With developers remastering their blockbuster games from last generation, Techland is among them to jump on the bandwagon and re-release two of their best games; Dead Island and Dead Island Riptide. For anyone who missed out on two of the best games last generation, there’s now a chance to do so as both Dead Island games received the remastered treatment, making it the definitive collection any survival horror-genre fan must get.
Both Dead Island and Dead Island Riptide are survival-horror games where a player must survive in an island using anything they can find to fend off zombies. It is a first-person action game with a mix of RPG elements as players will be spending time upgrading their equipment and gaining levels along the way. For those who have recently played Dying Light but not any of the two Dead Island games, the game is somewhat similar since Dying Light itself is a spiritual successor of the Dead Island series.
Anyone who has played Dead Island or Dead Island Riptide before, no new content has been added in both games. Players will get the same exact content except for a power-up called Power Fists that first appeared on PC as an unofficial mode that allow players to punch their way through the horde of zombies. Luckily, the same fun gameplay that we all loved before remain intact within the game and anyone who played it before will be a judge of it.
For newcomers, the story of both games doesn’t shine as it’s somewhat predictable and generic. Dead Island puts you in a fictional island of Banoi located in Papua New Guinea where zombies have overtaken the island. You must uncover the mystery behind the outbreak and find your way out of the island. There are about four characters that you get to choose from and unfortunately, these characters are not interesting enough as they have bland backgrounds, although each has specialize on a certain type of combat which varies the gameplay. As for Dead Island Riptide, the game has the same premise when it comes to story and characters that are dull, though they once again shine when a player uses them in combat.
As with all remastered games, one of the main highlights of the Dead Island Definitive Collection are the improved visuals. Compared to the rough-looking textures found on the PS3 and Xbox One versions, the Definitive Edition fixes that as they have been replaced with much higher quality visuals that is pretty evident. Another new improvement is the new lighting system that provides a much more realistic approach. As for its character models, they haven’t been greatly improved as they still look dated. When it comes to its performance, it’s pretty smooth with less frame rate dip throughout the game.
Since the content of both Dead Island games are exactly the same, it means that the issues we found in the original games remain the same. For those who dislike missions that are dull like the fetch quests, they still remain in the game. Unfortunately, the missions throughout the game are sub-par, and it’s quite disappointing to play through them again.
One of the biggest highlights of both games are the addictive combat and co-operative play. Luckily, the popular co-op gameplay that everyone loved in the original games are back. They remain the same in the Definitive Edition and players can look forward to the same experience many fans have experienced before. With the games now on PS4 and Xbox One, players can also take advantage of exclusive console features like streaming, and doing remote play if you have the PS4 version and a PS Vita.
If there’s one thing that I love about Dead Island games, it’s how addicting the combat is. Through the complex crafting system, players are encourage to search every area for materials and blueprints. For anyone who played Dead Rising before, players will be pleased that unique weapons can be built and be used in fighting off zombies. In other words, players create an odd-weapon that may seem overpowered but enjoyable to use throughout the game. As for its RPG elements, players can distribute skills to make their characters more competent in battle.
VERDICT
Dead Island Definitive Collection is a great introduction or revisit of the originals from last generation. While the game still has a generic story and dull missions, the gameplay is still a blast and crafting remains enjoyable, which make up for some of its faults. Combine this with the ability to play with up to three other people and you’re looking at a night filled with a lot of fun. Plus the improved visuals are also a nice bonus. So if you’ve already experienced Dead Island, you might want to consider picking up the collection, where as newcomers definitely should.
[Editor’s Note: Dead Island Definitive Collection was reviewed on PS4 platform. The game was provided to us by the publisher for review purposes.]
Check out our original review of Dead Island and Dead Island Riptide.
