The story missions of Dead Island 2 takes our survivors to the far corners of Hell-A. It’s not an epic saga like your Witcher games. In terms of length, it’s definitely longer than your typical action game but sort of falls short in some regards. You can think of it as a well-intentioned movie adaptation of a zombie novel with all the character development cut out for budget reasons.
In this guide, we’ll go over the main story missions for Dead Island 2. Spoiler alert, by the way. We’ll be talking about plot points and such. If you don’t want to go into detail just know that there are 24 story missions available in the game. You can do them while doing other activities like challenges and side quests.
But here’s the list of all the story mission summaries in Dead Island 2:
- Flight of the Damned
- Desperately Seeking Emma
- Bel-Air Brawl
- Call the Cavalry
- Room Service for Major Booker
- The Chosen One
- O Michael, Where Art Thou?
- Kwon with the Wind
- Michael Anders and the Holy Grail
- Justifiable Zombicide
- Saddle Up for Santa Monica
- Flushed
- The Heart of Darkness
- The Red Mist
- The Giant-Slayer
- Beach Offensive
- The Final Gauntlet
- Plumbing the Depths
- Blood Drive
- Boardwalking Dead
- The Search for Truth
- Rage Quit
- The End of the Line
- Hollywood Ending
Desperately Seeking Emma
Summary: “You suffered an agonizing bite and ran in panic to find the others at Emma Jaunt’s house in Bel-Air. When they realized you’d been bitten, they almost shot you just as you finally collapsed and blacked out. You woke to find Emma watching over you and somehow your fever was gone.”
Story Mission Rewards:
- 25000 XP
Bel-Air Brawl
Summary: “Zombies invaded the ground of Emma’s, but you dashed outside and fought them off. Sam B arrived to protect Emma, and your mind was blown when you realized you are immune to the virus.”
Story Mission Rewards:
- 25000 XP
Call the Cavalry
Summary: “You made it to the Halperin Hotel in hopes of contacting the Army. The whole place seemed abandoned, but then you heard a drunken Major Booker cursing you from somewhere in the building.”
Story Mission Rewards:
- 1500 XP
Room Service for Major Booker
Summary: “You tried to fight your way to Major Booker to get evacuated but the Bride got to her first… All was not lost though, as you were contacted over the radio by Dr. Reuben Reed, who told you that your blood holds the key to curing the plague. Now you just need to get to him.”
Story Mission Rewards:
- 3000 XP
The Chosen One
Summary: “Emma could persuade everyone to come with you to find Dr. Reed in Santa Monica, but she insisted on consulting Michael before she’d consider it. The only problem — Michael had gone missing.”
Story Mission Rewards:
- 2500 XP
O Michael, Where Art Thou?
Summary: “You followed Michael to his house in Beverly Hills, but he’d already left by the time you got there. Your only hope is that his friend Jessie Kwon knows where he’s gone.”
Story Mission Rewards:
- 2000 XP
Kwon with the Wind
Summary: “You rescued Jessi Kwon, who told you that Michael was on his way to Monarch Studios. Your next step was to follow him there.”
Story Mission Rewards:
- 2000 XP
Michael Anders and the Holy Grail
Summary: “You finally found Michael in Monarch Studious and saved him from a disgusting vomiting horror. He agreed to persuade Emma to lead everyone to Dr. Reed in Santa Monica.”
Story Mission Rewards:
- 4000 XP
Justifiable Zombicide
Summary: “You fought through the waterworks and met up with Sam B and Ronnie in Beverly Hills. You stole some guns from a TV big game hunter, but not before Ronnie met a grisly end. At least the guns should help you all reach Santa Monica alive!”
Story Mission Rewards:
- 6000 XP
- Uncommon Ranged Puncturator Mod
Saddle Up for Santa Monica
Summary: “At Emma’s, you found that Michael had returned from Monarch Studios, where he’d gone to retrieve Emma’s prized Romero award, and that he had been hiding a bite from you. He turned and almost killed Emma, and you had to shoot him! Distraught, Emma threw you out. You had to set off for Santa Monica alone.”
Story Mission Rewards:
- 4000 XP
Flushed
Summary: “Traveling underground to get to Santa Monica, you met an ex-military pilot called Patton who’s lived in the sewers for decades. He directed you toward the exit near the Venice storm tank. You managed to deactivate a lockdown caused by a pressure build-up in the main septic tank.”
Story Mission Rewards:
- 3000 XP
The Heart of Darkness
Summary: “Deep within the sewers, you discovered a nightmarish construction of fused human flesh and melted bone that beats like a giant heart. Zombies rose up to form the meat slurry all around, and you had to run for your life!”
Story Mission Rewards:
- 3000 XP
The Red Mist
Summary: “Just when you thought the sewers couldn’t get any worse, a barefooted woman appeared who claimed to know you, then tried to kill you. A terrible fury awoke within you, and you ripped zombies limb from limb! You then fought to the surface and met the survivors at the Blue Crab.”
Story Mission Rewards:
- 5000 XP
- Cleaver x1
The Giant-Slayer
Summary: “You killed Dillon and found Moose being dissected by Patton, who has discovered weird stuff inside the zombies with amazing properties. You just hope the same stuff isn’t inside you.”
Story Mission Rewards:
- 5500 XP
- Rare Melee Cremator Mod
Beach Offensive
Summary: “You managed to deactivate the lockdown at the military base and, ignoring dire warnings from Warrant Officer Rodriguez, fought your way through the quarantine corridors to the Tower on Venice Beach.”
Story Mission Rewards:
- 5500 XP
The Final Gauntlet
Summary: “It was a desperate fight, but you beat the final gauntlet and reached the safety of the Serling Hotel. Now you are just awaiting evacuation.”
Story Mission Rewards:
- 4000 XP
- $500
Plumbing the Depths
Summary “You found Bob, but it was too late for him. At least you got the water back on, much to the relief of the survivors in the Serling!”
Story Mission Rewards:
- 4000 XP
Blood Drive
Summary: “You fought your way to the blood sampler in the CDC base, but it turns outs Dr. Reed needs another piece of equipment to complete the analysis that will convince the military to fly you out of LA.”
Story Mission Rewards:
- 5000 XP
- $500
Boardwalking Dead
Summary: “You fought your way along the Pier to the very end, killed the Butcho the Clown, and found the Blood Drive. You even survived the Pier collapsing, but when you returned to the Serling you found the woman from the sewers relaxing in Dr. Reed’s office like an old friend.”
Story Mission Rewards:
- 6500 XP
- $2500
The Search for Truth
Summary: “Dr. Reed has performed experiments on immune people like you. Lola Konradt, the reclusive tech billionaire, claims you are a Numen — a new species, Dr. Reed and Tisha have fled the Serling in a helicopter with your blood. Time to get out of this insanity!”
Story Mission Rewards:
- 7000 XP
Rage Quit
Summary: “Emma and Sam were chased out of the house by a furious Andrea. You caught up to them in the sewers, where Emma managed to persuade Patton to fly you all out of LA.”
Story Mission Rewards:
- 7500 XP
The End of the Line
Summary: “Despite being separated from Sam, Emma, and Patton, you all reached Hollywood Boulevard. At the helicopter, Sam collapsed as the infection somehow defeated his immunity. Patton convinced you to find Dr. Reed and stop him from misusing your blood sample.”
Story Mission Rewards:
- 7500 XP
- Short-Barreled Shotgun x1
Hollywood Ending
Summary: “You found Dr. Reed, and learned that he started the outbreak to force the creation of a Numen! With your blood and his genetically engineered daughter Tisha, the upcoming emergence of the true Autophage might be averted, you killed him, and Tisha fled into the city.”
Story Mission Rewards:
- 8000 XP
- Emma’s Wrath x1
And that’s all the story missions in Dead Island 2. We have to admit, they left things off on a huge cliff hanger. We don’t know yet if there’s going to be more. We’ll have to wait and see if we’ll get another Dead Island: Riptide. Good luck and stay frosty out there, Survivors.
Dead Island 2 is available now on PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
