Escape Dead Island

44%
Game Brain Score Based on 728 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Escape Dead Island Game Cover
Escape Dead Island questions how we perceive reality, alongside questionable zombie-killing and stealth.
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"Escape Dead Island" is a survival mystery game set in the Dead Island universe. The game follows the story of Cliff Calo, who investigates the uninhabited island of Narapela. As Cliff, players must uncover the truth behind the island’s disturbing events while surviving the deadly traps, puzzles, and zombie hordes. The game emphasizes exploration, discovery, and avoiding conflict to stay alive.

  • PC
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station 3
  • Xbox
  • Xbox 360
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

44%
Audience ScoreBased on 728 reviews
story133 positive mentions
gameplay55 negative mentions
  • The comic book art style is visually appealing and adds a unique touch to the game.
  • The story, while confusing, offers an intriguing narrative that keeps players engaged.
  • The stealth mechanics provide a different gameplay experience compared to traditional zombie games.
  • The combat mechanics are clunky and often frustrating, leading to a tedious gameplay experience.
  • The checkpoint system is poorly designed, forcing players to replay sections and watch unskippable cutscenes after dying.
  • The game lacks depth in character development and has a convoluted story that leaves many questions unanswered.
  • story545 mentions

    The story of "Escape Dead Island" has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many players describing it as convoluted, confusing, and poorly executed. Critics highlight a lack of character depth and engaging dialogue, often finding the plot to be a disjointed mix of hallucinations and unskippable cutscenes that detract from the overall experience. While some appreciate the attempt at a unique narrative within the Dead Island universe, the execution leaves much to be desired, resulting in a story that feels more like a frustrating puzzle than a coherent adventure.

    • “The story lets players unravel the origins of the zombie virus through the eyes of the would-be documentary journalist Cliff Calo.”
    • “Escape Dead Island offers you an interesting undead side story that focuses on exploration and stealth.”
    • “The story is rather trippy and I don't fully understand it, but it just makes it that much more interesting.”
    • “But it turned into a mess of a story, some really bad dialogue and bugs.”
    • “The story is convoluted and confusing, and the characters are as interesting as a wet sock.”
    • “And don't get me started on the story, which is a dream inside a hallucination inside a major concussion, where nothing really makes sense.”
  • gameplay233 mentions

    The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing its clunky mechanics, linear structure, and lack of depth compared to previous titles in the Dead Island series. While some appreciate the comic book art style and the integration of stealth elements, others find the combat frustrating and repetitive, leading to an overall sense of disappointment. The absence of crafting options and engaging character development further detracts from the experience, making it feel disconnected from the franchise's roots.

    • “The gameplay is a mix of stealth and beat 'em up, depending on the situation.”
    • “I loved the graphic style, the combat was satisfying, stealth mechanics worked well for me, and it genuinely had some great horror atmosphere in certain parts.”
    • “Using a unique, comic book art style and third-person action gameplay, this is a whole different approach to zombie bashing.”
    • “The gameplay is frustrating, as if the developers took everything good about Dead Island and flushed it down the toilet.”
    • “Lastly, there are gameplay issues; the combat is terrible, often switching weapons doesn't work, causing you to get hit over and over while you can't do anything but smash that stupid button until you finally get the right weapon.”
    • “The story is bland, the characters are annoying, and the gameplay feels like a horrible combination of a mobile game and a console game.”
  • graphics223 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the unique cel-shaded, comic book art style reminiscent of titles like Borderlands. While some find the visuals vibrant and engaging, others criticize them as inconsistent and lacking polish, detracting from the overall experience. Overall, the graphics are seen as a refreshing departure from realism, though opinions vary on their effectiveness in enhancing gameplay.

    • “The graphics are slick.”
    • “The cell-shaded visuals reminded me strongly of Borderlands and everything was bright, colorful, and easily identifiable.”
    • “The graphics are actually pretty good, not too demanding and not too fancy but has a cool comic-style which is very refreshing to the series and I always like to see in video games.”
    • “The graphics are lackluster, and while I understand what they were aiming for, it just doesn't work.”
    • “The game offers some horrible graphics, mixed together with really vibrant colors that don't work at all with the aesthetic of Dead Island and some horrible ugly glitches, textures, and bugs littered here and there which made me not want to continue playing.”
    • “Gameplay is repetitive and dull, combat is clunky and just not like how it used to be, graphics look awful, maybe some people like that whole comic style look, but for me, it really took away from the game.”
  • stability26 mentions

    The game's stability is heavily criticized, with numerous players reporting a wide range of bugs and glitches that significantly detract from the experience. Issues include broken cutscenes, unresponsive doors, and erratic AI behavior, leading to frustration, especially in challenging gameplay moments. While some players noted minimal glitches, the overall consensus is that the game suffers from severe stability problems that hinder enjoyment.

    • “So the bugs, there are lots of them, from ordinary glitches to messed up cutscenes that show the wrong dialogue or play the wrong spoken line (this stays the same on replays, so they just didn't bother to fix it, even though it's very obvious).”
    • “The zombies and the AI in general are ridiculously bad; you can literally go through the whole game blindfolded. Not to mention numerous glitches that ravage this game: doors supposed to be open but are closed, hatches that will not open, keycards that are not dropped, and the list goes on and on.”
    • “At a certain point later in the game, I decided it was unplayably bad for a number of reasons—glitches, lack of any sort of interesting story, zero creative aspects, tedious boss fights, etc. Frustrating and boring the player is a sure way to develop an absolute loser of a game.”
  • music17 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising the soundtrack as splendid and enjoyable, while others find it forgettable and only decent overall. While the main theme is noted as good, many players feel that the rest of the music does not leave a lasting impression. Overall, the music contributes positively to the experience but does not elevate the game significantly.

    • “The soundtrack is splendid!”
    • “Amazing soundtrack.”
    • “Good music and sound.”
    • “Main theme is decent, but the rest of the soundtrack is just forgettable.”
    • “The combat seems okay with the graphics feeling fine, along with the music which is just about fine.”
    • “I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
  • grinding15 mentions

    Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mix of fun and frustration, with many describing it as tedious and repetitive. The combat mechanics, particularly in boss fights, are criticized for being unengaging and overly reliant on grinding, leading to a lack of enjoyment and a sense of boredom. Overall, the grinding experience is seen as a significant detractor from the game's overall quality.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “It's fine against 1, 2, maybe even 3, but often you get swarmed by the enemies, some even attacking from behind, and it all turns into teeth-grinding frustration.”
    • “At a certain point later in the game, I decided it was unplayably bad for a number of reasons—glitches, lack of any sort of interesting story, zero creative aspects, tedious boss fights, etc. Frustrating and boring the player is a sure way to develop an absolute loser of a game.”
    • “[Very repetitious, forces you to replay entire sections several times including traipsing through long boring corridors. Looks and feels very cheap. Gets tedious far too quickly.]”
  • humor14 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding it amusing in its mediocrity and through hidden details, while others criticize it for relying on one-dimensional stereotypes and unfunny references. Attempts at humor often fall flat, leading to a perception that the game is embarrassingly unsuccessful in its comedic efforts. Overall, the humor may appeal to some, but many feel it misses the mark.

    • “The ending is hilariously terrible.”
    • “There is a lot of humor if you look at the details and take the optional photos and find collectibles.”
    • “This game is so hilariously mediocre that it's bad!”
    • “Characters are mostly one-dimensional stereotypes ("the artist", "the reporter", "the mysterious badass") and references to other games are frequent and unfunny.”
    • “The humor falls flat, relying too heavily on clichés and predictable punchlines.”
    • “Attempts at humor often feel forced and fail to elicit any genuine laughter.”
  • replayability10 mentions

    The game's replayability is mixed; while some players find value in revisiting to collect missed items, others feel that once most collectibles are obtained, there is little incentive to replay. Overall, opinions vary from low to moderate replay value, with some players easily completing the game on their first attempt.

    • “There is some replay value – you are bound to miss a few collectibles, and I would encourage you to follow a guide, but you can replay the game over and over again until you get everything.”
    • “And easily replayable as well!”
    • “There is some replay value – you are bound to miss a few collectibles, and I would encourage you to follow a guide, but you can replay the game over and over again until you get everything.”
    • “Replay value is low.”
    • “No replay value whatsoever (had 80-90% of all hidden items on the first go).”
    • “There is some replay value – you are bound to miss a few collectibles and I would encourage you to follow a guide, but you can replay the game over and over again until you get everything.”
  • emotional8 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by intense and visceral experiences that resonate deeply with players, leading to moments of genuine tears and reflection. However, some players express frustration with the game's pacing and narrative direction, feeling disconnected from the emotional journey due to its departure from the original franchise's essence. Overall, while the game evokes strong feelings, it also leaves some players feeling unsatisfied.

    • “On the journey, we see his psyche come undone in a variety of emotionally, intellectually, and visually visceral vignettes.”
    • “I cried at the end.”
    • “I cried.”
  • character development8 mentions

    Character development in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding moments of depth and intrigue, particularly in the descent into madness, while others feel that attempts at development often come off as comedic or superficial. The reliance on concept art and a rehashed storyline from the original Dead Island detracts from the overall impact of character growth. Despite these criticisms, some aspects of character design are appreciated.

    • “The character development is interesting and the descent of your character into madness and beyond is intriguing.”
    • “Nice character design.”
    • “There were times where they tried to have some semblance of character development, and it just came off as comedic – I can think of a single voice line where I went, 'Oh, wow, that was rather… good!'”
    • “It feels like they just got a bunch of concept art and character design, then tried to rehash the story of the original Dead Island, but with none of the important details.”
    • “There were times where they tried to have some semblance of character development and it just came off as comedic – I can think of a single voice line where I went 'oh, wow, that was rather… good!'.”
  • atmosphere8 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its dramatic and tense qualities, effectively creating a dark, mysterious mood that enhances the storytelling. Players appreciate the combination of graphic style, satisfying combat, and well-executed stealth mechanics, all contributing to a compelling horror atmosphere in certain sections. Overall, the atmosphere is described as epic and fitting, making it a standout aspect of the game.

    • “I loved the graphic style, the combat was satisfying, stealth mechanics worked well for me, and it genuinely had some great horror atmosphere in certain parts.”
    • “It really keeps the atmosphere in a good place, very dramatic and tense, very fitting, very epic, simply great!”
    • “The atmosphere in the game gives off a dark mood of mystery from the very beginning.”
    • “The atmosphere in the game gives off a dark mood of mystery right from the beginning.”
    • “The atmosphere in the game creates a sense of unease that detracts from the overall experience.”
    • “The game fails to establish a compelling atmosphere, leaving players feeling disconnected.”
  • optimization2 mentions

    The game is praised for its excellent optimization, running very smoothly with minimal performance drops reported by users.

    • “Runs very smoothly with very little performance drops.”
    • “Runs very smoothly with very little performance drops.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization strategy for the game has been criticized due to Deep Silver's minimal advertising efforts, which has led to a lack of visibility and awareness among potential players. This suggests a lack of confidence in the game's marketability.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

33% average critic score

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Play time

8hMedian play time
7hAverage play time
3-12hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 10 analyzed playthroughs

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