Mark Buckingham: Despite the repetition that sets in after a while, hacking zombies in a huge open world beats the pants off Left 4 Dead for me. Four-player co-op was enjoyable, and the visuals were to die for. The Diablo/World of Warcraft-inspired loot mechanisms fed right into the addiction of grinding and leveling and getting better gear, while the weapon modding system opened up some potentially new expectations for standard fare. The emphasis on melee over ranged combat also makes the game more visceral, in a good way. If they can fix some annoyances with inventory management, Riptide will swallow hours of my life.

Jason Grant: I've never been a fan of zombies, and I roll my eyes every time a new "zombie apocalypse" game or game mode makes itself known. However, playing Dead Island cooperatively was one of the few experiences that made me rethink my stance. I'm all for a second stab at the formula.

Tony "OUberLord" Mitera: The original Dead Island still gets relatively regular play from me, not only for its entertaining combat system but also for the ability to play through the whole experience with friends. Any excuse to keep the series going in that regard is a good one, and there wasn't a ton that needed to be fixed. If they manage to keep the foundation solid and expand the gameplay, it should be another fun romp through a hellish zombiefest.

Thomas Wilde: Dead Island has a long list of issues from the simple to the serious, but when you've got a few buddies along for the ride, those issues don't matter too much. You're too busy ramping up hills, throwing improvised explosives, and wiring batteries to a katana. I can only assume from context that Riptide will give me more opportunities to run down the undead in a carful of co-op buddies, and for that, I'm there on day one.