Dead Island

[AdventChild]

Vacationing with zombies has never been so emotional...really. Here's more information about it.

A first person zombie slasher? Pretty interesting to say the least. Might try it out. Sounds like Left 4 Dead but with mostly melee weapons.

Edited February 17, 2011 by AdventChild

[Marcello]

I've never heard about the game until yesterday, but I thought the trailer was done really well. I'd definitely want to at least try this game out.

[Carbo]

[Patticus]

I'm going to re-open this topic as the other one has become an awesome trailer topic.

Dead Island is an open-world zombie FPS with light RPG elements, sort of like Dead Rising but not complete dogshit and much grander in scale; I'd liken it more to a tropical first person Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare in a contemporary, modern setting, or a blue sky.

There are some pictures and early thoughts up at IGN on the game, so at least there's something resembling what the finished game may appear like. Going by the screens (whether they be final or not) the style of the game is quite arresting, tropical in the same sense that most areas in Just Cause 2 are.

[Agent York]

http://www.relyonhorror.com/latest-news/dead-island-details-information/

And there is a lot more information written up on everything on the game so far.

[Patticus]

I can't be bothered to check that link so I'm going to post Destructoid's new preview (found here).

Dead Island (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Steam, PC [Previewed])

Developer: Techland

Publisher: Deep Silver

To be released: Late 2011

Features of note: Four player online co-op

Imagine Borderlands set on the Just Cause 2 island with the Left 4 Dead style of zombies, featuring a quest system similar to Fallout 3 and the weapons system of Dead Rising 2. Blend all of that together, and you get Dead Island; or, as Deep Silver likes to refer to it, a "first-person zombie slasher action RPG."

The first thing that needs to be stated about Dead Island is that it is just visually gorgeous. The Chrome Engine shows off the huge tropical island paradise called Banoi Island in such vivid detail, and every inch of the island -- from little villages to a large city -- can be explored. While the game isn't linear, there are some sections that need to be opened up within the main storyline in order to get to other parts of the island.

As for the story, you play as one of four playable characters who recently checked into the Royal Palms Resort hotel. While on this vacation, the player wakes up after a night of heavy partying to discover that some kind of zombie outbreak has been unleashed on the island. From here, I was shown the first mission, which serves as a sort of tutorial to the player.

Your character has found himself holed up in a beach hut surrounded by zombies with other survivors fearing for their lives. One of the survivors begs you to go assist a lone person fending off the horde outside. The player then picks up a pipe and goes out to bash in some heads.

Aside from the fact that the main four characters are immune to the zombie infection for some reason, they're all just normal people. So swinging the pipe will come off sloppy and wild at the start of the game. As you progress, though, your character will learn how to handle weapons better. Part of that comes from the skill tree system where you'll be able to learn new skills and upgrade abilities, such as learning the dash attack. The skill tree system wasn't shown off during this preview, but we'll have more info on how it works soon.

While there are guns, the main focus of Dead Island's combat mechanics are the melee weapons. You'll be getting your hands on pipes, machetes, shovels, bats -- even a freaking tree branch can be used as a weapon. The weapons do degrade over time and will eventually bust, so you'll have to find another weapon, or you can get it repaired at various locations on the island. Additionally, you can't simply go around swinging constantly at enemies. After a few swings, your character will be out of stamina and must catch their breath before attacking again.

Of all the features Deep Silver showed off, they seemed the most excited about how we'll be able to kill zombies. The main thing they want people to take away from Dead Island is all the gory ways you'll be able to kill the walking dead. You can chop a zombie's legs and arms off and just watch him as he flops around trying to gnaw at your ankles.

As for the zombies themselves, you'll have the standard slow zombies and the annoying running class. On top of that, there will be the special class zombies which will remind you a lot of the special infected from Left 4 Dead.

Similar to the zombies, the four playable characters each have a different play style, too. The cool thing with all of this is that friends will be easily able to jump in or out for four-player (online only) co-op fun times. Don't worry, you'll have the option of being whatever character you want so it's totally possible, for example, for four assassin characters to work together in co-op.

While there's still a lot of work going on with Dead Island, we can expect the experience to similar to Fallout thanks to all of the sidequests you can take on. Techland really wants players to get absorbed into the story and if the trailer is any indication, we're in for a treat.

What I got to see was a really early alpha build of Dead Island. While it was pretty and the way you can chop zombies up was cool, I still need to see a lot more. More importantly, I want to get real hands on with the game and see first-hand how satisfying it'll be slicing up zombies. The entire concept sounds great and it's really refreshing to see a different type of zombie game out there. I know many of you are sick of the zombie genre, but I think there's room for one more when it comes to Dead Island.

If this game can live up to its potential, there'll be no need for another Dead Rising or Left4Dead really.

[JezMM]

^ Really? Dead Rising I can understand the comparison but this is nothing like Left 4 Dead. Left 4 Dead is an arcade shooter for quick fun co-op times and competitive playing. In fact the original idea came from a Counter Strike mod that pitted 4 gun-using players against swarms of knife using enemies, and then they were like "oh hey, this makes perfect sense for a zombie scenario". Also I'd argue Dead Rising is as much about time management as it is about zombie killin'. Also both lean more towards the "zombies as comedy" route rather than "zombies as horror" like this one is.

[speedfreak]

I wish it was third person. For one reason or another I always enjoy third person games more then first person.

[Dobkeratops]

Y'know, this seems to be rolling a good deal of attention (friends keep linking me the goddamn youtube trailer) and I don't get why. Sure it's a nice concept, but aren't most games initially too? Am I missing something?

For the game needs to prove it can stand sufficiently detached from existing zombie themed products and match the proposed pitch. A neat CG video for an unknown quantity (read: new IP) ain't gonna do it. Let's get some proper gameplay up in here.

[Agent York]

Y'know, this seems to be rolling a good deal of attention (friends keep linking me the goddamn youtube trailer) and I don't get why. Sure it's a nice concept, but aren't most games initially too? Am I missing something?

For the game needs to prove it can stand sufficiently detached from existing zombie themed products and match the proposed pitch. A neat CG video for an unknown quantity (read: new IP) ain't gonna do it. Let's get some proper gameplay up in here.

The previous game the company made was a cult hit which was a well-made game as well as the games they have helped make have been good too, the game is almost complete, the information sounds promising, it was a good trailer and good way to advertise the game.

Edited February 19, 2011 by Dusk the Horror Keeper

[Conando]

Does anyone else have mixed feelings about them essentially using child death to sell their product?

[Dobkeratops]

@Dusk: I agree, it's a good ad - as shown by how surprisingly popular the trailer is. But I wish we could see the game running! Teasers can be decieving.

Edited February 19, 2011 by Dobkeratops

[Conando]

But now for my actual opinion on the game. Zombie games are getting pretty damn stale, so I suppose a trailer like this is kind of needed to make people give a shit. The preview made it sound like just a combination of other people's ideas, so I can't say that screams original.

[Tori Himemiya]

They finally are making a zombie game based on survival over the standard keep shooting the hell out of them. I believe this is a rather nice change in pace. I just hope they can really deliver this game well.

[Saint Nathan]

Does anyone else have mixed feelings about them essentially using child death to sell their product?

[Conando]

I should clarify. I don't really think it's artistic just because they killed some family, the cynic in me sees it as a marketing ploy plain and simple. To differentiate themselves from other zombie games, they're basically saying "WE KILL CHILDREN IN OUR GAME, BUY IT", because they're going to get a lot of attention from the controversy alone (considering the taboo in the industry). Plenty of other media do it (even other games, such as Heavy Rain), yes, but judging by the type of game this is, a scene like that isn't even going to play out.

tl;dr (or too incoherent, didn't read): Cheap marketing tactic, like some sort of dumb summer film. Making the game look like something that it will inevitably not be makes me care even less about this.

Edited February 20, 2011 by Hero Of Fate

[Agent York]

Having discussed with the guys who are making the game for Rely on Horror, at least from the time I've talked to them, they don't seem like the money grubby type. They are not a huge studio and seemed rather excited for the game.

An alternate view on it: How many zombie sandbox games exist? How many 4-player co-op sandbox games exist? Those are the two main reasons I'm excited though I like some of the other details as well.

[Patticus]

Does anyone else have mixed feelings about them essentially using child death to sell their product?

A lot of companies and causes use children to sell products. It's a cynical but tried and true method of gathering support. Additionally, families go on vacation to places like that all the time, so it's only natural for the game to feature kids at some point, because in a Zombie Apocalypse, kids die. SHOCK HORROR I know, but there you go.

But now for my actual opinion on the game. Zombie games are getting pretty damn stale, so I suppose a trailer like this is kind of needed to make people give a shit. The preview made it sound like just a combination of other people's ideas, so I can't say that screams original.

Zombie games are a little boring, I agree, however I don't think anybody has tried making or playing a zombie game quite like this before; First person viewpoint with a very heavy emphasis on melee weaponry to defeat undead hordes of an unknown size, RPG-style options (probably to increase stamina, running speed etc) to flesh out the gameplay, a fully explorable Crysis-esque tropical island across which you can roam with impunity or find yourself be set upon in eerie and unsettling ways or at unexpected times, 4-player online co-op again with melee weapons predominating.

And yes, perhaps the designers did take a few other games' ideas onboard. So what? Are you going to begrudge the designers the most common practise in the industry? Most games designers these days use other games for inspiration, they'll see ideas presented in other games and want to use them, elements of them, or concepts inspired by or based on them, in their own game in their own way, and sometimes it works, while others it doesn't.

Would you say no to any open-world shooty drivey game that's not GTA just because it doesn't look original enough, just because GTA "did it first"? Would you deny every games designer the right to make other peoples' concepts his or her own and possibly set our standards a little higher in the process? You can't possibly hope to find true originality in every game you play (and if you do you mustn't play many games).

Ideas, game mechanics and so on being passed back and forth through the industry is how games advance; somebody creates a concept, other people refine or alter it to suit their games, sometimes it's worse, but sometimes it's an improvement, and from there other designers and such take the ball, run with it, and make further changes in both good and bad ways. We wouldn't have modern gaming without this process.

Anyways, the guys making this game (Techland), they made the Call of Juarez games, both of which are excellent gaming experiences. I trust that these gentlemen can make good games, and I'm looking forward to seeing what they've done in a different genre.

[Agent York]

I just want to say, was looking at some of the game screenshots released in 2008 and my have they improved the graphics since then! But more importantly I am hoping they include some of the features seen in those screens. Even if the graphics weren't of the same caliber they had some impressive jungle areas, screens of an amusement park area, and show that at least back then you could drive a jeep.

Anyways, no word from the publisher but the production team seems interested to do an interview so I am excited.

Edited February 21, 2011 by Dusk the Horror Keeper

[Carbo]

Looks like this won't be a DEEP, COMPELLING STORY-DRIVEN ZOMBIE EXPERIENCE as was thought judging from the trailer after all. In fact it's the straight opposite of that, leaning more towards exaggerated L4D territory and B-movie style. I figured I should have taken the trailer with face-value, and I was right at first assuming this would mostly just end up as a L4D + Dead Rising hybrid without time limits as it's looking right now. I was sort of excited at first of the idea of a "realistic sandbox" but seeing how it's taken the backseat apparently, what little attention I had for it is gone now.

That said it sounds pretty fun regardless.

Serious. Somber. Disturbing. These are words I would use to describe Dead Island's amazing debut trailer.

You saw it, right?

Today I got to see about 15 minutes of Dead Island in action. What words would I use to describe the gameplay?

Silly. Wacky. Goofy.

Oh, and fun.

Dead Island is a first-person hack-and-slash game set in the midst of a zombie outbreak in a tropical paradise. It's more Dead Rising than Resident Evil, with a focus on action over suspense. The developers themselves say they're going for "zombie zombie zombie all the time." An abundance of makeshift weapons lying around like paddles, baseball bats, and wrenches – and the fact that these can be combined and upgraded – further reminds me of Dead Rising.

Then there is the four-player cooperative play, also giving Dead Island a little Left 4 Dead flavor. At the beginning of the game you select your character (which represents your class) and are stuck with that choice for the duration of the adventure. Whomever you choose, you are special among the survivors on the island -- you seem to be the only person immune to the zombie disease, and therefore can go toe-to-toe with the undead without fear of being converted.

The game has a very different tone than the somber trailer. It's fast and arcade-like. The plaintive piano and strings of the trailer are replaced with video game heavy metal. You can be clawed, bitten, and mauled by zombies and then be in perfect health a moment later. Tools and equipment can be jammed together to create ridiculous weapons, like an electrified machete. Is an electrified machete cool? Of course it is! But the macabre giggles it coaxed out of me are quite different than the quiet unease I felt while watching the trailer.

When developer Techland played Dead Island for me today, they chose the stereotypical "video game black guy" character. As he ran around slicing up zombies and bashing in their heads, he would exclaim things like, "Daaaaaamn, that bitch was huge!" and "You a dead bitch now!" Imagine hearing that sort of commentary over the trailer that depicted the tragic death of a young girl.

Games are about gameplay, not CGI movies. A game trailer that shows no gameplay might be entertaining, but it is useless as a metric for judging a game's quality. This should be an obvious statement, but think about how many game trailers we see these days that are bereft of gameplay footage. You can create an incredible trailer that draws attention to your game (DC Universe comes to mind), but that trailer could very well end up being more entertaining than the actual game (DC Universe comes to mind).

What if Angry Birds was really an advertisement to promote a remake of Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds? It would still be an amazing game, but it wouldn't have anything to do with that movie. Would that make any sense? It's an extreme example, but a lesser form of that bait-and-switch is happening with Dead Island.

The takeaway: Dead Island looks like good fun, even if the debut trailer was a little disingenuous. Like shooting Nazis or making robots explode, hacking up zombies really never gets old, and Dead Island seems to offer a slightly different perspective on the pastime. The level I saw today was fairly straightforward, consisting of moving from point A to point B to point C while dispatching the zombies that got in our way. But at one point I saw a plane coming in for a landing. That fascinated me: does the outside world not know of the outbreak? Did someone send help? Is a zombie flying the plane?! I look forward to finding out.

The next step is for us to actually play the game for ourselves, which we'll get the chance to do before E3.

Edited March 7, 2011 by Carbo

[SuperStingray]

I'm sorry, but that is bullshit. I have nothing against the ludicrous B-movie zombie game, but you don't advertise it as a melancholy tragedy when that is the exact OPPOSITE of what your intent is. It's like if they marketed Bulletstorm as a romantic comedy.

[pooshoes]

I'm sorry, but that is bullshit. I have nothing against the ludicrous B-movie zombie game, but you don't advertise it as a melancholy tragedy when that is the exact OPPOSITE of what your intent is. It's like if they marketed Bulletstorm as a romantic comedy.

Never get a job in advertising and marketing.

Ever.

Do you think if they'd made a trailer of dudes killing zombies with chainsaws to a heavy metal soundtrack it would have generated over 3 million views on Youtube in 2 weeks?

[Carbo]

Never get a job in advertising and marketing.

Ever.

Do you think if they'd made a trailer of dudes killing zombies with chainsaws to a heavy metal soundtrack it would have generated over 3 million views on Youtube in 2 weeks?

False advertising is a good way to lose sales and interest. Brutal Legend is a case in point.

The only people who will care for this game now are people who just love zombie grindhouse-style movies and games, which is still a fairly good amount regardless.

[Candescence]

False advertising is a good way to lose sales and interest. Brutal Legend is a case in point.

Executive meddling at its finest, unfortunately. Tim Schafer tried his damned best to get the word out about the Stage Battles and that the single player campaign was basically one big tutorial to prepare players for the multiplayer, but EA's marketing drowned him out, because they had a seemingly crippling fear of the RTS label - even though EA performed focus tests and found the Stage Battles to be a lot of fun, when word was finally released on the Stage Battles, EA was asking journalists to call it "Action Strategy," just so the phrase "RTS" could be avoided. "Massive wallbanger" doesn't begin to describe it.

On the other hand, this is the case of the devs making a misleading trailer... But this isn't unusual in any industry.

[Agent York]

First, we got a confirm that they're going to answer the questions we submitted to them next week.

Second, new screens.

Edited March 17, 2011 by Dusk the Horror Keeper