Dead Island, the first of the expansive zombie-killing RPGs from developer Techland was, well, it was frankly not quite as good as it should have been. The premise was great, and it could be a ton of wayward fun when played co-operatively, but so much of the game was broken, poorly implemented and the antithesis of a good time.
Despite that, it looks like it’s getting a remaster. Local retailer Loot.co.za seems to have let the undead cat out of the bag; Dead Island is coming back, with Dead Island: Definitive Edition listed for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC (Thanks Gematsu!). The game is on pre-order, with a listed release date of November 12.
I don’t mind remasters. They’re great for letting people who’ve only recently acquired a love of video games to play games they may have missed, or for those who’ve switched allegiances to play games that they’ve been unable to play – but this strikes me as one of the most pointless remasters on all of planet earth.
Why? Because this is a world where Dying Light exists. Made by the very same people and developed with an actual budget, Dying Light does everything that Dead Island set out to do, and actually does it properly. It is, at its core, what Dead Island should have been.
Publisher Deep Silver has yet to confirm the definitive edition of Dead Island. The publisher has recently severed ties with Spec Ops: The Line developer Yager, who were busy readying Dead Island’s first numbered sequel – a result, apparently, of creative differences.
Last Updated: July 22, 2015
Admiral Chief in Skellige
July 22, 2015 at 08:09
I’ve been dying to see the light.
Dead Island was fun co-op, but yeah, not brilliant
Captain JJ Eyebrows
July 22, 2015 at 08:14
Yes. Co-op was where it came alive, otherwise very meh-ish
Admiral Chief in Skellige
July 22, 2015 at 08:17
You up for some co op? You can be the girl
Pariah
July 22, 2015 at 08:31
Can be?
Admiral Chief in Skellige
July 22, 2015 at 08:32
Haha, oh you
Captain JJ Fantasticus
July 22, 2015 at 08:32
lol
Reggie Centeno
July 22, 2015 at 17:09
Dead island and dying light are brilliant
Captain JJ Eyebrows
July 22, 2015 at 08:13
Ugh
Enough with the fkn remasters
Admiral Chief in Skellige
July 22, 2015 at 08:13
This coming from one doing a remaster on his face every morning
#FantasticJJ
Captain JJ Eyebrows
July 22, 2015 at 08:14
Technically that’s modding!
Admiral Chief in Skellige
July 22, 2015 at 08:16
Sorry, not up to date with the make-up lingo, my apologies
Captain JJ Fantasticus
July 22, 2015 at 08:17
XD
Also: Hey!
Admiral Chief in Skellige
July 22, 2015 at 08:17
Good to have you back
Pariah
July 22, 2015 at 08:30
Brilliant.
I just know the word pink was the first thing that came to your mind when you read that. 😛
Captain JJ Fantasticus
July 22, 2015 at 08:32
NEVERRR!
RinceThis
July 22, 2015 at 08:38
Eish, did you do something wrong yesterday?
Pariah
July 22, 2015 at 08:38
He’s been away for a little while. His return requires, nay demands some hazing. 😛
RinceThis
July 22, 2015 at 08:46
He was? 😛
Pariah
July 22, 2015 at 08:47
XD
Captain JJ Fantasticus
July 22, 2015 at 08:59
Oh geez. THANKS RINCE ;P
RinceThis
July 22, 2015 at 10:18
Tehehe, Rince 1 JJ non-reader of emails 0 ;P
Captain JJ Fantasticus
July 22, 2015 at 08:59
It does
Sadly
Captain JJ Eyebrows
July 22, 2015 at 08:14
Technically that’s modding!
RinceThis
July 22, 2015 at 08:20
Agreed.
Rock789
July 22, 2015 at 08:21
Dead Island had it’s moments – was the only 1 of its kind, really, when it arrived. But I’m assuming Techland won’t be helping out on this – they went their seperate ways from Deep Silver and, due to funds they’d acquired thanks to Dead Island’s success, were able to make the game they’d originally envisioned – Dying Light. Pretty sure they’ll be focusing on Dying Light dlc or, even better, Dying Light 2, more than a simple remaster of a game even they consider ‘just ok’.
RinceThis
July 22, 2015 at 08:21
Urgh. Really?
Rock789
July 22, 2015 at 08:25
Did you just swallow another button? :p
RinceThis
July 22, 2015 at 08:32
Gaaahhhhh!
Pieter Smal
July 22, 2015 at 08:22
Dead Island was a pain in the butt. It started out okay, but the game got wearysome as time went on. Some levels also had some VERY BAD level design (especially in the city). Ugh! Or should I say: “Urrrgggh!”
Reggie Centeno
July 22, 2015 at 17:10
Then why are u on here
Pieter Smal
July 22, 2015 at 19:16
I might understand your question better if you used rephrased the question, spelled out the words in full, and use punctuation marks. I suggest that a question mark would be a good start 🙂
Pieter Smal
July 22, 2015 at 19:18
A possible interpretation of your question might include: Why did you play the game?
After an historic overview of zombies (during Religious Studies 120 at the University of Pretoria), I decided to play every zombie game that I could get hold of. The best zombie game (in my experience) thus far was Left 4 Dead.
Pariah
July 22, 2015 at 08:30
Remasters need to take a hint and die. Unless they’re complete overhauls of much older and much loved titles (FF7 is a good example).
What do we want? Not remasters!!!
When do we want them? Never!!!
Reggie Centeno
July 22, 2015 at 17:10
Then why did u click on the link
Greylingad[CNFRMD]
July 22, 2015 at 08:34
As far as Zombie slaying goes, Dying Light was brilliant, but why remaster an old, buggy/broken game if you could release more story content for something that was, by implication, a hell of a lot of fun? Why go from a free running open environment back to something that’ll feel old and dated? Oigh…
Reggie Centeno
July 22, 2015 at 17:12
They release a patch for it genius plus why are u even on here
Greylingad[CNFRMD]
July 23, 2015 at 09:07
What? I’m not sure I understand your statement, which is in the form of a question without the proper grammar, I’m pretty sure I’m on here because I’ve just raised a valid point, you on the other hand…. I believe that you might find trolling as such an empowering tool, unfortunately it carries about as much weight as the total excrement from a prawn at the bottom of the sea…dwis
Dutch Matrix
July 22, 2015 at 08:36
There is a distinct lack of Hellknights in this game… Hence not on my should remaster list…
The Sten
July 22, 2015 at 08:36
Aaaah i get it now. Its…undead you see. So it comes back everytime we think its dead.
Dutch Matrix
July 22, 2015 at 08:37
That… that makes sense…
Admiral Chief in Skellige
July 22, 2015 at 09:11
O_O
Stan Smith
July 22, 2015 at 09:01
Ez monies.
HairyEwok
July 22, 2015 at 10:46
You can’t resurrect (remaster) something that is already undead.
Nikola
July 22, 2015 at 11:53
Yeah I a must agree here I finished Dead Island properly and Dying Light is better in every single way plus Dead Island 3 is coming out what is the point of remastering this game…
Reggie Centeno
July 22, 2015 at 17:13
Both are good plus dead island 3 noo its dead island 2 and then dont buy it no one is forcing u