Dead Island Riptide Previews

PAX East brought us a bevy of articles and coverage for various games, including a few previews for Dead Island Riptide, a sequel/stand-alone expansion to the original first-person zombie hack’n’slash from Techland and Deep Silver.

Capsule Computers:

Most of the missions themselves will not be foreign to Dead Island players: there’s lots of acquisition quests and rescue quests, but we also got to experience the new defense hub missions. Our first time, we put up these wire fences to delay the zombies and allow shooters to pick them off at a safe range (although I had no success in stabbing through the fence as I couldn’t reach them). We were assured that the hordes would not spawn and advance on the camp until all fences had been placed, although I’m sure they will place timers on some of them later in the game.

The second time, we defended the same camp, but with electrified fences. To do so, we first had to locate and gather some materials, which included electric wire and an energy source for the motors. Again, your classic fetch quest here. Throughout our gameplay, we encountered a new enemy type the Ogre, which was reminiscent of the Butcher in Dead Island. I actually couldn’t tell what made him unique as I just considered him a quicker, tougher thug. And he took forever to kill (much like all of them really).

At the end of the day, here’s the skinny: Dead Island: Riptide feels like Dead Island, it looks like Dead Island, it sounds like Dead Island and it plays like Dead Island. Now, that’s not necessarily a good thing. The thing is, with every successive release in a series, you expect some substantial changes or tweaks. And while I’m sure the additions found in Riptide and their effect on the experience will become more evident as you play, I am worried that there may be too little change.

Gaming Illustrated:

The game follows the same mechanics established in the first Dead Island and adds some much needed upgrades, some of which are somewhat minor. Upgrades range from increased damage thresholds for weapons before they break to guns that pack more of a realistic punch. Dead Island: Riptide also adds a completely new character to the game’s playable roster. Players can also enjoy a completely new multiplayer game mode that brings Dead Island: Riptide up to par with other current-generation games. In addition, there is a completely new proficiency system that will reward players with stronger weapon stats for the specific weapon types they use most often.

Dead Island: Riptide adds Horde Mode to the franchise’s multiplayer repertoire The newly introduced multiplayer game mode will pit players into brutal combat against waves of enemies. Much like the version of the mode found in other games, Horde Mode will allow players to work together to hold a location against various forms of zombie enemies. Enemy deaths will then reward players with currency, which they can then spend on defensive aids such as turrets, fences and landmines.

Finally, IGN has some video impressions with a Deep Silver employee who has apparently worked at IGN in the past. In short, expect a lot of patting each other’s backs in the video.