Dead Island 2 – Cards replace character skill trees

We still have to be patient for a few more months, then Dead Island 2 will finally be released and once again mix gore-heavy zombie action and funny characters with an actually rather unusual scenario.
The title, which has been in development since 2014, will of course have a few new features, about which there is now more information.

Cards for more flexibility

In an interview with the colleagues from Game Informer, the developers have now given first insights into a new system that they themselves call “Skill Deck”.
This is intended to replace the skill trees previously available in the game – which were divided into combat, survival and fury skills.

The developers describe the Skill Deck as “a collection of slots that give you different abilities.” The cards represent different attacks, kicks, punches and so on that you can use them to teach your character.
However, you’re not locked into them like in the previous games, but can change cards at will at any time.

So if an opponent is immune to certain attacks or less vulnerable, you can change his cards and thus also his skills and attack him differently.

You can take off, change your skill, and land with a different loadout, and that’s just amazing.
– Khan, Lead Narrative Designer (Dambuster Studios)

Of course, this also allows for all kinds of crazy combinations of skills and bonuses that allow for both a very safe and a risky and wacky way of playing – depending on what you feel like doing.

According to current plans, Dead Island 2 is to be released on 28 April 2023 and, in addition to the “Skill Deck”, will also bring other interesting features such as Alexa commands into the game.