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Tag: Dead Island

  • Goat Simulator Launch Trailer Parodies Dead Island

    Dead Island was one of the biggest disappointments of 2011. The game itself wasn’t bad – it was actually quite good. The disappointment came from how amazing the debut trailer was compared to the final game. Well, one of the most anticipated games of 2014 has recreated Dead Island’s debut trailer and I have a feeling the final game won’t disappoint.

    Goat Simulator – the PC game born from a game jam and the Internet’s hopes and dreams – now has a launch trailer to go with its release date of April 1. Just like in the Dead Island trailer, we see a goat lying on the ground as it cuts back to previous events featuring the goat getting into all kinds of mischief and mayhem. While it’s not exactly heart breaking, it’s a perfect parody.

    Alongside the trailer, the game also has this new warning:

    Disclaimer: Goat Simulator is a completely stupid game and, to be honest, you should probably spend your money on something else, such as a hula hoop, a pile of bricks, or maybe pool your money together with your friends and buy a real goat.

    Goat Simulator may be a completely stupid game, but it has captured our hearts. There’s just something incredibly appealing about destroying stuff as a goat. There’s no doubt in my mind that Goat Simulator will be one of the best selling games on Steam when it launches April 1.

    Image via GamersPrey

  • Dying Light Really Is Mirror’s Edge With Zombies

    When Dying Light was first announced, it was billed as Mirror’s Edge with zombies. The comparison seemed a little simplistic and perhaps a disservice, but we couldn’t know for sure until we actually got to see some gameplay.

    The wait for gameplay is over as IGN obtained 12 minutes of nothing but gameplay from Dying Light. I was hesitant to compare the title to Mirror’s Edge, but the first gameplay video proves it to be an apt comparison. There are some differences, however, with Dying Light looking a little slower than EA’s free runner.

    Of course, Dying Light is also a zombie game. It’s made by the team at Techland that made Dead Island so you can expect to see plenty of weapon customization. The other interesting mechanic sees the zombies transforming into more powerful monsters at night where the player will have to either stealthily make their way through the environment or run to the nearest safe house.

    Dying Light will be out in early 2014 for the PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One and PC.

  • Dead Island: Epidemic, a MOBA, Announced

    The success of League of Legends and DOTA 2 has proven both the possible success of a free-to-play business model, and the popularity of the relatively new MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena) genre. Publishers are now beginning to chase both in ham-fisted ways, such as inserting micro-transactions into full-priced games and pushing out MOBA’s without understanding what made them popular in the first place. Warner Bros’ Guardians of Middle Earth is a good example of missing the point.

    Today, publisher Deep Silver announced that it too will be using an existing brand to create a MOBA. Dead Island: Epidemic will be a free-to-play PC MOBA (or ZOMBA, as the publisher’s marketing materials put it.). It will pit three players against each other, similar to other current MOBAs. Epidemic will be set in the world of the Dead Island games and feature “trademark elements” of Dead Island games (kicking zombies?).

    No other details, such as a release date, have been revealed about Epidemic. A website has been created for the game, but is bare with only a colorful animation and a link to sign up for a Dead Island: Epidemic newsletter. Deep Silver is promising that more details will be announced at the Gamescom conference, which begins on August 21.

  • Dying Light Is Mirror’s Edge With Zombies

    Mirror’s Edge was a pretty cool game. Could it be improved? Sure. Is adding zombies to the formula a good idea? We’ll find out next year.

    Dead Island developer Techland are hard at work on their new zombie game called Dying Light. In short, it’s Mirror’s Edge with Zombies. Here’s the official synopsis if you’re into that:

    The city, devastated by a deadly outbreak, is a battleground. Witness the survivors’ desperate race to a cache of supplies. Free running from here to there is only a part of the challenge. The real test is trying to stay alive through the night, when the infected become more active and even more deadly. This is your world now, every day and every night, so run! Good night, good luck!

    Dying Light will be released in 2014 for the PS4, Xbox One and PC.

  • Bloody Torso Statues Arrive For Dead Island Riptide Pre-orderers

    Bloody Torso Statues Arrive For Dead Island Riptide Pre-orderers

    Back in January, Deep Silver, the publisher of the Dead Island games, announced the “Zombie Bait” special edition of their upcoming Dead Island Riptide. As many collector’s editions do, the “Zombie Bait” package includes a statue. This statue however, was a de-limbed, decapitated female torso. It was, quite literally, just a pair of bloody breasts covered by a small bikini.

    The publisher later issued an apology for the statue. The carefully worded response did not state that the statues would be pulled from pre-orders, but did make it clear that they would never show up in the U.S.

    The complaints surrounding the statue subsided within days, and now Dead Island Riptide‘s launch day is finally here. Along with mediocre reviews, the game has arrived with the statue still a part of the collector’s edition.

    Video blogger AussieGamerChick received her “Zombie Bait” edition of the game today and showed it off in an unboxing video on YouTube. No doubt speaking for many horror fans, she states that the statue is the reason she pre-ordered the game.

    AussieGamerChick had defended Deep Silver and the statue back in January when complaints began:

    And here’s the launch trailer for the game, for good measure:

    (via Kotaku)

  • The Cast of Dead Island Riptide Can’t Catch A Break

    The Cast of Dead Island Riptide Can’t Catch A Break

    Dead Island Riptide, sequel to 2011’s popular open-world first-person zombie RPG, is set to launch in April. Besides showing off an offensive collector’s edition, we haven’t seen much of what the sequel will do with its tropical zombie setting. A new trailer offers a few more details.

    In the latest trailer for Dead Island Riptide, it reveals that the party from the first game find themselves on a military ship. Soon after, the ship crashes on a new island with a new zombie infection to deal with. The government wants to cover up the situation by nuking the island. It’s a decent idea, but one that probably won’t bode well for the future if the Resident Evil franchise is any indication.

    Dead Island Riptide will launch across the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC on April 23.

  • Dead Island Has Sold Over Five Million Copies

    Deep Silver, the publisher of Dead Island, announced today that its zombie island adventure has sold over five million copies worldwide. Though the game received only lukewarm reviews when it was released in 2011, the teaser trailer for the game remains one of the most memorable in gaming history.

    “While others focus on ever-increasing development budgets and driving brand messages via ballooning marketing expenditures, Deep Silver stands for hitting the zeitgeist, innovation and fresh gameplay,” said Klemens Kundratitz, CEO of Koch Media. “Dead Island has an incredibly active and enthusiastic community, and we are thrilled to welcome the five millionth player to the world of Banoi. This once again proves that venturing into new waters in terms of games publishing does matter for success and that even at the end of a console cycle new IPs can be created and nurtured into lasting franchises.”

    Koch Media is the parent company of Deep Silver. Last month during the feeding frenzy over THQ Koch scooped up the Metro series and Volition, the studio behind the Saint’s Row franchise.

    The announcement of Dead Island sales could be timed to provide solace to Saint’s Row fans who are worried that Deep Silver will not be able to sufficiently support the series. Or, the announcement could simply be part of the marketing run-up to the release of the Dead Island sequel Riptide in April. Whatever the case, the publisher could use some good press after announcing a collector’s edition for Riptide that includes a statue of bloody boobs.

  • Apology Issued For Bloody Torso Statue

    Apology Issued For Bloody Torso Statue

    Yesterday Deep Silver announced the “Zombie Bait” collectors edition of its upcoming Dead Island Riptide. In keeping with the zombie apocalypse theme of the game, the requisite statue included with the bundle was a representation of a de-limbed, decapitated zombie torso. That wouldn’t have been so bad, but the statue is female and the only part of the statue not sliced and bloody are two large, pristine breasts. The tasteless hand-painted statue predictably caused an immediate backlash online.

    Now, Deep Silver has apologized for the gruesome statue. The developer’s statement, in full:

    We deeply apologize for any offense caused by the Dead Island Riptide “Zombie Bait Edition”, the collector’s edition announced for Europe and Australia. Like many gaming companies, Deep Silver has many offices in different countries, which is why sometimes different versions of Collector’s Editions come into being for North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia.

    For the limited run of the Zombie Bait Edition for Europe and Australia, a decision was made to include a gruesome statue of a zombie torso, which was cut up like many of our fans had done to the undead enemies in the original Dead Island.

    We sincerely regret this choice. We are collecting feedback continuously from the Dead Island community, as well as the international gaming community at large, for ongoing internal meetings with Deep Silver’s entire international team today. For now, we want to reiterate to the community, fans and industry how deeply sorry we are, and that we are committed to making sure this will never happen again.

    It seems that Deep Silver is trying to make it clear the statue was never to be released in the U.S., where the vaguely sexual statue presumably wouldn’t have gone over as well. It’s unclear whether the statue will be pulled from the “Zombie Bait” bundle, but apologizing is a good first step toward acknowledging the backlash.

  • Dead Island Riptide CE Features Busty, Bloody Torso

    Deep Silver, the publisher of Dead Island, today announced a “Zombie Bait” edition of its upcoming Dead Island Riptide.

    In a move that’s sure to please groups calling for video games to tone down their violence in the wake of the Sandy Hook school shooting, the package includes a foot-tall, hand-painted resin statue of a de-limbed and decapitated female torso. As seen above, the statue’s ample breasts seem to be the only features that have escaped extensive mutilation.

    The “Zombie Bait” edition is for U.K. gamers, and will include the Xbox 360 version of the game. Gamers in the U.S. and Latin America are getting the “Rigor Mortis” edition, which includes the comparatively tasteful zombie hula girl dashboard statue.

    “Dead Island Riptide is one of the most anticipated releases of the year and is set to build on the original’s reputation for OTT [sic] action, dark humour and brutal zombie bashing,” said Paul Nicholls, sales & marketing director at Deep Silver. “We wanted to provide a unique collector’s edition that was utterly Dead Island and would make a striking conversation piece on any discerning zombie gamer’s mantel.”

    A conversation piece, indeed. Because nothing starts an engaging conversation like an overtly sexual, mangled female torso.

    Deep Silver is only producing a limited run of the “Zombie Bait” editions of Dead Island Riptide. The edition also comes with a steelbook case for the game, artwork cards, and exclusive in-game weapon mods. Dead Island Riptide his stores on April 23 in the U.S., and April 26 in the U.K.

  • Dead Island Movie, Based on Awesome Trailer, Gets the Green Light

    Dead Island Movie, Based on Awesome Trailer, Gets the Green Light

    Remember that breathtaking reverse-action trailer for the zombie survival game Dead Island? It looks like it’s going to be the basis for an upcoming film from Lionsgate studios.

    The films was discussed back in February when the now-famous trailer was revealed, but it lost traction. Today’s official announcement comes directly from Lionsgate.

    Like the trailer that will serve as its primary creative inspiration, the film DEAD ISLAND will be an innovation of the zombie genre because of its focus on human emotion, family ties and non-linear storytelling.

    I guess it’s refreshing to see a studio come out and just say that a trailer will serve as the primary inspiration for the film. It might be the first time a film was developed based on a three minute trailer, though.

    The game itself was released back on September 6th to pretty universal acclaim. It’s a first person “shooter” with RPG elements like an experience system and weapons upgrading. The game relies heavily on melee weapons as opposed to guns and is fairly open-world in its progression.

    The film wants to tell a “human” zombie story in a non-linear fashion, just like the trailer. Half of the official release today is spent praising the 3 minute reveal trailer –

    Told in a stark, non-linear fashion, the wrenching trailer captured worldwide fan attention and unanimous critical praise upon its debut, receiving over one million hits in its first 24 hours online, and nearly 10 million views by two days after its debut. Wired Magazine, College Humor and G4TV all called it the best video game trailer of all time, with G4TV adding “The Dead Island trailer is the best trailer I have ever seen in my life. The best video game trailer. The best movie trailer. The best anything trailer.” The trailer went on to win the Golden Lion in Cannes at the International Festival of Creativity, the advertising industry’s highest honor, and it was featured by Adweek on their annual list of the World’s Best Commercials.

    But it will still be a zombie film, even with the focus on “human emotions.” If the game itself is any indication, we will see our fair share of decapitations and spilling of entrails.

    To be fair, that trailer is an amazing piece of art. And trust me, studios have relied on far thinner sources of inspiration for feature films.

    The producer attached to the project, Sean Daniel, produced films like Tombstone and Dazed and Confused.

    Alas, I get to embed the trailer in question –

    What do you think? Could Dead Island be the next great zombie flick? The Memento of the zombie genre? Let us know in the comments.