Dead Island, bringing a bit of hope to the industry

So it has been about two weeks since the momentous trailer was released for Dead Island. I can already feel you beginning to frown just from its title but fear not! This is not the zombie hack and slash we would normally expect from such an ostentatious title.

Starting from this announcement trailer alone it sets a mood that this game is something more, something much much more. Personally I have never been so moved by a video game trailer nor have I seen such time and planning gone into it (well outside the Cinema level budget Blizzard games usually spends on its trailers, but that's another story). From beginning to end this trailer is beautifully crafted, running in reverse the trailer is very misleading and creates a greater tension of not knowing. This sense of mystery coupled with the obvious terror of an imminent zombie threat makes a marvelous atmosphere for the trailer as a whole.

Outside of the composition of the trailer itself (which I am not truly qualified to analyze) lies the actual design and 3d art. Character models are beautifully crafted with special attention to detail that creates a very personal feeling for each involved (yes even including the zombies). From the father's "fohawk" to a zombie patrons ugly Hawaiian Shirt all the characters feel very believable and leads us (or myself at least) to feel very connected to the situation.

One of my favorite pieces is the young girl falling out of the window in reverse. It is a bit hard to tell but from how natural the girl's movements are I am lead to believe that this bit is a truly remarkable bit of motion capture, in fact throughout the trailer the motion capture and animation works seamlessly (and is shown off even better in a forward running version) the actions of the father wielding the axe and trying to remove his zombie daughter from his neck are all very natural.

This trailer is an incredible piece, and only heightens my anticipation for it's release. I am truly hoping for great things as this more role playing central zombie thriller is a very welcome "mold breaker" for the industry.