Dead Island 2: How to Defend and Counter

In Dambuster Studios' Dead Island 2, there is no running away from the hordes of undead hungry for flesh. Being able to beat them back is key to survival for all the Slayers in Hell-A, but going all-out on offense is not always going to be the best way forward. With a stamina system to take note of, wildly swinging and using heavy attacks can lead to death quite easily. Instead, it is always better to take a more measured approach to combat. This guide on how to defend and counterin Dead Island 2 will serve all players well and keep them going all the way until the end.

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Depending on which of the six Slayers chosen to be the playable character, the manner in which they can ward off attacks is different. It can be broken down into two specific ways, either blocking attacks straight on or dodging to the side.

A Slayer like Carla, for instance, is more adept at tanking the hurt rather than moving out of the way. To keep her out of harm's way, players can hold L1 or the Left Bumper in order to block attacks. It may not work for every attack, but as long as there is enough stamina, damage can be negated. This does not apply to some powerful and impactful blows, which can knock the block aside completely.

For a speedier Slayer, such as Dani, the defensive skill becomes a dodge that can help her reposition herself for more advantage. This can be done by either pressing the L1 or Left Bumper button with a direction on the left stick, which will shift the Slayer hopefully out of harm's way. The added speed is always great for getting out of a tight spot, but watch out for the surroundings to avoid getting stuck in a corner.

The countering process is similar to blocking and dodging, but now, there is a timing component to master. Timing a block or a dodge just before a melee attack is about to hit the Slayer will stun the attacking zombie instead.

This temporary state will display a button prompt on the zombie, so press either the Square or the X button to initiate a savage counter. Follow up on the initial blow with two more presses of the R2 or the Right Trigger to deal even more damage, which is usually enough to eliminate a zombie definitively.

It works on all non-Apex variant zombies, and this process also grants invulnerability while the animation is playing out. Players can find further use with it being a healing mechanism with the right Skill Card, so be sure to master it for more joy in Hell-A.

Dead Island 2 will launch on April 21 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.