Zombie-killing Slayers in Dead Island 2 will come across a wide variety of undead foes as they progress through the game’s narrative. From the gunky Putrified Slobbers to the fierce Burning Runners, there’s no shortage of infected targets to take down. But as the Slayers progress through the narrative, they’ll begin to encounter tougher enemies, meaning they’ll need tougher weapons to wield. Tougher weapons mean rarer ingredients, with Mutated Hearts coming to mind, due to their challenging acquisition. Here’s our guide to obtaining Mutated Hearts, one of the vital crafting parts in Dead Island 2.
How to Get Mutated Hearts
Players can pick up Mutated Hearts by defeating the ruthless Mutator zombies in Dead Island 2. The Mutators are notably powerful, known for their wide opening that reveals their chests and throats. Each kill does not guarantee a heart – it happens by chance. Only the best equipment can bring these enemies down, so prepare yourselves for an intense fight against them.
In addition to the hearts, Slayers will also have a chance of getting Oversized Arm Bone, Infected Spine, Blade Arm, and Leaky Implants upon a Mutator’s ultimate death.
Expert Tip: The Mutators are apex zombies, and they’re the strongest of the undead bunch in the game. Use Fury Mode when possible to quickly kill them.
Keep in mind that Mutators and their Mutated Hearts will come into play later in the game. You can expect to run into them after you complete The Search for Truth main quest; it’ll be the 21st main mission in the game.
We’ll skip over the main spoilers here to get to the meat of the Mutated Hearts. One event that will trigger the appearance of your first Mutator will be with Specimen: Noah. This will occur when you access a blood drive later in the mission. Noah starts out as a normal zombie until a mechanism activates his mutation. This is your first Mutator, which also acts as a boss fight.
Where to Find Mutators
Of course, Specimen: Noah isn’t the only Mutator in the game. Upon completing The Search for Truth, more Mutators will start to appear. Go to your map and look for the respective Hot Spots. “Mutators are frequently encountered in this area,” the description will read as you look them over.
Expert Tip: One notable Hot Spot that you can rely on is the white villa, located at the bottom right corner of the District map. It’s also possible to farm Mutated Hearts from this place if you reload your save for continuous visits.
Although they might start out as standard Walker, they will morph into the apex enemy in question. Their chest will rip wide open. There’s a chance that they have already transformed before you encounter them. In either case, stay alert as you search for Mutators.
When it comes to fighting these apex enemies, you’ll have to bring out your best to the action table. In addition to their standard arm lunges and grabs, Mutators can also fire away bone darts at you. Deal with them as you will, but keep your eyes peeled for other incoming zombies that can damage you while you take care of the apex zombie.
Expert Tip: Since Mutators are apex enemies, there are achievements/trophies tied to killing them. There’s even a secret one that you can get by killing a mutated Walker before it morphs into the monstrosity in question.
What To Do With Mutated Hearts
Due to their rare appearance, it’s important to keep the hearts to yourself whenever a crafting recipe requires one. Check your available blueprints and parts to see what you can put together.
Alternatively, you can always sell it to a vendor if you’re looking to get some extra cash. You’ll only receive $400 for the transaction, though it’s best to keep the Mutated Hearts to yourself for crafting purposes.
Furthermore, Slayers will need to collect 3 Mutated Hearts for Francesca in the Body Art: Dread side quest. Completing the objective will reward you with 4,000 XP.
One final note to mention is that there is upcoming content for Dead Island 2, which might mean that developer Dambuster Studios will introduce new zombies to the gaming mix. Store some Mutated Hearts before this occurs, before a new enemy has the upper hand against you.
