We’ve got a zombie army in Dead Island 2, and our heroes are in need of some friends and returning characters. Jacob, Amy, Ryan, Bruno, Carla, and Dani are all trapped in Hell-A, where the Pathogen HK has transformed into the Autophage crisis. Mutated foes are everywhere, but so are the remaining survivors who are taking advantage of the situation. From retired actors and insane screenwriters to forgotten icons and influencers of Hollywood, Hell-A is a battleground for the living and the dead.
With this in mind, you’re probably wondering if any Dead Island characters would be returning to the zombie-killing madness. This includes the original 2011 game, Riptide, Escape, the abandoned Epidemic MOBA, and Survivors titles. Let’s get into it, and see who we might be running into in Dead Island 2.
Which Dead Island Characters Are Back?
In Dead Island 2, only rapper Sam B returns from the original games, this time acting as an NPC instead of a playable character. From our journeys across Hell-A, references to past events and Easter eggs were found, but we didn’t encounter any other familiar faces. Only Sam B appears, as a main NPC even, where his one-hit wonder “Who Do You Voodoo?” is mentioned by living legend Curtis Sinclair.
Since Sam B has a certain reputation among the popular folk, his presence is justified. We already know he can draw in a crowd to go wild in the midst of an apocalypse.
However, that doesn’t mean there isn’t something to know about some past characters. Sam B is the only returning character to make a physical appearance, whereas a few others are mentioned in dialogue. It doesn’t happen immediately in the story – somewhere after you have access to Venice Beach, Sam B will be hanging back at Emma Jaunt’s mansion in Bel-Air.
Expert Tip: Hell-A contains a couple of abandoned arcades, where there are arcade cabinets representing three games — Homefront: The Revolution, TimeSplitters, and Dripper (Dead Island’s variant of Tapper). Keep a sharp eye open for these arcade cabinets for a little dose of nostalgia.
Sam B, Curtis Sinclair, and Elizabeth will be talking about gripping weapons and cleaning floors. This initiates the dialogue for Sam B to talk about some of the past characters who aren’t in Hell-A. It will occur right after Curtis mentions to Sam B about his one-hit smash tune. Turns out Curtis wanted to use it for a film that he was working on at one point.
From there, Curtis suggests to Sam B that he ought to give his pistol a name. That’s when Sam brings up a few Dead Island characters from days before.
Mentioned Heroes
Before Sam B can settle on a name, he goes through a few options – these are the characters that he brings up:
- Logan Carter
- Xian Mei
- Purna Jackson
- John Morgan
- Jin
- Jerome (Special mention)
All of the above-listed characters are from Dead Island (2011) and Dead Island: Riptide (2013). The first three names were the other playable survivors that players can choose from. Logan is still alive, as hinted by Sam’s dialogue on how he wouldn’t appreciate it very much being named after a gun. Xian Mei was considered, though she’s more connected to blades than firearms. Purna is merely mentioned.
John was close to being the chosen one in this scenario. Sam B was leaning on it until Curtis laughs at the choice, saying, “No, no, ha ha – never John! Johnny maybe, but John is a crazy name for a gun. Think harder than just your buddies!”
Expert Tip: Curtis Sinclair is just one of the several unique NPCs that takes refuge at Emma Jaunt’s mansion. Completing side quests can unlock more dialogue from other characters if you hang around the area, especially in Bel-Air.
That’s when Sam B chooses Jin, who didn’t survive the events of the original game. “I’ll get you out this time, Jin,” Sam B says, before complaining about his manager, Jerome, on the matter of the song not appearing in Curtis’s movie. Not that it matters, since the whole world has gone to hell.
That’s pretty much about it when it comes to any returning characters in Dead Island 2. While Sam B was featured in the footage before the game’s release, we were hoping to see more; perhaps it’ll be an opportunity for DLC to include additional survivors from the Banoi outbreak and thereafter.
