Dead Island 2 developers Dambuster Studios have given a new interview that outlines some of the latest additions to the upcoming game. The sequel to 2011’s Dead Island will take players to the sunny but zombie-infested neighbourhoods of Los Angeles. This choice of location is also discussed in the interview, with the game’s developers also discussing the “exciting” implementation of a skill deck in the action.

As spotted in NME, Dead Island 2‘s creative director James Worrall and lead narrative designer Khan have taken part in a new interview with GameInformer in which they discuss the upcoming title. You can check out the interview in full right here to get a deep dive into all things Dead Island 2.

Describing the game as a “zombie gore fest pulp extravaganza,” the developers stress that although gore is a key part of the action in Dead Island 2, it’s done with a focus on humour rather than outright horror. “When [gore] stops being funny and starts being disturbing,” Khan clarifies when asked how much gore is too much, adding that “we’ve worked really hard on making our gore hilariously over the top so that it stays funny.”

As for the choice of location for the game, Worrall explains that Los Angeles was picked as the ideal setting due to “the amazing eccentrics and self-confidence of the city.” The Los Angeles backdrop will feature prominently in Dead Island 2 by the sounds of things, with Worrall and Khan both agreeing that the location is almost like a game character in its own right. It’s also revealed that with the city operating as a quarantine zone, this gives the game its ‘island’ vibe in that Los Angeles is effectively cut off from the outside world.

One of the more interesting things to look forward to in Dead Island 2 will apparently be the addition of the skill deck. This will be a way to customise loadouts and can be done with great flexibility according to the developers. “I think the skill deck is one of, if not the most [exciting additions to the game],” says Khan, explaining that “they’re really fun to play with, you can take off, change skills mid-air and land with a different loadout, and that’s just amazing.” Worrall adds that this will allow players to be more fluid with their gameplay choices, explaining that the skill tree will allow players to “take some real risks with your loadout. Sometimes it pays off and sometimes it goes horribly wrong.”

It certainly sounds as though there’s a lot of new content and gameplay customisation available for players in the upcoming sequel. Those excited to try out some of the intense zombie-pulping action that’ll be coming up can make their way into the quarantine zone when the game launches on April 28. Dead Island 2 will be available on Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 and PC via the Epic Games Store.

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