The Passionate Gamer‘s Ultimate Dead Island 2 Trophy Guide

As a lifelong gamer with over 20 years of hacking, slashing, and zombie-slaying under my belt, I was filled with eager anticipation for Dead Island 2. Since getting my hands on it, I‘ve now sunk over 40 hours into exploring every corner of Los Angeles and uncovering all the secrets this undead playground has to offer.

So I felt compelled to create the ultimate trophy guide for my fellow passionate gamers. This guide will draw on my own experiences, insights, fails and triumphs I faced taking down thousands of zombies and earning the prestigious Platinum Trophy.

My History with Dead Island 2

I‘ve been following Dead Island 2 news and leaks for years. When Techland left the project after the first Dead Island in 2011, I feared we would never get a sequel. The original Dead Island, with its tropical resort setting turned zombie hellscape, still stands as one of my all-time favorites.

So when Dambuster Studios eventually took up the mantle, I knew I would be first in line when it finally released. Over the years, delays and radio silence around the project sometimes made me wonder if it would ever actually launch.

But at long last, after over a decade of anticipation, playing those first few hours of Dead Island 2 filled me with the same visceral, thrill-ride satisfaction I remember from the original. Dambuster Studios absolutely nailed the formula of frantic first-person melee combat and dark humor.

Except now the backdrop had shifted from tropical paradise to the sundrenched streets, beaches, and back alleys of Los Angeles. The urban sprawl and diversity of environments make for an even more enjoyable playground for zombie-smashing mayhem.

Over the first 10 hours, I became intimately familiar with every inch of Venice Beach. And after completing the main story over 25 hours, I spent another 15 hours on the post-game grind exploring zones like Beverly Hills, San Vengo, and the Halperin Laboratory.

So to say I‘ve built up some expertise is probably an understatement! And now I want to impart everything I learned for this ultimate trophy guide.

Roadmap for Earning All Trophies

Through many hours of trial and error, I‘ve created what I feel is the optimal roadmap for unlocking all 46 Dead Island 2 trophies efficiently:

1. Complete main story quests – Unlocks 13 key story trophies
2. Grind side activities – Unlocks trophies for completing different amounts of optional content
3. Max weapons and combat – Upgrading gear and honing abilities unlocks several trophies
4. Thorough exploration – Finding all secrets, collectibles and zombie types unlocks more trophies
5. Clean-up – Use co-op, chapter select, or multiplayer to mop up any trophies you missed

I‘ll break down exactly how to approach each step below, along with tips I learned first-hand attempting these achievements myself.

All 46 Dead Island 2 Trophies

Before diving into strategies, here is a full list of all obtainable trophies ranked from Bronze to Platinum. 18 trophies are hidden, meaning the requirements are not revealed until you unlock them.

I‘ve compiled this list from the in-game trophy interface after unlocking every last one (yes, I earn the bragging rights!). I‘ll indicate which trophies are hidden along the way.

As you can see, that covers the full spectrum from common to elite to multiplayer and secret surprises.

Now let‘s get into how to actually earn these bad boys efficiently.

Step 1: Dominating Main Story Quests

I always recommend starting out by completing the main Dead Island 2 story. This serves several purposes:

• You learn the core mechanics, systems, and gameplay loops
• The writing and characters properly introduce you to the setting
• You unlock fast travel points providing access across the map
• Story quests unlock 13 key trophies along the way

Attempting side content first can leave you under-leveled and stranded when jumping back into mandatory missions. So get through all 24 story chapters first.

The main thread puts you on a 25+ hour ride of conspiracy, betrayal, and scientific mystery entangling your character. And the writing strikes a perfect balance between dark, gory themes and laugh-out-loud raunchy humor.

I became deeply invested in the central mystery behind the zombie infection engulfing LA. And the ending completely caught me off guard with its poignant, bittersweet twist.

You‘ll traverse zones like Venice Beach, Beverly Hills, San Vengo ruins, metro tunnels, and the Halperin Laboratory headquarters along the way. The diversity of environments keeps the visuals and gameplay fresh.

Trophies Unlocked by Main Story Quests

Completing all major plot threads results in the following trophies:

• Welcome To Hell-A
• Hotel California
• Personal Assistant Personally Assisted
• Git Gutte
• Friends Like These
• Dr. Reed, I Presume
• But Doctor, I Am Butcho
• Can‘t Handle the Truth
• Like Riding a Bike
• A Patton Emerges
• Our True Nature (Gold)
• Ooh, Shiny!
• Humanity Distilled

So 13 key trophies down without even doing any optional content!

Tips for Main Story Trophy Cleanup

I recommend not worrying about trophies, challenges or collectibles during your first playthrough. Just immerse yourself in the story and gameplay.

After the credits roll, use Chapter Select for clean-up. Repeat any chapters where you missed trophies but be warned – collectibles and weapon upgrades do not carry over across replay.

So I needed two full playthroughs to unlock every trophy. My first run was a fun 25 hour ride immersed in the plot. The second run was more technical, jumping between chapters and consulting guides to mop up any last trophies.

Don‘t fret if you miss trophies on that initial first playthrough. Just have fun and use subsequent runs to clean things up.

Step 2: The Side Grind

Once you‘ve put the main story to bed, it‘s time to dive head first into all of the optional content Dead Island 2 provides. Side quests, challenges, collectibles and upgrades are critical for the next batch of trophies.

Side Quests

Side content unlocks trophies for completing set numbers of additional missions separate from the main story:

• Make it So – Light beacon fire in Beacon of Hope quest
• Gore Horse – Complete all 7 of Francesca‘s quests
• Go Bobcats! – Finish Boz and Dez quests
• Internet Famous – Complete Amanda‘s 3 quests
• Making Your Mark – 10 side quests
• Rising Star – 20 side quests
• LA Influential – 40 side quests (Gold)

There are 33 side quests spanning zones like Venice Beach, Beverly Hills, San Vengo, and more. I logged an additional 15 hours completing every last side mission I could find.

That includes optional content like vehicle time trials, missing person rescues, escort protection gigs, and good old fashioned zombie purges.

Some side content even chains together across multiple quests that unfold storylines with wacky characters like conspiracy theorist Boz or amateur scientist Amanda.

And side missions provide valuable XP to upgrade your skills, health, stamina and more. So they are critical progression even beyond trophy requirements!

Pro Tip: Don‘t just mindlessly click on map markers! Explore zones fully to trigger quests and weapon blueprints organically.

Challenges

In addition to quests, challenges provide bite-sized objectives centered around combat, weapons, exploration, and more:

• 26 Combat Challenges
• 10 Weapon Challenges
• 7 Exploration Challenges
• 10 Survivor Challenges
• 24 Zombie Challenges
• 7 Blueprint Challenges

And meeting Challenge Trophy requirements simply involves completing the first tier for every type of challenge:

• On Safari – Complete first tier of all 24 Zombie Challenges
• Variety is the Spice of Death – Complete first tier of all 10 Weapon Challenges
• Zombicidal Maniac – Complete first tier of all 26 Combat Challenges
• Smorgasbord – Complete first tier of 7 Exploration Challenges
• Survival Skills – Complete first tier of 10 Survival Challenges

Challenges passively completed over my 40+ hour playtime. But I still needed to consciously clean up a few stragglers.

Study challenge requirements under your in-game Progression menu so you can tick off any low hanging fruit.

Pro Tip: Weapon blueprints from challenges can help a lot with the weapon and combat trophy grind!

Weapon & Combat Mastery

You‘ll also want to pour upgrade materials into hitting maximum proficiency with your favorite zombie-slaying gear:

• This is My Weapon – Fully upgrade any Superior weapon with a perk in every slot
• Anger Management – Kill 50 zombies with Fury attacks
• Hazardous Materials – Kill 100 zombies with elemental damage
• Break a Leg – Dismember 100 zombie limbs

Fully upgrading weapons takes a TON of rare materials found across LA‘s urban sprawl. I ultimately maxed out my Fire Axe for massive damage per swing.

Make sure to use Fury attacks (RB + B after building meter), environmental traps, and elemental weapon mods at every opportunity. These tick requirements for several combat trophies organically.

And yes, you need to dismember 100 limbs across your playtime through well-aimed slices and curb stomps. So aim for those legs and arms!

Step 3: Open World Exploration

A key pillar for trophies comes from thoroughly exploring every corner the Dead Island 2 open world has to offer:

Beverly Hills offers a mix of glitz and bloodshed

Activities out in zones like Venice Beach, San Vengo ruins and Beverly Hills slums include:

• Discovering zombie types
• Finding collectible journals
• Unlocking hidden Lockboxes
• Completing additional challenges

And you‘ll need to leave no stone unturned across Los Angeles to unlock trophies like:

• Zombologist – Discover all 31 zombie types
• Bookworm – Collect 50 journals
• Jumbo Keyring – Unlock 10 Lockboxes

I encountered my last new zombie variant over 30 hours into gameplay! Make sure to keep an eye out and use Survival Instinct vision (LT) if you seem stuck finding some trickier undead beasts.

Journals also provide rich lore expanding the game world. I felt genuine motivation reading detailed accounts of LA‘s initial fall and history behind the Halperin Corp.

And those Lockboxes contain useful resources for crafting and experimentation. The keys often reside in remote areas off the beaten path. So be sure to veer away from objective markers when exploring zones!

Completionist Tips

For extreme trophy hunters aspiring to 100% the game, you‘ll also need to finish out Challenge tiers beyond initial requirements:

• Max Headroom – Reach player Level 30
• Stacking the Deck – Unlock 30 Skill Cards

Between all side activities, I hit Level 30 naturally in my pursuit for 100% completion over 40+ hours. And Skill Cards upgrade your abilities, so finishing challenges nets you plenty.

Still need an XP boost? Repeat main missions granting large Observer Tech rewards!

Step 4: Multiplayer & Clean-Up

Despite all that grinding, you may still have a few pesky trophies eluding your grasp. That‘s where multiplayer and thorough clean-up comes in:

• I Am the Resurrection – Revive partners 5 times in co-op
• Slayer Squad – Complete 5 quests in co-op
• Apex Predator – Kill 10 Apex zombie types
• Coup de Grace – Kill 25 zombies with Finishers

I partnered up with a friend for co-op grinding sessions specifically around these objectives. We rescued survivors, completed side quests, and farmed Apex zombies at optimal locations.

Make sure to go for Finishers on regular zombies whenever possible and frequently revive your buddy! This should unlock these pesky multiplayer trophies.

For any other clean-up, continue replaying story chapters targeting specific trophies via Level Select. But remember, collectibles and upgrades won‘t transfer across playthroughs!

Putting It All Together

Phew! As you can see, unlocking the esteemed Dead Island 2 Platinum Trophy requires a serious hobbyist commitment. Here is a summary roadmap:

1. Complete main story – Unlocks 13 quest trophies
2. Grind side content – Unlocks all side mission and challenge trophies
3. Max weapons/skills – Upgrade equipment and combat mastery
4. Explore thoroughly – Find collectibles, secrets, complete all challenges
5. Clean-up – Use co-op and level select for stragglers

While long, I found pursuing 100% completion to be thoroughly enjoyable rather than a chore. Dambuster Studios packed tons of humor, memorable personalities, and addictively fun gameplay into Dead Island 2.

Let me know if this guide helps you collect those trophies! What was your favorite or most annoying trophy? What tips do you have for fellow completionists?

Stay tuned for even more Dead Island coverage and guides! rises from a pile of thousands of dismembered zombies