Battling waves of zombies in Dead Island 2 can be a bit tricky at first, unless players find the best weapons available at the start of the game to fight off hordes of shambling corpses. The most powerful tools players can find to combat the undead have just as much personality as the enemies they'll fight in the crumbling city of L.A. From devastating melee knives to strong guns that wipe out zombies from afar, there are plenty of options to choose from.
The two sections of the early game that are best for weapon hunts are Beverly Hills and Halperin Hotel, before the first boss of the game. Many of the zombies to combat in Dead Island 2 here act as a tutorial, not having many different types but instead featuring Shamblers that are simple to kill. In these areas, players are able to pick up a few side quests that lead to rare weapons that could be great for harder encounters later on.
How to Find the Best Early Weapons
Two weapons that are tied to side quests in Dead Island 2's early Beverly Hills section are the Defiant Hunting Knife and Electrocutor Officer's Sword. The powerful melee Knife comes from the "O Michael, Where Art Thou?" quest that begins after players defend Jesse's House. Traveling to the north on the map leads to a mansion called Michael's House, where the owner has unfortunately turned into a member of the walking dead.
Killing the now zombified Michael lets players take his safe key where the Defiant Hunting Knife may be found, but the Electrocutor Officer's Sword is a bit trickier to find. Players need to start "The Clean & Snatch" quest from their safe house in Beverly Hills by grabbing an item from inside the pool. Through an item named Dave's Phone, players have to collect multiple phones and notes from around the area.
Once players collect enough phones, going to Bel-Air for the quest gives them the Obi's Key item, which opens the container found in the pool with the Sword resting inside. A melee weapon as well that can stun lock zombies, this might be the best weapon players could find at the game's start.
Other Great Starting Weapons
|
Weapon |
Description |
How to Find |
|---|---|---|
|
Slaughtering Claws |
Two sharp claws that act as a fast melee weapon that can hit zombies quickly. |
At Halperin Hotel, near the northeast corner of the map inside an open shipping container close to the very edge of the area. |
|
Metal Bat |
A strong melee weapon that swings slow and heavy, but deals a critical hit whenever a strike lands. |
Past a locked door in Beverly Hills in a mansion to the northeast. Players must use a fuse box to open the garage that hosts the Metal Bat. |
|
Sporting Rifle |
Long-range gun that does great damage to zombies from afar. A great weapon for boss fights like Butcho the Clown in Dead Island 2. |
Completing the "Avenging Roonie" quest in Beverly Hills grants players this gun. |
Weapons found at this stage of the game are melee focused, and frankly are strong options throughout the entire game. More guns and abilities are discovered as the story progresses, and the best weapons to find first in Dead Island 2 remain useful as unique instruments for taking out zombies with just the right amount of gory flair.
-
Dead Island 2
- Franchise:
- Dead Island
- Platform:
- PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
- Released:
- 2023-04-28
- Developer:
- Dambuster Studios
- Publisher:
- Deep Silver
- Genre:
- First-Person Shooter, Action RPG
- ESRB:
- M
- Prequel:
- Dead Island
- How Long To Beat:
- 14h 55m
