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Dead Island 2's showcase was mostly just a bad live action short film

But the actual game trailer at its centre was alright

Early in tonight's Dead Island 2's showcase, a character in a live action segment makes a self-referential joke that live action trailers set unreasonable expectations for video games. Let me tell you now: that is not true. I'd wager the writing and acting will be more believable in the game than in this live action short.

At the showcase's centre of those wasted 15 minutes was, at least, a new viscera-slick trailer of the actual Dead Island 2. So you can watch that below.

Cover image for YouTube videoDead Island 2 - Welcome to HELL-A Gameplay Trailer

That trailer doesn't really tell us anything we didn't already know. Dead Island 2 is set in an LA of obnoxious characters, many zombies, and much melee combat. It does look particularly gory though, with every punch, wallop, slice sloshing blood around like every zombie is a water balloon waiting to be popped.

The two new things shown during the showcase were the various pieces of tat to be found in the collector's edition, and a staged demonstration of Dead Island 2's "Alexa Game Control" functionality through which you can perform certain in-game actions with your voice. I don't want either of these things.

Ed played Dead Island 2 back in August and found it a surprisingly polished, does-what-it-says bit of undead pomp. That's fine with me. The original Dead Island was not the world's greatest game by any stretch, but it was a pretty fun time in co-op, and I'm fine with simple, violent action games that can be undertaken with pals.

Since Ed's play session at Gamescom, Dead Island has been delayed again from an initial February release date until April 28th, 2023. That's hardly long to wait for a game I first played eight years ago. When it does arrive, it'll be exclusive on PC to the Epic Games Store.

If you're really set on watching the live action showcase in all its awkwardness, the don't let me stop you:

Cover image for YouTube videoDead Island 2 Showcase - Another Day in HELL.A. [4K Official]

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Dead Island 2

PS4, Xbox One, PC

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Graham Smith avatar

Graham Smith

Deputy Editorial Director

Rock Paper Shotgun's former editor-in-chief and current corporate dad. Also, he continues to write evening news posts for some reason.

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