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Best Dead Island 2 characters guide - pick the top slayer

There are six playable Dead Island characters to choose from and you can use our guide to their differences to pick the best slayer for zombie bashing.

Dead Island 2 slayers: Jacob and Dani stand in front of a backdrop of the LA pier and beach in the sun.

Who is the best Dead Island 2 character? In Dead Island games historically, there have always been multiple zombie killers to choose from before embarking on your action adventure, each with their own different skills and talents. Who you choose can dramatically affect your gameplay experience, and you can’t change your mind once you start, so we’ve taken a look at each of your choices for Dead Island 2 slayer to help you choose.

The Dead Island 2 slayers are all new characters to the series, bringing a more current, youthful feel since the zombie game’s debut over a decade ago. Each of these cool young things come with their own Dead Island 2 skills as well as a unique set of stats, so choosing one to match your RPG game playstyle will be essential to surviving the zombie apocalypse. Here’s what you need to know about each of the Dead Island 2 slayers.

Dead Island 2 characters list

These are all of the Dead Island 2 characters available to choose from:

Dead Island 2 slayers: amy stands in front of the residential area of Beverly Hills, with the sun setting over the modern houses.

Amy

Amy is a paralympic runner, so you know you’ll have speed on your side with her. The chillest person you could hope to meet in HELL-A, Amy is always cool under pressure – just as well in a city full of undead.

Amy skills

  • Relief Pitcher: allows the runner to regain much needed stamina when successfully hitting a zombie with a thrown weapon.
  • Divide and Conquer: boosts damage dealt when Amy attacks isolated zombies.

Amy’s first Innate Skill is Relief Pitcher, which allows the runner to regain much needed stamina when successfully hitting a zombie with a thrown weapon. Her second is Divide and Conquer, boosting damage dealt when she attacks isolated zombies.

Dead Islasnd 2 slayers: Bruno wields a gun on a red backdrop, wearing a purple camo hoodie and a black beanie.

Bruno

A “hustler” by profession, Bruno is the bad boy of the group, but his targets always deserve it – just like those zombies deserve the sharp end of his weapon. Charming and cool, but raised on the streets, Bruno always has something up his sleeve, making him a more tactical slayer choice, which explains his Backstabber skill.

Bruno skills

  • Backstabber: gives Bruno a moderate damage boost when attacking zombies from behind.
  • Rapid Reprisal: buffs Bruno’s agility and heavy attack charges following a successful dodge or block.

Dead Island 2 slayers: Carla stands in from of a fiery backdrop in motorcycle gear.

Carla

Carla must be fairly confident in a situation like this, as she can’t be all that afraid of death as a stunt motorcyclist. Someone who jumps over ravines and through hoops of fire surely laughs in the face of the undead, right?

Carla skills

  • Dig Deep: calls on Carla’s robust personality for a moderate toughness boost when her health is critical.
  • Mosh Pit: provides a minor damage boost when surrounded by a throng of zombies.

Dead Island 2 characters: Dani, a green haired punk, stands in front of a sunny, palm-tree filled backdrop

Dani

A foul-mouthed, Irish, rockabilly badass, Dani is ready to destroy a swarm of zombies like they’re nothing more than her inferior roller derby opponents, all while wearing the most charming of snarls on her face.

Dani skills

  • Bloodlust: slowly refills Dani’s health when slaughtering multiple zombies one after another.
  • Thunderstruck: causes Dani’s heavy attacks to trigger a forceful explosion.

dead Island 2 characters: Jacob floating in a pool on a lilo, surrounded by zombies.

Jacob

Effortlessly cool, charming, and sexy, Jacob is Dead Island’s “antihero with rockstar flair.” Originally from London, Jacob moved to Hollywood to become a stuntman, so while his dream may no longer become a reality, at least his disregard for his own safety should come in handy.

Jacob skills

  • Feral: gives Jacob a stackable damage boost when attacking multiple zombies in quick succession.
  • Critical Gains: provides Jacob with a boost to critical damage when his stamina is low, and successful critical damage hits recharge his stamina.

Dead Island 2 slayers: Ryan stands with his back to the viewer, looking over his shoulder, and holding a drink, in front of a backdrop of the LA beach.

Ryan

You’d think, as a firefighter, Ryan would have a multitude of skills and weapons at his disposal. That costume might be tear-away though, as this hunk of muscle is actually an exotic dancer, and definitely has some moves to show off when it comes to fighting off hordes of zombies – he’s probably had some practice fighting off hordes of screaming women, after all.

Ryan skills

  • Retaliation: gives this absolute unit gets a force boost when using a block or dodge to evade an attack.
  • Seesaw: allows Ryan to regenerate health each time he downs a zombie.

The best Dead Island 2 character

The best Dead Island 2 character depends on your playstyle, with no clear cut answer. The best slayer for stamina, for example, is Dani, while Carla is best for withstanding hits. That said, if you’re really unsure who to pick, the majority players seemed to lean towards Amy in their first playthroughs, us included. With her speed and agility, Amy is great at leaving zombies in the dust, which can be a solid gameplay technique if you get overwhelmed.

With the information at your disposal to choose the best slayer for you, you should have no problem dominating during the Dead Island 2 zombie apocalypse – well, until you meet any one of the bosses, that is. While every one of these slayers packs a punch with their fist (truly, it’s a sight to behold), they still hit harder with one of the many weapons in hand, which, like with previous DI games, can be upgraded with Dead Island 2 blueprints, making your zombie killing even more of a gore-filed spectacle. Now go see if you agree with our Dead Island 2 review.