Dead Island: Epidemic

Overview

A spin-off from the Dead Island franchise, Epidemic takes a crack at the MOBA genre.

The servers were shutdown at the end of the day (PST) on October 15, 2015.

Gameplay

Controls

This game deviates from what is expected of a MOBA. It plays similarly to Bloodline Champions in that players control their character with WASD and use their mouse to use basic attacks. However the game uses cooldowns and has no mana bar, so it's all about the timing.

Progression

The player character progresses outside the game, unlike other standard MOBA's. As the player's character levels up they gain upgrades for their abilities (sometimes if players buy a new character, they start with some abilities locked). Players also have an account level which they can raise in order to unlock harder game modes (Heroic Horde Mode requires an account level of 4). In order to craft higher leveled weapons, the workbench level must also match or be higher than the item the player is trying to craft. Players can increase workbench level through account levels.

Equipment

In order to obtain new melee and ranged weapons, players have to obtain blueprints in order to craft them. If they don't have the necessary materials to craft the weapon, they can use in-game currency (Gear Points) to fill in the gaps and pay straight out of the bank.

Each weapon has their own levels that increases certain stats depending on what kind of weapon it is. There are consumables that can either be found from the loot or bought from the shop. Currently, the only consumables are bandages that have a variety of effects. The standard bandage has a heal over time effect, and there's another that instantly heals. Other bandages have special effects such as increased damage or faster movement speed when used.

Gamemodes

Scavenger

Scavenger is the PVP aspect of the game. Instead of a standard 5v5 tower rush, there are three teams of 4 all competing in a race to obtain the required amount of supplies to escape the battlefield. Collect supplies by killing zombies, capturing control points, and ganking enemy survivors.

Scavenger Hunt

Horde Mode

Horde mode plays like a traditional action-RPG akin to Diablo, moving from one point to another while killing NPC zombies and special zombies. With a team of 4, the player's goal is to kill the boss zombie at the end of the level while trying to beat the clock in order to obtain the best loot possible.

Characters

There are 3 different variations of 4 characters, each with their own unique skillsets and stats. As of March 7, 2014, a new survivor has joined the game, Fuse.

Survivors

Amber

The survivor variant of Amber utilizes AoE attacks and healing.

(Q) Nerve Cut - An AoE directly in front of the character that deals damage.

• Upgrade 1 - Hamstring: Targets hit are immobilized for X seconds.
• Upgrade 2 - Surgeon: Follow-up with a stab to deal moderate damage and leech life.

(E) Cure - Single target heal.

• Upgrade 1 - Alacrity: Increases movement speed.
• Upgrade 2 - Remedy: Instantly heals and removes debuffs.

(R) Smoke Screen - AoE directly underneath Amber that deals damage and reduces damage taken while inside the smoke.

• Upgrade 1 - Disarming Blast: Enemies in the initial blast are disarmed.
• Upgrade 2 - Poison Gas: Damage over time while in the smoke.

(F) Pheromones- Throw a vial at a target location and frenzy zombies and enemy survivors until they kill their target or reach a damage limit.

• Upgrade 1 - Overdoze: Slows and weakens targets for X% for Y seconds after the frenzy is over.

Berg

Berg is the powerhouse of the survivors and specializes in crowd control and tanking.

(Q) Log Toss - Toss a log that deals damage and stuns foes for a period of time.

• Upgrade 1 - Closing the Gap: Rush towards the thrown log after a second activation.
• Upgrade 2 - Throwing Expert: Longer stun duration.

(E) Log Sweep - Knock back enemies and deal damage.

• Upgrade 1 - Leg Sweep: Stuns enemies
• Upgrade 2 - Log Twist: Increase AoE to a 360°.

(R) Leaf Shield - Shout and create leaf shields that absorb damage.

• Upgrade 1 - Forceful: Increase damage while the shield is up.
• Upgrade 2 - Headstrong: The shield regenerates its own health X% per second.

(F) Mahagony Slam - A large AoE slam that slows and deals damage.

• Upgrade 1 - Seismic Impact: Enemies are thrown into the air and dealt more damage and slowed on landing.

Bryce

Bryce is the ranged-oriented of the group, supporting from afar.

(Q) Concussion Shot - Single target and high damage that also stuns. Pierces basic zombies.

• Upgrade 1 - Double Draw: Activate again to shoot a second shot.
• Upgrade 2 - Heavy Load: Bullets now explode on impact that deals AoE damage.

(E) Repellant Kick - Roundhouse kick that knocks back enemies.

• Upgrade 1 - Head Start: Increased movement speed
• Upgrade 2 - Kneecap Buster: Slows enemies

(R) Salvo - Spray pellets rapidly in a cone.

• Upgrade 1 - Pain Mark: Targets hit by Salvo are marked, increasing damage dealt to them.
• Upgrade 2 - Splash: Bullets deal AoE damage on impact.

(F) Duck Hunt - Make birds land on your enemies, damaging and slowing them, as you shoot them out of the air.

• Upgrade 1 - Eagle Down: An eagle falls and stuns enemies when activating Duck Hunt.

Isys

Isys is the DPS of the group, with melee-oriented skills and fast maneuverability.

(Q) Lightning Fury - High damage kick that deals AoE damage and knocks back enemies.

• Upgrade 1 - Lightning Kick: Stuns the main target.
• Upgrade 2 - Sparkling Punt: Randomly shoot off sparks that deals damage to surrounding enemies.

(E) Tornado Leg - Spin to cripple your enemies and win.

• Upgrade 1 - Forceful Kicks: Increase duration of cripple and distance.
• Upgrade 2 - Hit and Run: Second activation that returns you to your starting point.

(R) Evasion - Dodge all attacks for a short period of time.

• Upgrade 1 - Combat Reflexes: Increased attack speed when successfully absorbing an attack.
• Upgrade 2 - Elusive Dodge: Decreased damage from abilities.

(F) Kicking Spree - Move from enemy to enemy as you unleash a flurry of kicks while becoming intargetable.

• Upgrade 1 - Sweep The Leg: Immobilizes enemies hit by Kicking Spree.

Armored

Armored Amber

A beefed up Amber that's survived a number of encounters. She's learned new ways of supporting allies.

(Q) Command - Summon a zombie to do your bidding.

• Upgrade 1 - Thug: The zombie randomly enters a frenzy mode and stuns anybody hit.
• Upgrade 2 - Unstable Biology: Your zombie has a chance to immobilize on attack.

(E) Medkit - Why heal 1, when you can heal 4?

• Upgrade 1 - Abundance: Increase duration of the medkit.
• Upgrade 2 - Field Medic: Increases allies' power.

(R) Panic Shot - Fire off a flare that scares off enemies.

• Upgrade 1 - Exhausting Bullet: Weakens the target, reducing their weapon damage.
• Upgrade 2 - Gunslinger: Fire off a second shot.

(F) Steroids - Increases maximum health, regenerates health, and increases damage output for one ally.

• Upgrade 1 - Catalyst: On cast, causes a blast around target that stuns enemies.

Armored Berg

Tankier than ever, Berg dons makeshift armor that resembles hockey gear.

(Q) Tackle - Tackle a target, dealing damage based on distance traveled.

• Upgrade 1 - Combat Ready: Damage taken is reduced after tackling an enemy.
• Upgrade 2 - Thrust: Trigger the skill a second time to activate a wide cone that deals damage and stuns enemies.

(E) Ground Pound - Stomp the yard and incapacitate your enemies.

• Upgrade 1 - Rift: Increased duration.
• Upgrade 2 - Seismic Stomp: Choose where the seismic shocks of your stomp targets.

(R) Toss - Toss some fools.

• Upgrade 1 - Crater: Increases radius of impact.
• Upgrade 2 - Disorienting Impact: Slows enemies on impact.

(F) Berserk - Enter a berserk mode, increasing your movement speed, attack speed, and damage.

• Upgrade 1 - Juggernaut: On cast, create a shield that absorbs damage.

Armored Bryce

Bryce decided to gear up and deal with the action close up.

(Q) Assault - Dash towards a target to strike. Activate a second time to sweep and deal AoE damage.

• Upgrade 1 - Combo: Activate a third time to knock back enemies.
• Upgrade 2 - Concussion Blow: The second strike incapacitates enemies.

(E) Harpoon - Throw a harpoon and pretend you're Scorpion.

• Upgrade 1 - Fierce Throw: Immobilize the target.
• Upgrade 2 - Hook Shot: Cooldown of the skill is reduced, and you're now able to hook the environment to pull yourself towards it.

(R) Deflect - Block and reduce damage while you stand still, and counterattack if anybody tries to melee you.

• Upgrade 1 - Combat Technique: Each counter attack generates rage.
• Upgrade 2 - Smoke: At the end of the duration, throw down smoke and become invisible for a short duration.

(R) Sharclone - Summon a cyclone filled with sharks at target location. That's all.

• Upgrade 1 - Sharkbite: Enemies hit are debuffed with bleed.

Armored Isys

Isys decided to deal with zombies hands-free.

(Q) Sentry Gun - Build a sentry gun to shoot zombies. Able to upgrade once.

• Upgrade 1 - Cogs And Springs: Upgrade the sentry gun an additional time.
• Upgrade 2 - Rocket Sentry: Sentry can now shoot rockets.

(E) Cluster Grenade - Throw a grenade that blows up into smaller grenades. Deals damage and slows enemies.

• Upgrade 1 - Glue Extraction: The cluster grenade now blows up and creates a puddle of glue, slowing enemy movement.
• Upgrade 2 - Tech Grenade: The cluster grenade repairs your sentry gun.

(R) Shock Mine - Lay a trap for enemies to run into. Deals damage and slows enemies.

• Upgrade 1 - Mine Expert: Deploy an extra mine within a limited time.
• Upgrade 2 - Swift Dropoff: Increased movement speed when you drop a mine.

(F) Rocket Launcher - Fire a rocket launcher.

• Upgrade 1 - Fire Storm: Explosion from the rocket creates fire that deals damage to enemies within.

Fuse (New Character)

A newcomer to the game, Fuse deals with large AoE explosives while maintaining distance.

(Q) Grenade Launcher - Launches a grenade at target location.

• Upgrade 1 - Shock Wave Grenade: Knocks back enemies.
• Upgrade 2 - Smoking Hot: Create a smoke screen, reducing damage dealt to allies inside.

(E) Rocket Man - Execute a rocket jump to escape a horde.

• Upgrade 1 - Stunning Detonation: Stuns enemies when you take off.
• Upgrade 2 - On Fire: Reduces cool down for Grenade Launcher.

(R) Riot Foam - Drench enemies in riot foam to make them slow and flammable. Explosives ignite enemies.

• Upgrade 1 - Dripping: Creates puddles of riot foam in a straight line.
• Upgrade 2 - Touch of Chemistry: Healing effects reduced on enemies drenched with riot foam.

(F) Dual Launchers - Make it rain grenades on a target location with two grenade launchers.

• Upgrade 1 - Mortar: Increases cast range.

Mutated

Mutated Amber

Amber has evolved into a stealthy burst damage assassin, able to become invisible and stay invisible.

(Q) Conceal - Turn invisible for a short duration. Deal bonus damage when attacking while invisible.

• Upgrade 1 - Ranid Strike: Stuns the enemy when attacking while invisible.
• Upgrade 2 - Swift Hunter: Increased move speed while invisible.

(E) Spring Strike - Leap to target location and attack enemies with an AoE slash.

• Upgrade 1 - Frog Leap: Activate a second time within a limited duration to leap a second time.
• Upgrade 2 - Rupture: The main target begins to bleed.

(R) Poison Sting - Shoot a poison thorn at an enemy to slow their movements until the thorn explodes after the duration expires.

• Upgrade 1 - Deadly Injection: Increases radius of explosion.
• Upgrade 2 - Healing Poison: Leeches health after the thorn explodes.

(F) Preparation - Resets all ability cool downs.

• Stalker: Increased movement speed and damage after activation.

Mutated Berg

An even tankier version of Berg.

(Q) Infectious Roar - Heals allies in the vicinity.

• Upgrade 1 - Rally: Increased attack speed for affected allies.
• Upgrade 2 - Regeneration: Additional healing over time.

(E) Taunt - Taunt a target.

• Upgrade 1 - Blood Fury: Healing over time based on damage taken.
• Upgrade 2 - Enrage: Generates Rage.

(R) Bulwark - Shield an ally with carapace that blocks damage.

• Upgrade 1 - Bully Revenge: Knocks enemies back when shield dies.
• Upgrade 2 - Renew: Target is healed over time.

(F) Leap - Leap to target location and stun enemies.

• Upgrade 1 - Tremor: Enemies are pulled towards you when you land.

Mutated Bryce

Specializes in poison damage and AoE.

(Q) Acid Eruption - Summon an exploding eruption at target location.

• Upgrade 1 - Aftershock: Extra eruptions at target location.
• Upgrade 2 - Magnify: Increased damage.

(E) Slithering Vein - Summon veins that shackles an enemy. Cannot move while using.

• Upgrade 1 - Enfeeble: Drains stats from the enemy and add them to your own.
• Upgrade 2 - Treacherous Infestation: Take reduced damage.

(R) Spore Cloud - Taunt a target.

• Upgrade 1 - Disarming Impact: Disarms enemies in the area.
• Upgrade 2 - Impulse: Increased movement speed and longer duration.

(F) Sprout - Summon a sprout that shoots enemies.

• Upgrade 1 - Basher: Sprout gains a melee attack that slows enemies.

Mutated Isys

Isys has become a deadly burst damage assassin that doesn't require stealth.

(Q) Stinger - Mount an enemy, rendering them unable to use their weapons or abilities.

• Upgrade 1 - Leeching Glands: Gains ability to leech health.
• Upgrade 2 - Rapid Getaway: Quickly jump to a new target after tagging the main target.

(E) Plague - Spit toxic at an enemy that reduces movement speed. The toxic spreads to nearby enemies.

• Upgrade 1 - Epidemic: Increased number of times the toxic can spread.
• Upgrade 2 - Festering Boils: Gains ability to leech health.

(R) Claw - Target an enemy to leech health.

• Upgrade 1 - Absorbing Nails: Increased leeching and generates Rage.
• Upgrade 2 - Venomous Glands: Reduces enemy attack speed.

(F) Twister - Spin like a twister with increased movement speed and attack enemies.

• Upgrade 1 - Whirling Momentum: Increased movement speed.