starring in the video is the slayer Dani, who hails from the mosh pits of County Cork, Ireland. Dani’s unique slayer build – tenacious yet balanced – is well-suited to an agile style of combat. Her mission in this trailer? To try and reach the Halperin Hotel.

Players will also see how tapping into Curveballs and combining a powerful set of Skill Cards - which enhance abilities and create unique player builds - assist Dani as she hacks and slashes her way through the beginning areas of HELL-A.

Dambuster Studios’ dismemberment tech – known as FLESH (Fully Locational Evisceration System for Humanoids) – means that crushing bones, slicing zombies, and melting flesh has never felt nor looked so satisfying.

As an infected yet somehow immune slayer, players will finally witness what happens when your chosen slayer activates their corrupted DNA and triggers Fury Mode. 

Trailer note: Some late game weapons and skills featured in today's video have been unlocked early to provide an exciting viewing experience. Players can expect to unlock these later in the full game.

HELL-A can be dangerous since the zompocalypse happened and the locals got so bitey. Luckily, Slayers in Dead Island 2 have their own customizable skill decks to help level the playing field against the undead Angelinos trying to feast on them.

But, “what exactly is a skill deck, and how is it going to help me maximize my zombie slaying potential?” you ask. Well, first, we need to talk skill cards.

Skill cards

Gained from leveling up, found hidden around the city of LA and scavenged from slain zombie foes, skill cards are collectible items that, once equipped, grant Slayers special powers, abilities, and boons to aid them in combat situations.

Some of them make you faster, more agile, or stronger; some reward you with buffs each time you pull off that perfect decapitation, and some will set fire to zombies you drop kick, turning them into flying, flaming sacks of rotten flesh. No, we aren’t kidding; there is a card that does that.

Whether you’re out to pump up your stats to become the ultimate slaying machine or want access to an arsenal of acrobatic attack move so you can slaughter zombies with maximum style points, there’s a skill card to suit your needs.

We want you to have total freedom in how you play, regardless of which of the six Slayers you choose to battle through HELL-A. That’s why we’ve made the vast majority of skill cards applicable to everyone.

The right deck for the job

The skill deck is where you can browse your collection of skill cards and choose which ones you want to equip.

Say you’ve come across a zombie posing a bit more of a challenge than the typical shambling husk – maybe they look like they’ve been hitting the gym and eating their greens. Or they have blades coming out of their arms, yikes.

It’s time to make sure you’re working with the right skills to get the job done, which is why we made the skill deck in Dead Island 2 fully remappable, at any point.

If you wish to tweak a single card or completely change your playstyle – say from a tanky brawler to an agile assassin — you can do so at any given moment with total ease.

Part of the magic of building your skill deck is experimenting with all the different perks and abilities skill cards grant you to find wickedly fun and effective synergies that suit your playstyle.

But, to help get you started, here are a couple of the Team at Dambuster’s favorite combinations.

Coming in hot

Combine the Dash Strike ability with the Slayer skill Hammer Fist to unleash a strike capable of launching zombies into the stratosphere. This card combo is ideal for pushing zombies off those Beverly Hills mansion rooftops to their demise or into pools of acid and other dangerous substances. Bumped into a zombie donning a grenade belt? Pull the pin and send them into a crowd of their own kind for explosive results.

Scorched earth

Mix the Ground PoundAbility with the survivor skills Flare Up and Quake to create a truly devastating ground smash that topples zombies and ignites the floor underneath them. We recommend this one when crowd control is critical — getting swarmed by walkers? Go complete “Hulk smash!” and leave the Z’s crawling through flames to get to you.

Pre-order and Limited Edition info:

The highly covetable Dead Island 2 HELL-A Edition is full of unique items to further the immersion of every fan.

The HELL-A Edition includes:

• Exclusive SteelBook® with game disc
• Expansion Pass
• Venice Beach Travel Map
• Six Slayer Tarot Cards
• Two Pin Badges
• One Patch
• Golden Weapons Pack
• Pulp Weapons Pack
• Character Packs 1 & 2

Players who pre-order any edition of Dead Island 2 will receive the "Memories Of Banoi Pack," featuring two unique weapons that celebrates the original Dead Island game along with a special skill card.

The "Memories of Banoi Pack" includes:

• Banoi War Club
• Memories of Banoi Baseball Bat
• Weapon Perk – Balanced
• Personal Space Skills Card 

Finally, a hand-painted resin collector's figurine of Amy in the iconic Burger 66 diner after a zombie slaying session is available for order directly from the Dead Island 2 pre-order page.

All regular and limited editions of Dead Island 2, including the exclusive Amy collector figurine can be found on the pre-order page here.

Key Features:

• Explore HELL-A – Dead Island 2 takes players across the most iconic locations of the City of Angels, stained with horror, in an exciting journey from the verdant suburbia of Beverly Hills to the quirky promenade of Venice Beach.
• Brutal Melee Sandbox – Combat delivers the most intense, visceral, and gory first person experience possible, with plenty of weapons and brutally tactical options to chew your way through the zombie horde. Whether you’re slicing, smashing, burning, or ripping, we want you to truly feel it.
• Be the Ultimate Zombie Slayer – There are six characters to choose from, each with their own unique personality and dialogue. You can fully customize the abilities of each Slayer, with our brand-new skill system allowing you to re-spec instantly and try out the craziest builds.
• Zombie Infestation – Ready to experience the most advanced dismemberment system in games? HELL-A is crawling with zombies that look and react realistically. These mutated wretches are the reanimated, rotten heart of Dead Island 2, coming in dozens of distinct zombie types, each with their own mutations, attacks, and hundreds of visual LA-themed variants. Our monsters are relentless, challenging, and true Los Angelinos. Will you be able to survive?
• A Cinematic Co-op Adventure – As a proper RPG experience, Dead Island 2 offers plenty of exciting quests, a crazy cast of characters, and a thrilling story packed with dark comedy to truly immerse you in its twisted universe. Re-playability is guaranteed. Add an over-the-top co-op mode for up to three players, and you’ll stay in HELL-A for a very long and gory trip.

Dead Island 2 is coming to Xbox Series X|S,  Xbox One, PS4,  PS5, Google Stadia, and PC (Epic Games Store) on April 21, 2023.