Summary
Dead Island 2brought the franchise back from the ashes, and although it’s not a perfect game, it’s a surprising success story. After a decade in development hell,Dead Island 2launched last year to solid reviews from critics and players. From the game’s wonderfully over-the-top gore-centric mechanics to a new cast of characters, the sequel reignited interest in the franchise.
Now, over a year after the game’s initial release, there are many wondering ifDead Island 2will receive a follow-up in order to grow the franchise further. The game has received two different DLCs withHausandSoLA Festival, and developer Dambuster Studios confirmed thatmore content forDead Island 2is on the horizon. After such development woes, it would be exciting to see a long-running franchise finally blossom, but a third entry in the series needs to do away with the worst part of both games: the sewer levels.
TheDead Islandfranchise has its fair share of notable features that help create the tone of the game. Fun weapons, interesting characters, and an island setting, both literal and metaphorical, make up the fabric of the series. Despite the list of great features that reside inDead IslandandDead Island 2, one thing is clear. The sewers are a bad time. Ifthe nextDead Islandwants to really be a satisfying experience, foregoing the dreaded sewer levels is the key to crafting a better game.
Since this type of level is found in both games, it is unfortunately building the foundations of a trend that is better to be avoided than embraced. It’s possible that Dambuster Studios added a sewer level as an attempt togiveDead Island 2’s predecessor a fun nod, but it unfortunately falls flat.Dead Island 2’s take on sewers is at least an improvement compared to the first game, but it just would have been better if the level was scrapped in general.
Ultimately, the main reason whyDead Island 2’s sewer level is better thanDead Islandis because it’s shorter. Getting to be done with a level quicker than its original incarnation isn’t a compliment. Although there hasn’t been any official confirmation of another game, there are certainexpectations forDead Island 3to improve upon the not-so-great features that keptDead Island 2from being a great game and simply a good game.
The Dreaded Sewers Continue to Show Up
It’s not just aDead Islandproblem. Sewer levels have been the bane of many gamers. Even when a game excels at its level and environmental design, it’s still incredibly hard to pull off a sewer level well.Prince of Persia: The Lost Crownis a recent example of this, as the sewers really throw a wrench into the overall experience. Sewer levels have quickly become notorious through the years, and although they sometimes serve an important purpose, even the best sewer level can oftentimes still feel like a chore.
Dead Island 2made some bold decisions. Featuring an overrun Los Angeles as a metaphorical island and not continuing the first game’s story were a few of the biggest changes, but the sequel should have started with the sewers. As of now, there is no tellingwhatDead Island 3will hold, but Dambuster Studios made it clear that it can make a solid zombie romp. The developer is off to a strong start, but if it really wants to makeDead Island 3come out swinging, ditching the sewer level is the right call.
