Dead Island: Ryder White DLC Previews

It doesn’t sound like the developers are going to improve on Dead Island’s RPG elements in any way in the upcoming Ryder White DLC, at least judging by this preview of the content coming from the folks at Just Push Start. Here’s a snip:

There is a heavier emphasis on action and gunplay this time around with far more abundant ammo pick ups. The BIDF has left weapon crates throughout White’s path. These crates usually contain ammo for Ryder’s guns, but sometimes shelter grenades, Molotov cocktails, or more firearms. Along the way, players will even find a blueprint for the brand new Stun Gun weapon. The Stun Gun is a pistol that does not use up pistol ammo. It does pathetic damage, but instantly knocks enemies down to the ground with its 100% critical rate. It is akin to a long range version of the Left Hand of Glova without the stamina drain.

Some of the RPG elements of Dead Island have been removed in exchange for the faster pace of Ryder White’s story. Players will be locked at level 15 for the duration of the story with 15 inventory slots, and the skill tree has been completely removed from the game menu. Despite this, Ryder White does have some of the main characters’ upgrades like a Fury attack, the slow version of the instakill stomp attack, and access to all of the slots on the quick select weapon wheel. White’s Fury weapon is a pistol that does not auto aim like Purna’s, but slows down time and can be fired far more quickly than Purna’s revolver. The faster pace, however, provides players with some exciting set pieces including a gas station standoff against innumerable running Infected.

IGN also has a piece that echoes the same sentiments:

A substantial portion of the Ryder White campaign involves the use of guns, something Dead Island originally limited and downplayed. Armed members of the Raskal gang and escaped prisoners cause considerable problems for White; taking careful shots from cover offers a different kind of tension compared to sprinting from the undead. White is a military man but he’s hardly a super-hero. Bullets hurt him like they would any other survivor, though he can hold his own better than those unfortunate few. Ammo is plentiful and explosives are everywhere. This solo campaign caters to anyone disappointed by the emphasis of close-quarters violence in Dead Island. It’s also far simpler than the core co-op campaign, and puts action well ahead of RPG. I didn’t upgrade my skills or level up at all. Ryder White is an established badass who’s at his best behind the barrel of a shotgun, not pining over stat percentages.