Can You Customize Your Characters in Dead Island 2?

Dead Island 2 features six zombie slayers, all struggling to survive in a zombie-filled Los Angeles. But what if you want to add your own personal touch? Can you customize your characters in Dead Island 2? Here’s the answer.

Can You Create Characters in Dead Island 2?

The simple answer is no, you can’t create a character from scratch. You have to start as one of Dead Island 2’s six slayers: Jacob, Ryan, Carla, Bruno, Dani, or Amy. Likewise, you can’t pick their starting stats or skills, and there’s no reallocating points, as you might find in Fallout 4.

What you can do is use the skill cards you acquire as the game progresses to add new skills and swap between them to suit your playstyle. You can also get bonuses to existing traits. This system is not as extensive or in-depth as many RPGs but Dead Island 2 is an action game with RPG elements, rather than the other way around.

Can You Edit Your Character’s Physical Appearance?

So, if you can’t change your character’s starting skills or stats, can you edit their appearance? Maybe you want to give Dani a mohawk or Ryan a fanciful Hunger Games-style mustache. Unfortunately, that’s also not an option.

In the main game, you can’t edit your character’s physical appearance. You’re stuck with the default character looks. Given this is a first-person game and the only people who see your slayer are your co-op partners, that’s not a huge deal.

How to Change Outfits in Dead Island 2

The good news is that you can change your outfit in Dead Island 2, provided you’ve downloaded the requisite patch. And you can also get your hands on other outfits.

To change your outfit you need to have played through the game up to the point where you’ve gone to Emma’s mansion, defended it, met Sam, and are ready to leave. That’s about 20 minutes to half an hour into the game.

You’ll get a message about unlocking Cosplay, so you can do one of two things:

1. Exit to the main menu, go to Extras, and go to Cosplay. You’ll then be able to change your Slayer’s outfit.
2. Go to any storage locker. There’ll be a Cosplay option there. You can, again, use this to change your Slayer’s outfit.

How to Get New Costumes in Dead Island 2

There are currently four possible costumes for each Slayer. Here’s how to get them:

Default costumes. This is what your Slayer is wearing in the prerendered intro scene and it’s their default outfit, no extra effort needed.

‘Til Dawn Collection. These are completely free, as long as you’ve patched your game. There’s one alternate costume for each slayer, e.g., Dani’s Cherry Bomb costume. You just need to have reached the point where you exit Emma’s mansion, as mentioned above.

From Dusk Collection. These are free to Amazon Prime subscribers, claimed through Amazon Prime Gaming. Again, there’s one alternate costume for each slayer. Here’s how to claim the Amazon skins.

HELL-A Catwalk Collection. These are premium costumes, each with a special weapon that can be used by other slayers. They are as follows:

• Silver Star Jacob
• Cyber Slayer Amy
• Gaelic Queen Dani
• Jungle Fantasy Ryan
• Steel Horse Carla
• Venice Vogue Bruno

Those who’ve bought the Gold, Deluxe, or HELL-A Edition of Dead Island 2 get the Silver Star Jacob and Cyber Slayer Amy costumes free. Gaelic Queen Dani is also free for those who own the Expansion Pass. As for the others, you’ll have to buy them, for $4.99 each.

So, you can’t edit characters’ starting skills, but you can acquire more later on. And while you don’t get to change your characters’ physical attributes, you can swap out your Slayers’ outfits. That is everything you need to know about how you can customize characters in Dead Island 2.

Related: How to Play Dead Island 2 with Friends on Pro Game Guides