Like its predecessor, it is an action role-playing game played from a first-person perspective. Dead Island 2 takes place in Los Angeles in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. At the beginning of the game, players have to select from one of six playable characters as their player avatar called a slayer. Each of them has their own unique skills and abilities.[4] They also have to choose from one of two defensive abilities, either learning to block hostile attacks, or dodge them.[5] The game's world is divided into 10 different zones. While the player can freely explore each zone, they must travel between different zones through Zone Exits. As the player progresses in the game, they will also unlock fast travel points, allowing them to travel to different locations quickly.[6]