The
day has come where we now have another full Dead Island title upon us.
Not only was the game enclosed, but the Special Edition which includes
an alternate character skin, pack of weapon mods and a digital strategy
map. There was quite a bit of confusion when first announced as to
whether Riptide was a true sequel or an expansion. Riptide is, in fact, a
true sequel starting where the last game left off with the survivors
thinking they have escaped the plagued Banoi but fate has other plans
for the faithful four plus one, John Morgan. Now that I have played
through I think I have enough time put in for my review.
It
speaks numbers when I can’t stop playing a game before I get to work on
my review, usually I get 50-75 percent of the way through before
getting my review out in a timely fashion, then usually going back to
complete. That being said, it is intense, highly stressful, lots of
dying, and on top of everything it was fun as hell. While single player
was entertaining with lots and lots of respawning, usually when trying
to face off against groups of four or more without a car...or boat. I
thought it felt more polished visually and intense to play, every time a
shreak was heard, I was out of there without even a glance. The
survivalistic feel it what kept me playing after some punishing
sessions, but it was just enough and the melee focus with unique weapons
means all the action is in your face, but similar to watching a horror
movie, you want your friends around in coop for assistance.
While
not perfect, there are a few things that tried to get me to rage smash
my controller, most of all would be the little bugs here and there.
Mostly when missions items weren’t where they were supposed to be, which
depending on the mission, I would have to reboot to complete. The
other, and this one is for those that play with a lot of focus on the
sounds, but when you hear the call of the dead and it sounds like it’s
right behind or beside you a lot, fear not as they sometimes are just in
the distance flexing their dead pipes and have not even noticed my John
Morgan. Be wary of shadows though, they aren’t always foliage and you
don’t always hear before you are about to get brutally violated.
