Dead Island Riptide Performance Analysis
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There's no doubt that Dead Island Riptide represents a clear improvement over the first game on the 360 and PC, both technically and in terms of game design. Sure enough, the changes made for this latest instalment feel more like tweaks intended for a smaller download package, but most of the familiar elements - from combat to weapon customisation - are handled better than before, even if much of the experience feels like a retread of past events set in a new location. In that sense, there are a lot of great ideas waiting to be fleshed out in this series, but Riptide isn't the game to do these concepts justice. Techland's latest still feels undercooked, and perhaps in need of a bit more focus.
The lack of polish in relation to the PS3 build is also disappointing: the erratic freezing bug and the various gameplay related glitches should have been easily picked up in the QA process long before Riptide was due to ship. Hopefully, the developer will release a post-launch patch to take care of these issues and bring the PS3 game closer into line with the other versions. It's a shame because Dead Island really comes alive as a multi-player game, where the paper-thin story and lack of character development isn't really an issue compared to the joy of mercilessly hacking down the rotting undead with some entertaining collective banter.
But right now, out advice is to avoid the PlayStation 3 build - at least until it has been patched. Owners of both consoles should opt for the Xbox 360 release, where smoother frame-rates and the more stable nature of the game simply make it more enjoyable to play. Meanwhile the PC version is the best buy overall if you own a relatively capable gaming computer and have access to a decent online friends list.
