WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD for the endings of Dead Island 2 and its Haus DLC. Proceed at your own risk.
Summary
Dead Island 2is one of 2023’s most popular action games. It introduced thrilling new mechanics with its Unique FLESH System and offered straight-talking zombie-slaying antics mixed with dark humor. Additionally, it received a nomination for Best Action Game at the2023 Game Awardsbut lost out toArmored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon.While it is unlikely that the first DLC story expansion, Haus, had anything to do with that, in some ways, Haus missed the mark in various ways, including in relation to its story development.
Consequently,Dead Island 2’s next DLC expansion set for Q2 of 2024, SOLA Festival, could have a bigger job on its hands, at least in terms of the ongoing story and lore when comparing the Haus ending to the base game ending offered inDead Island 2.While many enjoyed the DLC, its ending was unclear for some players for several reasons. That said, there are things SOLA Festival might do to pick up the pace again when it launches next year.
AlthoughDead Island 2’s Haus DLC references new characters like Hope, surprisingly Dr. Reed’s daughter, Tisha, didn’t show up, despite howDead Island 2’s Hollywood Ending went down. Instead of flying off into the sunset with Emma and the remaining survivors, players stay behind to find Tisha, who plays a crucial role inDead Island 2’s Autophageand the game’s explanation for the Hell-A zombie outbreak. Instead, the Haus DLC focused on how a creepy cult dealt with future knowledge of such events, ultimately suggesting players were previously deliberately infected to connect to an AI hive mind to preserve humanity.
Dead Island 2’s Haus DLC did introduce several new elements, including a new location in the Haus mansion, enemies like Long-Piglet, skills cards, and weapons. That said, its end boss encounter was mainly battling zombie hordes. Additionally, the introduction ofDead Island 2Haus' crossbow, Tisha’s weapon of choice, makes it even more surprising she didn’t show up.
Although Haus could be setting the stage for bigger things to come, some players were left feeling confused by its pre-apocalypse ending details, which seemingly move back in the story rather than forward. Oddly, the players' Slayer character also appears to be part-android at the end via a gifted implant in an unusual melding of robot technology and zombification. However, this presumably has a bigger role to play going forward.
Dead Island 2’s SOLA Festival DLCis also described as a major story expansion, so fans of the same may remain hopeful that it could significantly move the base game’s ending forward while shedding more light on Haus' developments. Tracking down a lost or disenchanted Tisha in protecting the cure seems like a logical step, but getting there doesn’t have to be easy, with the SOLA Festival potentially placing different pitfalls along the way as a confirmed huge festival where things sound like they could become chaotic quickly.
SOLA Festival could also improve upon thelength ofDead Island 2’s Haus DLC, such as by adding more explorable locations, tying up loose story ends, and giving players more reasons to return to Hell-A.
Dead Island 2
WHERE TO PLAY
The open-world zombie slaying action RPG makes its long-awaited return. Dead Island is back, and with it comes a host of enhancements to its winning combination of creative first-person zombie slaying, pitch-black humor and open-world exploration. Welcome to HELL-A. The City of Angels has been transformed into a hellish sprawl, its populace now mutated into disgusting zombies with an insatiable appetite for humans. In this extensive, visceral RPG experience you’ll journey to iconic LA locations, taking on quests, meeting eccentric survivors and enjoying a joyously pulpy narrative along the way. The game’s brutal melee combat gives you access to an expansive array of inventive zombie-slaying weaponry that lets you slice, smash and tear through the hordes before they get the chance to do the same to you. Can you survive HELL-A?
