Gamers return to the tropical archipelago of Banoi for more intense co-op zombie combat and open-world exploration in Dead Island Riptide. The four survivors from the original game -- washed-up rapper Sam B, hotel receptionist and Chinese spy Xian, former football player Logan, and Australian bodyguard Purna -- thought their nightmare was over when a helicopter took them to a nearby military ship. But a massive storm and another viral outbreak leave the quartet marooned once again, this time joined by Navy cook John Morgan on the fictional island of Palanai.

As in the original game, users can take control of any of the playable characters, guide them through open environments, and gain experience points by completing missions and engaging in bloody combat with hordes of zombies. Melee weapons like axes, machetes, and clubs remain the primary means of defense in Riptide, but a variety of guns are also available and are particularly useful for the new hub missions, in which survivors protect a base from waves of zombie attackers. Multiplayer remains central to the Dead Island experience, with the main campaign letting up to four gamers drop in or out of co-op action at any time.