Dead Island Riptide: Game Review

Riptide serves as a continuation of the first Dead Island, with the four original survivors returning, along with another playable survivor. The opening scene takes place after the closing scene of the last game. After things go wrong, as they do in every zombie thing ever, the group arrives on a different island, Palanai, located in the Banoi Archipelago, which has also been overran by zombies.

There are different areas to explore and safe zones to guard. To guard the safe zones you put up fences, get your health up and make sure your weapons are ready. There is also a horde strength, usually at the top of the screen, to keep an eye on. Not only will the regular infected attack, but also the special infected, be prepared for anything that comes wandering in to your base.

Riptide introduces a new playable survivor. ADF Sergeant John Morgan, his specialty is hand to hand combat.

Along with familiar zombies, new ones are introduced:

• Drowner: These infected are fast and very sneaky, looking like a dead body in the water. When you get closer, they spring to life and will chase you down or attempt to pull you out of your boat.
• Grenadier: You first encounter these in a greenhouse at the research lab, first labeled as infected scientist. As the name hints, the main thing these infected do is throw explosives at the player.
• Wrestler: A strong, slow infected, first introduced when a survivor gets bitten and mutates.
• Screamer: An infected that when it screams, causes other infected to react and also affects the immune survivors.

The fury is back in Riptide, when activated, the player can use the specialty for their chosen character.

Throughout the game though, talks of a possible cure, mutagen, is talked about and tested on survivors, with ill effects. The immune are also told that certain mutagens found in nuclear waste can cause their immunity to weaken. This is shown more when you use fury at one point and go crazy.

Dead zones are locations that can be found all around the game, and have a higher concentration of zombies and include at least one special infected. All the dead zones are considered separate areas from the rest of the map, but most don't need to be entered to progress the game. They do include special items that can't be found anywhere else.

Most dead zones include one mod blueprint, that can't be obtained anywhere else, as well as one chest. Some zones also include a Named zombie, which is much tougher to kill, usually immune to any form of knockdown, and will regenerate health when the player takes damage.

The ending was too abrupt, showing the boat they escape on with growling inside. Riptide is still great to play and has multiplayer, so zombie killing with friends! I don't really like how much more difficult the special infected are to kill now, but it does add more of a challenge.

If you are a fan of zombies and being a zombie killer, the Dead Island games are the game for you.