A Top Pick: My Favorite Action Game is Free This Week

So, I was poking around for something new to play, you know, because who doesn’t love a good distraction now and then? And then boom—I stumble on this: Dead Island 2 is completely free, at least for a hot minute, on the Epic Games Store. It’s usually like fifty bucks, but not right now. This whole thing is part of Epic’s regular “have some free stuff” parade running until May 22, 2025. Mark your calendars or not—depends on your memory.

Adding it to your library is just a few clicks. I mean, you could technically never touch it if you’re into consoles instead, but free is free, right? I tried Dead Island 2 when it first came out in April 2023 and, let me tell you, I was smitten. Four and a half stars out of five! I called it a glorious mashup of action and horror. You slice your way through zombies alone or grab some buddies for co-op fun—really up to you. Total zombie apocalypse indulgence.

Oh, and let’s just toss a bit about the game’s vibe. It’s after the older Dead Island stuff, stuck in a quarantined LA with some nasty virus hanging around. You pick your character, and that choice basically decides if you’re smacking zombies around like ragdolls or sneaking up to give them a surprise headache. Then you gather skill cards—think of it as a fancy upgrade treasure hunt. Your weapons? Pure madness. Want a sledgehammer wrapped in electric wire or a sword that flames up? It’s all there, ready to be tinkered with.

The animations and physics, goodness me, they are something else. There’s this over-the-top gore system called F.L.E.S.H.—ridiculously detailed. Maybe it’s too much detail? But it makes combats satisfyingly brutal. Plus, the visuals are stunning, and the story is like a giggle-worthy B movie. Anyway… if zombie meets sandbox meets chaos is your cup of tea, you can’t go wrong.

One little bummer though—you don’t get it free on consoles like Xbox or PlayStation, but it’s on Xbox Game Pass if that helps a bit. Plus, there are some sweet deals out there, meaning you might snag it cheapish even on other platforms.

Ahh, life’s little pleasures!