Key Takeaways
1. Direct Continuation: Dead Island: Riptide picks up right after the first game, moving the story from the island of Banoi to the jungle-filled Palanai.
2. Brutal Melee Combat: The game emphasizes intense melee action with customizable weapons and targeted attacks, while firearms are rare.
3. Co-op Gameplay: Players can team up with up to four friends in co-op mode, making teamwork essential for survival against zombies.
4. Mixed Reception: The Definitive Edition received praise for its engaging combat and game world, but criticism for outdated graphics and lack of new features, earning a score of 73/100.
5. Affordable Pricing: The game is generally priced around $20 but is currently available for just $2 on Fanatical, marking a significant discount.
Dead Island: Riptide continues the thrilling zombie saga, directly following the events of the first game. The original adventure took players to Banoi, a fictional island famed for its beautiful sandy beaches, lavish resorts, and throngs of tourists. Sadly, these tourists have transformed into ravenous zombies. Riptide starts on the rescue ship ES Meridian, designed to transport survivors to safety. However, the ship crashes near Palanai, another island in the Banoi chain. Unlike the sunny main island, Palanai is shrouded in thick jungle, submerged villages, and decaying military outposts. As before, the undead lurk around every corner. Players can choose from five characters, each with unique fighting styles. For instance, Sam B excels with blunt objects like hammers and bats, while Xian Mei, a former secret agent, opts for swift and precise attacks using sharp weapons.
Intense Melee Action
The essence of Dead Island: Riptide lies in its brutal melee combat. Players battle the undead using makeshift weapons like baseball bats, axes, machetes, and pipes, many of which can be enhanced with found materials. For instance, adding nails to a bat not only increases damage but also creates an enjoyable splatter effect. The game allows for targeted attacks; smashing a zombie’s knees makes it hard for them to pursue you, while a solid hit to the head can end a fight swiftly. While firearms are available on Palanai, they are scarce, and ammunition is always in short supply. This leads players to engage in raw, close-quarters combat against the undead. A standout feature is the co-op mode, which enables up to four players to explore the island together and combat the zombie menace as a united front. This mode is a favorite among players, as teamwork and careful resource management can be the key to survival or a gory demise.
Development and Reception
Techland developed Dead Island: Riptide, which was released in collaboration with publisher Deep Silver in April 2013. The current deal refers to the Definitive Edition, which launched in May 2016. This updated version includes all previously released DLCs and technical improvements like sharper textures and better lighting. The German website gamecritics.de reviewed the PS4 version of Dead Island: Riptide – Definitive Edition, praising its engaging combat system and the varied, well-crafted game world. However, they also noted that the graphics still seem outdated despite the upgrades, and the game lacks new features when compared to the first installment. Nevertheless, gamecritics.de awarded it a respectable score of 73 out of 100, appreciating the fun experience even with its technical flaws.
User Feedback and Pricing
Since its launch, Dead Island: Riptide – Definitive Edition has received close to 6,000 user reviews on Steam, with 76% of those being positive. The feedback on Metacritic is quite similar, showing a Metascore of 7.0 and a user score of 7.5.
Currently, Dead Island: Riptide – Definitive Edition is usually priced around $20, but Fanatical is offering a significant 90% discount, reducing the price to just $2 until April 14. According to SteamDB, the game frequently goes on sale with large discounts, typically falling to about $3. This makes Fanatical’s offer the lowest price to date. As an authorized reseller, Fanatical provides a game key that can be activated on Steam.
Source:
Link
