All Dead Island 2 Slayers & abilities: Every playable character

Dead Island 2 features various playable characters, all with their own unique style when it comes to cracking zombie skulls. Here’s a breakdown of every Dead Island 2 Slayer and their abilities.

After years in development hell, Dead Island 2 is finally set to arrive on April 21, 2023, and it’s one of the year’s most anticipated games. This time around, players can tear through the sunny streets of Los Angeles while taking out the undead with insane weapons in both single-player and co-op.

Much like the original, there are multiple different Slayers to choose from at the start of their game, each with their own backstory and motivations for heading back into the quartine zone. They also come with bespoke abilities, drastically altering how you will approach Dead Island 2’s combat.

Here’s a breakdown of every Dead Island 2 Slayer and their abilities so you can decide who to take control of when the game hits shelves.

Every playable Dead Island 2 character

There are six different Slayers to pick from in Dead Island 2, and players must make their decision before the game begins. It appears that there won’t be any option to switch characters mid-game, so choose wisely.

Don’t worry though, the devs have reassured players that while each Slayer has two abilities that are unique to them, they are plenty of other skills to unlock to help you tailor a specific playstyle.

Here’s a list of all the playable characters in Dead Island 2:

• Amy
• Bruno
• Carla
• Dani
• Jacob
• Ryan

All Dead Island 2 Slayer abilities

Amy

As a Paralympic athlete, it’s no surprise that Dead Island 2’s Amy is all about stamina. Her first innate ability is Relief Pitcher, which regenerates energy every time she successfully throws a weapon, allowing her to stay agile.

Then, Divide & Conquer offers a damage boost when attacking a zombie who strayed from the crowd. By pairing these two skills, Amy is ideal for players who like to move around to disrupt the hordes and pick off enemies once isolated.

Bruno

Bruno grew up in Los Angeles and knows the streets like the back of his hand, something he used to effectively sneak around and tackle zombies without being seen. His Backstab ability boosts all damage when hitting enemies from behind, so he’s perfect for stealthy Dead Island 2 players.

If Bruno does find himself face-to-face with a flesh-eating foe, his second skill, Rapid Reprisal, buffs his agility after every block or dodge, allowing him to quickly get out of the way and strike from the back.

Carla

If you prefer to live life on the edge, then Carla is the Dead Island 2 Slayer for you. Prior to the outbreak, she made her livelihood as a stunt motorcyclist and thrives being just one false move away from death.

Carla’s Dig Deep ability increases her toughness stat when her health gets too low, while Mosh Pit gives her extra damage when surrounded by multiple zombies at once. It’s a high-risk strategy, but it’s certainly high reward.

Dani

The only thing more colorful than Dani’s hair is her language, but the Irish roller derby star uses her aggression to get right in the face of enemies and fight them head-on. Her first ability, Bloodlust, regenerates health when multiple zombies are defeated in rapid succession.

Meanwhile, Thunderstruck causes any heavy attacks to come with an explosion that affects the area surrounding her, dishing out even more damage. Dani is the perfect Dead Island 2 character for those who don’t like to run and hide.

Jacob

Much like Dani, British stuntman Jacob is also in his element when up close and personal with waves of the undead, making him the ideal brawler in Dead Island 2.

The Feral ability provides a damage buff when enemies are killed one after another, and can even be staked as long you’re on the front foot. Then, Critical Gains increases his critical damage stat when out of stamina, giving him the chance to rescue a bad situation.

Ryan

Last but certainly not least is Ryan, a former exotic dancer who serves as the closest thing Dead Island 2 has to a tank character. This is mostly due to his Seesaw skill, which lets him restore some health after knocking an enemy off their feet.

Retaliation also increases his force stat after dodging or blocking, so it really pays to get into the thick of it if Ryan is the Slayer for you.

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There you have it, that was every playable character in Dead Island and their unique abilities. Be sure to pick the Slayer that fits your playstyle when the game arrives on April 21.

For more on the biggest upcoming games, check out our other guides:

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Image credit: Deep Silver Dambuster Studios